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Bill

NORWALK, CT, United States | Member Since 2010

HELPFUL VOTES

8 reviews
11 ratings
185 titles in library
5 purchased in 2013

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Hitch-22: A Memoir

UNABRIDGED
- by Christopher Hitchens
- Narrated by Christopher Hitchens
Hitch-22: A Memoir

UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 34 mins)

By Christopher Hitchens

Narrated By Christopher Hitchens

Overall
(546)
Performance
(300)
Story
(291)

Over the course of his 60 years, Christopher Hitchens has been a citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom. He has been both a socialist opposed to the war in Vietnam and a supporter of the U.S. war against Islamic extremism in Iraq. He has been both a foreign correspondent in some of the world's most dangerous places and a legendary bon vivant with an unquenchable thirst for alcohol and literature.
Laura says: "Truth, the whole truth and nothing but."
"Gives you an idea how Christopher Hitchens thinks"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you listen to Hitch-22 again? Why?

Absolutely, Christopher Hitchens is a very good writer. His life is very entertaining and tells the story very well.

What did you like best about this story?

It gave me a brief insight into his values and how he perceived the world around him. He has an excellent vocabulary and is a great wordsmith.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Christopher Hitchens?

Yes. However Mr. Hitchens voices seems to fade a bit when he gets excited about the story he is relating to the listener.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed. His stories about his childhood and his trip to Cuba are quite good. If there is a sadness, it is that he is no longer around to write more.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

UNABRIDGED
- by Candice Millard
- Narrated by Paul Michael
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 47 mins)

By Candice Millard

Narrated By Paul Michael

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1415)
Performance
(1219)
Story
(1212)

James A. Garfield may have been the most extraordinary man ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, and a renowned and admired reformist congressman. Nominated for president against his will, he engaged in a fierce battle with the corrupt political establishment. But four months after his inauguration, a deranged office seeker tracked Garfield down and shot him in the back. But the shot didn’t kill Garfield. The drama of what happened subsequently is a powerful story of a nation in turmoil.
Melinda says: "Marvelous, Magnificent, Millard"
"want to learn about James Garfield, start here."

Overall
Performance
Story

If you could sum up Destiny of the Republic in three words, what would they be?

interesting, informative, revealing

Who was your favorite character and why?

Garfield himself. He was quite an incredible man, whose death could have been prevented. the doctor who cared (it should be 'killed') was a quack. truly a waste of a life.

Which character – as performed by Paul Michael – was your favorite?

Alexander Graham Bell.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

James Garfield the President we never knew.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

UNABRIDGED
- by Ulysses S. Grant
- Narrated by Robin Field
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

UNABRIDGED (29 hrs and 37 mins)

By Ulysses S. Grant

Narrated By Robin Field

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(109)
Performance
(71)
Story
(70)

Among the autobiographies of great military figures, Ulysses S. Grant’s is certainly one of the finest, and it is arguably the most notable literary achievement of any American president: a lucid, compelling, and brutally honest chronicle of triumph and failure. From his frontier boyhood, to his heroics in battle, to the grinding poverty from which the Civil War ironically rescued him, these memoirs are a mesmerizing, deeply moving account of a brilliant man told with great courage.
Michael says: "Great - but not really a biography..."
"Didn't need to be 4 volumes"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

yes and no. the friend would have to really enjoy the civil war.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

sadly never made it to the end because the download started to replay the vol 3 in the middle of vol 4.

What aspect of Robin Field’s performance would you have changed?

The narrator performed well considering the length of Grant's memoirs.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I would but it would be hard to keep it between 90 or 120 minutes.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful
The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith

UNABRIDGED
- by Peter Hitchens
- Narrated by Peter Hitchens
The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith

UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 57 mins)

By Peter Hitchens

Narrated By Peter Hitchens

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(49)
Performance
(19)
Story
(20)

Partly autobiographical, partly historical, The Rage Against God, written by Peter Hitchens, brother of prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens, assails several of the favorite arguments of the anti-God battalions and makes the case against fashionable atheism.
Michael says: "Not at All What I Expected"
"thought it was going to be better"

Overall
Performance
Story

What disappointed you about The Rage Against God?

