-
Plague
- A Very Short Introduction
- Narrated by: Gareth Richards
- Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $11.17
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Throughout history plague has been the cause of many major catastrophes. It was responsible for the "Plague of Justinian" in 542, the Black Death of 1348, and the Great Plague of London in 1665, as well as for devastating epidemics in China and India between the 1890s and 1920s. In the 21st century, coronavirus pandemics have served as a powerful reminder that we have not escaped the global impact of epidemic diseases.
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Paul Slack takes a global approach to explore the historical and social impact of plague over the centuries, looking at the ways in which it has been interpreted and the powerful images it has left behind in art and literature. Examining what plague meant for those who suffered from it and how governments began to fight against it, he demonstrates the impact plague has had on modern notions of public health and how it has shaped our history. This new edition also includes evidence on the nature of plague taken from recent discoveries in ancient DNA as well as new research on plague in the Middle East.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Epidemiology
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Rodolfo Saracci
- Narrated by: Paul Hecht
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An internationally recognized authority on epidemiology, Dr. Rodolfo Saracci, provides a wealth of information on this key field, dispelling some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology, and explaining what epidemiology is and how vital it is to the discovery, control, and prevention of disease in world populations. Dr. Saracci provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease.
-
-
Helpful introduction, with stodgy narration.
- By On Point on 11-12-22
By: Rodolfo Saracci
-
Pandemics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Christian W. McMillen
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Christian W. McMillen provides a concise yet comprehensive account of pandemics throughout human history, illustrating how pandemic disease has shaped history and, at the same time, social behavior has influenced pandemic disease.
-
-
Compact and informative
- By ValueMinded on 10-10-23
-
Children of Ash and Elm
- A History of the Vikings
- By: Neil Price
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Viking Age - from 750 to 1050 saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. But for centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Than on 10-06-20
By: Neil Price
-
Bacteria
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sebastian Amyes
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life and the most prolific of all living organisms, inhabiting every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even such inhospitable places as boiling hot springs. In this Very Short Introduction, bacteriologist Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease.
-
-
well done
- By Kim on 08-31-22
By: Sebastian Amyes
-
The History of Political Thought
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Richard Whatmore
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thinking about politics has tended to be historical in nature because of the comparisons and contrasts that can be drawn between past and present. Different periods in politics have used the past differently. At times, political thought can be said to have been drawn directly from the study of history; at others, perhaps including our own time, the relationship is more indirect.
By: Richard Whatmore
-
The Ghost Map
- By: Steven Johnson
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a thrilling historical account of the worst cholera outbreak in Victorian London and a brilliant exploration of how Dr. John Snow's solution revolutionized the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern world.
-
-
It was okay until the end
- By Matthew Groom on 12-04-08
By: Steven Johnson
-
Epidemiology
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Rodolfo Saracci
- Narrated by: Paul Hecht
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An internationally recognized authority on epidemiology, Dr. Rodolfo Saracci, provides a wealth of information on this key field, dispelling some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology, and explaining what epidemiology is and how vital it is to the discovery, control, and prevention of disease in world populations. Dr. Saracci provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease.
-
-
Helpful introduction, with stodgy narration.
- By On Point on 11-12-22
By: Rodolfo Saracci
-
Pandemics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Christian W. McMillen
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Christian W. McMillen provides a concise yet comprehensive account of pandemics throughout human history, illustrating how pandemic disease has shaped history and, at the same time, social behavior has influenced pandemic disease.
-
-
Compact and informative
- By ValueMinded on 10-10-23
-
Children of Ash and Elm
- A History of the Vikings
- By: Neil Price
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Viking Age - from 750 to 1050 saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. But for centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Than on 10-06-20
By: Neil Price
-
Bacteria
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sebastian Amyes
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life and the most prolific of all living organisms, inhabiting every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even such inhospitable places as boiling hot springs. In this Very Short Introduction, bacteriologist Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease.
