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21st Century

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Madeleine
Madeleine London, United Kingdom Member Since 2008

Audiobook addict.

HELPFUL VOTES
342
ratings
REVIEWS
152
56
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
83
5
  • The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals

    "Brilliant and Maddening"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This was, from start to finish, one of the most engaging audio books I've listened to. Mayer covers the Bush administration from the eve of 9/11 until the end of its tenure with a focus on its manipulation of the law for political ends, especially as it related to executive power and the right to redefine how captured enemy combatants are treated. Far from being a critique of President Bush himself, she underlines his willingness to acquiesce to Cheney and his legal counsel, David Addington, in all matters regarding the treatment of prisoners and the methods by which intelligence was being extracted from them. It is a damning indictment of the unelected bureaucrats who cared more for their own peculiar and idiosyncratic dogmas than for the constitution of the United States, the separation of powers, or the will of the American people.

    My only caution is - don't listen to it while you're trying to fall asleep; it will make you so angry, you won't get any.

    More

    The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Jane Mayer
    • Narrated By Richard McGonagle
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (131)
    Performance
    (33)
    Story
    (33)

    The Dark Side is a narrative account of the decisions the U.S. made after September 11, decisions that not only violated the Constitution, but also hampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In gripping detail, Jane Mayer relates specific cases, shown in real time against the larger tableau of Washington, looking at the intelligence gained and the price paid. In all cases, there were incalculable losses in terms of moral standing, our country's place in the world, and its sense of itself.

    Madeleine says: "Brilliant and Maddening"
  • Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

    "Extensive and Excellent"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is one of the most complete histories of the CIA I have encountered. It is incredibly detailed and yet still managed to hold my attention all the way through.

    A number of interesting threads weave through this history. One is the massive shifts between a dangerous lack of oversight and a devastating lack of independence of the Agency. Another is the shameful misuse of this intelligence tool as doctrinal and political hammer, instead of a gatherer and analyzer of information.

    The author cleverly paints a portrait of a governmental entity so badly structured at its core, that it leaves the reader wondering if any amount of restructuring could ever remedy some of the most basic flaws of its architecture.

    The choice of reader was perfect for this book. Understated, clear-spoken and precise.

    More

    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Tim Weiner
    • Narrated By Stefan Rudnicki
    Overall
    (1736)
    Performance
    (376)
    Story
    (373)

    This is the book the CIA does not want you to read. For the last 60 years, the CIA has maintained a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, never disclosing its blunders to the American public. It spun its own truth to the nation while reality lay buried in classified archives. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Tim Weiner offers a stunning indictment of the CIA, a deeply flawed organization that has never deserved America's confidence.

    Michael says: "Flawed but Important"
  1. The Dark Side: The Inside...
  2. Legacy of Ashes: The Hist...
    3. .

A Peek at Jean's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
982
 
Jean
Santa Cruz, CA, United States 385 REVIEWS / 418 ratings Member Since 2010 276 Followers / Following 12
 
Jean's greatest hits:
  • All In: The Education of General David Petraeus
    All In: The Education of General David Petraeus

    "The scholar general"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    An interesting story of the life of David Petraeus showing how he learned from one assignment and applied the knowledge gained to the next. A good over view of the wars in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The book also allow an insight into the sacrifice a high ranking officer wife and family must make. Petraeus's wife was the daughter of a famous General so she knew what was expected of her. The book tried to give a favorable view of the war in Afghanistan but I was left with a feeling we should have approached this problem differently, we expected to much from a tribal culture. Paula Broadwell is a person one should keep an eye out for she may become a leader herself. James Lurie did a good job narrating the story. This is a good book to understand the making of a famous General and to get more in-depth insight into current affairs.

  • No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

    "Operation Neptune Spear"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Like most people I just had to read this book right away to see what all the fuss was about. It is an interesting story of a man's life as a Navy Seal. He starts as a kid that read a book written by an ex Navy Seal that inspired him to want to be a seal. He fulfilled his goal. The parts of the book that covers the operation to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden was exciting and full of action but did not give much more information than was already available. The narrator Holter Graham did an excellent job with the narration. I am sure the book will continue to be controversial and people will have strong belief's for and against the operation.

Charles
Charles Philadelphia, PA 04-04-13 Member Since 2013

Always on the lookout for my next great listen!

HELPFUL VOTES
26
ratings
REVIEWS
5
5
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
7
8
  • Crash of the Titans: Greed, Hubris, the Fall of Merrill Lynch and the Near-Collapse of Bank of America

    "A Dizzying Story About the Fall of ..."

    5 of 5 helpful votes

    Crash of the Titans is a spiraling story that spans the 80 year history of Merrill Lynch and Bank of America in a back and forth, non-linear path. Understanding the back story and living through the storm as a Bank of America associate during the Great Recession, I was able to follow the cast of characters and timeline of events with ease. But I can't imagine someone outside of the firm being able to make the same connections as easily without having to re-read (or re-listen) to many sections.

    But if you can follow the timeline of events, understand the basics of the banking terms and functions of capital markets, the story is awesome. It is a can't miss thrill ride that puts a human context around the headlines that splashed the front pages of newspapers for weeks between 2007 and 2008. Everyone we though were villains were not necessary so. Everyone we thought were hero weren't so innocent either.

    Dan Woren speaks life into this very intriguing story written by Greg Farrell. Unlike some narrators of business books, Woren was no overly dry or stiff in tone. For those of us who enjoy business and non-fiction audiobooks, the narrator is key. And Woren's performance kept me going and gave feeling to each of the Wall Street bankers her spoke for.

    In all, this audiobook was well worth the credit, but it is not for the faint of heart. The story treats the reader (listener) as if they understand the basics of capital markets and jumps around with the timeline. But the holistic story of how an icon like the Thundering Herd of Merrill Lynch who helped restore confidence in the market by middle America after the 1929 stock market crash until its own demise is enthralling for those of us who lived through it.

    More

    Crash of the Titans: Greed, Hubris, the Fall of Merrill Lynch and the Near-Collapse of Bank of America

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Greg Farrell
    • Narrated By Dan Woren
    Overall
    (76)
    Performance
    (30)
    Story
    (30)

    With one notable exception, the firms that make up what we know as Wall Street have always been part of an inbred, insular culture that most people only vaguely understand. The exception was Merrill Lynch, a firm that revolutionized the stock market by bringing Wall Street to Main Street. Merrill Lynch was an icon. Its sudden decline, collapse, and sale to Bank of America was a shock. How did it happen? Why did it happen?

    Charles says: "A Dizzying Story About the Fall of an Icon"

What's Trending in 21st Century:

Customer Favorites

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  • 4.5 (3662 ratings)
    The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
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    The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
    UNABRIDGED
    • Michael Lewis

    The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Michael Lewis
    • Narrated By Jesse Boggs
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3662)
    Performance
    (1211)
    Story
    (1217)

    Who understood the risk inherent in the assumption of ever-rising real-estate prices, a risk compounded daily by the creation of those arcane, artificial securities loosely based on piles of doubtful mortgages? Michael Lewis turns the inquiry on its head to create a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his number-one best-selling Liar’s Poker.

    Jay says: "Informative and Engaging"
  • 4.3 (2543 ratings)
    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    Play No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    Audiobook
    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mark Owen , Kevin Maurer

    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Mark Owen, Kevin Maurer
    • Narrated By Holter Graham
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2543)
    Performance
    (2290)
    Story
    (2299)

    From the streets of Iraq to the mountaintops of Afghanistan and to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden's compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group - commonly known as SEAL Team Six - has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines. No Easy Day puts listeners alongside Owen and the other handpicked members of the 24-man team as they train for the biggest mission of their lives.

    Darwin8u says: "Gripping, first-hand narrative of Op Neptune Spear"
  • 4.4 (1676 ratings)
    Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
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    Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
    UNABRIDGED
    • John Heilemann , Mark Halperin

    Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By John Heilemann, Mark Halperin
    • Narrated By Dennis Boutsikaris
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
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    (1676)
    Performance
    (554)
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    Based on hundreds of interviews with the people who lived the story, Game Change is a reportorial tour de force that reads like a fast-paced novel. Character driven and dialogue rich, replete with extravagantly detailed scenes, this is the occasion-ally shocking, often hilarious, ultimately definitive account of the campaign of a lifetime.

    Joe says: "Best Audiobook of 2010!"
  • 4.4 (933 ratings)
    The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    Play The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    Audiobook
    The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lawrence Wright

    The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Lawrence Wright
    • Narrated By Alan Sklar
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (933)
    Performance
    (241)
    Story
    (240)

    This is a sweeping narrative history of the events leading to 9/11, a groundbreaking look at the people and ideas, the terrorist plans, and the Western intelligence failures that culminated in the assault on America. Lawrence Wright's remarkable book is based on five years of research and hundreds of interviews that he conducted in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, England, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States.

    John says: "Riveting... Sobering... Chilling..."
  •  
  • 4.3 (249 ratings)
    The Greatest Trade Ever: How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History
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    The Greatest Trade Ever: How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History
    UNABRIDGED
    • Gregory Zuckerman

    The Greatest Trade Ever: How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 39 mins)
    • By Gregory Zuckerman
    • Narrated By Marc Cashman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
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    Performance
    (46)
    Story
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    In 2006, hedge fund manager John Paulson realized something few others suspected--that the housing market and the value of subprime mortgages were grossly inflated and headed for a major fall. Paulson's background was in mergers and acquisitions, however, and he knew little about real estate or how to wager against housing. He had spent a career as an also-ran on Wall Street. But Paulson was convinced this was his chance to make his mark. He just wasn't sure how to do it....

    David says: "Better Books Now Available"
  • 4.3 (243 ratings)
    Generation Kill
    Play Generation Kill
    Audiobook
    Generation Kill
    UNABRIDGED
    • Evan Wright

    Generation Kill

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Evan Wright
    • Narrated By Patrick Lawlor
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (243)
    Performance
    (88)
    Story
    (87)

    They were called a generation without heroes. Then they were called upon to be heroes. Within hours of 9/11, America's war on terrorism fell to those like the 23 Marines of the First Recon Battalion, the first generation dispatched into open-ended combat since Vietnam.

    sherry says: "Here is the truth America"
  • 4.4 (220 ratings)
    The War for Late Night
    Play The War for Late Night
    Audiobook
    The War for Late Night
    UNABRIDGED
    • Bill Carter

    The War for Late Night

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Bill Carter
    • Narrated By Sean Kenin
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (220)
    Performance
    (104)
    Story
    (108)

    When NBC decided to move Jay Leno into prime time to make room for Conan O'Brien to host the Tonight show - a job he had been promised five years earlier - skeptics anticipated a train wreck for the ages. It took, in fact, only a few months for the dire predictions to come true. Leno's show, panned by critics, dragged down the ratings - and the profits - of NBC's affiliates, while ratings for Conan's new Tonight show plummeted to the lowest levels in history.

    Roy says: "Great Story"
  • 4.4 (207 ratings)
    The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
    Play The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
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    The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jake Tapper

    The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor

    • UNABRIDGED (22 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Jake Tapper
    • Narrated By Rob Shapiro
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (207)
    Performance
    (183)
    Story
    (181)

    At 6:00 a.m. on the morning of October 3, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating was viciously attacked by Taliban insurgents. The 53 U.S. troops, having been stationed at the bottom of three steep mountains, were severely outmanned by nearly 400 Taliban fighters. Though the Americans ultimately prevailed, their casualties made it one of the war's deadliest battles for U.S. forces. And after more than three years in that dangerous and vulnerable valley a mere 14 miles from the Pakistan border, the U.S. abandoned and bombed the camp.

