LISTENER

Garrett De Orio

  • 16
  • reviews
  • 5
  • helpful votes
  • 258
  • ratings

Best in class

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-20-23

Obviously, this is the best biography of Abe available in English. Beyond that, though, it is one of the best books on any Japanese political figure that exists in English. This belongs in your library alongside the classics by Curtis, et al. Not to be missed if you have any interest in Japan or in how powerful people work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Trying to be funny rarely succeeds

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-01-23

This starts very strong, but the jokes wear thin quickly. By the end, characters are explaining the plot to each other in extended exposition.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Not much about DNA

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-07-23

I suppose that, if one had never thought about the implications of DNA testing at all, this would be pretty interesting. As it is, it has little to say about DNA testing and is mostly pretty obvious nice thoughts about how DNA is not racial identity is not personal identity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Research needed

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-31-23

Just about the only actual research mentioned is the outdated, thoroughly debunked idea of “learning styles”. Advice from a parent who has raised ten kids can certainly be useful, but it’s not the same thing as research.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Light entertainment as fan service

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-05-23

If you love Sid Meier’s games, you’ll enjoy this. Otherwise, there’s not a lot there. It’s almost entirely light, superficial recollections of some of the decisions made while designing iconic games. There’s a light frisson of talk about Meier’s own background and the game business.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fair, relevant, and concise

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-17-23

Perhaps the biggest questions surrounding the Civil War will always be why it happened and what effect it had on the US. Janney addresses those questions concisely, but thoroughly (considering the brevity of the course). Frequent references to primary source materials and the bookending of present-day contextualization are important and helpful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A solid classic

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-15-23

A great overview of the Civil War - balances the war itself and its context well. This book holds up well, even 60 years after it’s initial publication.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Solid, brief overview

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-15-23

A good quick intro to the man behind the cloudy legend. Possibly a bit too brief, but worthwhile in that it focuses on Grant beyond the Civil War.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Bryson being Bryson

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-25-22

A nice, brief overview of stuff you know, a few interesting tidbits, and some mild jokes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A bit dated

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-22

As an overview looking back at the 20th century, this is interesting, although it might strike listeners in the 2020s as a bit more bullish on neoliberalism than is now the norm.

That was the late ‘90s, though, and this course is of its time. The parts that didn’t age well are the comments on Glass-Steagall and the more specific comments about the coming 21st century.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro805_stickypopup