-
-
well done
- By Kim on 08-31-22
By: Sebastian Amyes
-
The History of Political Thought
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Richard Whatmore
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thinking about politics has tended to be historical in nature because of the comparisons and contrasts that can be drawn between past and present. Different periods in politics have used the past differently. At times, political thought can be said to have been drawn directly from the study of history; at others, perhaps including our own time, the relationship is more indirect.
By: Richard Whatmore
-
The Ghost Map
- By: Steven Johnson
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a thrilling historical account of the worst cholera outbreak in Victorian London and a brilliant exploration of how Dr. John Snow's solution revolutionized the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern world.
-
-
It was okay until the end
- By Matthew Groom on 12-04-08
By: Steven Johnson
-
The Bible
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: John Riches
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction looks at the importance accorded to the bible by different communities and cultures and attempts to explain why it has generated such a rich variety of uses and interpretations. It explores how the Bible was written, the development of the canon, the role of biblical criticism, the appropriation of the bible in high and popular culture, and its use for political ends.
By: John Riches
-
Linguistics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: P.H. Matthews
- Narrated by: James Conlan
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Linguistics falls in the gap between arts and science, on the edges of which the most fascinating discoveries and the most important problems are found. Rather than following the conventional organization of many contemporary introductions to the subject, the author of this stimulating guide begins his discussion with the oldest, "arts" end of the subject and moves chronologically through to the newest research - the "science" aspects.
-
-
Almost Impossible to Listen to Without Text
- By Drone Boy on 05-06-24
By: P.H. Matthews
-
Time
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Jennan Ismael
- Narrated by: Kate Zane
- Length: 3 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is time? What does it mean for time to pass? Is it possible to travel in time? What is the difference between the past and future? Until the work of Newton, these questions were purely topics of philosophical speculation. Since then we've learned a great deal about time, and its study has moved from a subject of philosophical reflection to instead became part of the subject matter of physics.
-
-
Great book
- By Sergey on 01-08-23
By: Jennan Ismael
-
Viruses
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Dorothy H. Crawford
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Viruses are big news. From pandemics such as HIV, swine flu, and SARS, we are constantly being bombarded with information about new lethal infections. In this Very Short Introduction, Dorothy Crawford demonstrates how clever these entities really are. From their discovery and the unravelling of their intricate structures, Crawford demonstrates how these tiny parasites are by far the most abundant life forms on the planet.
-
Quantum Theory
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: John Polkinghorne
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Quantum theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed.
-
-
VSI # 69
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
-
The Laws of Thermodynamics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Peter Atkins
- Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal - everything is moved or restrained by four simple laws. This powerful and compact introduction explains what these four laws are and how they work, using accessible language and virtually no mathematics.
-
-
Basics but too Much Verbal Math
- By Dennis M Danzik on 01-13-23
By: Peter Atkins
-
Logic
- A Very Short Introduction, 2nd Edition
- By: Graham Priest
- Narrated by: Kyle Tait
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Logic is often perceived as having little to do with the rest of philosophy, and even less to do with real life. In this lively and accessible introduction, Graham Priest shows how wrong this conception is. He explores the philosophical roots of the subject, explaining how modern formal logic deals with issues ranging from the existence of God and the reality of time to paradoxes of probability and decision theory. Along the way, the basics of formal logic are explained in simple, non-technical terms, showing that logic is a powerful and exciting part of modern philosophy.
-
-
A bit disappointing.
- By MarshallP1991 on 12-16-21
By: Graham Priest
-
The Dawn of Everything
- A New History of Humanity
- By: David Graeber, David Wengrow
- Narrated by: Mark Williams
- Length: 24 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A trailblazing account of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the emergence of "the state", political violence, and social inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
-
-
exactly what I've been looking for
- By DankTurtle on 11-10-21
By: David Graeber, and others
-
The Great Warming
- Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations
- By: Brian Fagan
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The history of the Great Warming of a half millennium ago suggests that we may yet be underestimating the power of climate change to disrupt our lives todayand our vulnerability to drought, writes Fagan, is the silent elephant in the room.
-
-
Good book but unpracticed, disjointed narration.
- By Paul on 09-12-10
By: Brian Fagan
-
Political Philosophy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: David Miller
- Narrated by: Luci Bell
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction introduces listeners to the key concepts of political philosophy: authority, democracy, freedom and its limits, justice, feminism, multiculturalism, and nationality. Accessible and assuming no previous knowledge of the subject, it encourages the listener to think clearly and critically about the leading political questions of our time. Miller first investigates how political philosophy tackles basic ethical questions such as "how should we live together in society?"
-
-
starts great, well written, very informative but
- By Jonas S. de Almeida on 03-30-22
By: David Miller
-
Psychopathy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Essi Viding
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Psychopathy is a personality disorder that has long captured the public imagination. Newspaper column inches have been devoted to murderers with psychopathic features, and we also encounter psychopaths in films and books. Individuals with psychopathy are characterized in particular by lack of empathy and guilt, manipulation of other people and, in the case of criminal psychopathy, premeditated violent behavior. They are dangerous and can incur immeasurable emotional, psychological, physical, and financial costs to their victims and their families.
-
-
Listen, Reflect, Listen Again.
- By Drone Boy on 04-27-24
By: Essi Viding
-
Middle Ages
- A Captivating Guide to the Dark Ages and Black Death
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Randy Whitlow
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following the fall of Rome in 476 CE, the entire dynamic of Europe underwent a complete shift in power and culture. The Dark Ages was an interesting period of about six centuries. During it, Europe was still trying to figure out what it was and how it would survive the chaos that followed the fall of Rome.
-
-
The Black Death
- By manuel jimenez on 07-28-21
Related to this topic
-
The Black Death: A History from Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Jimmy Kieffer
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sweeping across the known world with unchecked devastation, the Black Death claimed between 75 million and 200 million lives in four short years. In this engaging and well-researched audiobook, the trajectory of the plague’s march west across Eurasia and the cause of the great pandemic is thoroughly explored. Fascinating insights into the medieval mind’s perception of the disease and examinations of contemporary accounts give a complete picture of what the world’s most effective killer meant to medieval society.
-
-
History repeats itself
- By Erika Davis on 09-06-24
By: Hourly History
-
In the Wake of the Plague
- The Black Death and the World It Made
- By: Norman F. Cantor
- Narrated by: Bill Wallace
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Much of what we know about the greatest medical disaster ever, the Black Plague of the fourteenth century, is wrong. The details of the Plague etched in the minds of terrified schoolchildren the hideous black welts, the high fever, and the final, awful end by respiratory failure are more or less accurate. But what the Plague really was, and how it made history, remain shrouded in a haze of myths.
-
-
Don't waste time or money
- By Anne on 01-22-09
By: Norman F. Cantor
-
The Nutmeg's Curse
- Parables for a Planet in Crisis
- By: Amitav Ghosh
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A powerful work of history, essay, testimony, and polemic, The Nutmeg’s Curse argues that the dynamics of climate change today are rooted in a centuries-old geopolitical order constructed by Western colonialism. At the center of Ghosh’s narrative is the now-ubiquitous spice nutmeg. The history of the nutmeg is one of conquest and exploitation—of both human life and the natural environment. In Ghosh’s hands, the story of the nutmeg becomes a parable for our environmental crisis.
-
-
performance....
- By Bonnie on 11-15-22
By: Amitav Ghosh
-
Pale Rider
- The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World
- By: Laura Spinney
- Narrated by: Paul Hodgson
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this gripping narrative history, Laura Spinney traces the overlooked pandemic to reveal how the virus travelled across the globe, exposing mankind's vulnerability and putting our ingenuity to the test. As socially significant as both world wars, the Spanish flu dramatically disrupted - and often permanently altered - global politics, race relations, and family structures while spurring innovation in medicine, religion, and the arts.
-
-
A Predilection for Those in the Prime of Life
- By Cynthia on 02-12-18
By: Laura Spinney
-
The Black Death: A Captivating Guide to the Deadliest Pandemic in Medieval Europe and Human History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Randy Whitlow
- Length: 3 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Black Death was the first recorded pandemic in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. All across the continent, people learned just how gruesome and horrific disease could be as the plague crossed the boundaries of countries and the lines established by society, killing everyone equally. It showed that no one - not even archbishops and kings - was immune from its grasp.
-
-
Captivating and Comprehensive
- By Rick House on 05-11-20
-
The Dawn of Everything
- A New History of Humanity
- By: David Graeber, David Wengrow
- Narrated by: Mark Williams
- Length: 24 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A trailblazing account of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the emergence of "the state", political violence, and social inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
-
-
exactly what I've been looking for
- By DankTurtle on 11-10-21
By: David Graeber, and others
-
The Black Death: A History from Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Jimmy Kieffer
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sweeping across the known world with unchecked devastation, the Black Death claimed between 75 million and 200 million lives in four short years. In this engaging and well-researched audiobook, the trajectory of the plague’s march west across Eurasia and the cause of the great pandemic is thoroughly explored. Fascinating insights into the medieval mind’s perception of the disease and examinations of contemporary accounts give a complete picture of what the world’s most effective killer meant to medieval society.
-
-
History repeats itself
- By Erika Davis on 09-06-24
By: Hourly History
-
In the Wake of the Plague
- The Black Death and the World It Made
- By: Norman F. Cantor
- Narrated by: Bill Wallace
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Much of what we know about the greatest medical disaster ever, the Black Plague of the fourteenth century, is wrong. The details of the Plague etched in the minds of terrified schoolchildren the hideous black welts, the high fever, and the final, awful end by respiratory failure are more or less accurate. But what the Plague really was, and how it made history, remain shrouded in a haze of myths.
-
-
Don't waste time or money
- By Anne on 01-22-09
By: Norman F. Cantor
-
The Nutmeg's Curse
- Parables for a Planet in Crisis
- By: Amitav Ghosh
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A powerful work of history, essay, testimony, and polemic, The Nutmeg’s Curse argues that the dynamics of climate change today are rooted in a centuries-old geopolitical order constructed by Western colonialism. At the center of Ghosh’s narrative is the now-ubiquitous spice nutmeg. The history of the nutmeg is one of conquest and exploitation—of both human life and the natural environment. In Ghosh’s hands, the story of the nutmeg becomes a parable for our environmental crisis.
-
-
performance....
- By Bonnie on 11-15-22
By: Amitav Ghosh
-
Pale Rider
- The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World
- By: Laura Spinney
- Narrated by: Paul Hodgson
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this gripping narrative history, Laura Spinney traces the overlooked pandemic to reveal how the virus travelled across the globe, exposing mankind's vulnerability and putting our ingenuity to the test. As socially significant as both world wars, the Spanish flu dramatically disrupted - and often permanently altered - global politics, race relations, and family structures while spurring innovation in medicine, religion, and the arts.
-
-
A Predilection for Those in the Prime of Life
- By Cynthia on 02-12-18
By: Laura Spinney
-
The Black Death: A Captivating Guide to the Deadliest Pandemic in Medieval Europe and Human History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Randy Whitlow
- Length: 3 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Black Death was the first recorded pandemic in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. All across the continent, people learned just how gruesome and horrific disease could be as the plague crossed the boundaries of countries and the lines established by society, killing everyone equally. It showed that no one - not even archbishops and kings - was immune from its grasp.
-
-
Captivating and Comprehensive
- By Rick House on 05-11-20
-
The Dawn of Everything
- A New History of Humanity
- By: David Graeber, David Wengrow
- Narrated by: Mark Williams
- Length: 24 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A trailblazing account of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the emergence of "the state", political violence, and social inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
-
-
exactly what I've been looking for
- By DankTurtle on 11-10-21
By: David Graeber, and others
-
A Brief History of Life in the Middle Ages
- Brief Histories
- By: Martyn Whittock
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A fascinating new portrait of Medieval Britain that brings together the everyday and the extraordinary. Using wide-ranging evidence, Martyn Whittock shines a light on Britain in the Middle Ages, bringing it vividly to life. Thus we glimpse 11th century rural society through a conversation between a ploughman and his master. The life of Dick Whittington illuminates the rise of the urban elite.
-
-
Really good book
- By Claire on 11-11-18
By: Martyn Whittock
-
Middle Ages
- A Captivating Guide to the Dark Ages and Black Death
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Randy Whitlow
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following the fall of Rome in 476 CE, the entire dynamic of Europe underwent a complete shift in power and culture. The Dark Ages was an interesting period of about six centuries. During it, Europe was still trying to figure out what it was and how it would survive the chaos that followed the fall of Rome.
-
-
The Black Death
- By manuel jimenez on 07-28-21
-
The Fate of Rome
- Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire
- By: Kyle Harper
- Narrated by: Andrew Garman
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Interweaving a grand historical narrative with cutting-edge climate science and genetic discoveries, Kyle Harper traces how the fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers, and barbarians but also by volcanic eruptions, solar cycles, climate instability, and devastating viruses and bacteria. He takes listeners from Rome's pinnacle in the second century, when the empire seemed an invincible superpower, to its unraveling by the seventh century, when Rome was politically fragmented and materially depleted.
-
-
Interesting and worthwhile
- By B. Coleman on 06-15-19
By: Kyle Harper
-
The Fall of Rome
- And the End of Civilization
- By: Bryan Ward-Perkins
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Fall of Rome, eminent historian Bryan Ward-Perkins argues that the "peaceful" theory of Rome's "transformation" is badly in error. Indeed, he sees the fall of Rome as a time of horror and dislocation that destroyed a great civilization, throwing the inhabitants of the West back to a standard of living typical of prehistoric times. Attacking contemporary theories with relish and making use of modern archaeological evidence, he looks at both the wider explanations for the disintegration of the Roman world and also the consequences for the lives of everyday Romans.
-
-
best book ever on Fall of Rome
- By james m. on 01-30-22
-
How the West Really Lost God
- A New Theory of Secularization
- By: Mary Eberstadt
- Narrated by: Nan McNamara
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this magisterial work, leading cultural critic Mary Eberstadt delivers a powerful new theory about the decline of religion in the Western world. The conventional wisdom is that the West first experienced religious decline, followed by the decline of the family. Eberstadt turns this standard account on its head. Marshalling an impressive array of research, Eberstadt shows that the reverse has also been true: the undermining of the family has further undermined Christianity itself.
-
-
A typical reflection on the most dominant form of American Christianity.
- By Nanci White on 08-30-24
By: Mary Eberstadt
-
Millennium
- From Religion to Revolution: How Civilization Has Changed over a Thousand Years
- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Millennium, best-selling historian Ian Mortimer takes the listener on a whirlwind tour of the last 10 centuries of Western history. It is a journey into a past vividly brought to life and bursting with ideas, that pits one century against another in his quest to measure which century saw the greatest change. We journey from a time when there was a fair chance of your village being burned to the ground by invaders - and dried human dung was a recommended cure for cancer - to a world in which explorers sailed into the unknown and civilizations came into conflict.
-
-
Bad ending - literally
- By John Gordon on 12-14-16
By: Ian Mortimer
-
A Short History of Humanity
- A New History of Old Europe
- By: Johannes Krause, Thomas Trappe, Caroline Waight - translator
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Johannes Krause is the director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and a brilliant pioneer in the field of archaeogenetics - archaeology augmented by DNA sequencing technology - which has allowed scientists to reconstruct human history reaching back hundreds of thousands of years before recorded time. In this surprising account, Krause and journalist Thomas Trappe rewrite a fascinating chapter of this history, the peopling of Europe, that takes us from the Neanderthals and Denisovans to the present.
