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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: A History of the English Language

Author: Michael Drout

Narrator: Michael Drout

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-22-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 290 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

One of the most interesting aspects of the English language lies in its variants, such as the "soda" vs. "pop" debate and the place of African-American English in modern culture. These and other dialectual curiosities are looked at in detail and placed in the context of today's world. Finally, Professor Drout examines the future, not only of the English language, but of all the world's languages.

Members Reviews:

Hits all the right marks

I taught a similar course and we actually used the same program - phonetics, history, and then discussions about present day English. I found some of the discussion about code switching appealing (politically) but not always convincing. Drout prefaced the section by saying that many linguists don't agree and I appreciated that honesty. I found the explanations of the Great Vowel Shift and Norman Conquest particularly interesting. More than anything, the lectures were compelling, conversational in tone, and interesting -- this is not your typical boring history class! Great intro course for students and anyone interested in our fascinating language!

Quite enjoyable

The professor has a quiet but enthusiastic way of presenting his material. He held my interest throughout the course. Fortunately I was alone when I practiced my sounds, but I feel I learned a lot about a language I take for granted. I recommend this book to anyone curious about English and about language in general. Not a definitive piece, but one that will please people who just want to know.

A great set of lecture

The first few lectures on phonelogy basics can be fairly boring, but this is one of the few Modern Scholar courses that become progressively more interesting as each lecture goes by. I learned a great deal and I am sure I'd revisit it time and again.

Actually 3 hrs on Linguistics before any English

This was another interesting subject, but I found this course to be lacking overall... Perhaps it is partly because I expected a full course on the origins and evolution of English - in fact what it is is half a course on introductory linguistics and the history of language in general, and then half of a course on English more specifically. Being familiar as I am with linguistics (my undergraduate minor), the first six lectures was much like getting my several semesters of ling summed up in a 3 hour survey course. And thus I was disappointed also that there was not as much time spent on English, and it felt cursory much of the time.

I think he might have found a way to work the course without the extended primer on linguistics, but he built on the basics and used them to give better explanations on the development and evolution of language (which are not just applicable to English).

What I did like was when he took the time to give examples of text from Gothic, Old English, and Chaucer's English. It helped demonstrate the developments and alterations being discussed, and gave a point of reference for comparison (since, most of us don't encounter untranslated Old English and Medieval texts on a regular basis, after all). It was a good series, and Drout is a good lecturer (whose course on the Anglo-Saxon world I enjoyed), it just wasn't what I had expected or hoped for.

But for someone new to the topics, and not requiring as much in depth discussion, this is a great introduction with a variety of interesting highlights.

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Title: African History

Subtitle: A Very Short Introduction

Author: John Parker

Narrator: Dion Graham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-19-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

The multitude of topics that the listener will learn about in this succinct work includes the unity and diversity of African cultures, slavery, religion, colonial conquest, the diaspora, and the importance of history in understanding contemporary Africa. The book examines questions such as: Who invented the idea of "Africa"? How is African history pieced together, given such a lack of documentary evidence? How did Africa interact with the world 1,000 years ago?

Africa has been known as "the cradle of mankind", and its recoverable history stretches back to the Pharaohs. But the idea of studying African history is itself new, and the authors show why it is still contested and controversial.

This VSI , the first concise work of its kind, will prove essential for anyone interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history.

Members Reviews:

Buyers beware

The books title is a bad pun. This is not the chronological/regional sketch of key peoples, figures, and cultural/economic/military events happened in the African continent in the last few millennia for the interested layman that I supposed it to be. Rather, it is a dull rant about the historians of Africa during the last 150 years, their views, their publications, their political agendas and their petty academic battles, all this generously sprinkled with dull philosophical meanderings about what History is or should be. A waste of listening time.

Great Intellectual Introduction

This is NOT a typical history survey. Instead, it covers the problems inherent in approaching the long history of an entire continent. And, it is a quiet commentary on the way in which Americans tend to approach African history as a monolith, without really confronting the variety of people's and nations. Good college-level introduction.

