Elisabeth W.
- 104
- reviews
- 467
- helpful votes
- 1,207+
- ratings
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Evicted
- Poverty and Profit in the American City
- By: Matthew Desmond
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,054
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,374
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,357
In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Hailed as “wrenching and revelatory” (The Nation), “vivid and unsettling” (New York Review of Books), Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Former Property Manager
- By Charla on 05-18-16
- Evicted
- Poverty and Profit in the American City
- By: Matthew Desmond
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
Repetitive
Reviewed: 03-01-19
It's the same story over and over. I know the author is driving home a point, but...
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The Bone Tree
- A Novel
- By: Greg Iles
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 32 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,183
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,765
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,752
Former prosecutor Penn Cage and his fiancee, reporter and publisher Caitlin Masters, have barely escaped with their lives after being attacked by wealthy businessman Brody Royal and his Double Eagles, a KKK sect with ties to some of Mississippi's most powerful men. But the real danger has only begun as FBI Special Agent John Kaiser warns Penn that Brody isn't the true leader of the Double Eagles.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Narrator a problem
- By Janet on 04-26-15
- The Bone Tree
- A Novel
- By: Greg Iles
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
Usually give Penn Cage 5 Stars
Reviewed: 02-02-18
I have really enjoyed Greg Iles' Penn Cage Series, but the Bone Tree did not live up to the quality of the previous reads. I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning, which is unusual. I think the Bone Tree would be improved by editing out many superfluous scenes as it was unnecessarily long. If you are listening to the whole series, then you won't want to miss this book as there are some big doings that I won't give away but will definitely effect the following books in the series. Glad I listened but - meh.
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Scores
- How I Opened the Hottest Strip Club in New York City, Was Extorted out of Millions by the Gambino Family, and Became One of the Most Successful Mafia Informants in FBI History
- By: Michael D. Blutrich
- Narrated by: Michael D. Blutrich
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,234
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,944
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,937
Meet Michael Blutrich, mild-mannered New York lawyer and founder of Scores, the hottest strip club in New York City history, funded by the proceeds of an insurance embezzlement scheme. All Blutrich wanted was to lay low, make the club a success, and put his criminal acts behind him. But the Mafia got involved, and soon the FBI came knocking. Scores became wildly popular, in part thanks to Blutrich's ability to successfully bend the rules of adult entertainment. Unfortunately for Blutrich, it would all soon implode.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Seductive narration about fortunes and betrayals
- By LEE on 02-06-17
- Scores
- How I Opened the Hottest Strip Club in New York City, Was Extorted out of Millions by the Gambino Family, and Became One of the Most Successful Mafia Informants in FBI History
- By: Michael D. Blutrich
- Narrated by: Michael D. Blutrich
Great Book, Intriguing Topics
Reviewed: 02-02-18
Well, the things I learned about strip clubs - very interesting! I really enjoyed Scores, especially with the capable author narrating. It moved a little abruptly from the running of Scores into Michael becoming an FBI informant, but that's ok. There is little need for a plot summary because the extended title says it all. The one question which I was left pondering was since Michael was supposed to go into the witness protection program, how is he living under his original name and able to write this book and live? Maybe that's in the sequel.
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One Second After
- By: William R. Forstchen
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29,954
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25,819
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25,821
Already cited on the floor of Congress and discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a book all Americans should read, One Second After is the story of a war scenario that could become all too terrifyingly real. Based upon a real weapon - the Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) - which may already be in the hands of our enemies, it is a truly realistic look at the awesome power of a weapon that can destroy the entire United States.
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3 out of 5 stars
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A Civil War Re-enactor Saves a Community?
- By Cidney on 07-05-12
- One Second After
- By: William R. Forstchen
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
WOW!
Reviewed: 01-18-18
An incredible story about the aftermath of an EMP strike. Made me realize I am not even prepared for an extended power outage! Scary topic told within a riveting tale. Highly recommend - and contact your senator to find out why the government isn't doing more to prepare for an EMP strike.
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Agent to the Stars
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16,174
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14,677
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14,651
The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish. So getting humanity's trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal. Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He's one of Hollywood's hottest young agents.
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5 out of 5 stars
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excellent
- By C. Paget on 12-28-10
- Agent to the Stars
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
Light hearted fun!
Reviewed: 09-10-17
Make no mistake, I'm not giving Agent to the Stars 5 stars for being a literary tour de force, but it is a well written, fun, light hearted adventure blending aliens and movie stars. Good quality work if you're looking for a don't-have-to-think-too-hard romp. Very well narrated.
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The Hate U Give
- By: Angie Thomas
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 45,892
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 41,626
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Story5 out of 5 stars 41,474
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name.
