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Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah
- Jewish Lives
- Narrated by: Lee Beddow
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
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Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah
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Publisher's summary
Ian Buruma explores the life and death of Baruch Spinoza, the Enlightenment thinker whose belief in freedom of thought and speech resonates in our own time
Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza (1632-1677) was a radical free thinker who led a life guided by strong moral principles despite his disbelief in an all-seeing God. Seen by many as Satan's disciple during his lifetime, Spinoza has been regarded as a secular saint since his death. Many contradictory beliefs have been attached to his name: rationalism or metaphysics, atheism or pantheism, liberalism or despotism, Jewishness or anti-Semitism. However, there is no question that he viewed freedom of thought and speech as essential to an open and free society.
In this insightful account, the award-winning author Ian Buruma stresses the importance of the time and place that shaped Spinoza, beginning with the Sephardim of Amsterdam and followed by the politics of the Dutch Republic. Though Spinoza rejected the basic assumptions of his family's faith, and was consequently expelled from his Sephardic community, Buruma argues that Spinoza did indeed lead a modern Jewish life. To Heine, Hess, Marx, Freud, and no doubt many others today, Spinoza exemplified how to be Jewish without believing in Judaism. His defense of universal freedom is as important for our own time as it was in his.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Now I understand "the God of Spinoza"
- By Gary on 07-31-16
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Think Least of Death
- Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die
- By: Steven Nadler
- Narrated by: Christopher Douyard
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
In 1656, after being excommunicated from Amsterdam's Portuguese-Jewish community for "abominable heresies" and "monstrous deeds", the young Baruch Spinoza abandoned his family's import business to dedicate his life to philosophy. He quickly became notorious across Europe for his views on God, the Bible, and miracles, as well as for his uncompromising defense of free thought. Yet the radicalism of Spinoza's views has long obscured that his primary reason for turning to philosophy was to answer one of humanity's most urgent questions....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing
- By Phil F. on 10-16-21
By: Steven Nadler
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The Courtier and the Heretic
- Leibniz, Spinoza, and the Fate of God in the Modern World
- By: Matthew Stewart
- Narrated by: Graham Rowat
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2
Once upon a time, philosophy was a dangerous business-and for no one more so than for Baruch Spinoza, the seventeenth-century philosopher vilified by theologians and political authorities everywhere as "the atheist Jew." As his inflammatory manuscripts circulated underground, Spinoza lived a humble existence in The Hague, grinding optical lenses to make ends meet. Meanwhile, in the glittering salons of Paris, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was climbing the ladder of courtly success.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting for fans; awful narrator.
- By 11104 on 06-04-24
By: Matthew Stewart
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Spinoza in 90 Minutes
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 1 hr and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 606
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 495
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 491
Spinoza's brilliant metaphysical system was derived neither from reality nor experience. Starting from basic assumptions, with a series of geometric proofs he built a universe which was also God, one and the same thing, the classic example of pantheism. Although his system seems an oddity today, Spinoza's conclusions are deeply in accord with modern thought, from science (the holistic ethics of today's ecologists) to politics (the idea that the state exists to protect the individual).
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4 out of 5 stars
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Very Useful for the Beginner
- By Jesse on 05-06-06
By: Paul Strathern
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The Spinoza Problem
- A Novel
- By: Irvin D. Yalom
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 459
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 406
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 403
Internationally best-selling novelist Irvin D. Yalom explores the mindsets of two men separated by 300 years. Using his skills as a psychiatrist, he explores the inner lives of Baruch Spinoza, the Jewish 17th-century secular philosopher, and of Alfred Rosenberg, outspoken Nazi ideologue, faithful servant of Hitler, the main author of racial policy for the Third Reich, and a godless mass murderer....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loud, Modern, Imaginative with Catharsis
- By Marian on 04-22-19
By: Irvin D. Yalom
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Maimonides
- Faith in Reason
- By: Alberto Manguel
- Narrated by: John Lescault
- Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 10
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10
In this biography of Maimonides, the medieval philosopher, physician, and religious thinker, Alberto Manguel examines the question of his universal appeal. Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides (1138–1204), was born in Córdoba, Spain. The gifted son of a judge and mathematician, Maimonides fled Córdoba with his family when he was thirteen due to Almohad persecution of all non-Islamic faiths. Forced into a long exile, the family spent a decade in Spain before settling in Morocco. From there, Maimonides traveled to Palestine and Egypt, where he died at Saladin’s court.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Valuable Overview
- By J. Lynch on 04-30-24
By: Alberto Manguel
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An Emancipation of the Mind
- Radical Philosophy, the War Over Slavery, and the Refounding of America
- By: Matthew Stewart
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
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Story5 out of 5 stars 5
How a band of antislavery leaders recovered the radical philosophical inspirations of the first American Revolution to defeat the slaveholders' oligarchy in the Civil War.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Spectacular and inspiring
- By Amazon Customer on 05-01-24
By: Matthew Stewart
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Secrets of Greek Mysticism
- A Modern Guide to Daily Practice with the Greek Gods and Goddesses
- By: George Lizos
- Narrated by: George Lizos
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Secrets of Greek Mysticism is the first spiritual book about the Greek gods and goddesses written by a native, practicing priest of Hellenic Polytheism. It goes beyond the simplistic and archetypical representation of the Greek pantheon and reintroduces the gods and goddesses from a theological perspective. Rather than presenting the gods and goddesses as symbolic, lifeless figures one can use to embellish spiritual practice, Secrets of Greek Mysticism teaches listeners how to find each god or goddess within them.
