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DefaultName

Member Since 2008

10
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 4 reviews
  • 14 ratings
  • 0 titles in library
  • 24 purchased in 2013
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  • I.O.U.: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 30 mins)
    • By John Lanchester
    • Narrated By James Langton
    Overall
    (50)
    Performance
    (15)
    Story
    (13)

    The wildest story in the world these days is not fiction; it's what's really happening all around us as the world's global economy has gone into freefall. How did we get here? What does it all mean? How could so many smart people be so dumb and believe their own hype? Accessibly, cleverly, and with mordant humor, journalist John Lanchester trots the globe in search of the answers to these questions.

    Carol says: "Economics for dummies"
    "Good Facts, Bad Philosophy"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Lanchester presents excellent observations of what happens when risk is removed from finance. He tries to validate his personal beliefs that Socialism is necessary to keep capitalism honest. Removing risk from finance is actually a manipulation of capitalism and is the direct cause of financial collapse. Lanchester thinks capitalists no longer have to be nice to others because there is no socialism to compare their actions to - a Karl Marx as yardstick, if you will. He suffers the same inattentional blindness many liberals suffer. (Watching the basketball - missing the gorilla) Watching the harmful escalation of bad behavior of "bankers" while missing the increasingly complex but well intended regulations which pushed those bankers by moving the cheese. There are no perfect regulations. It is always best to connect self interest to behavior as directly as possible. Allow banks to fail - caveat emptor doesn't work is everyone is protected from negative consequences.

    Still, Langton is an excellent narrator. The book is a pleasant listen.

    3 of 4 people found this review helpful
  • Find Out Who's Normal and Who's Not: The Proven System to Quickly Assess Anyone's Emotional Stability

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By David Lieberman
    • Narrated By Sean Pratt
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (74)
    Performance
    (40)
    Story
    (34)

    Do you have to worry about your co-worker, nanny, neighbor, or date? If you’re concerned about a new relationship, or even an old one, you will no longer need to rely on instincts, hunches, or horoscopes. Even when interaction is limited to mere observation or a brief exchange, whether you’re at a bar, restaurant, park, or even in an elevator, you can discover how to assess the general emotional stability of a person in just minutes.

    morton says: "A Great Audio!"
    "More technical than title implies"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What made the experience of listening to Find Out Who's Normal and Who's Not the most enjoyable?

    This book is great for anyone interested in psychology or just wanting to better understand others. Narrator Sean Pratt is great - very listenable. The content is serious science and based on mostly recent research.


    What other book might you compare Find Out Who's Normal and Who's Not to and why?

    More practical than The Psychopath Next Door.


    Which character ??? as performed by Sean Pratt ??? was your favorite?

    N/A


    What???s an idea from the book that you will remember?

    David Lieberman gives several conversational evaluation methods that are very usable.


    Any additional comments?

    Nicely organized and nicely presented.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Inspire! Why Customers Come Back

    • UNABRIDGED (3 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Jim Champy
    • Narrated By Stow Lovejoy
    Overall
    (10)
    Performance
    (3)
    Story
    (3)

    In an era of commoditization and ever less loyal customers, this book shows how to keep customers coming back. Drawing on dozens of original case studies from companies in a variety of industries, new and old, Champy reveals how to define a consistent value proposition your customers will be passionate about--and will stay passionate about.

    A User says: "Infomercial Material"
    "Infomercial Material"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    If you've listened to as many business audio books as I have, you know the stories of Ben & Jerry, Honest Tea, Stoneyfield Farms, et. al. That's all you get with this book is the stories. Where is the insight? Where is the application and common truths for the rest of us. With a title like Inspire, I shouldn't expect more than a few mildly inspiring stories. I've been spoiled by the likes of Seth Godin and Tom Peters with inspiration followed by action items and lessons learned. Jim Champy writes in a simple style, lacking depth and insight. It leaves you wanting more. A "How To" book it is not.

    Stow Lovejoy does a very nice job narrating this (un)inspiring business book. If you are going into the yogurt business: read/listen to this book. For the rest of us, time is much better spent elsewhere.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 17 mins)
    • By Kathryn Schulz
    • Narrated By Mia Barron
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (107)
    Performance
    (47)
    Story
    (46)

    To err is human. Yet most of us go through life assuming (and sometimes insisting) that we are right about nearly everything, from the origins of the universe to how to load the dishwasher. If being wrong is so natural, why are we all so bad at imagining that our beliefs could be mistaken, and why do we react to our errors with surprise, denial, defensiveness, and shame?

    Mike says: "A good read"
    "Good Topic Disappointing Presentation"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    My expectations were high. This is a topic that I could sink my teeth (or ears) into. Why is everyone so committed to being wrong? People seem to become so happy with a position, an idea, an answer, that it no longer matters to them that the answer is wrong. Ayn Rand used the term "blank out" to describe the way people stop responding when they would have to concede a point or when they break a chain of reasoning to get to the answer they prefer.

    Ms. Schultz certainly appreciates the many ways we humans arrive at the incorrect. She is well researched and of broad perspective. Her book includes psychological, biological, and neurological aspects of self deception. From a philosophical perspective, she points out that it is impossible to say truthfully that "I am wrong", because we can only realize that we were wrong by adopting a new idea different from the old, wrong idea. She quotes many great and some terrible thinkers on the subject of being wrong. The quotes are the best part of this book.

    The frustrating aspect of this book is Ms. Schultz' organization of ideas. Just as a concept is being developed just to insert a distracting non sequitur. It gives the effect that she wants to make a point that has nothing to do with the concept that was being developed. I wait and listen patiently for the digression to end and the thoughts to be completed. Unfortunately, she doesn't return to the original thought - ever. Apparently, she feels obligated to begin her chapters on the topic, but feels no such obligation to conclude the chapter on the same topic.

    In a paper book, we might be able to deal with the author's meandering by turning pages until we find the topic or a new topic to bridge the continuity on our own. In an audio book, we lack the resources to compensate for her inconsistencies. It becomes maddening to encounter the unclosed loops, unjustified digressions, repeatedly.

    I listen to approximately ten audio books per month.

    4 of 5 people found this review helpful

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