    Jason says: "A must read!"
  •  
  • 4.4 (190 ratings)
    Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress - and a Plan to Stop It
    Play Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress - and a Plan to Stop It
    Audiobook
    Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress - and a Plan to Stop It
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lawrence Lessig

    Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress - and a Plan to Stop It

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Lawrence Lessig
    • Narrated By Lawrence Lessig
    Overall
    (190)
    Performance
    (171)
    Story
    (161)

    In an era of ballooning corporate campaign expenditures, unleashed by the Supreme Court in Citizens United, trust in our government is at an all time low. More than ever before, Americans believe that money buys results in Congress - and that our Republic has been lost.Using examples that resonate as powerfully on the Right as on the Left, Republic, Lost not only makes clear how the economy of influence defeats the will of the people, but offers cogent strategies to correct our course....

    kevmoo says: "A profoundly important book. A must read."
  • 4.3 (185 ratings)
    Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad
    Play Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad
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    Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad
    UNABRIDGED
    • Peter L. Bergen

    Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 42 mins)
    • By Peter L. Bergen
    • Narrated By Mark Deakins
    Overall
    (185)
    Performance
    (161)
    Story
    (159)

    From the author of the New York Times best-selling Holy War, Inc., this is the definitive account of the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda expert and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen paints a multidimensional picture of the hunt for bin Laden over the past decade, including the operation that killed him.

    Betty says: "DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!"
  • 4.6 (181 ratings)
    End This Depression Now!
    Play End This Depression Now!
    Audiobook
    End This Depression Now!
    UNABRIDGED
    • Paul Krugman

    End This Depression Now!

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By Paul Krugman
    • Narrated By Rob Shapiro, Paul Krugman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (181)
    Performance
    (151)
    Story
    (150)

    The Great Recession that began in 2007 is now more than four years old - and counting. Some 24 million Americans are unemployed or underemployed, and at recent rates of job creation we won’t be back to normal levels of employment until late this decade. This is a tragedy. Do we have to accept it? "No!" is the resounding answer given by Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman in this call to arms. We have seen this situation before and we know how to fix it; all we lack is the political will to take action.

    Michael says: "Listen to this before you vote!"
  • 4.4 (131 ratings)
    The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
    Play The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
    Audiobook
    The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jane Mayer

    The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Jane Mayer
    • Narrated By Richard McGonagle
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (131)
    Performance
    (33)
    Story
    (33)

    The Dark Side is a narrative account of the decisions the U.S. made after September 11, decisions that not only violated the Constitution, but also hampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In gripping detail, Jane Mayer relates specific cases, shown in real time against the larger tableau of Washington, looking at the intelligence gained and the price paid. In all cases, there were incalculable losses in terms of moral standing, our country's place in the world, and its sense of itself.

    Madeleine says: "Brilliant and Maddening"

Best Sellers

(More 21st Century Best Sellers) All 21st Century Best Sellers
  • Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    Play Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jeremy Scahill

    Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Jeremy Scahill
    • Narrated By Tom Weiner
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (21)
    Performance
    (18)
    Story
    (18)

    From Afghanistan and Pakistan to Yemen, Somalia, and beyond, Scahill speaks to the CIA agents, mercenaries, and elite Special Operations Forces operators who populate the dark side of American war-fighting. He goes deep into al Qaeda-held territory in Yemen and walks the streets of Mogadishu with CIA-backed warlords. We also meet the survivors of US night raids and drone strikes - including families of US citizens targeted for assassination by their own government - who reveal the human consequences of the dirty wars the United States struggles to keep hidden.

    aaron says: "Non political BUT very anti-violence"
  • No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    Play No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mark Owen , Kevin Maurer

    No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Mark Owen, Kevin Maurer
    • Narrated By Holter Graham
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2543)
    Performance
    (2290)
    Story
    (2299)

    From the streets of Iraq to the mountaintops of Afghanistan and to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden's compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group - commonly known as SEAL Team Six - has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines. No Easy Day puts listeners alongside Owen and the other handpicked members of the 24-man team as they train for the biggest mission of their lives.