-
-
Not a short history of humanity
- By Brent on 05-02-21
By: Johannes Krause, and others
-
The Human Tide
- How Population Shaped the Modern World
- By: Paul Morland
- Narrated by: Zeb Soanes
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The rise and fall of the British Empire; the emergence of America as a superpower; the ebb and flow of global challenges from Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Soviet Russia. These are the headlines of history, but they cannot be properly grasped without understanding the role that population has played. The Human Tide shows how periods of rapid population transition - a phenomenon that first emerged in the British Isles but gradually spread across the globe - shaped the course of world history.
-
-
dry
- By Ralph C. on 05-02-19
By: Paul Morland
-
Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds
- Ebola and the Ravages of History
- By: Paul Farmer
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 22 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2014, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea suffered the worst epidemic of Ebola in history. The brutal virus spread rapidly through a clinical desert, where basic health-care facilities were few and far between. Causing severe loss of life and economic disruption, the Ebola crisis was a major tragedy of modern medicine. But why did it happen, and what can we learn from it?
-
-
CRITICAL LISTENING for 2020!
- By Vin on 11-17-20
By: Paul Farmer
-
Between Hope and Fear
- A History of Vaccines and Human Immunity
- By: Michael Kinch
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Between Hope and Fear tells the remarkable story of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and their social and political implications. While detailing the history of vaccine invention, Michael Kinch reveals the ominous reality that our victories against vaccine-preventable diseases are not permanent - and could easily be undone. Between Hope and Fear relates the remarkable intersection of science, technology, and disease that has helped eradicate many of the deadliest plagues known to man.
-
-
Enjoyed
- By Minsi Zhang on 05-03-20
By: Michael Kinch
-
Germany
- A Nation in Its Time: Before, During, and After Nationalism, 1500-2000
- By: Helmut Walser Smith
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For nearly a century, historians have depicted Germany as a rabidly nationalist land, born in a sea of aggression. Not so, says Helmut Walser Smith, who, in this groundbreaking 500-year history, challenges traditional perceptions of Germany's conflicted past, revealing a nation far more thematically complicated than 20th-century historians have imagined.
-
-
He may understand the past but he does not comprehend the present.
- By Max TN on 06-23-23
-
Civilized to Death
- The Price of Progress
- By: Christopher Ryan
- Narrated by: Christopher Ryan
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is ending - balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankind’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. You’re lucky to be alive here and now. Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the "progress" defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease.
-
-
Congintive Dissonance
- By Konnor C on 12-06-19
By: Christopher Ryan
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Geometry
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Maciej Dunajski
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The study of geometry is at least 2500 years old, and it is within this field that the concept of mathematical proof first arose. To this day geometry remains a very active area of research in mathematics. This Very Short Introduction covers the areas of mathematics falling under geometry, starting with topics such as Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries, and ranging to curved spaces, projective geometry in Renaissance art, and geometry of space-time inside a black hole. Throughout, Maciej Dunajski outlines the role geometry plays in the broader context of science and art.
-
-
Um, where's the PDF? No? So, where's the refund?
- By Nelson Alexander on 01-21-23
By: Maciej Dunajski
-
The Maya
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Matthew Restall, Amara Solari
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control.
-
-
Pretty great, but a bit superficial.
- By Amazon Customer on 08-15-24
By: Matthew Restall, and others
-
Pakistan
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Pippa Virdee
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction looks at Pakistan as one of the two nation-states of the Indian subcontinent that emerged in 1947. Pippa Virdee reaches into the ancient past to demonstrate the influence of trajectories of human settlement and civilization on Pakistan's contemporary political arena, and shows how the longer continuities between the land and its peoples are as important as the short-term changes in the political landscape. She considers Pakistan's religion and society, the state and the military, everyday life, popular culture, languages and literature.
-
-
Very dry
- By T. Johnson on 08-19-24
By: Pippa Virdee
-
Bacteria
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sebastian Amyes
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life and the most prolific of all living organisms, inhabiting every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even such inhospitable places as boiling hot springs. In this Very Short Introduction, bacteriologist Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease.
-
-
well done
- By Kim on 08-31-22
By: Sebastian Amyes
-
Music
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Nicholas Cook
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction, written with both humor and flair, begins with a sampling of music as human activity and then goes on to consider the slippery phenomenon of how music has become an object of thought. Covering not only Western and classical music, Cook touches on all types from rock to Indonesian music and beyond. Incorporating musical forms from every continent, Music will be enjoyable for beginner and expert alike.
-
-
Wrong Book!!!
- By Aaron Moreno on 09-05-21
By: Nicholas Cook
-
Blasphemy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Yvonne Sherwood
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a world where not everyone believes in God, "blasphemy" is surely a concept that has passed its use-by-date. And yet blasphemy (like God and religion) seems to be on the rise. In this Very Short Introduction Yvonne Sherwood asks why this should be the case, looking at factors such as the increased visibility of religious and racial minorities, new media, and engines of surveillance (which are far more omniscient than the old gods could ever be), and the legacies of colonial blasphemy laws.
By: Yvonne Sherwood
-
Geometry
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Maciej Dunajski
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The study of geometry is at least 2500 years old, and it is within this field that the concept of mathematical proof first arose. To this day geometry remains a very active area of research in mathematics. This Very Short Introduction covers the areas of mathematics falling under geometry, starting with topics such as Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries, and ranging to curved spaces, projective geometry in Renaissance art, and geometry of space-time inside a black hole. Throughout, Maciej Dunajski outlines the role geometry plays in the broader context of science and art.
-
-
Um, where's the PDF? No? So, where's the refund?
- By Nelson Alexander on 01-21-23
By: Maciej Dunajski
-
The Maya
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Matthew Restall, Amara Solari
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control.
-
-
Pretty great, but a bit superficial.
- By Amazon Customer on 08-15-24
By: Matthew Restall, and others
-
Pakistan
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Pippa Virdee
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction looks at Pakistan as one of the two nation-states of the Indian subcontinent that emerged in 1947. Pippa Virdee reaches into the ancient past to demonstrate the influence of trajectories of human settlement and civilization on Pakistan's contemporary political arena, and shows how the longer continuities between the land and its peoples are as important as the short-term changes in the political landscape. She considers Pakistan's religion and society, the state and the military, everyday life, popular culture, languages and literature.
-
-
Very dry
- By T. Johnson on 08-19-24
By: Pippa Virdee
-
Bacteria
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sebastian Amyes
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life and the most prolific of all living organisms, inhabiting every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even such inhospitable places as boiling hot springs. In this Very Short Introduction, bacteriologist Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease.
-
-
well done
- By Kim on 08-31-22
By: Sebastian Amyes
-
Music
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Nicholas Cook
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Very Short Introduction, written with both humor and flair, begins with a sampling of music as human activity and then goes on to consider the slippery phenomenon of how music has become an object of thought. Covering not only Western and classical music, Cook touches on all types from rock to Indonesian music and beyond. Incorporating musical forms from every continent, Music will be enjoyable for beginner and expert alike.
-
-
Wrong Book!!!
- By Aaron Moreno on 09-05-21
By: Nicholas Cook
-
Blasphemy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Yvonne Sherwood
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a world where not everyone believes in God, "blasphemy" is surely a concept that has passed its use-by-date. And yet blasphemy (like God and religion) seems to be on the rise. In this Very Short Introduction Yvonne Sherwood asks why this should be the case, looking at factors such as the increased visibility of religious and racial minorities, new media, and engines of surveillance (which are far more omniscient than the old gods could ever be), and the legacies of colonial blasphemy laws.
By: Yvonne Sherwood