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Title: Understanding Japan

Subtitle: A Cultural History

Author: The Great Courses

Narrator: Professor Mark J. Ravina

Format: Original Recording

Length: 12 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 07-24-15

Publisher: The Great Courses

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1266 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Japan's extraordinary culture is like no other in the world, and it remains mysterious to many of us. And that's unfortunate, because to truly understand Japan's influence on the world stage, one needs to understand Japan's culture - on its own terms.

In an exciting partnership with the Smithsonian, The Great Courses presents these 24 lectures that offer an unforgettable tour of Japanese life and culture. Professor Ravina, with the expert collaboration of the Smithsonian's historians, brings you a grand portrait of Japan.

From the dawn of Confucianism and the Meiji Restoration to World War II and the economic miracle years of 1955 to 1975, you'll explore landmark periods of Japanese history and learn how broad events and movements introduced, innovated, and revised everything from spirituality to popular entertainment. Along the way you'll get revealing insights into Shinto (Japan's indigenous religion), the art of Katsushika Hokusai, literary works like The Tale of Genji and the haiku of Basho, the everyday lives of samurai, the universal appeal of filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa, foods like yakitori and tempura, and so much more.

You'll come away from Professor Ravina's final lecture with a stronger sense of the very soul of this one-of-a-kind nation.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Members Reviews:

Very interesting and informative

What made the experience of listening to Understanding Japan the most enjoyable?

This course is a delight to listen to with a lot of information and a great narrator. My only complaint is that there is no PDF booklet to accompany the course like the other Great Courses. Hope it shows up soon!!!

Informative, entertaining, and well-presented!

I really enjoyed this overview of Japanese culture. My only complaint is that it ended. :)

Entertaining and Informative

Professor Ravina did an amazing job. The wealth of diverse knowledge of history, culture, economics, and philosophical explanations was awesome. I was particularly amazed by is precise and profoundly simplistic explanations of high Buddhist concepts and how they integrate into the thoughts, words and culture of the Japanese people. Being formally trained in Zen and Tibetan Buddhism Professor Ravina's grasp and ability to explain concepts of all kinds is a gift. As someone who has been fascinated with Japan and competes in its national sport of Judo it was so great to get the deep dive into the past, present and future of Japan. It is a great primer if you are making a trip to Japan. I'm very excited about being able to talk about history and cultural icons with my Japanese friends and colleagues. Thank you Professor incredible job and you had me laughing many times. Going to listen to it agin before my trip to Japan next year.

Great Overview of Japanese History

While there are lots of juicy details that the course glosses over, the breadth of coverage is awesome. The professor is a really excellent speaker and knows the subject matter really well.

Excellent!

Wonderful narration, easy to understand and remember. Covers everything from current day culture, attitudes towards the world to food, movies to origins of them

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Title: Tikal

Subtitle: The History of the Ancient Maya's Famous Capital

Author: Charles River Editors, Jesse Harasta

Narrator: Paul Christy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 06-16-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century. The Greeks and Romans continue to fascinate the West today. But of all the world's civilizations, none have intrigued people more than the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance all continue to captivate people. In 2012 especially, there was a renewed focus on the Mayans, whose advanced calendar led many to speculate the world would end on the same date the Mayan calendar ended. But if anything, the focus on the "doomsday" scenario overshadowed the Mayans' true contribution to astronomy, language, sports, and art.

The Mayans maintained power in the Yucatan for over 1,000 years, and at the height of its Classical era (the third-ninth centuries AD), the city of Tikal was one of the power centers of the empire. Archaeologists believe Tikal had been built as early as the fifth or fourth century BC. Eventually it became a political, economic, and military capital that was an important part of a far-flung network across Mesoamerica. Despite the fact that it was seemingly conquered by Teotihuacan in the fourth century AD, it seems the foreign rulers came to assimilate Mayan culture, thus ensuring Tikal would continue to be a power base. As a result, the city would not be abandoned until about the 10th century AD.

As one of the Ancient Mayan's most important sites, construction at Tikal was impressive, and even though it was apparently conquered, the city's records were unusually well preserved. This includes a list of the city's dynastic rulers, as well as the tombs and monuments dedicated to them. Thanks to this preservation, Tikal offers researchers their best look at the Ancient Mayans and has gone a long way toward helping scholars understand Mayan history.

Members Reviews:

A perfect introduction to the Maya

An excellent condensed but thorough account of Tikal from its earliest days when the huge nearby Maya city of El Mirador began to wane, and on through Tikal's conquest by Teotihuacano invaders from beyond the faraway Valley of Mexico - who exterminated the reigning Maya bloodline but preserved the city and began its own dynasty - and the later ups and downs of alliances, competition and war with newer Maya cities and Tikal's final abandonment. Having visited Tikal with the opportunity to explore most features between the tall Temple I down the Tozzer Causeway to Temple IV, I found Harasta's book fascinating for its details about things that our guide showed us without the explanations of discoveries yet to be made but are revealed in this history, which is surprisingly up to date. For anyone who finds the Maya interesting, I don't know of a better introduction. It isn't loaded with unfamiliar technical terms, but may whet your appetite for reading more advanced works such as those of Linda Schele and David Stuart, among others. Highly recommended.

Slim booklet

This is an informative history of Tikal but it's just a very slim booklet, little more than a museum brochure. I was hoping for something more substantial.

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Título: La rebelión del Loto Blanco

Subtitular: Una sociedad secreta en pie de guerra [White Lotus Rebellion: A secret society on a war footing]

Autor: Online Studio Productions

Narrador: uncredited

Formato: Unabridged

Duración: 34 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 06-12-15

Editor: Online Studio Productions

Categorías: History, World

Resumen del editor:

A mediados del siglo XIV la secta del Loto Blanco, fundada varios siglos atrás por un monje budista, organizó una insurgencia popular contra la dinastía mongola Yuan. Esta rebelión, liderada por el peón agrícola Zhu Yuanzhang sentó un precedente en la historia de China, pues a partir de entonces El Loto Blanco se convirtió en el ejemplo a seguir por otras cientos de sectas secretas que combaten hasta el día de hoy contra las injusticias de quienes gobiernan.

Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

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Title: The Lusitania's Last Voyage

Author: Charles E. Lauriet, Jr.

Narrator: Mike Vendetti

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-02-15

Publisher: Spoken Realms

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania neared the coast of Ireland. At 2:10 in the afternoon, a torpedo fired by the German submarine U 20 slammed into her side. A mysterious second explosion ripped the liner apart. Chaos reigned. The ship listed so badly and quickly that lifeboats crashed into passengers crowded on deck or dumped their loads into the water. Most passengers never had a chance. Within 18 minutes, the giant ship slipped beneath the sea. One thousand, one hundred nineteen of the 1,924 aboard died. The dead included 114 Americans.

Charles E. Lauriat, Jr., was an American who survived the sinking of the great ship. This is his eyewitness account of that disaster that helped bring America into WWI, narrated by award-winning audiobook narrator Mike Vendetti.

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Title: Going Nuclear

Subtitle: The Influence of History and Hindsight on the Iranian Nuclear Negotiations

Author: Ozzie Paez

Narrator: Curt Simmons

Format: Unabridged

Length: 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-15

Publisher: Decisions to Lead

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Going Nuclear focuses on one of the most critical negotiations in recent memory, the efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Iran and the P5+1 countries recently reached an agreement on a framework to limit the Iranian nuclear weapons program, but differences remain, particularly with regional countries who were not at the table. The fate of the region, the possibility of war, and the potential for a nuclear arms race in the Middle East will largely depend on how Israel and regional Sunni Arab countries judge the agreement.

Going Nuclear offers a unique perspective on the negotiations and potential repercussions based on important findings and lessons from psychology, neuroscience, and decision making. It explores the influence of history and hindsight bias on Russia, China, Iran, Israel, and Sunni Arab countries, and the implications for the United States and its Western partners. It discusses the history of proliferation and its benefits, costs, risks, and uncertainties for countries that succeeded in becoming nuclear powers. Those factors are at play as Iran seeks to follow in their footsteps, while its neighbors remained determined to prevent it.

Going Nuclear reaches beyond the saga of the Iranian negotiations to discuss the influence of history and hindsight in other contexts, including technical analysis, decision making, leadership, and business.

Members Reviews:

Management Lessons From History: a Must Read for Scrupulous Leaders

Author Ozzie Paez has done his homework and it shows. The book is based on numerous papers, articles, and interviews, that were integrated into a coherent read. Mr. Paez's passion saves us from the dry and tough experience that usually accompanies such fact-packed books. However, his personal experience as US Air Force veteran and researcher into safety and security don't surface as much as the interested reader may want it to.

The essence of the book is twofold. Not only does it shed light on current crises and political instability, but it also shows the detrimental effects of hindsight bias on decision-making. The book is more than just a history lesson, it harbors many useful insights for any decision-maker. A few of the best are: "Hindsight doesn't produce foresight" and its emergence is "a process, not an event'.

For leaders who have to make critical, long-term decisions, this type of insight is extremely valuable. The recognition alone, that all our decisions are prone to hindsight bias more than we would imagine, will have beneficial effects on sense-making, strategy formation, and other managerial tasks for the long-term future.

Reading this book has once again warned me to remain critical of my own reasoning and decision-making. Considering the increasing amount of change in the corporate environment of today, and the pressure that we feel to decide swiftly, this warning can't be administered enough.

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Title: In the Shadow of the Sword

Subtitle: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire

Author: Tom Holland

Narrator: Steven Crossley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-12-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 302 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

The evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement. In this exciting and sweeping history - the third in his trilogy of books on the ancient world - Tom Holland describes how the Arabs emerged to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion in a matter of decades, overcoming seemingly insuperable odds to create an imperial civilization.

With profound bearing on the most consequential events of our time, Holland ties the exciting story of Islam's ascent to the crises and controversies of the present.

Critic Reviews:

"Elegantly written.... A veritable tour de force. (

The Wall Street Journal)

Members Reviews:

Great Book with a Misleading Title

I should say first of all that this book is dazzling in terms of its scope and breadth, and it is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Islam. That said, I was just a little bit disappointed to find that the author does not really dig deep into that history until the last third of the book. It seems as if the preliminary material which sets the stage for the emergence of this particular form of imperial monotheism in 7th-century Arabia takes up most of the space, and the purported subject of the book gets short shrift. Don't get me wrong, the material on Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and early Christianity is incredibly interesting, but it seems that a book with a subtitle like "The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire" would begin tackling those subjects much earlier in the narrative. To be sure, all of those earlier monotheisms form a necessary context and background to the rise of Islam, but the emphasis on those earlier forms seems out of proportion to the emphasis on Islam. All that aside, I recommend the book to anyone interested in the subject. Holland's writing style is lively and engaging; refreshingly free of academic cant and jargon, and in some ways his prose style is reminiscent of classic historians like MacCaulay or Gibbon. And it works well as an audiobook; Steven Crossley's narration is flawless. I will definitely be listening to/reading this one again.

A vivid, illuminating trip through late antiquity

This tale sparkles with personalities, beliefs, collisions, and richly-staged history, moving seamlessly between these different levels. The author is a great storyteller (in wonderful sync with the narrator's style), not so much an exhaustive expositor of various possible views of these things. It starts a bit awkwardly, I thought, as it veers off for quite awhile into the unreliability of sources for modern verifiable historical details on various prophets and prophetic religions of antiquity. This is repeated as needed when a new religion or sect is introduced. But suddenly, these issues are mostly shelved, and we are immersed in the main mode of storytelling which is vivid and virtuoso. I am happy to hop on for the ride, vowing to return to more placid, plodding scholarly explanations another time. Meanwhile, I feel as if I was in the times alongside the people, and my sense of all these peoples' origins is brought to shimmering life. Islam through most of the story is merely anticipated, as we spend much time in other regions of the near- and middle- east and among non-Arab peoples and their sects.

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Title: Periodic Tales

Subtitle: A Cultural History of the Elements, From Arsenic to Zinc

Author: Hugh Aldersey-Williams

Narrator: Antony Ferguson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-28-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 398 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Like the alphabet, the calendar, or the zodiac, the periodic table of the chemical elements has a permanent place in our imagination. But aside from the handful of common ones (iron, carbon, copper, gold), the elements themselves remain wrapped in mystery. We do not know what most of them look like, how they exist in nature, how they got their names, or of what use they are to us. Unlocking their astonishing secrets and colorful pasts, Periodic Tales is a passionate journey through mines and artists' studios, to factories and cathedrals, into the woods and to the sea to discover the true stories of these fascinating but mysterious building blocks of the universe.