Not Short Introduction, rather a Long Bibliography

What disappointed you about African History?

I was heading to Africa for a holiday and wanted to learn more about the History. This book is more in the nature of an academic paper.

My worst purchase on Audible.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Monotone Metahistory of Africa

What did you like best about African History? What did you like least?

This is a decent metahistory of Africa. That is, this book is a history of the history of Africa - this is a survey of the sources, ideas, constructions, and agendas that have dominated the scholarly field of African history for the past ~200 years. It is not a linear history of Africa from the dawn of humans to the present. It does include some illustrative anecdotes and major historical undercurrents, but mostly to support the metahistory aspect. As such, if you're looking for a story or a bunch of facts, this is not your book. It is, however, excellent for contextualizing everything else you might read on the topic - which I will appreciate in further books. Worth reading, but the atrocious narrator means listening is a slog.

What didnt you like about Dion Grahams performance?

Oppressively lifeless. Imagine an emeritus professor giving a lecture from a textbook.

A great introduction to the "African history"

Couldn't keep it down. The narrator was captivating! I am now going to dig deep and learn my history - something that I shamedly haven't.

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Title: Post-Colonialism

Subtitle: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Robert J. C. Young

Narrator: Victor Bevine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 08-04-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

This lively and innovative account of both the history and key debates of postcolonialism discusses its importance as an historical condition, and as a means of changing the way we think about the world. Key concepts and issues are considered, with reference to particular cultural and historical examples, such as the status of aboriginal people, cultural nomadism, Western feminism, the innovative fiction of Garcia Marquez and Salman Rushdie, and the postcolonial cities of London, Bombay and Cairo.

The work of theorists such as Homi Bhabha, Edward Said, Frantz Fanon and Gayatri Spivak are woven into the discussion, making this fascinating subject relevant and accessible to a wider audience.

Members Reviews:

This is postcolonialism not post colonial states

After reading the previous review, I felt obliged to write my own review because I think some people might not understand what postcolonialism is. If you are looking for a history of post colonial states, this is not the book for you. Postcolonialism is an academic theory to describe a way of looking at the world ???after the fall of colonialism??? (I put it in quotes because this is contested and part of the postcolonial argument). According to Young, ???Postcolonialism involves first of all the argument that the nations of the three non-western continents (Africa, Asia, Latin America) are largely in a situation of subordination to Europe and North America, and in a position of economic inequality. Postcolonialism names a politics and philosophy of activism that contests that disparity, and so continues in a new way the anti-colonial struggles of the past. It asserts not just the right of African, Asian, and Latin American peoples to access resources and material well-being, but also the dynamic power of their cultures, cultures that are now intervening in and transforming the societies of the west. Post colonial cultural analysis has been concerned with the elaboration of theoretical structures that contest the previous dominant western ways of seeing things??? (Young 4). If you are looking for a book to describe postcolonial theory for a class or simply for your own curiosity, this is a good introduction to the major theories and concepts. It is a brief overview so you might want to read Robert J. C. Young???s larger book, ???Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction,??? if you need a more in-depth discussion. Unfortunately, it is not on audible so you actually would have to read it. Young???s larger book does not have as much of the narrative qualities as this short introduction so it would not work as well on audible. Excellent narration for an academic book.

Well done Audible!! What a collection!!

Bravo!! More!! More!! I want more Very Short Introductions!! Please!! They're the best!!

This innovative and lively book is quite unlike any other introduction to postcolonialism. Robert Young examines the political, social, and cultural after-effects of decolonization by presenting situations, experiences, and testimony rather than going through the theory at an abstract level. He situates the debate in a wide cultural context, discussing its importance as an historical condition, with examples such as the status of aboriginal people, of those dispossessed from their land, Algerian raï music, postcolonial feminism, and global social and ecological movements.

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Título: Constitucion Espanola [Spanish Constitution]

Autor: Escucha Libros S.L.N.E.

Narrador: Victoria García

Formato: Unabridged

Duración: 2 hrs and 27 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 08-03-09

Editor: Escucha Libros S.L.N.E.

Calificaciones: 5 de 5 de 2 votos

Categorías: History, World

Resumen del editor:

The Constitucion of Spain, 1978.

Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

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Title: The Modern Scholar: The Medieval World I: Kingdoms, Empires, and War

Author: Thomas F. Madden

Narrator: Thomas F. Madden

Format: Original Recording

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-27-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 198 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

An award-winning, widely recognized expert on premodern history, Professor Thomas F. Madden launches the first of a two-part series on the medieval world. This all-encompassing investigation of a highly influential time period includes the major events of the era and informative discussion of empire, papacy, the Crusades, and the fall of Constantinople.

During the course of these lectures, Professor Madden also addresses the rise of Islam, reform movements, and schisms in the church. In so doing, Professor Madden underscores the significance and grand scale of an age that continues to hold an undeniable fascination for people today.

Members Reviews:

Another good course from a master

There are reasons why I bought just about every lectures given by Thomas F. Madden, if one can forgive his stylistic dullness, his lecture was concise, to the point and informative. The lecture bridges the gap between middle age and high middle age, often 14th century feel too much like a vacume, except 100 year war, it almost feel as if nothing interesting occur after the 4th crusade in 1204 to 1454, if you feel this way, this course would bridge it.

An interesting and inspiring course

Dr. Madden's lectures inspired me to get interested in the medieval world to a degree that I had not anticipated. Extremely interesting topic. I learned so much. How little we know of the peoples, kingdoms and empires that formed the foundation of our society throughout the middle ages.

Prof Madden is fabulous

What did you like best about this story?

Prof Madden is not at all condescending. This is part 1 of 2 parts- both are excellent and informative and Prof M makes amusing and interesting asides. I've listened to all about 4/5 times.

Fantastic Listen

What made the experience of listening to The Modern Scholar the most enjoyable?

The author ties everything together so well.

Have you listened to any of the narrators other performances before? How does this one compare?

I like all of Professor Madden's lectures.

Worthy every penny

Any additional comments?

While this lecture is not a graduate level course by any means, it is a fantastic 200-300 level undergraduate lecture. Dr. Madden is the foremost Crusade historian alive today, and masterfully delivers his extensive knowledge in the Modern Scholar series. Do not listen to those who complain that it's too basic or that he lapses in speech, they're used to gaudy and verbose lectures. True genius is in communicating concisely and exactly, not with a plethora of obtuse and obscure words; take it from a medieval grad student-- less is more/better in academia.

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Title: The Feud that Sparked the Renaissance

Subtitle: How Brunelleschi and Ghiberti Changed the Art World

Author: Paul Robert Walker

Narrator: Robert Whitfield

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

As this lush, imaginative history illuminates the drama surrounding the birth of a new artistic vision, it also explores the lives of other fascinating individuals, from Donatello and Masaccio to Cosimo de' Medici and Leon Battista Alberti. The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance offers a glorious tour of 15th-century Florence, a bustling city on the verge of greatness, during a time of flourishing creativity.

Critic Reviews:

"Robert Whitfield is a smooth and perfect voice for this journey....a well-framed snapshot of a moment in Western cultural history." (Audiobookcafe.com)

"This erudite recording manages to be listener friendly by throwing a spotlight on what is surely one of many unexplored byways in cultural history....Whitfield delivers the story with panache and aplomb." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Surprisingly entertaining...

history of how an art contest opened the doors (pun intended) to the greatest cultural rebirth in human history.

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Title: The History of Science

Subtitle: A Sweeping Visage of Science and its History

Author: Michael Shermer

Narrator: Michael Shermer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 25 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-06-09

Publisher: Michael Shermer/John Wagner Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 88 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

This is a sweeping look at science, its history and philosophy from the Middle Ages to the present, with special emphasis on defining science within the cultural context of the age, who was doing science at the time, and what their goals were in conducting science. This course reflects Dr. Shermer's doctoral training at Claremont Graduate School.

©2009 Michael Shermer; (P)2009 Michael Shermer

Members Reviews:

Old and bad sound recording

The line of thought is often interesting - but the low quality of the sound with whisperings and chairs ruminating in the background as well as inaudible questions makes it difficult to recommend. Also we listeners do not have at hand or on-line the many handout that are used ad referenced throughout. All-in-all its a lecture recording "on the cheap" that needs to be updated and applied for tape/digital to make real sense.

Messy Listening

I was looking forward to this book, (as I thought), but it turned out to be a recording of lectures to a group of students and other academics, who made comments, often inaudible, in the background. Dr Shermer rattled on, losing his notes from time to time, making asides, stopping for a drink, adjusting the recording device, referring to what he had written on a board, to slides that he was showing, to printed handouts, and talking about the time of the next lecture etc. Essentially, I felt that he was wasting my time.

The material would have been much better if presented in a professionally edited book, and read from a book by a professional reader. I believe that I did not get what I expected - an audiobook, and am disappointed that Audible represented it as such.

What A Mess

Don't waste your time. Disorganized & frequently inaudible. True, Shermer's personality shines through--unfortunately, by his frequent sophomoric gaffaws. This is first book I've abandoned before finishing.

ideologue

Wow, I am sorry that I wasted a credit on this. I thought I was buying a survey of the History of Science. Instead, half the lectures are ruminations on economic theory - cursory at best and academically dishonest at worst. Marx is dismissed as a literary hack and inept buffoon, while apparently the sun shines out of Ayn Rand's butt. Discussion of Hegel sounds like an undergraduate book report copied sloppily from the Wikipedia. Much time is devoted to the sound-poem made by Shermer's shifting papers to find the long dry and unconnected-to-lecture quote he would like to read you. Thoroughly avoids discussion of, say, empiricist experiments during the Enlightenment. Even discussion of Locke is more about Economics and social theory than science. Perhaps this product has been packaged incorrectly as History of Science? Judging from class participation (barely audible) he was performing these lectures at an old age home. Constant deference too, to his (graduate advisor's (?) opinion. Nice moment when he says hello to his mom and dad.

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Title: Defiance

Subtitle: The Bielski Partisans

Author: Nechama Tec

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-14-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 94 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

This is the riveting history of one such group: a forest community numbering more than 1,200 that carried out the largest armed rescue operation of Jews by Jews in World War II. Nechama Tec reconstructs the amazing details of how these men and women of all ages - hungry, largely unarmed, and exposed to harsh winter weather - managed not only to survive but to take on the dual role of fighters and rescuers. Under the guidance of their charismatic leader, Tuvia Bielski, they smuggled Jews out of heavily guarded ghettos, led retaliatory raids against Nazi collaborators, and offered protection to all Jewish fugitives who could find their way to them.

Critic Reviews:

"One of the most elevating and inspiring stories in the chronicle of death and despair that is the Holocaust....an accomplished and startling work of Holocaust documentation." (

Los Angeles Times)"An exciting story of rescuers and fighters - a story that should have been documented years ago....Defiance will no doubt engender further interest in the subject of Jewish partisan activity." (

Social Education)

Members Reviews:

Brillaint scholarship; hard read

This is a brilliant social history of a Jewish resistance movement in Belarus and Eastern Poland. It focusses on the Bielski partisan group lead by the three Bielski brothers.

What made this partisan unit different from the others active in the area was the fact A) they were Jewish and B) focused much more on saving lives than on attacking the Germans. Their efforts eventually resulted in the saving of more than 1,000 Jews.

The book is a standard social history that tackles its subject in a thematic rather than a narrative style. This makes the book less accessible. This is not a piece of popular history but is intended to be read by scholars who have made a study of the Holocaust or the Jews. The result is that the book can be hard to follow at times as it does not strictly follow a chronological format. Additionally, the book seems repetitive as the author supported his assertions with a large number of examples many of which are very similar.

This is a stunning piece of scholarship with the information presented logically and clearly in a remarkably evenhanded manner. This is done at the expense of readability and accessibility. Therefore, I would not recommend this book to the casual reader but to the serious student of the subject.

Academic, not narrative

The good part of this book is that it is uplifting. It describes real people in a practically impossible situation who endure and survive by relying upon ancient moral principles (although there are several morally ambiguous incidents). The bad part is that it is organized and largely written as an academic paper. It is not narrative. That is, it doesn't tell a story in a chronological manner but rather is organized on a thematic basis. This results in two problems: 1) there is a great deal of repetition and 2) the great inspirational adventure story this should be is hidden behind this academic objectivity. You have to squint to see a glimpse of the heroism and the humanity of these people.

Great audio Book

As a Jew, I was captivated by the book. I then saw the movie which was pretty darn good too.

Great Story, could have been told better

The raw material for this story is just riveting, which makes the flaws in the narrative that much more frustrating.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: Enlightenment: Reason, Tolerance, and Humanity

Author: Professor James Schmidt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

This course will explore this remarkable period. It will discuss the work of such influential thinkers as Voltaire, John Locke, Denis Diderot, Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, and Benjamin Franklin. It will also spend some time with less well-known, but no less influential, figures such as Joseph Priestly - a clergyman, scientist, and philosopher who was one of the most passionate defenders of the American Revolution in England - and the remarkable John Toland, a man whose writings on religion changed the way many Europeans thought about the Scriptures

Members Reviews:

Brilliant--nearly flawless

Nicely read, well thought out. Connects the dots on many points in history. An important series of lectures.

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Title: A Short History of Medicine

Subtitle: Modern Library Chronicles

Author: Frank Gonzalez-Crussi

Narrator: John McDonough

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-22-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 64 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Praised for his erudite writing, renowned scientist Frank Gonzalez-Crussi penned this concise history of medicine, beginning with the most primitive health-care practices and ending with the technology of modern medicine that we enjoy today. As with all Modern Library Chronicles, A Short History of Medicine is a wonderful primer for anyone interested in the subject.

Members Reviews:

Dull and Disorganized

Gonzalez-Crussi's book (and McDonough's narration) made me want to pour gasoline on my head. It is a boring jumble of historical facts with no apparent organization. It was so bad that I stopped listening to it after about 3 hours. Instead, I urge you to listen to Thomas Hager's very excellent book entitled "The Demon under the Microscope". It is a story of the history of infection and the advent of sulfa drugs as a cure.

Very Good Overview - Title is Very Accurate!

Really liked this book, although there are parts that will make you cringe.... I remember eating breakfast in my car while listening and having to set my breakfast sandwich down for a few minutes until the author moved on.

The history of surgery before anesthesia was probably most gruesome (as was the history of Lobotomies....yikes!), however I thought the author did an admirable job of condensing a vast sea of information into a small package. When a book calls itself "A BRIEF History of Medicine", it is my expectation that some things will be minimized or overlooked in the interest of brevity. Realize also, that I am NOT in the field of medicine, so what was new information to me may be common knowledge to others.

All in all, I was pleased with this choice.

While I wouldn't agree fully with some of more negative reviews, I do agree that the flow of the book was not totally linear in its organization. This may be because of so many "overlapping" areas discussed in the book, so I'll give the author the benefit of the doubt on that one.

Recommended for those who want to see the big picture of the development of medicine.

Short History of Medicine

This is one of, if not the of the best book, on the history medicine and medical science and practices in existence and the only one I have ever seen that actually documents, that what can and does happen to the human body, and things that can be done or work, has actually been known for centuries, but (intentionally or not) this information has been covered, dismissed or reinvented, by religions, governments, and self serving individuals, as well as the practices, of the middle east and European areas, which have, of course, been foster on the Americas and everywhere such people ruled. As Mr. Gonzalez-Crussi describes, what was known, when and what happened the astute read will understand how, and why what has happened in the past still occur today and for the same ignorant reasons. This should be required reading for anyone who has bind faith in their medical provider, government and/or religion. The one drawback is that it is not written at the usual 6th grade level so those who do not have a good vocabulary or do not know common medical terms may become lost or board do to lack of comprehension. The world would be well served for this book to be rewritten at the level of a 6th grader, the level far too many people never get passed.