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Title: Prehistory

Subtitle: Making of the Human Mind

Author: Colin Renfrew

Narrator: Robert Ian MacKenzie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 02-27-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 145 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

A giant of archaeology, Colin Renfrew has immeasurably improved our understanding of human history. In this passionately argued work, he offers a concise summary of prehistory - human existence that predates the development of written records - while challenging the very definition of prehistory itself.

©2009 Colin Renfrew; (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Fascinating! Perfect for the college-educated laypersoon

Any additional comments?

I don't understand why other commenters have criticized this book as "dry," "boring," and "too academic," or found the narration "droning" or soporific. Stonehenge boring? An up-to-date (well, 2009 anyway) analysis of how it was constructed, as well as its likely purpose and meaning to the Neolithic community that built it, presented by an expert in the field?

How about a re-evaluation of the stunning cave paintings at Lascaux, and elsewhere in France, Spain, Italy, and a narrow band eastward through the Balkans to Siberia as a "localized" event that doesn't mark a new stage in human cultural evolution because it wasn't universal enough (like the development of farming that's generally accepted as marking the shift from Paleolithic to Neolithic, and which took place on a near-global basis)? And the theory that archaeologists have attached more significance to these cave paintings than was warranted simply because they were discovered early and were rendered with artistic sophistication?

I thought the book was perfectly pitched for a college-educated layperson, and that if it would be "boring" for anyone, it would be for another archaeologist, or even a grad student or upperclassman majoring in archaeology. I appreciated having my memory refreshed on the details of carbon dating, but I'm sure anyone specializing in the field would've skipped over that part as too basic.

My only suggestions are (1) Renfrew should write an update in a new Foreword or Preface incorporating the current debate relating to whether DNA analysis shows (as asserted by Svante Paabo and his team) that all modern-day humans except for sub-Saharan Africans carry small percentages of Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA in their genomes, (2) Renfrew should reconsider the global breadth of the book, which I think stretches him and the material too thin, and focus instead on Europe, the Middle East and Mesoamerica (which appear to be his areas of greatest expertise), while leaving South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Far East for others, or a later companion book, and (3) audible should include a pdf booklet containing the tables, charts, maps and/or any other graphic information that audio narration fails to cover. Otherwise, it shouldn't call this an "unabridged" edition.

As for the narration, if was nicely modulated across both pitch and emotion. If you enjoyed listening to someone like Alistair Cooke introducing Masterpiece Theatre, and don't harbor any vague political objections to Brits speaking with Received Pronunciation, then I think you'll enjoy Robert Ian MacKenzie's narration as well. I found it pretty much transparent, which is how I like my narrations (translations, too, and for that matter writing itself).

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Title: The Modern Scholar: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Author: Thomas F. Madden

Narrator: Thomas F. Madden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 301 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Even millennia after its fall, the grand expanse of Roman achievement continues to affect not only American society, but the entire world as well. What caused a civilization of such accomplishments to disintegrate? In this informative and lively series of lectures, renowned history professor Thomas F. Madden serves as the ultimate guide through the fall of ancient Rome. Professor Madden correlates the principles of Roman conduct - both governmental and military - that would forever change the world. Rome was an empire unlike the world had ever seen, and one that will likely never be duplicated. Peopled with personages of great distinction and even greater ambition, at once notable for humanity's great promise and flawed nature, the Roman Empire contributed many of history's proudest advancements. Here Professor Madden invites audiences to explore all the grandeur of this fallen empire.

©2008 Thomas F. Madden; (P)2008 Recorded Books

Members Reviews:

Good general survey, a lot of names.

I really didn't know that much about the Roman Empire before listening to this lecture. It provided a fairly good survey from the end of the Republic to the start of the Byzantine Empire.

It was an engaging listen, with lots of interesting events. My only real complaint is that occasionally it gets bogged down in the names and people rather than concentrating on the big picture. But still the overall events still shine through.

I'd recommend this lecture to other people.

A great set of lectures

Professor Maddens' lectures tend to be concise, to the point and enjoyable, it's certainly a lot easier than reading or listening to Decline and Fall of Roman Empire by Edward Gibbons. Having said that, because of the time constraint, he has had to skip a lot of details. I'd suggest trying Cyril Robinson's work to supplement this course.

Great Madden course; prob not for beginners

Overall, this is a wonderful set of lectures by Prof. Madden. I'm in the process of working my way through all of his stuff on Audible; he's that good. That said, this probably isn't where I would start for an understanding of the Roman empire from Julius Caesar forward. As a relative newbie to the history of this period, I found the Great Courses by Fagan (on the Roman Empire and Emperors) and Daileader (Early Middle Ages starts with the late Antique period) a better introduction.