    Darwin8u says: "Gripping, first-hand narrative of Op Neptune Spear"
  • The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    Play The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mark Mazzetti

    The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Mark Mazzetti
    • Narrated By Richard Ferrone
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (10)
    Performance
    (8)
    Story
    (8)

    Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Mazzetti examines secret wars over the past decade, tracking key characters from the intelligence and military communities across the world. Among the characters we meet in The Way of the Knife are a young CIA officer dropped into the tribal areas to learn the hard way how the spy games in Pakistan are played; an Air Force test pilot who fired the first drone missile in the Nevada desert; and a chain-smoking Pentagon official who ran an off-the-books spying operation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    Frank says: "Outstanding"
  • The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
    Play The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
    The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
    UNABRIDGED
    • Michael Lewis

    The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Michael Lewis
    • Narrated By Jesse Boggs
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3662)
    Performance
    (1211)
    Story
    (1217)

    Who understood the risk inherent in the assumption of ever-rising real-estate prices, a risk compounded daily by the creation of those arcane, artificial securities loosely based on piles of doubtful mortgages? Michael Lewis turns the inquiry on its head to create a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his number-one best-selling Liar’s Poker.

    Jay says: "Informative and Engaging"
  •  
  • The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    Play The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lawrence Wright

    The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Lawrence Wright
    • Narrated By Alan Sklar
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (933)
    Performance
    (241)
    Story
    (240)

    This is a sweeping narrative history of the events leading to 9/11, a groundbreaking look at the people and ideas, the terrorist plans, and the Western intelligence failures that culminated in the assault on America. Lawrence Wright's remarkable book is based on five years of research and hundreds of interviews that he conducted in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, England, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States.

    John says: "Riveting... Sobering... Chilling..."
  • Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
    Play Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
    UNABRIDGED
    • Tim Weiner

    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Tim Weiner
    • Narrated By Stefan Rudnicki
    Overall
    (1736)
    Performance
    (376)
    Story
    (373)

    This is the book the CIA does not want you to read. For the last 60 years, the CIA has maintained a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, never disclosing its blunders to the American public. It spun its own truth to the nation while reality lay buried in classified archives. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Tim Weiner offers a stunning indictment of the CIA, a deeply flawed organization that has never deserved America's confidence.

    Michael says: "Flawed but Important"
  • The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
    Play The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
    The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jake Tapper

    The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor

    • UNABRIDGED (22 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Jake Tapper
    • Narrated By Rob Shapiro
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (207)
    Performance
    (183)
    Story
    (181)

    At 6:00 a.m. on the morning of October 3, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating was viciously attacked by Taliban insurgents. The 53 U.S. troops, having been stationed at the bottom of three steep mountains, were severely outmanned by nearly 400 Taliban fighters. Though the Americans ultimately prevailed, their casualties made it one of the war's deadliest battles for U.S. forces. And after more than three years in that dangerous and vulnerable valley a mere 14 miles from the Pakistan border, the U.S. abandoned and bombed the camp.

    Jason says: "A must read!"
  • Too Big to Fail
    Play Too Big to Fail
    Too Big to Fail
    UNABRIDGED
    • Andrew Ross Sorkin

    Too Big to Fail

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By Andrew Ross Sorkin
    • Narrated By William Hughes
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (968)
    Performance
    (358)
    Story
    (362)

    A real-life thriller about the most tumultuous period in America's financial history by an acclaimed New York Times reporter. Andrew Ross Sorkin delivers the first true, behind-the-scenes, moment-by-moment account of how the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression developed into a global tsunami.