Critic Reviews:

"[Hugh's] virtuoso tour of the periodic table reflects its full complement of the human condition." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Interesting but Rambling

I enjoyed this audiobook, for the most part. It had lots of good stories about discovering elements in particular, as well as a wide range of connections to real-life uses for elements that made them more real and accessible to a general reader. I am a science teacher and I still learned a few new things, which I appreciated.

That said, while I found the individual stories interesting, the book as a whole doesn't hang together well. It feels disjointed in general and at times seems to ramble on about a topic that is honestly not that interesting. There isn't enough of an effort to keep everything connected to the (honestly pretty flimsy) underlying story so it is hard to keep track of which element is being discussed if you stop and start, especially with the sometimes-arbitrary categorization method used (by author-determined category rather than something related to the periodic table). I can understand why it made no sense to do the elements in order but jumping all over the place was often hard to follow.

Overall, I would say this was worth the listen and definitely made the elements more concrete and relatable to the average person, but it wasn't cohesive or consistent enough for me to give it five stars. Even the narration was somewhat inconsistent.

Buy the book, not the audio book

The coffee table version of the boom is beautiful... don't miss it.

I own both, and regret the audio book purchase.

A tepid tale ruined by poor narration

The writing is unremarkable, rambling to and fro across the periodic table with little sense of coherence. This could have been a pleasant book with little merit beyond it's inoffensiveness. Sadly no, the narration is downright terrible. For a scientific text pronunciation of technical terms is important. "Nuclear" is frequently used by the author; not once does it go unscathed by the Narrator. I kept listening in vain hope that either the narration or text would improve to make the other palatable. Sadly no, this was a waste of my money and worse yet a waste of my time.

Not Going to Win a Pulitzer, but ...

The Good So this had been sitting in my wish list for some time. I would do the usual thing that some of you reading this do Im sure; Id occasionally listen to the sample and then Id hem and haw and end up picking something else. The reviews, the subject matter and the sample just didnt have enough to persuade me to use a whole credit to buy it. My cost vs.

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Title: What Is the Business of Literature?

Author: Richard Nash

Narrator: Richard Nash

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-21-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

This is the story of publishing as you've never heard it before, told by one of the most provocative and informed voices building its future. It's the tale of prophets and storytellers, of entrepreneurs and shop-owners, of those who fashioned the world of book publishing as we know it.

Tracing the long road that elevated lowly scribes to god-like authors, that transformed written work to intellectual property, and that leads ever-onward into uncertain and invigorating futures, Nash engages in a sweeping socio-historical survey of book history.

In his characteristically brilliant and eccentric voice, avoiding both triumphalism and despair, he argues forcefully that the book is no victim. Instigating as much as reacting, the book has been made and remade since its birth. In the drama of publishing, it remains the protagonist. Above all, the Business of Literature is an honest assessment of the enterprise of publishing - how we've done it, how we do it, and why it's worth doing in the first place.

Members Reviews:

Where was this?

If you are a self help enthusiast, read the next line aloud.

CHANGE IS BROUGHT ABOUT ONLY BY UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTING CONCEPTS.

Concepts even if alien now, would be adapted later. For example, in the younger days, one mightn't have understood the meaning of love as how it would be at a later age.

This book speaks of a few dense concepts.

I would recommend this book to,

- those who like to daringly take a step ahead and learn new things

- those who are willing to challenge themselves and change

- those who like to learn new things

- those who like books and literature

But, this book is much more.

I openly ask readers to explore....

Rock N' Roll Read

If you are one of those who are of the "woe is me" contingent when discussing books and their demise,then this is not for you. However should you have an open mind and believe that books have been a wonderful disruptive force, then you must buy this book. Thoughts and arguments are well laid out and it sure is one hell of a journey. The book and literature are not dead,they are just re-organising themselves to fit into the new millenium. If you love books and literature and what they bring to your life,read this book.

A bold interpretation of the publishing industry and its scope

Nash presents a thorough examination of how and why literature evolved into and continues to evolve as a vital sphere of business. The book offers an articulate perspective on publishing as a pillar for culture and valuable insights for young aspiring publishers.

Good read

Very insightful parallels are drawn between past and present publishing models. A bit hard to read at times, but overall a provoking read that will make you think.

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Title: History's Greatest Voyages of Exploration

Author: The Great Courses

Narrator: Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius

Format: Original Recording

Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-15

Publisher: The Great Courses

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 953 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Mutiny. Disease. Starvation. Cannibals. From the ancient wayfarers to modern astronauts, world explorers have blazed trails fraught with danger. Yet, as History's Greatest Voyages of Exploration vividly demonstrates, exploration continues to be one of humanity's deepest impulses.

Across 24 lectures that unveil the process by which we came to know the far reaches of our planet, you'll witness the awe-inspiring and surprisingly interconnected tale of global exploration. An award-winning history professor from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, revolutionizes how you view the world as he introduces you to some of the greatest and most influential explorers ever known-successful as well as unsuccessful, admirable as well as flawed. You'll be spellbound as you learn of the treacherous, at times fatal, expeditions into the unknown these adventurers embarked upon, whether to the frozen Poles, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the ocean's depths, or the final frontier of space.

Through it all, you consider what drove these intrepid individuals, from proselytizing and pilgrimage to the lure of wealth, conquest, fame, and new lands, as evidenced by the Vikings' arrival in North America; Marco Polo's journey along the Silk Road to China; Christopher Columbus' "Enterprise of the Indies"; the conquistadors' ravages in Latin America; and the tiny kingdom of Portugal's triumphant circumnavigation of Africa to seize control of trade in the Indian Ocean.

In every lesson, you'll follow these fascinating figures - including several remarkable women - as they venture into uncharted territory and put themselves, and often their crews, in dire peril. With Professor Liulevicius' uniquely global approach, you also get a meaningful portrait of the travels of non-Westerners, as well as the perspectives of discovered people.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Members Reviews:

Captivating from start to finish!

What did you like best about this story?

This title truly lives up to the standard of The Great Courses -- 24 highly engaging lectures with a brilliant an entertaining professor who brings history to life and makes the time fly by, while also continuously bringing everything into perspective and reminding you of the big picture themes that tie it all together. I was sorry it ended.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many! I learned many truly fascinating things I didn't know about the most famous explorers like Columbus, Magellan, Lewis & Clark, and Henry Hudson... but even better were the significant remarkable stories about which I had known almost nothing: the revolutionary Buddhist monk Xuanzang who dared to journey to the west, Alexander von Humboldt the "second Columbus" whose prolific explorations were about advancing the understanding of our planet rather than about grabbing land or spreading religion, and perhaps my favorite: Ida Pfeiffer, a Victorian woman who defied the conventions of the day by journeying alone to exotic and dangerous locales, and invented the genre of travel writing.

Any additional comments?

I've listened to many of The Great Courses, but this was the first I'd heard by Professor Liulevicius.

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Title: Empire of Cotton

Subtitle: A Global History

Author: Sven Beckert

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-02-14

Publisher: HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 352 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Sven Beckert's rich, fascinating audiobook tells the story of how, in a remarkably brief period, European entrepreneurs and powerful statesmen recast the world's most significant manufacturing industry, combining imperial expansion and slave labor with new machines and wage workers to change the world. Here is the story of how, beginning well before the advent of machine production in the 1780s, these men captured ancient trades and skills in Asia, combined them with the expropriation of lands in the Americas and the enslavement of African workers to crucially recast the disparate realms of cotton that had existed for millennia. We see how industrial capitalism then reshaped these worlds of cotton into an empire, and how this empire transformed the world. The empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and planters, merchants and statesmen, farmers and merchants, workers and factory owners. In this as in so many other ways, Beckert makes clear how these forces ushered in the world of modern capitalism, including the vast wealth and disturbing inequalities that are with us today. The result is a book as unsettling as it is enlightening: a book that brilliantly weaves together the story of cotton with how the present global world came to exist.

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]