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Sintillator

Flagstaff, AZ | Member Since 2011

6
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 3 reviews
  • 40 ratings
  • 208 titles in library
  • 41 purchased in 2013
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  • Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae | [Steven Pressfield]
    Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
    UNABRIDGED

    Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Steven Pressfield
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (113)
    Performance
    (97)
    Story
    (101)

    Gates of Fire puts you at the side of valiant Spartan warriors in 480 BC for the bloody, climactic battle at Thermopylae. There, a few hundred of Sparta’s finest sacrificed their lives to hold back the invading Persian millions. The time they bought enabled the Greeks to rally - saving, according to ancient historian Herodotus, “Western democracy and freedom from perishing in the cradle.” How did the Spartans accomplish this superhuman feat? This is what the King of Persia hopes to learn from the sole Spartan survivor.

    Darwin8u says: "Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by"
    "A Journey Worth Experiencing"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you consider the audio edition of Gates of Fire to be better than the print version?

    I'm not sure as my life just doesn't have time for a good long read anymore. Not to say that it wouldn't be even better but just not for us that have discovered Audible as a modern indispensable option in their busy lives. I listen often and found this book because of George Guidall's narration right up there in my favorite narrators list.


    Who was your favorite character and why?

    Too many.


    Which scene was your favorite?

    Too many.


    Who was the most memorable character of Gates of Fire and why?

    Too many.


    Any additional comments?

    I'd say that this listen is for those that appreciate attention to detail and authors that not only write well but take the time to contextualize their works. Painting the verbal picture is definitely one of Pressfields strengths. This might not be for those who would rather a story flow or move at a faster pace. At the same time, for a story whose ending we all know, I enjoyed every minute of it. There is a long list of life insights presented in ways that for folks like me will enjoy the insights and potential lessons sewn throughout.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • The End of Your Life Book Club | [Will Schwalbe]
    The End of Your Life Book Club
    UNABRIDGED

    The End of Your Life Book Club

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 40 mins)
    • By Will Schwalbe
    • Narrated By Jeff Harding
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (235)
    Performance
    (207)
    Story
    (209)

    >"What are you reading?" That's the question Will Schwalbe asks his mother, Mary Anne, as they sit in the waiting room of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In 2007, Mary Anne returned from a humanitarian trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan suffering from what her doctors believed was a rare type of hepatitis. Months later she was diagnosed with a form of advanced pancreatic cancer, which is almost always fatal, often in six months or less. This is the inspiring true story of a son and his mother.

    fred says: "Loved this book"
    "Poignant, Uplifting & Comforting"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you consider the audio edition of The End of Your Life Book Club to be better than the print version?

    N/A


    What did you like best about this story?

    The insights shared into who Mary Anne was, what she believed in, what she accomplished, how she chose to look at and live her life. Certainly this book is something most adults can benefit from by gaining more life insights from this remarkable woman's perspective.


    Which character – as performed by Jeff Harding – was your favorite?

    Mary Anne


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

    Not for me.


    Any additional comments?

    As someone who has experienced first hand a very similar experience watching my mothers final journey. I feel blessed and honored to be able to revisit that journey along with the author as he retells what this personal experience meant for him and his family. Not being a "everyone should" kind of person I still feel comfortable stating that there is plenty for everyone to touch and be touched by in this wonderful book.

    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
  • Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II | [Mitchell Zuckoff]
    Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
    UNABRIDGED

    Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Mitchell Zuckoff
    • Narrated By Mitchell Zuckoff
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1046)
    Performance
    (783)
    Story
    (792)

    On May 13, 1945, 24 American servicemen and WACs boarded a transport plane for a sightseeing trip over “Shangri-La,” a beautiful and mysterious valley deep within the jungle-covered mountains of Dutch New Guinea. Unlike the peaceful Tibetan monks of James Hilton’s best-selling novel Lost Horizon, this Shangri-La was home to spear-carrying tribesmen, warriors rumored to be cannibals. But the pleasure tour became an unforgettable battle for survival when the plane crashed. Miraculously, three passengers pulled through.

    Janice says: "Facinating history"
    "Not Bad, But!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

    I would with the caveat that they understand what I found out. While the story is of interest on it's own I feel that the author did exactly what he sights in his recounting as a undesirable trait. That of building up a good story to a point of where it doesn't match the importance, hype or magnitude of what actually occured. "The most incredible rescue mission of WWll" hardly. Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" now that story fits and surpasses all the verbal hype you can use to describe that story.


    Would you be willing to try another book from Mitchell Zuckoff? Why or why not?

    Probably not unless I could research it better next time


    What three words best describe Mitchell Zuckoff’s voice?

    Ok but should have probably let someone with more range have this one.


    Do you think Lost in Shangri-La needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

    Absolutely not. He beat the hell out of everything the story could have possible offered.


    0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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