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A Concise History of Japan
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
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A Concise History of Japan
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To this day, Japan's modern ascendancy challenges many assumptions about world history, particularly theories regarding the rise of the West and why the modern world looks the way it does. In this engaging new history, Brett L. Walker tackles key themes regarding Japan's relationships with its minorities, state and economic development, and the uses of science and medicine.
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 88
This global history as the Chinese would write it gives brilliant and unconventional insights for understanding China's role in the world, especially the drive to "Make China Great Again." In this colorful, informative story filled with fascinating characters, epic battles, influential thinkers, and decisive moments, we come to understand how the Chinese view their own history and how its narrative is distinctly different from that of Western civilization.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Nice overview
- By Matthew G. Towner on 08-12-20
By: Michael Schuman
-
History of the Philippines
- A Captivating Guide to Philippine History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 43
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
Discover the fascinating Philippines in this captivating audiobook on its history, from the origins of the archipelago’s first peoples until modern times. The Philippines is possibly the most intriguing nation of maritime Southeast Asia. The archipelago has almost 8,000 islands that form the apex of the Coral Triangle of the Asian Pacific, as well as abundant marine life that constitutes almost half of this magnificent area’s oceanic megadiversity.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Horrible—history from the perspective of colonizers
- By Ericka Black on 06-29-23
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The History of Japan in a Nutshell
- From the Prehistoric Period to Modern Day (History in a Nutshell)
- By: Willowby Huxley
- Narrated by: Paul Richard Yarborough
- Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Without Japan, you probably wouldn't have your car...but how much do you really know about this fascinating country's rich and colorful history? For a country that’s brought us household names as diverse as Nintendo, Toyota, and Sony, shockingly little is known about Japan’s rich and complex history. Like many westerners, you may have a love of Japanese culture and cuisine.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A must-listen overview.
- By Sharon Best on 07-22-23
By: Willowby Huxley
-
The Invention of Sicily
- A Mediterranean History
- By: Jamie Mackay
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
Sicily has always acted as a gateway between Europe and the rest of the world. Fought over by the Phoenicians and Greeks, the Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Germans, and the Spanish and the French for thousands of years, Sicily became a unique melting pot where diverse traditions merged, producing a unique heritage and singular culture. In this fascinating account of the island from the earliest times to the present day, author and journalist Jamie Mackay leads us through this most elusive of places.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful overview of Sicily
- By jay lazier on 01-28-24
By: Jamie Mackay
-
A Concise History of Modern Europe
- Liberty, Equality, Solidarity
- By: David S. Mason
- Narrated by: Charles Henderson Norman
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Highlighting the key events, ideas, and individuals that have shaped modern Europe, this fresh and lively book provides a concise history of the continent from the Enlightenment to the present. Drawing on the enduring theme of revolution, David S. Mason explores the political, economic, and scientific causes and consequences of revolution; the development of human rights and democracy; and issues of European identity and integration.
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3 out of 5 stars
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ok
- By Cassandra on 04-11-16
By: David S. Mason
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Central Asia
- A New History from the Imperial Conquests to the Present
- By: Adeeb Khalid
- Narrated by: Aaqil Ahmed
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 60
Central Asia is often seen as a remote and inaccessible land on the peripheries of modern history. Encompassing Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang province of China, it in fact stands at the crossroads of world events. Adeeb Khalid provides the first comprehensive history of Central Asia from the mid-18th century to today, shedding light on the historical forces that have shaped the region under imperial and Communist rule.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great History of a Forgotten Region
- By Than on 07-07-21
By: Adeeb Khalid
-
The Birth of Classical Europe
- A History from Troy to Augustine
- By: Simon Price, Peter Thonemann
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 114
To an extraordinary extent we continue to live in the shadow of the classical world. At every level, from languages to calendars to political systems, we are the descendants of a “classical Europe,” using frames of reference created by ancient Mediterranean cultures. As this consistently fresh and surprising new audio book makes clear, however, this was no less true for the inhabitants of those classical civilizations themselves, whose myths, history, and buildings were an elaborate engagement with an already old and revered past - one filled with great leaders and writers....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent overview of the Classical World
- By David I. Williams on 01-12-14
By: Simon Price, and others
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A Brief History of China
- Dynasty, Revolution and Transformation: From the Middle Kingdom to the People's Republic
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in Chinese society - from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, to the Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even brings listeners through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Succinct and detailed overview of a huge topic
- By Stephen Sheafer on 08-19-20
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A Short History of Ireland, 1500-2000
- By: John Gibney
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 163
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 146
Five centuries of Irish history are explored in this informative and accessible volume. John Gibney proceeds from the beginning of Ireland’s modern period and continues through to virtually the present day, offering an integrated overview of the island nation’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic history. This succinct, scholarly study covers important historical events, including the Cromwellian conquest and settlement, the Great Famine, and the struggle for Irish independence.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A great introduction to modern Irish history
- By Clint on 05-23-22
By: John Gibney
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A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 236
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 198
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 198
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
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Born in Blood and Fire: Fourth Edition
- A Concise History of Latin America
- By: John Charles Chasteen
- Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 81
The most highly regarded and affordable history of Latin America for our times. Born in Blood and Fire, Fourth Edition has been extensively revised to heighten emphasis on current cultural analyses of Latin American society and facilitate meaningful connections between the Encounter and the present.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent synopsis of a very broad history.
- By Carina Rahn on 01-11-21
-
The Ages of Globalization
- Geography, Technology, and Institutions
- By: Jeffrey D. Sachs
- Narrated by: Steve Menasche
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
Today's most urgent problems are fundamentally global. They require nothing less than concerted, planetwide action if we are to secure a long-term future. But humanity's story has always been on a global scale. Sachs takes listeners through a series of seven distinct waves of technological and institutional change, starting with the original settling of the planet by early modern humans through long-distance migration and ending with reflections on today's globalization.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Narrator.
- By ROGER QUESADA on 08-03-20
By: Jeffrey D. Sachs
-
Lost Islamic History
- Reclaiming Muslim Civilisation from the Past
- By: Firas Alkhateeb
- Narrated by: Neil Shah
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 100
Islam has been one of the most powerful religious, social, and political forces in history. Over the last 1,400 years, from origins in Arabia, a succession of Muslim polities, and later empires expanded to control territories and peoples that ultimately stretched from southern France to East Africa and South East Asia. Yet many of the contributions of Muslim thinkers, scientists, and theologians, not to mention rulers, statesmen, and soldiers, have been occluded. This book rescues from oblivion and neglect some of these personalities and institutions.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent narration
- By Jamal on 06-19-22
By: Firas Alkhateeb
-
Scottish History for Dummies
- By: William Knox PhD
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
Want to discover how a small country on the edge of Northern Europe packs an almighty historical punch? Scottish History for Dummies is your guide to the story of Scotland and its place within the historical narratives of Britain, Europe, and the rest of the world. You'll find out how Scotland rose from the ashes to forge its own destiny, understand the impact of Scottish historical figures such as William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and David Hume and be introduced to the wonderful world of Celtic religion, architecture, and monuments.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Scottish history with no Scottish narrator :(
- By Mary Katherine Van on 10-11-21
By: William Knox PhD
-
Germany
- A Nation in Its Time: Before, During, and After Nationalism, 1500-2000
- By: Helmut Walser Smith
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 37
For nearly a century, historians have depicted Germany as a rabidly nationalist land, born in a sea of aggression. Not so, says Helmut Walser Smith, who, in this groundbreaking 500-year history, challenges traditional perceptions of Germany's conflicted past, revealing a nation far more thematically complicated than 20th-century historians have imagined.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
review response
- By Matthew and Tracy Johnson on 10-30-21
-
How the West Won
- The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity
- By: Rodney Stark
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 15 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 534
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 470
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 467
Modernity developed only in the West - in Europe and North America. Nowhere else did science and democracy arise; nowhere else was slavery outlawed. Only Westerners invented chimneys, musical scores, telescopes, eyeglasses, pianos, electric lights, aspirin, and soap. The question is, why? Unfortunately, that question has become so politically incorrect that most scholars avoid it. But acclaimed author Rodney Stark provides the answers in this sweeping new look at Western civilization.
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4 out of 5 stars
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We all have a bias
- By Adam Shields on 04-21-15
By: Rodney Stark
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A classic of Japanese history, this audiobook is the preeminent work on the history of Japan. Newly revised and updated, A History of Japan is a single-volume complete history of the nation of Japan. Starting in ancient Japan during its early pre-history period, A History of Japan covers every important aspect of history and culture through feudal Japan to the post-Cold War period and collapse of the bubble economy in the early 1990s. Recent findings shed additional light on the origins of Japanese civilization and the birth of Japanese culture.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Content great - pronunciation not so much
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With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Japanese Mind
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3 out of 5 stars
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Bad Pronunciation of Japanese terms
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A History of Japan
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 5
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In a rare combination of comprehensive coverage and sustained critical focus, this book examines Japan's progress through its entire history to its current status as an economic, technological, and cultural superpower. A key factor is a pragmatic determination to succeed. Little-known facts are also brought to light, and the latest findings used.
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5 out of 5 stars
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so informative for a new student of Japan
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Etiquette Guide to Japan
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 21
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Minding your manners is an acquired skill, but what serves you well elsewhere could trip you up in Japan. Save yourself possible embarrassment with Etiquette Guide to Japan. An inside look at Japanese social graces, it answers all the questions of the thoughtful traveler. Extensive, specific information on Japanese business etiquette assists listeners traveling to Japan for business.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Business specific
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China and Japan
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China and Japan have cultural and political connections that stretch back 1,500 years. But today, their relationship is strained. China's military buildup deeply worries Japan, while Japan's brutal occupation of China in World War II remains an open wound. In recent years, less than 10 percent of each population had positive feelings toward the other, and both countries insist that the other side must deal openly with its history before relations can improve. Ezra Vogel's China and Japan examines key turning points in Sino-Japanese history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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China & Japan is first rate by a top scholar
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4 out of 5 stars
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Content great - pronunciation not so much
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A Brief History of Japan
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With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Brief Review of the Book
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The Japanese Mind
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3 out of 5 stars
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Bad Pronunciation of Japanese terms
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 5
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Performance2.5 out of 5 stars 5
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Story4 out of 5 stars 5
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5 out of 5 stars
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so informative for a new student of Japan
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Business specific
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5 out of 5 stars
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China & Japan is first rate by a top scholar
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The Rise of Modern Japan
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Noted Japan expert Professor Mark J. Ravina of the University of Texas at Austin covers the politics, economics, and culture of the island nation since World War II - a conflict that saw the end of Japan’s dream of regional conquest, which Professor Ravina calls Empire 1.0. The country’s postwar leaders radically changed course, renouncing a strong military to pursue Empire 2.0 - Japan as an economic colossus.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A great introduction to modern Japan
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The Foundations of Western Civilization
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,667
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,431
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,416
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not Engaging or Very Interesting
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The Book of Yokai
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 254
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 215
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 215
Drawing on years of research in Japan, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of yokai, tracing their roots, interpreting their meanings, and introducing people who have hunted them through the ages. In this delightful and accessible narrative, listeners will explore the roles played by these mysterious beings within Japanese culture and will also learn of their abundance and variety through detailed entries on more than 50 individual creatures.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Pt 2 was delightful (+no cringey pronunciations!!)
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History of Japan
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- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 37
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 35
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Story4 out of 5 stars 35
The Japanese progressed throughout the eras because of the emperor, but they also progressed despite him. These are people who never let go of their sacred history, and their story is told and retold in art, film, literature, and even graphic novels across the entire world. Terms such as shoguns, samurai, haiku, anime, and manga are familiar to many in the Western world today. Westerners also learn flower arranging, martial arts, meditation, and enjoy a variety of visual and digital art forms because of the unique culture of Japan.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Pronunciation problems
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A Brief History of China
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- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 74
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in Chinese society - from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, to the Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even brings listeners through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Succinct and detailed overview of a huge topic
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Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
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- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 126
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 114
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Story4 out of 5 stars 115
In this groundbreaking biography of the Japanese emperor Hirohito, Herbert P. Bix offers the first complete, unvarnished look at the enigmatic leader whose 63-year reign ushered Japan into the modern world. Never before has the full life of this controversial figure been revealed with such clarity and vividness. Bix describes what it was like to be trained from birth for a lone position at the apex of the nation's political hierarchy and as a revered symbol of divine status.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Not what I bargained for
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Samurai Rising
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- Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 153
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 135
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 135
Minamoto Yoshitsune should not have been a samurai. But his story is legend in this real-life saga. This epic warrior tale may sound like a novel, but this is the true story of the greatest samurai in Japanese history. When Yoshitsune was just a baby, his father went to war with a rival samurai family - and lost. His father was killed, his mother captured, and his surviving half-brother banished. Yoshitsune was sent away to live in a monastery. Skinny, small, and unskilled in the warrior arts, he nevertheless escaped and learned the ways of the samurai.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Book
- By Jim on 05-24-17
By: Pamela S. Turner
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A Brief History of Korea
- Isolation, War, Despotism and Revival: The Fascinating Story of a Resilient But Divided People
- By: Michael J. Seth
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 113
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners, and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan. Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales", Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture, and religion, all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Loved the historical context but ..
