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On the Duty of Civil Disobedience  By  cover art

On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

By: Henry David Thoreau
Narrated by: Jim Killavey
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Publisher's summary

This essay by Thoreau first published in 1849, argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their consciences. It goes on to say that individuals have a duty to avoid allowing the government to make them the agents of injustice. The quote: "That government is best which governs least," sometimes attributed to Thomas Jefferson or Thomas Paine, actually was first found in this essay. Thoreaus' thoughts were motivated by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican-American War but they are still relevant and resonate today.

Public Domain (P)2011 Jimcin Recordings
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

10:22 p.m., 10th of January, 2018

Timely and timeless. As Henry David explained, as Mahatima Ghandi adopted and proved out, as Reverend King brought it home: all who persist, will prevail! As we must do now too against considerable odds against our complacent, overindulged consumptive stupor and act too restore our democracy for ourselves and for our children - or not at all, forever.

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7 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible Narration,

Unbelievably bad sing song voice characterisation. Reprehensible that Audble would sell such a poor rendition of such a great classic work.

Tragic, tragically bad.

Warning stay away!

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

good to learn history on the go

essay was read very well and ease of listening to history. history on the go

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Can the thoughts of 1849 be applied in the 21st-century?

Henry David Thoreau gave us a lot to think about how we ought to organize our lives. You can listen to this audible book in about an hour. It is one of the most quoted essays by the war tax resistance movement.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Good job done here!!! Thanks to all who contributed to this audiobook it’s quite a good experience

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent short essay

I love how audible has individual, short essays by Thoreau and others available for quick powerful reads.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

long over due

this is a piece I should have read long ago, I'm glad I have finially made time.

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2 people found this helpful

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interesting and applicable to our time.

The old English of Mass, aside very well spoken. No Surprise He is one of our most revered American wright's

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very fine representation of a classic

Philosophical essay read with accurate reserved detail and necessary factual summation of the author and his stances on the justice of societal morality and how it developed in relation to the individual consequence

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    4 out of 5 stars

the reading is maddening

I couldn't be more annoyed by the reader. it drives you wild and distracts from the actual words. I'd prefer hearing a 2nd grader stumble through the words. 0/5

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1 person found this helpful