"How did they do it???"
Amy Stewart has accomplished a remarkable feat! She has made what essentially should be a field guide to noxious weeds into an interesting audible book! The book gives a lot of botanical facts - interspersed with a lot of personal stories about the effect of the various weeds on people . . . as well as habitat. What really impressed me, however, was Coleen Marlo's impeccable Latin! She lets those compliccated botanical names roll off her tongue like a true native! Interesting read/listen - but I'm still not convinced that this is the best format to truly appreciate this work!
"Short on interest - long on verbage"
The actually interesting part of this book is buried in tons of statistical information - most of which has nothing to do with thought processing. In the 24 + hours of listening, I appreciated about 3 hours of content - only finishing the book because of the excellent narration! Patrick Egan is an amazing narrator!
"Nothing like the blurb . . ."
This book was supposed to be about a group of women who survived under the horrible French occupation in WWII - and how it impacted their lives. It would better be described as a detailed history of the gruesome lives that men and women lived during this time in French history. On top of this is the falsetto voice of the narrator. She may be good at elocution - but she is miserable to listen to! (sorry about the dangling participle!)
"Really????"
What looked like an interesting book turned out to be a scare-mongering blast on "frankenfoods" and an exploration of the merits of cannabis. I was glad when the book was done!
"Some books could be better if they were abridged"
What I expected: a glimpse into the man we call Abraham Lincoln.
What I got: a blow by blow descripton of the politics and battles of the day during Lincoln's political career. There were rare glimpses into the human side of Lincoln - and they were frustratingly short and far between.
The narrator, however did a supurb job of creating changes in voices and in keeping an otherwise l-o-n-g story engaging. Overall, I'm glad I read it to the end. And it was a very l-o-n-g book.
"Chilling . . ."
This book is well researched and written. The author is a genuine authority on this phenomenon - and understands it well enough to explain it to his proverbial grandmother. On the other hand, is a very difficult read. It's simply difficult to hear about the mental machinations of people in our society who simply do not have the ability to empathize or accept responsibility for their actions.
It is also reassuring for anyone who has ever had contact with a psychopath. As difficult as it is, it is also reassuring to know that our experience has been understood by the professionals who have chosen to expose this disorder for what it is. Unfortunately, too many professionals fall into the veneer of charm trap - and miss the underlying chaos and disorder within this dreaded disorder.
"A Nice Excursion"
I don't usually read fiction. This book was recommended by a friend, and I'm glad I got it. The narrator does an excellent job developing the characters. The story was compelling and satisfying. I'm glad I didn't listen to some of the reviewers who did not enjoy it.
"Amazing look at a bygone era . . ."
I was ashamed that I had not read this wonderful classic prior to now! Pearl Buck is a lyrical and compelling writer - and her story is gripping! So for those who missed this in childhood (I think it is probably elementary school writing) enjoy!! Like many "children's" books - this one has depths that would be missed by many young readers.
"Well researched . . . well presented"
I never studied economics - and was not aware of most of the content of this book. It is "heavy" and important to be aware . . . especially in this election year!! Heads up - Americans - "read" this and go to the polls!!! (and make sure your friends do too!)
"She did it again!"
Once again, Temple Grandin has taken us into her world in which she understands animals. I will never look at a zoo animal or farm animal the same!! We have friends who are sheepherds - and I have a new appreciation for the excellence of the way they practice their profession!
"Wonderful!"
Any introvert who feels swallowed up in today's eat or be eaten world will enjoy this refreshing work that underscores his/her value! My favourite sentence - "First answer is not necessarily best answer!!" Thank you.