The Discoverers

By: Daniel J. Boorstin

Narrated by: Christopher Cazenove

Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

Daniel J. Boorstin, former librarian of the Library of Congress, gives a fascinating history of world civilization. From astronomical development, microscopes, telescopes, medicine, vaccines, genetics and map-making, the author delves into the discoveries of our world and the freedoms those discoveries bestowed. With the breadth and depth of this study, Boorstin relieves the world of its fictitious beliefs and encourages a more modern and scientific approach to the world around us. Discovery is not the main event: convincing people to accept the facts as a new way of life is the key to the growth of mankind.

©1985 Daniel J. Boorstin (P)2003 Phoenix

This One has Good Audio

I don't know why Audible has two versions of this book on its site, but this version has good audio, while the other version does not. (Just try listening to the samples and you can easily tell the difference.) As for the book content itself: I read this book almost 20 years ago and thought it was time for another try. At that time I found it both enlightening and frustrating, and I think that sums it up still. Boorstin's insights are illuminating and sometimes profound, but his nonlinear writing style, jumping from concept to concept and sometimes century to century, makes it difficult at times to understand his argument.

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

Dreary

I remember reading this book years ago and rather liking it. Listening is another matter. Seems to jump around a lot, no full telling of any story. Maybe its best to just remember how nice something was in the past and enjoy nostalgia and save credits!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

A Good Read Spoiled

I read this for the first time way back when it was first released in trade paperback format and was enthralled. I devoured it almost in one bite and it left me with a hunger for more from Daniel Boorstin. I was so excited to see it on Audible.com and so downloaded it with last month's credit. I held off on listening until I finished the one that I was listening to at that time. (I love putting buds in my ears and listening as a drift into sleep - great entertainment with the bonus of keeping outside noise from rudely waking me too early!) I had to quit listening to this one because of the repeatedly mispronounced words. Not just the more technical language or polysyllabic words, either. If you loved it before I would caution you to think twice. It is a great read but a poor reading of it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good book, didn't realize it was abridged...

Very interesting thought provoking book. I bought the audio version to listen along while I read, but didn't realize that it was an abridged audiobook (it only says "abridged" in the extra details)... Very disappointed that I can't read along while I listen without trying to figure out where I am in the book.

An interesting miscellany

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

the parts about science and technology were most interesting to me. The section on timekeeping, calendars, clocks held my attention. The sections about various theorists and economists tended to drag.

Any additional comments?

Interesting but didn't seem to hold together thematically....I didn't listen to the whole book.

Excellent primary for more in depth study

Great narration. Interesting, insightful summary. Worthwhile listen. A great documentary of ideas in science and exploration.

Very interesting read

The book flew by. Can't wait to get into the next 2 in the series. Lots of meaningful and interesting history of the world in this book. I wasn't sure how I'd like it, but it was great! Reader is very well spoken and has excellent vocabulary and pronunciation of all the historical names and places of several different languages.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very Interesting

Any additional comments?

The history of man's acquiring of knowledge and understanding of the world and nature. These are all things we already knew, but it is very nice to have them all presented in one place to appreciate what a smart species we are.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful