Bryan

Any story anthology that includes "The Nine Billion Names of God" by Arthur C. Clarke is worth your time. From the first time I read this story a thousand or so years ago, it has stayed with me and been something I have always remembered. This is the first time I've encountered this in any audiobook, and would recommend this one simply for the joy this one piece of it will bring.

However, this anthology includes some other really remarkable stories which a sci-fi junkie will remember - but that are very accessible to anyone. Some of the best wordsmiths around are included, with some of their best stories. Some of the really outstanding ones include "Bears Discover Fire" by Terry Bisson and "Tangents" by Greg Bear. However, there are no stinkers in the whole set.

The production values are above average - a variety of narrators and they give it lots of energy in their delivery.

Overall a worthwhile investment in time. And a must-have for the true sci-fi junkie.

The performance delivery of this audio book is one of the best that I have ever heard. The narrator (Mark Nelson) is superb in giving voice to the different characters in a totally believable way.

The production values are the only thing that I can really recommend for this book. The story really tends to drag in places, and is littered with knocks at George W. Bush that already make it sound dated. The author apparently is a 9/11 truther as well, which he gives to us through a corrupt FBI character.

Its an interesting addition to your library, but not the first one you should buy.

You already know the outcome of the war, or you should unless you went to a public school in the US. The personalities and decisions made in the course of one month still affect us today. Having this come alive in this wonderful story gives everyone the opportunity to understand what kind of impact one person can have on the whole of world history.

We are treated to some of the most compelling history, not written for idiots but for thinking adults. Barbara Tuchman is certainly on her game, and this is a must hear for everyone.

The production is wonderful, the energy of the narration and the presentation in total make this a wonderful addition to your audiobook library.

I leave it to other well-qualified people to review the whole of this book. I enjoyed it, it definitely drags in a lot of places, it certainly discounts the violence that has historically come out when civilization starts breaking down - but it is worth the time.

There are some really nice stories in this anthology, with the highlight being "The Return of William Proxmire" by Larry Niven. "Looking for the Fountain" by Robert Silverberg is also one that stood out for me.

However, I found a several of these stories rather pedestrian and flat. Perhaps it was the production--to me it always seemed like the narration was very flat and almost toneless. It sure seems like a good re-engineering would make it easier to listen to this set.

So you take the good with the bad and come out even? At least I did.

A wonderfully entertaining and fascinating insight into the major characters of the America of the 1800 both before and after the Civil War. The almost impossibly strong-willed father and son who designed and built the great Brooklyn Bridge, the overwhelming graft and corruption that was the Democrat Party of New York and Tammany Hall, the technical issues and problems overcome in producing one of the great monuments of American technology and architecture - all of these are drawn in a wonderful tale.

The men and women who were involved in the great project come alive in the narrative. This is a very engrossing tale that immediately catches your imagination by clearly outlining the project, the issues, the technology, and the intriguing politics of the time. There were many things that I learned from this wonderful book.

The narration is very entertainingly done and in all ways this is an outstanding example of history, of story-telling, and of a wonderful audiobook. Highly recommended for anyone - not just history buffs.