Dr.

Francona is a family story, about the Francona family, and his baseball family the Boston Red Sox.

The warmth, honesty and intensity expressed by Terry Francona.

No

A Bronx Tale in Fenway Park.

Like the DeNiro Film, Francona is a baseball purist who has to function in a world run by CEO's, GM's and statistical gurus who try to compromise his belief in the players and the sport.

Yes. It is very entertaining.

Each character has his or her strengths and flaws, and they are developed effectively

Mantegna's attempts to channel Brando for the voice of Don Corleone was a treat.

No, too long. But it worked very well in multiple sittings.

I had forgotten how closely the movie script followed the book. The dialogue from the book is almost used word for word in the movie ---- both were exceptional in editing and implementation.

As an educational read it ranks near the top.

The very human tendencies of some of the most brilliant artists of all time. Like the fact that Donatello, I believe, eschewed money to the extent that he hung from the ceiling of his studio a basket where he placed all his commissioned earnings. The money was there for anyone working for him to take as needed, for personal or artistic needs.

A nice voice that gives a very continental flavor to the story.

It affirmed for me the great glory of the genius of the Renaissance artists from Cimabue to Giotto, to Donatello through to DaVinci and Michelangelo.

It was a step back in time. However, comments at the end may have been helpful to identify where many of these masterpieces are today. Vasari was giving a contemporary account. Now the works of art he describes are now housed in some of the most famous museums in the world.

I was not familiar with Conn Iggulden and his Emperor series. But as an aficionado of Ancient Roman History, and a former history teacher, I was disappointed this work of historical fiction. It is a compelling story. Rome's civil war pitting Caesar and Pompey, and the inexorable push by Caesar to gain absolute power, yet Iggulden relayed too heavily on the fiction, and not so much on historical accuracy, in ways that were too obviously out of context. A few examples, the story lines involving Julia, Caesar's daughter were completely fabricated, especially with references to a relationship she had with Brutus. Equally, the character of Brutus is mostly exaggerated, especially his being portrayed as an exceptional general, who helped subdue the Ptolemaic attacks on the legions in Alexandria after Pharsalus. The biggest disappointed in this work, however, is the pronunciations of names by the narrator. His pronunciations of famous figures too some getting used to. Cicero is Kickero, Octavian is Octawian, to name just a few. Finally, he covers the decline of Republic with little mention of Cato, whom the narrator calls Kato. Over all, it is an entertaining listen, just not a very accurate historical representation of these dramatic events.