The book was ramblings by the author. 'Rage against God' is a poor title, it should be babblings by Peter Hitchens. I got so tired of Mr. Hitchens wandering, I stopped listening.

Would you ever listen to anything by Peter Hitchens again?

No

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Peter Hitchens?

I don't believe another narrator would fare any better.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

Any additional comments?

Don't waste a credit on this book.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

UNABRIDGED
- by Laura Hillenbrand
- Narrated by Edward Herrmann
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

UNABRIDGED (14 hrs)

By Laura Hillenbrand

Narrated By Edward Herrmann

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(8168)
Performance
(4396)
Story
(4402)

Why we think it’s a great listen: Seabiscuit was a runaway success, and Hillenbrand’s done it again with another true-life account about beating unbelievable odds. On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared.....
Janice says: "Indescribable"
"a slow start leads to an outstanding listen"

Overall
Performance
Story

I will admit that it took alittle while to grab me on this one, but once it did, OUTSTANDING! What a life, what an incredible story. It affirms my belief that fiction can never ever compete with someone's real life story. Loved it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The Big Three in Economics: Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes

UNABRIDGED
- by Mark Skousen
- Narrated by Jeff Riggenbach
The Big Three in Economics: Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 7 mins)

By Mark Skousen

Narrated By Jeff Riggenbach

Overall
(134)
Performance
(40)
Story
(39)

The Big Three in Economics reveals the battle of ideas among the three most influential economists in world history: Adam Smith, representing laissez faire; Karl Marx, reflecting the radical socialist model; and John Maynard Keynes, symbolizing big government and the welfare state. History comes alive in this fascinating story of opposing views that continue to play a fundamental role in today's politics and economics.
Jan says: "Cut and paste"
"Interesting"

Overall
Performance
Story

i recommend listening to this book twice, there is a lot of information and background info about each gentlemen. i would never had classified Marx as an economist but the author presents points worth considering. a good study, you will need some time to digest their theories, at least i did.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure

UNABRIDGED
- by Glenn Beck , Kevin Balfe
- Narrated by Glenn Beck , Brian Sack
Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 22 mins)

By Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe

Narrated By Glenn Beck, Brian Sack

Overall
(500)
Performance
(155)
Story
(157)

In the words of Harvard economist Niall Ferguson, the United States is “an empire on the edge of chaos.” Why? Glenn Beck thinks the answer is pretty simple: Because we’ve turned our backs on the Constitution. Yes, our country is financially broke, but that’s just a side effect of our broken spirit, our broken faith in government, the broken promises by our leaders, and a broken political system that has centralized power at the expense of individual rights.
Antoine says: "First Beck Book Read"
"Oh, yes we are..big time"

Overall
Performance
Story

the topics that Beck hits upon make you realize how close to the edge we are. enjoyed it, worth a listen.

2 of 5 people found this review helpful
Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America

UNABRIDGED
- by Steven Waldman
- Narrated by David Colacci
Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 46 mins)

By Steven Waldman

Narrated By David Colacci

Overall
(79)
Performance
(13)
Story
(13)

The culture wars have distorted the dramatic story of how Americans came to worship freely. Many activists on the right maintain that the United States was founded as a "Christian nation". Many on the left contend that the Founders were secular or Deist and that the First Amendment was designed to boldly separate church and state throughout the land. None of these claims are true, argues Beliefnet.com editor in chief Steven Waldman.
Michael says: "Eye-opening"
"Founding Faith: the Birth of Religious Freedom"

Overall
Performance
Story

I enjoyed this audio quite a bit. I felt it provided a balance point of view on the impact Religion had on our Founding Fathers. A very good listen.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful