Jerry G

Fascinating but dense

Reviewed: 08-02-24 Listener received this title free

Narrated superbly. A fascinating exposition of the fundamental way civilizations moved through the stages (epistemes) of their conception of reality & the divine. The author make heavy use of “in other words” & “which is to say” to help us to follow his argument. As a general reader, I’m glad I could simply listen to Mr. Barber read to me rather than struggle through the dense thickets of text by myself.

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A terrific and timely book, wonderfully narrated

Reviewed: 04-19-24 Listener received this title free

I had no knowledge or appreciation of the period covered by this book, the years of William Pitt the Younger's efforts to achieve collective security in Europe. Jarrett clearly traces the events and dynamics unleashed by French aggression and its revolution and Pitt's efforts to serve Britain's security interests by seeking allies against that aggression. The challenges he faced echo today as the West faces Russian aggression in Ukraine. Western security -- as it did when facing Hitler -- requires a united response though the differing interests and realities of nations create the same complications as Pitt faced. The book comes alive as read by Barber, who once again does a masterful job. While a history book, it should be listened to today.

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A double revelation

Reviewed: 05-23-23 Listener received this title free

This book opened a page of history I thought I knew about, the French Revolution. I knew about the Terror and Robespierre but had never even considered its aftermath. Steinberg tells how the French people processed what they went through -- brutal repression and mass executions -- and dealt with recovering from the Terror. Before the modern concepts of trauma and transitional justice, they sought recompense, healing (that never entirely came) and respect for the dead. Steinberg ends with an interesting and timely insight: In the aftermath of the Terror, while dealing with the recent past, the French looked forward, focusing on building a future freed from the Old Regime. In our days, we -- and this is certainly true of we Americans -- have instead been transfixed by claims and demands for paying for and atoning for injustices of the past. We no longer focus on constructing a more positive future. We look backwards and not forwards.

As usual, Mr. Barber does an excellent job voicing the book, bringing the text alive. Listening to him makes me wonder why I should ever read for myself again.

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A Remarkable and Important Book

Reviewed: 03-16-23 Listener received this title free

This book was written 24 years ago by the eminent philosopher Alasdair McIntyre. He had long worked to give a clear and rational presentation of the virtues, the characteristics necessary to live the good life. He begins in this book with Aristotle and Aquinas as well as dolphins. Human beings are animals, they begin as such and remain as such with the bodily desires and needs of all animals. We begin too with the intelligence common to other animals such as the dolphins and our fellow great apes. With language we can move beyond this to become independent practical reasoners following the practice-independent obligations of giving and receiving (the virtues) that allow us to collectively live the good life. McIntyre's reasoning is clear and clearly presented by Simon Barber. Mr.Barber voices the words in a way that brings them alive, as if the author was speaking directly to us. It is a boon to have this audiobook version as I had missed the book all those years ago. It remains vital as a call to examine our own moral code and as a critique of the nation-state and capitalism, both of which point to the need to seek the good life in our immediate communities and networks.

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1 person found this helpful

Fascinating, important and narrated wonderfully

Reviewed: 04-22-22 Listener received this title free

This is a great book. Professor Kuru does a masterful job of making it absolutely clear that Islam is not itself the cause of the underdevelopment, authoritarianism and violence that has seemed to characterize the Moslem world. It does so without being pedantic or obscure. He brings to life the vibrancy of the first four centuries of Islam in which philosophy and mercantilism led by far the Europe of the Dark Ages. He attributes the decline of the Islamic world after the 11th Century to the alliance between the ulama (the established interpreters of the Koran and hadith, educated in the madrasas) and the state. As he argues, this is not an intrinsic element of Islam but arose from particular historical conditions. He also points to a possible future where this alliance is replaced by democracy and freedom of thought and economic activity.

Mr. Barber's narration perfectly matched the clarity of Professor Kuru's text. Made walking or sitting on a park bench while listening a real pleasure. Highly recommendable.

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Better to listen to than read

Reviewed: 01-11-22

Jeremy Black clearly does extensive research and "Tanks" seems to cover everything possible to say about tanks, starting with chariots and going up through unmanned versions. I learned a lot about military strategy, tactics and operations too. But as I listened to Mr. Barber's narration, I could only imagine how dull it might have been to actually read this extensively detailed book. Barber added an extra dimension that brought the material alive. Well worth the time. Jeremy Black should have Barber read all his books.

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A Great Book to Listen to

Reviewed: 03-02-21

This book is fascinating. It covers not just the plays of Shakespeare but the history they present as well as that of Shakespeare's own lifetime. Black shows this world to be quite different from our own, one where life is very much "nasty, brutish and short." It is also the period in which England is coming together as a nation-state and the modern world is beginning to be born. The author covers every conceivable aspect of the history, reality of daily life and subsequent uses of Shakespeare up to our current day. Indeed, the book is so dense that listening to it -- especially as read by Simon Barber -- would be much the more enjoyable way of taking it all in. Barber brings the text to life and does an especially good job reading the many snippets from the plays. I highly recommend spending some time with Black and Barber..

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3 people found this helpful

Makes Clear How Brexit had to Happen

Reviewed: 07-23-20

A fascinating and wide-ranging history of the UK from 1945 to 2016 that provides a wide-ranging and deep account of how Britain drifted toward Brexit. Author Jeremy Black doesn't bully the listener into accepting a specific explanation. But he provides all the necessary information to conclude that the failure of the political, economic and trade union elites, to adjust to the end of empire, globalization and entry into Europe, shredded traditional society, leaving many adrift, hopeless. and ready in 2016 to vote for change. Simon Barber's narration deftly navigates the sometimes dense text and conveys the author's voice with clarity and ease. I highly recommend this book not only to understand Brexit UK but also trends active in the US as well.

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1 person found this helpful

Timely Look at How We Became America Brought Alive

Reviewed: 07-05-20 Listener received this title free

Beeman's look at the variety of political experience in pre-revolutionary America is surprisingly relevant to our current political reality. The effort to balance liberty with order and to define the meaning of political equality that emerged in the 18th Century American colonies took us into the revolution against Britain and reverberate through our politics in 2020. Simon Barber brings the extremely well-written text alive capturing every nuance. It was if the author himself was speaking directly to me. A thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating experience.

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Greatly informative & perfect for a long road trip

Reviewed: 06-01-20 Listener received this title free

I wasn't sure that I would enjoy a book of art reviews but each short piece was informative and fun. The narrator was perfect, lively and engaging. We listened to the whole book on a road trip and it made the time just fly. We were sorry when it ended and we had more miles to go without Misters Lucie-Smith and Barber to keep us company.

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1 person found this helpful