By: George Lizos
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Murder in Amsterdam
- Liberal Europe, Islam, and the Limits of Tolerance
- By: Ian Buruma
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 14
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Story4 out of 5 stars 14
On a cold November day in Amsterdam in 2004, the celebrated and controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot and killed by an Islamic extremist for making a movie that "insulted the prophet Mohammed." The murder sent shock waves across Europe and around the world. Shortly thereafter, Ian Buruma returned to his native land to investigate the event and its larger meaning as part of the great dilemma of our time.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Self Indulgent twaddle
- By Jacob Arnon on 10-12-18
By: Ian Buruma
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A Theologico-Political Treatise/A Political Treatise
- By: Baruch Spinoza
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Length: 16 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 36
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story5 out of 5 stars 29
Though it first aroused anger and controversy rather than admiration and acceptance, A Theologico-Political Treatise was a landmark in the analysis of theology (with particular reference to the Bible and its Jewish and Christian interpretations) and its relationship to philosophy and politics. Spinoza’s scholarly analysis, based on careful study, demonstrated that the Bible was composed by many writers over the centuries - and that even the Pentateuch, the first five books, were not the work of Moses, as was generally assumed at the time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great until the last ~2 minutes
- By Julia S. on 06-02-22
By: Baruch Spinoza
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Summary of The Ethics
- The Complete Work Plus an Overview, Chapter by Chapter Summary and Author Biography!
- By: Israel Bouseman
- Narrated by: Joe Bianco
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Ethics is one of the most unique works in Western philosophy, an attempt to handle metaphysics, theology, anthropology, and ontology through the lens of geometric proofs. Spinoza felt that the path to happiness is through reason, in the use of the mind to demystify our existence and liberate us from passions and superstitions.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Geometrical Proof of Divinity!
- By Philosopher King on 01-23-17
By: Israel Bouseman
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Alfred Dreyfus: The Man at the Center of the Affair
- Jewish Lives Series
- By: Maurice Samuels
- Narrated by: Jason Grasl
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
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Story5 out of 5 stars 6
On January 5, 1895, Captain Alfred Dreyfus's cries of innocence were drowned out by a mob shouting "Death to Judas!" In this book, Maurice Samuels gives listeners new insight into Dreyfus himself—the man at the center of the affair. He tells the story of Dreyfus's early life in Paris, his promising career as a French officer, the false accusation leading to his imprisonment on Devil's Island, the fight to prove his innocence that divided the French nation, and his life of quiet obscurity after World War I.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good but there’s one serious fault
- By Nana Landgraf on 05-08-24
By: Maurice Samuels
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The Psychology of Human Sexuality
- By: Justin J. Lehmiller
- Narrated by: Daniel Henning
- Length: 24 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
The Psychology of Human Sexuality is a comprehensive guide to major theoretical perspectives on human sexuality and the vast diversity of sexual attitudes around the world, with topics including anatomy, gender and sexual orientation, sexual behaviors, sexual difficulties and solutions, sex work, and pornography. Written from a sex-positive perspective with material that is inclusive and respectful of a diverse audience, the text includes cutting edge research on the origins of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as new treatments for sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
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The Stoic Mindset
- Living the Ten Principles of Stoicism
- By: Mark Tuitert
- Narrated by: Mark Tuitert
- Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2
For twenty years, Mark Tuitert has used the principles of Stoic philosophy to become a gold-medal winning Olympic champion athlete, successful entrepreneur, as well as to deal with the challenges in his professional and private life. Now, in the internationally bestselling book The Stoic Mindset, Mark lays out the ten practical lessons through which everyone, in any situation, can develop a Stoic mindset.
By: Mark Tuitert
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Herod the Great
- Jewish King in a Roman World
- By: Martin Goodman
- Narrated by: Will Tulin
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
A vivid account of the political triumphs and domestic tragedies of the Jewish king Herod the Great during the turmoil of the Roman revolution.
By: Martin Goodman
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Muse of Fire
- World War I as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets
- By: Michael Korda
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
With Muse of Fire, Michael Korda, the bestselling author of Alone and Hero, takes a novel approach to World War I by telling its history through the lives of the soldier-poets whose verses memorialize the war's unimaginable horrors. He begins with Rupert Brooke and the halcyon days before violence engulfed his generation—destroying the self-contented world of Edwardian England—and ends with the tragic death of Wilfred Owen, killed only days before the armistice brought an end to a war that took over 25,000,000 lives.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Very Compelling
- By Fred G on 05-20-24
By: Michael Korda
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Losing and Finding My Virginity: The Full Story
- By: Richard Branson
- Narrated by: Richard Branson
- Length: 27 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
Available exclusively in audio, Losing and Finding My Virginity is both of Sir Richard Branson’s multi-million-copy bestselling autobiographies in one combined edition, fully revised and updated, and read for you by the author in full for the first time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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My favorite non-Christian!
- By Edwin D. Sprague on 05-27-24
By: Richard Branson
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What listeners say about Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- tw22
- 04-21-24
Very good book, but
too many mispronunciations, such as ‘disassemble’ for ‘dissemble’. The voice itself is quite fine, and maybe it is conventional in the UK to Anglicize words from Dutch, Hebrew, and German; I found it distracting
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