    Chuck says: "Best Book About Meltdown"
  •  
  • The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires
    Play The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires
    The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires
    UNABRIDGED
    • Tim Wu

    The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 10 mins)
    • By Tim Wu
    • Narrated By Marc Vietor
    Overall
    (579)
    Performance
    (300)
    Story
    (301)

    Could history repeat itself, with one giant entity taking control of American information? Most consider the Internet Age to be a moment of unprecedented freedom in communications and culture. But as Tim Wu shows, each major new medium, from telephone to cable, arrived on a similar wave of idealistic optimism only to become, eventually, the object of industrial consolidation profoundly affecting how Americans communicate.

    Neil says: "Very interesting history, biased conclusions"
  • Power Systems: Conversations on Global Democratic Uprisings and the New Challenges to U.S. Empire
    Play Power Systems: Conversations on Global Democratic Uprisings and the New Challenges to U.S. Empire
    Power Systems: Conversations on Global Democratic Uprisings and the New Challenges to U.S. Empire
    UNABRIDGED
    • Noam Chomsky

    Power Systems: Conversations on Global Democratic Uprisings and the New Challenges to U.S. Empire

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Noam Chomsky
    • Narrated By Noam Chomsky, David Barsamian
    Overall
    (14)
    Performance
    (11)
    Story
    (11)

    A compelling new set of interviews on our changing and turbulent times with Noam Chomsky, one of the world's foremost thinkers...

    In this new collection of conversations, conducted from 2010 to 2012, Noam Chomsky explores the most immediate and urgent concerns: the future of democracy in the Arab world, the implications of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the European financial crisis, the breakdown of American mainstream political institutions, and the rise of the Occupy movement. As always, Chomsky presents his ideas vividly and accessibly, with uncompromising principle and clarifying insight.

    Christine says: "This is not a book, it's an interview"
  • We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency
    Play We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency
    We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency
    UNABRIDGED
    • Parmy Olson

    We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 16 mins)
    • By Parmy Olson
    • Narrated By Abby Craden
    Overall
    (230)
    Performance
    (199)
    Story
    (202)

    In late 2010, thousands of hacktivists joined a mass digital assault by Anonymous on the websites of VISA, MasterCard, and PayPal to protest their treatment of WikiLeaks. Splinter groups then infiltrated the networks of totalitarian governments in Libya and Tunisia, and an elite team of six people calling themselves LulzSec attacked the FBI, CIA, and Sony. They were flippant and taunting, grabbed headlines, and amassed more than a quarter of a million Twitter followers.

    Ulrike says: "Good book but horrible performance"
  • Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War
    Play Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War
    Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War
    UNABRIDGED
    • Dakota Meyer , Bing West

    Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By Dakota Meyer, Bing West
    • Narrated By Zach McLarty
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (96)
    Performance
    (87)
    Story
    (88)

    In the fall of 2009, Taliban insurgents ambushed a patrol of Afghan soldiers and Marine advisors in a mountain village called Ganjigal. Firing from entrenched positions, the enemy was positioned to wipe out 100 men who were pinned down and were repeatedly refused artillery support. Ordered to remain behind with the vehicles, 21 year-old Marine corporal Dakota Meyer disobeyed orders and attacked to rescue his comrades.

    GORDON says: "Good, solid story of one young Marine."

New Releases

(More 21st Century New Releases) All 21st Century New Releases
  • The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution
    Play The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution
    The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution
    UNABRIDGED
    • Marcia Coyle

    The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 53 mins)
    • By Marcia Coyle
    • Narrated By Bernadette Dunne
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Seven minutes after President Obama put his signature to a landmark national health care insurance program, a lawyer in the office of Florida GOP attorney general Bill McCollum hit a computer key, sparking a legal challenge to the new law that would eventually reach the nation’s highest court. Health care is only the most visible and recent front in a battle over the meaning and scope of the U.S. Constitution. The battleground is the Supreme Court, and one of the most skilled, insightful, and trenchant of its observers takes us close up to watch it in action.

  • The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and Rise and Decline of Black Politics 
    Play The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and Rise and Decline of Black Politics 
    The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and Rise and Decline of Black Politics 
    UNABRIDGED
    • Fredrick Harris

    The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and Rise and Decline of Black Politics 

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 5 mins)
    • By Fredrick Harris
    • Narrated By Mary Kane
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    The historical significance of Barack Obama's triumph in the presidential election of 2008 scarcely requires comment. Yet it contains an irony: He won a victory as an African American only by denying that he was the candidate of African Americans. Obama's very success, writes Fredrick Harris, exacted a heavy cost on black politics.

    In The Price of the Ticket, Harris puts Obama's career in the context of decades of black activism, showing how his election undermined the very movement that made it possible.

  • Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    Play Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jeremy Scahill

    Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Jeremy Scahill
    • Narrated By Tom Weiner
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (21)
    Performance
    (18)
    Story
    (18)

    From Afghanistan and Pakistan to Yemen, Somalia, and beyond, Scahill speaks to the CIA agents, mercenaries, and elite Special Operations Forces operators who populate the dark side of American war-fighting. He goes deep into al Qaeda-held territory in Yemen and walks the streets of Mogadishu with CIA-backed warlords. We also meet the survivors of US night raids and drone strikes - including families of US citizens targeted for assassination by their own government - who reveal the human consequences of the dirty wars the United States struggles to keep hidden.

    aaron says: "Non political BUT very anti-violence"
  • The Sinking of the Bounty: The True Story of a Tragic Shipwreck and its Aftermath
    Play The Sinking of the Bounty: The True Story of a Tragic Shipwreck and its Aftermath
    The Sinking of the Bounty: The True Story of a Tragic Shipwreck and its Aftermath
    UNABRIDGED
    • Matthew Shaer

    The Sinking of the Bounty: The True Story of a Tragic Shipwreck and its Aftermath

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 34 mins)
    • By Matthew Shaer
    • Narrated By Matthew Shaer
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2)
    Performance
    (2)
    Story
    (2)

    It was one of the strangest sights the Coast Guard pilots had ever seen: a tall-masted wooden ship, the kind that sailed centuries ago, capsizing in the wind and towering waves of Hurricane Sandy off the coast of North Carolina. It looked like something out of a movie - and, in a way, it was. The ship was the Bounty, a replica of a British merchant vessel of the same name whose crew famously mutinied in 1789. She had been built for a Marlon Brando film in the 1960s - and now she was sinking, her 16-person crew fleeing into the sea amid the splintered wood and torn canvas.

  •  
  • After the Fall: American Literature Since 9/11
    Play After the Fall: American Literature Since 9/11
    After the Fall: American Literature Since 9/11
    UNABRIDGED
    • Richard Gray

    After the Fall: American Literature Since 9/11

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Richard Gray
    • Narrated By Alex Hyde-White
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    After the Fall presents a timely and provocative examination of the impact and implications of 9/11 and the war on terror on American culture and literature. Presents the first detailed interrogation of U.S. writing in a time of crisis.

  • The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    Play The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mark Mazzetti

    The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Mark Mazzetti
    • Narrated By Richard Ferrone
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (10)
    Performance
    (8)
    Story
    (8)

    Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Mazzetti examines secret wars over the past decade, tracking key characters from the intelligence and military communities across the world. Among the characters we meet in The Way of the Knife are a young CIA officer dropped into the tribal areas to learn the hard way how the spy games in Pakistan are played; an Air Force test pilot who fired the first drone missile in the Nevada desert; and a chain-smoking Pentagon official who ran an off-the-books spying operation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    Frank says: "Outstanding"
  • Australians in Antarctica
    Play Australians in Antarctica
    Australians in Antarctica
    UNABRIDGED
    • Tim Bowden

    Australians in Antarctica

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Tim Bowden
    • Narrated By Tim Bowden
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Australia claims about 42 percent of the land mass of Antarctica Continent - largely based on the exploration voyages led by Sir Douglas Mawson in the first half of this century. Yet by 1953 we had no permanent bases on the Antarctic continent. Australians in Antarctica reviews Australia's postwar push south, with the establishment of permanent stations on the sub-Antarctic islands of Heard and Masquarie in 1948, and the first settlement on the Antarctic mainland - Mawson Station - achieved by 1954.

  • Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death
    Play Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death
    Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jim Frederick

    Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 12 mins)
    • By Jim Frederick
    • Narrated By Corey Snow
    Overall
    (3)
    Performance
    (3)
    Story
    (3)

    This is the story of a small group of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's fabled 502nd Infantry Regiment - a unit known as the Black Heart Brigade. Deployed in late 2005 to Iraq's so-called Triangle of Death, a veritable meat grinder just south of Baghdad, the Black Hearts found themselves in arguably the country's most dangerous location at its most dangerous time.

    Vygramul says: "Difficult story, well read"
  •  
  • Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic
    Play Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic
    Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mark L. Donald , Scott Mactavish

    Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Mark L. Donald, Scott Mactavish
    • Narrated By Fred Berman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (9)
    Performance
    (8)
    Story
    (8)

    As A SEAL and combat medic, Mark served his country with valorous distinction for almost 25 years and survived some of the most dangerous combat actions imaginable. From the rigors of BUD/S training to the horrors of the battlefield, Battle Ready dramatically immerses the listener in the unique life of the elite warrior-medic who advances into combat with life-saving equipment in one hand and life-taking weapons in the other. It is also an uplifting human story that reveals how a young Hispanic American bootstrapped himself out of a life that promised a dead-end future by enlisting in the military.

    jones says: "Captivating, honest, humbling. Just a grade A job"
  • Defiant Courage: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
    Play Defiant Courage: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
    Defiant Courage: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
    UNABRIDGED
    • Astrid Karlson Scott , Tore Haug

    Defiant Courage: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Astrid Karlson Scott, Tore Haug
    • Narrated By Peter Altshuler
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In late March of 1943, four commandos arrive in northern Norway with a mission of establishing a base for sabotage operations. Before they can unload their cutter, they are betrayed, as a German Schnell boat arrives and turns the quiet fjord into a battle zone. Only one man, Jan Baalsrud, surrvives the attack. This is the story of his perilous journey to freedom. Wounded, the dauntless soldier swims icy fjord waters, climbs snow-laden granite peaks, endures violent snowstorms and is hurled off a mountain by an avalanche.

  • Undaunted: The Real Story of America’s Servicewomen in Today’s Military
    Play Undaunted: The Real Story of America’s Servicewomen in Today’s Military
    Undaunted: The Real Story of America’s Servicewomen in Today’s Military
    UNABRIDGED
    • Tanya Biank

    Undaunted: The Real Story of America’s Servicewomen in Today’s Military

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 31 mins)
    • By Tanya Biank
    • Narrated By Pam Ward
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    As she did so provocatively with military spouses in Army Wives, Tanya Biank gives us the inside story of women in today’s military - their professional and personal challenges from the combat zone to the home front. Since 9/11, more than 240,000 women have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than 140 have died there, and they currently make up 14 percent of the total active-duty forces. Despite advances, today’s servicewomen are constantly pressed to prove themselves.

  • America in the Sixties: America in the Twentieth Century
    Play America in the Sixties: America in the Twentieth Century
    America in the Sixties: America in the Twentieth Century
    UNABRIDGED
    • John Robert Greene

    America in the Sixties: America in the Twentieth Century

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 31 mins)
    • By John Robert Greene
    • Narrated By Chris Munson
    Overall
    (2)
    Performance
    (2)
    Story
    (2)

    Sandwiched between the placid fifties and the flamboyant seventies, the sixties, a decade of tumultuous change and stunning paradoxes, is often reduced to a series of slogans, symbols, and media images. In America in the Sixties, Greene goes beyond the cliches and synthesizes thirty years of research, writing, and teaching on one of the most turbulent decades of the twentieth century.

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