Ryan

One of the best

Reviewed: 01-02-24

One of the best series I have listened to. Funny, dark, dramatic, happy, sad. Well done

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Amazing

Reviewed: 12-19-23

Such a clever mixture of story, humor, and intensity. This series is amazing in every way.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fun listen

Reviewed: 09-14-23

Not your typical zombie story, in a good way. Humorous and witty, with the edge of a horror story. Highly recommended!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

So good

Reviewed: 09-08-23

Wasn’t expecting much, was totally blown away by a great story and great narration. Highly recommended

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Phenomenal

Reviewed: 02-16-23

An amazing companion to any student of the New Testament. Easy to listen to, easy to follow along, easy to understand. A wonderful book!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

The Mysterious Room 40

Reviewed: 08-30-15

Any additional comments?

On May 7 1915, the giant 800ft British streamship, under command of the ever-stoic Captain William Turner, steamed along just 11 miles off the coast of Ireland on its way to Liverpool, England carrying 1,962 passengers and crew. Waiting several hundred yards away, just under the surface, lay the German submarine U-20 under the command of one Walter Schwieger, the Lusitania in his sights. One torpedo, two explosions, and 18 minutes later, the Lusitania - briefly the largest passenger liner of its time - would capsize in 300 feet of water amid scores of dead and dying passengers struggling for lifeboats. In all, 1200 men, women, and children - passengers and crew - would lose their lives. It was a tragic event - a move by the Germans so brash that it set American opinion decidedly against Germany prior to our involvement in WWI. All of these facts and events are known and well documented. In Dead Wake, the author gives the facts life.

Erik Larson gives the listener a glimpse into the lives of some of the souls onboard the Lusitania and hints at the seemingly millions of random events that could have changed the outcome, small and large. A smaller part of this discussion is why, with the knowledge of German submarine positions that it had, did the British do nothing to prevent the tragedy when in fact they had the ability to do so.

This was my first Erik Larson novel and it won't be my last. I highly recommend this book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

Fascinating story hurt by subpar narration

Reviewed: 08-21-15

Any additional comments?

The Arsenal of Democracy is an interesting and thoroughly researched story about America's race to achieve mass production of war material during World War II. The title banners the book as "FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War", but the majority of the storyline focuses on one family and their impact on arming America in WWII.

Henry Ford championed the assembly line as a means of mass auto production. Years later, his son Edsel, against all popular opinion, was able to adapt this style of production to produce the much desired 4-engine bomber - one of the main tools of war the Allies used to defeat Nazi Germany. Not only were the Ford's able to produce the bomber, Edsel promised to produce them at the rate of "a bomber an hour" - a seemingly ludicrous promise considering most aeronautical experts of the time considered the use of auto manufacturing techniques to build aircraft to be a farce. What follows is the dramatic (and redemptive) story of a family and a city that helped change the outcome of WWII in Europe and the Pacific.

The only thing that detracted from the storyline was the narrator, Peter Berkrot, who tends to be overdramatic in parts and has the most "nasaly" voice I have ever heard. I wasn't a fan of his narration at all, especially his pronunciation of certain names throughout the book.

Overall a great book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

The terrible tyranny of the majority...

Reviewed: 08-15-15

Any additional comments?

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." - Ray Bradbury

This book isn't only about a government that has banned books. Its about a society where television, game shows, ear shells (errr....iPods), entertainment, and sports have destroyed any interest in literature and deeper learning. Knowledge is comprised of bits and pieces of information and facts, with absolutely no wisdom or context.

One of my favorite quotes from the book sums it up: "If the Government is inefficient, top-heavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Peace, Montag. Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely `brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy..."

The fact that this book was written in the early 1950s is mind blowing, and in many ways is probably more relevant now than it was then. I suppose this is why Fahrenheit 451 is considered a classic, and by far one of my favorites. We live in a day where everyone and everything fights for our attention. Reality TV, movies, constant entertainment, advertisements, Facebook, cell phones..... there is no shortage of distractions that keep us from thinking about the true wonders of the world. This book provided me with a great reminder that sometimes we need to take a step back - to make time for reflection and "stuff our eyes with wonder...live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories..."

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

The Martian........MacGyver!!

Reviewed: 08-12-15

Any additional comments?

Give NASA astronaut Mark Watney a sack of potatoes, duct tape, and some disco music and he'll get through anything!
Most of you know the gist of the book, so I'll get right to it. I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I loved it. The story was intense, interesting, and fun. I loved the main character's random, sarcastic, demented sense of humor. Example: "I can't wait till I have grandchildren - 'When I was younger, I had to walk to the rim of a crater. Uphill! In an EVA suit! On Mars, ya little (expletive)! Ya hear me? Mars!'"
There were times where the book literally made me laugh out loud.
Probably my favorite part of the book was the science. This is a work of fiction, but Andy Weir did a tremendous amount of research for this book. There are hundreds of little tidbits of information about space travel, engineering, the Martian atmosphere, etc etc - it all added to the story. It made me wish I payed more attention in chemistry and calculus in college, just in case I ever end up stranded on Mars.

A great book!!!!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

David McCullough is a master

Reviewed: 07-05-15

Any additional comments?

I read "1776" a few years ago and jumped at the chance to pick up the audio version. It is masterfully written and absolutely engaging. David McCullough is one of the finest history authors I have ever read, and it turns out he is a fantastic narrator as well.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful