Havana
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The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes investigates the trade routes between Rome and the powerful empires of inner Asia, including the Parthian regime which ruled ancient Persia (Iran). It explores Roman dealings with the Kushan Empire which seized power in Bactria (Afghanistan) and laid claim to the Indus Kingdoms. Further chapters examine the development of Palmyra as a leading caravan city on the edge of Roman Syria and consider trade ventures through the Tarim territories that led Roman merchants to Han China.
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The visionary chemist Sidney Gottlieb was the CIA’s master magician and gentlehearted torturer - the agency’s “poisoner in chief.” As head of the MK-ULTRA mind control project, he directed brutal experiments at secret prisons on three continents. He made pills, powders, and potions that could kill or maim without a trace - including some intended for Fidel Castro and other foreign leaders. He paid prostitutes to lure clients to CIA-run bordellos, where they were secretly dosed with mind-altering drugs. His experiments spread LSD across the United States.
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So much of our human body is made up of salt that we'd be dead without it. The fine balance of nature, the trade of salt as a currency of many nations and empires, the theme of a popular Shakespearean play... Salt is best selling author Mark Kurlansky's story of the only rock we eat.
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In the 1850s, the young Frederick Law Olmsted was adrift, a restless farmer and dreamer in search of a mission. He found it as an undercover correspondent in the South for the up-and-coming New York Times. For the Connecticut Yankee, pen name "Yeoman", the South was alien, often hostile territory. Yet Olmsted traveled for 14 months, by horseback, steamboat, and stagecoach, seeking dialogue and common ground. Tony Horwitz rediscovers Yeoman Olmsted amidst the discord and polarization of our own time. Is America still one country?
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By the late 19th century, Americans rich and poor had come to expect high-quality fresh beef with almost every meal. Beef production in the United States had gone from small-scale, localized operations to a highly centralized industry spanning the country, with cattle bred on ranches in the rural West, slaughtered in Chicago, and consumed in the nation’s rapidly growing cities. Red Meat Republic tells the remarkable story of the violent conflict over who would reap the benefits of this new industry and who would bear its heavy costs.
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Born in 1831, John W. Mackay was a penniless Irish immigrant who came of age in New York City, went to California during the Gold Rush, and mined without much luck for eight years. When he heard of riches found on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1859, Mackay abandoned his claim and walked a hundred miles to the Comstock Lode in Nevada. Over the course of the next dozen years, Mackay worked his way up from nothing, thwarting the pernicious “Bank Ring” monopoly to seize control of the most concentrated cache of precious metals ever found on earth, the legendary “Big Bonanza”.
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Stellar narration, biography exemplar!
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In this monumental new book, award-winning author Mark Kurlansky has written his most ambitious work to date: a singular and ultimately definitive look at a pivotal moment in history.
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Publisher's Summary
Award-winning author Mark Kurlansky presents an insider's view of Havana: the elegant, tattered city he has come to know over more than 30 years. Part cultural history, part travelogue, with recipes throughout, Havana celebrates the city's singular music, literature, baseball and food; its five centuries of outstanding neglected architecture; and its extraordinary blend of cultures.
Like all great cities, Havana has a rich history that informs the vibrant place it is today - from the native Taino to Columbus' landing, from Cuba's status as a US protectorate to Batista's dictatorship and Castro's revolution, from Soviet presence to the welcoming of capitalist tourism. Havana is a place of extremes: a beautifully restored colonial city whose cobblestone streets pass through areas that have not been painted or repaired since long before the revolution.
Kurlansky shows Havana through the eyes of Cuban writers, such as Alejo Carpentier and José Martí, and foreigners, including Graham Greene and Hemingway. He introduces us to Cuban baseball and its highly opinionated fans; the city's music scene, alive with the rhythm of Son; its culinary legacy. Through Mark Kurlansky's multilayered and electrifying portrait, the long-elusive city of Havana comes stirringly to life.
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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
- Dag Zaggles
- 02-16-18
Amazing tale of an amazing island!
Mark Kurlansky's sometimes oddly specific topics make for perfect audio books and this is no exception. Fantastic tale of revolution and romance!
1 person found this helpful
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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
- Gureet
- 02-05-20
Great narration and well written
This gives great introspection to Cuban history and modern Cuba. Well written with great detail.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- IF
- 01-02-20
Tough to get past impersonation of Spanish accent
The way the narrator speaks Spanish as if he is impersonating someone with a Cuban accent (with an exaggerated nasal quality, as a comedian might) is just too cringeworthy. I found it way too distracting to focus on the story. :(
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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
- Greg
- 11-20-18
Brilliant condensed history of Cuba
I was so sorry when the book ended as I enjoyed the informative and entertaining dialogue so much. The narrator is excellent; a wonderful voice and he was so passionate that I was surprised when I saw that it was not the author himself that was narrating.
This is a perfect read for those heading to Cuba who haven’t left much time to research the history and culture. It will enrich your visit and give you a better understanding of the country and its people. Loved the anecdotes and there were even a couple of recipes thrown in!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- See Reverse
- 03-31-18
Havana was Nice, But Salt is Better
I've been an avid listener of Mark Kurlansky's work, so I was doubly excited to hear that this book was released and it was a decent departure from the Salt/Basque storyline that I've so enjoyed from the earlier books.
While Havana is interesting in its coverage of the relatively tumultuous history of the city, it doesn't have the same feel as Kurlansky's other work. I'm not disappointed, this book definitely gave me a better feel for the deep rooted place Havana holds in American Culture (Sloppy Joe's!)
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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
- Christopher
- 09-03-17
interesting introduction to Havana
I really enjoyed both the content and flow of this book.
It covers a long history but the author captured the important aspects.