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5 out of 5 stars
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This Book Changed My Entire Perspective
- By Wendi on 01-14-18
- The Hate U Give
- By: Angie Thomas
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Wow
Reviewed: 07-14-17
Just finished The Hate U Give and was blown away. I felt like Angie Thomas was penning a gentle letter to white people to help us understand what the heck has been going on in black neighborhoods with regard to police shootings/killings of residents, all wrapped up in a great story. Thomas cleverly has the protagonist, Star, attend a private white high school (which also provides insight into comments whites might view as a joke but are offensive to minorities) and have a white boyfriend, both of which on a certain level make Star more relatable for a white reader. Star's immediate and extended family and friends are so well drawn that I felt connected to or personally repelled by each. There is a riot scene toward the end of the book. I had tears streaming down my face - and I'm not an empathetic person. Highly recommend!
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Nevertheless
- A Memoir
- By: Alec Baldwin
- Narrated by: Alec Baldwin
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,328
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,135
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2,128
One of the most accomplished and outspoken actors today chronicles the highs and lows of his life in this beautifully written, candid memoir.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Embarrassingly petty
- By Stacey Robinson on 09-20-18
- Nevertheless
- A Memoir
- By: Alec Baldwin
- Narrated by: Alec Baldwin
Disappointed
Reviewed: 05-01-17
I usually really enjoy a (quality) celebrity autobiography, but was disappointed with Nevertheless. I really like Alec Baldwin, but found him often casting blame on others, perhaps deservedly, and sounding whiny once he got into the adult part of his life. I did enjoy learning about his childhood. There was relatively little discussion of his life with Kim Bassinger, which also disappointed me. He also doesn't really detail or own up to his bad boy antics other than one coke bender. His raving, gushing description of his current wife seemed over the top and thus a little phony, as did his praise for so many others. It's as if he knows these people will read his book and if he doesn't gush about them, they won't like him any more. Hhhmmm...
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The Undoing Project
- A Friendship That Changed Our Minds
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13,188
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11,503
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11,490
Forty years ago Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original studies undoing our assumptions about the decision-making process. Their papers showed the ways in which the human mind erred systematically when forced to make judgments about uncertain situations. Their work created the field of behavioral economics, revolutionized Big Data studies, advanced evidence-based medicine, led to a new approach to government regulation, and made Michael Lewis' work possible.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Behind the scenes of amazing science
- By Neuron on 10-16-17
- The Undoing Project
- A Friendship That Changed Our Minds
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
So Disappointed
Reviewed: 01-08-17
If you asked me who my favorite author is, I would say Michael Lewis, until The Undoing Project. While I appreciate the general topic of behavioral economics, the story (or lack of) is bogged down in the life of two Israeli psychologists. While perhaps that is the story, I found it so uninteresting compared to Moneyball, The Big Short, The Blindside, Liar's Poker or Boomerang. This will sell because it is Michael Lewis, but if it had been written by an unknown, I can't imagine it would go far.
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4 people found this helpful
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You
- By: Caroline Kepnes
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21,006
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 19,229
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19,193
Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: she's gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and sexy beyond his wildest dreams. Joe needs to have her, and he'll stop at nothing to do so. As he begins to insinuate himself into her life - her friendships, her email, her phone - she can’t resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom-made for her. So when her boyfriend, Benji, mysteriously disappears, Beck and Joe fall into a tumultuous affair. But there's more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wow. This. Book.
- By Em on 07-17-15
- You
- By: Caroline Kepnes
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
Billed As Gone Girl
Reviewed: 05-11-16
But it's not. I kept wanting to like this book, but was underwhelmed. I did not think this had the tension or interest of Gone Girl.
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Glory over Everything
- Beyond the Kitchen House
- By: Kathleen Grissom
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana, Heather Alicia Simms, Madeleine Maby, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,730
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,495
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,492
This new standalone novel opens in 1830, and Jamie, who fled from the Virginian plantation he once called home, is passing in Philadelphia society as a wealthy white silversmith. After many years of striving, Jamie has achieved acclaim and security, only to discover that his aristocratic lover, Caroline, is pregnant. Before he can reveal his real identity to her, he learns that his beloved servant, Pan, has been captured and sold into slavery in the South.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Painfully insipid. Couldn't finish.
- By Dawn on 04-09-16
- Glory over Everything
- Beyond the Kitchen House
- By: Kathleen Grissom
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana, Heather Alicia Simms, Madeleine Maby, Kyle Beltran
If you loved The Kitchen House...
Reviewed: 05-11-16
...you will love this. I was totally captivated by Grissom's novel The Kitchen House and found myself equally entranced with Glory Over Everything. The story continues in Philadelphia with the capture of a free black boy sold into slavery in North Carolina. You'll recognize some of the characters from The Kitchen House as the boy's former employer travels to NC to retrieve him while revealing his own secrets and putting his life in jeopardy. I found myself coming up with more tasks to complete so I could continue listening!
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