- By Kathy on 01-06-20
By: Michael J. Seth
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Emperor of Japan
- Meiji and His World, 1852-1912
- By: Donald Keene
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 38 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
Little has been written about the strangely obscured figure of Meiji himself, the first Japanese emperor ever to meet a European. But now, Donald Keene sifts the available evidence to present a rich portrait not only of Meiji but also of rapid and sometimes violent change during this pivotal period in Japan's history. Emperor of Japan conveys in sparkling prose the complexity of the man and offers an unrivaled portrait of Japan in a period of unique interest.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Great book. Terrible narration.
- By Ken Snyder on 07-05-23
By: Donald Keene
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A Brief History of the Samurai
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 397
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 345
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 344
From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the Samurai warrior. The Samurai emerged as a warrior caste in Medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country from the next 500 years. Clements also looks at the Samurai wars that tore Japan apart in the 17th and 18th centuries and how the caste was finally demolished in the advent of the mechanized world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An Excellent History of the Samurai
- By Michael on 08-08-14
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Samurai
- A Concise History
- By: Michael Wert
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 18
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18
The idea of the sword-wielding samurai, beholden to a strict ethical code and trained in deadly martial arts, dominates popular conceptions of the samurai. As early as the late 17th century, they were heavily featured in literature, art, theater, and even comedy. This book gives listeners access to the real samurai as they lived, fought, and served. Much as they capture the modern imagination, the samurai commanded influence over the politics, arts, philosophy, and religion of their own time, and controlled Japan from the 14th century until their demise in the mid-19th century.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A sobering history
- By Marcus Arroyo on 08-17-22
By: Michael Wert
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Japanese History
- Explore the Magnificent History, Culture, Mythology, Folklore, Wars, Legends, Great Achievements & More of Japan
- By: History Brought Alive
- Narrated by: R. E. Harter
- Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 12
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
Japan has seen the rise and fall of emperors, samurai warriors, isolation, expansion, defeat, rebirth, and much more. In this book we explore the magnificent history of Japan from its early origins to its rise as a modern superpower.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Extraordinary
- By Catalina on 05-15-22
What listeners say about A Concise History of Japan
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trevor
- 04-22-23
Best Japan book on plus
Having just listened to a few other Japan history overviews in the Audible Plus library, this one was the best by far. Interestingly, the author does also include a discussion of climate change’s impact on Japan, which does make me wonder if the negative reviews here were politically biased…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pete
- 03-11-24
Digestible, concise, balanced. 
I greatly appreciate developing not just a an understanding of Japanese history but also a for that of the Soviet Union, China, Korea, the US and the world. Illumination of the historical roots of contemporary friction points also much appreciated. Additionally, and importantly, the inclusion of environmental ramifications of human behavior throughout time and how as a species, we have a long history of attributing human loss of life simply due to unpredictable natural events without imagination or regard to the profound ways our choices have amplified human suffering from those recurring events.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Angela Locke
- 03-05-24
Look no further
When in search for an impressive overview of Japan’s history, this book has it all.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Karajan
- 04-01-24
Too much western ideology
The author superimposes the current western cultural wars on a history of Japan. He dedicates the a whole hour to talk about climate change and Japan's contribution to it. He looks for oppressed / oppressor narratives in every season and doesn't explore the causes of Japan's unique path, culture and historical personalities. You can do better with any other of the currently available books on Japan History. But if you want ideological talking points to criticise Japan (particularly marxist ones) this one is for you.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mr Daniel B Copeland
- 04-06-22
Zero analysis just-the-story history
If you don’t know the basic facts of Japanese history, read this story.
If you think that history involves tackling questions such as how we know X, or whether we do actually know X with any confidence, or why X happened and what impact it had on the future …. find a proper history book.
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2 people found this helpful