korourke
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Washington
- A Life
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 41 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. This crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.
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A sad day when my book was done!
- By ButterLegume on 12-13-10
- Washington
- A Life
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
A Man of True Honor
Reviewed: 02-22-19
Well we all know the legends - he couldn't tell a lie, father of our country, strong and silent, wooden teeth, etc. But this wonderful portrait of this mythical man shows you so much more. He was a figurehead before, with the dower face on the $1 bill but he was once young, and you learn about him as a youth and what shaped him. You see how he had a set of principles that he chose to abide by and he simply would not falter. I think many would be surprised to see how many standards and protocols he set that are still respected and revered today. He actually did put his country above his personal desires and opinions, not just the fake claims of patriotism we hear so often today. The book does touch on his inaction on the issue of freeing his slaves which demonstrates one rather large flaw in his otherwise honorable life. seen in the context of his social times, it is still odd that he didn't free them all, seeing as they were more of a financial burden than expected.
The book is read with great style and phrasing. Scott's voice is perfectly calm and engaging, just like Washington himself. I found it very hard to put down and listened to the whole thing in a few days. Like all of Chernow's books it is meticulously researched and full of accompanying quotes and facts he found after what could only be years of reading and hunting through others' letters. Interestingly, this was written before Hamilton and focused much more on his relationship with Lafayette and his son. The Hamilton bio has Washington as a major figure and relationship of Alexander's life. I wonder if Chernow found more about this friendship during the Hamilton research.
I came away with a much fuller and more complex understanding of Washington and what he did for this country. I wish it were required reading for all Americans. Or at least that we would put a different picture on the $1 bill! He was rather handsome!
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The Armchair Detective Mystery Double Bill: Special Editions
- By: Ian Shimwell
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis, Sara Nichols
- Length: 1 hr and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Unearth the mystery of the Mayflower Court flats, and play find-the-lady at the murky, yet majestic, manor house.
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good
- By B.McGrath on 08-30-21
Fun and short- just what I needed!
Reviewed: 06-22-18
This was two funny, basically short stories, that passed an hour and a half of dreary car driving time perfectly! Originally thought it would be for the kids, since it was rather short. But it was above the head of my 10-year-old and the accents threw off my 13-year-old (both antsy boys) However I loved it! There are only two actors, but they create a number of distinct characters and voices even though all of the characters had a variance of British accents.
The mysteries themselves are fairly simple and not difficult to solve quite a bit sooner than the detective in the story, but it was still fun listening to the banter between the two journalists who solved each mystery.
If you want a couple of short stories to pass some time, nothing too heavy, nothing too serious, nothing too lengthy, this is a perfect fit. And I am sure there are other children who would enjoy it tremendously.
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Invading Nirvana
- A Chicagoan in the City of Angels
- By: Kevin Theis
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Chicago theater veteran Kevin Theis, co-author of the cult classic Confessions of a Transylvanian: a Story of Sex, Drugs and Rocky Horror presents: Invading Nirvana: a Chicagoan in the City of Angels the story of one actor's quixotic odyssey into the heart of the entertainment industry: Hollywood, California. From the early preparations for his trip to La La Land to his search for representation, his encounters with the famous (and soon-to-be famous) as well as his deep-dive exploration of this unique and fascinating city.
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A honest Primer on making it in La La Land
- By cosmitron on 05-18-18
- Invading Nirvana
- A Chicagoan in the City of Angels
- By: Kevin Theis
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
Fun to read, plenty of laughs
Reviewed: 05-26-18
Learned more about my home town from this book than I ever knew - guess I took it for granted. Really enjoyed the stories, the smiles, the wit. Was waiting for the big career breakthrough... it's coming.... :)
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Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 35 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power.
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An Outstanding & Riveting Book!
- By Kevin on 03-04-05
- Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Didn’t want it to end!
Reviewed: 05-22-18
Yes, in spite of the great length of this book I just didn’t wanted it to end. The abridged edition just could not do it justice. Ron Chernow’s writing is almost as elegant as Alexander Hamilton‘s himself. He weaves together the different pieces of Hamilton‘s life in a way that keeps you completely engaged even during the chapters on what might otherwise be dry administrative and political information. Of course, I’m a huge fan of Hamilton the musical, and this book just gives you an even more in-depth picture of his remarkable life.
It also gives you a less romanticized picture of life and behavior in the revolutionary war era. We tend to idolize the founding fathers and this book gives a much clearer picture of their humanity, their faults, and a period of time in which we were just as fervently and insanely divided as we are today politically.
The narration is excellent. Perfectly paced, and no easy task with the grandiose vocabulary of the author. After listening for a while I often found myself speaking in that flowery way to my family. LOL. it does make you wonder how we went from such beautiful spoken and written language to the sloppy slang (by comparison) we all use today.
Interestingly, as the book progressed I became more and more disillusioned with Thomas Jefferson, who is someone I previously admired. It’s obvious that Chernow has a real affection for Alexander Hamilton and so maybe there was a tiny bit of bias in describing Jefferson. However, this book seems so well and deeply researched I have to respect his comments on Jefferson. This book has made me eager to read a biography on Jefferson and see what others have to say about some of his more egregious hypocrisies.
I look forward to his books on George Washington and Ulysses Grant and wish they used the same narrator.
Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic of Alexander Hamilton or the revolutionary war. In general.
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Common Sense
- By: Thomas Paine
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
- Length: 2 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.
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Great Primer or Review
- By korourke on 05-09-18
- Common Sense
- By: Thomas Paine
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
Great Primer or Review
Reviewed: 05-09-18
As so many, the decades of facts in my brain’s filing cabinet get unwieldy at times. This was a great review of a topic I’ve studied many times before. Succinct yet a great reminder of all that occurred during this important time. I like the narration as well- his gravitas suits the subject very well.
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Confessions of a Transylvanian
- A Story of Sex, Drugs and Rocky Horror
- By: Kevin Theis, Ron Fox
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Confessions of a Transylvanian is a one-of-a-kind, backstage look at the greatest cult movie phenomenon of all time - the live Rocky Horror Picture Show - told by those who lived it. The highest-rated Rocky Horror book on the market, Confessions is a moving snapshot of life in a Rocky Horror cast that captures the grit, language and teenage angst of a group of fishnet-clad performers as they explore a world where the only rule was: Don't dream it. Be it.
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Great Narrator makes this book entertaining.
- By cosmitron on 05-16-18
- Confessions of a Transylvanian
- A Story of Sex, Drugs and Rocky Horror
- By: Kevin Theis, Ron Fox
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
What a story.
Reviewed: 05-09-18
Such a funny story, it’s even more amazing that it’s true! With Theis’ descriptions I could visualize the entire adventure, seeing him and his compatriots climbing parking garage walls like Spider-Man. 🤣. Lots of fun to read even if you’re not a Rocky Horror fan because the movie is just the backdrop for a story about friendship and camaraderie at a time in life when we all cherish it most.
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1 person found this helpful
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World War II in 50 Events
- From the Very Beginning to the Fall of the Axis Powers
- By: James Weber
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
- Length: 1 hr and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Do you want to learn how the bloodiest military conflict of all time began, was fought and ultimately won by the Allies? Learn about the 50 most important events of World War II, from the very beginning to the fall of the Axis Powers. This book is perfect for history lovers. Author James Weber did the research and compiled this huge list of events and battles that changed the course of history forever.
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good
- By Kindle Customer on 10-22-22
- World War II in 50 Events
- From the Very Beginning to the Fall of the Axis Powers
- By: James Weber
- Narrated by: Kevin Theis
Succinct and informative.
Reviewed: 06-18-17
A great quick review of WWII, especially for those who want a crash course. Well spoken, easy to follow, definitely recommend. If you have a decent knowledge of history already, it's thin, but a good overview. Enjoyed the narration - well done.
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