If you know a bit of the story, then this is a great series of lectures and highly recommended. If you like Madden's style, my favorites so far are his lectures on Venice and on Medieval Myths.

Rise & Fall: Emperors, Army, Church & Barbarians

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Although the title says "Decline and Fall," this lecture series is not just a summary of Gibbons' famous work of the same name.

This series focuses on governance and political power. Military History, Scandals, the Arts, Religion, Famous Biographies, Technology, and the Culture of Daily Life are only mentioned if they have direct relevance or influence on the ebb and flow of power during the 500 or so Empire years.

Professor Madden presents a clear and easy to follow explanation of who held power in Rome from the death of the Republic to the Barbarian removal of the last Emperor of the West.

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Title: The Ruin of the Roman Empire

Subtitle: A New History

Author: James J. O'Donnell

Narrator: Mel Foster

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 09-22-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

The Ruin of the Roman Empire takes us back to the sixth century, into the lives, cultures, and events that influenced ancient Rome. James O'Donnell restores the reputations of many "barbarians", while showing that Rome's last emperors doomed their realm with the hapless ways in which they tried to restore and preserve it.

Sweeping and accessible, The Ruin of the Roman Empire captures the richness of late antique life and the colorful characters of the age, while offering insight into today's debates about barbarism, religion, empires, and their threatened borders.

Critic Reviews:

"An exotic and instructive tale, told with life, learning and just the right measure of laughter on every page. O'Donnell combines a historian's mastery of substance with a born storyteller's sense of style to create a magnificent work of art. Perfect for history-lovers and admirers of great writing alike." (Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State)

Members Reviews:

Even the narrator seems bored silly

My high hopes for this book were soon dashed. The author jumps around in time. Things don't flow. The narrator pronounces words correctly but drones...he seems to plod through the text, making an otherwise confusing book unbearable.

The author promises to tie things together by the end, but I've lost patience.

Would not Recommend

Very dry and boring. And I thought it skipped around a little too much. I have always loved learning about ancient history, and as a Classics major in college I spent 4 years in boring lectures, but this was just too much for me.

Go for something else

The narration quality is fine. But, I must agree with the previous review that the book is somewhat boring and difficult to really sink your teeth into.

Additionally, I found the author to be a little self-important and pedantic in his writing style.

Although not as extensive in its historical scope, I would suggest Justinian's Flea (also available on audible) over this book.

Excellent Survey!

This is a original survey of the late Roman Empire. The author gives more attention to the lower classes than is common is these types of histories. In general this work describes the actual Roman Empire including more than just the emporers and wars. Overall, it is worthwhile but does require some discipline at times like any survey history.

Dull and Annoying

The reasoning and flow of the book is obtuse. The author's constant and annoying liberal comments exacerbate the smart reader . The narration was not interesting or pleasant for me. I would like my money back.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: Jerusalem: The Contested City

Author: Frank E. Peters

Narrator: Frank E. Peters

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-22-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 44 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

In scripture, the city's history began nearly 4,000 years ago, when Abraham met Melchizedek, King of Salem. Its significance as a "holy land" is evident by the number of religions that call it their spiritual home. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have struggled for its possession. In the 26 times a new group took over leadership of the city, the "City of Peace" has seen very little of its namesake, even through modern times, and 35 times it was at least partially destroyed.

In light of the volatile nature of the Middle East, and today's ongoing conflicts, it is important that we understand why Jews, Christians, and Muslims all lay claim to Jerusalem. Through an in-depth study of the various holy sites in Jerusalem, you'll begin to see which are considered sacred and to whom. And through an investigation of Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad, you will see the many different perspectives of pilgrims in days of long ago, and even today.

Members Reviews:

Spectacular

Superb delivery. No ideological agenda. CONDENSED -- unlike many of these offerings, which go on for too long.

Probably my best listen to date!

This is an exemplary lecture series presented by Prof Peters. He is probably my favourite lecturer of the Modern Scholar series and this is probably my favourite of his works so far. Before listening to this I would say I only had a modest amount of knowledge about the history of Jerusalem and the extent of its significance to Muslim, Christians, Jews and its relationship to the Greeks, Romans, North Africans, Ottomans and the Crusades. After listening to this I would consider myself well informed on all these issues and a lot more!

One of the reasons I enjoyed listening to this so much is that Prof. Peters narrates his the lectures in a way that allows you to follow the subject with ease. Again, I was always reluctant to press pause and would probably have listened in one sitting had work not gotten in the way- the whole subject is so very interesting and presented very well! I would recommend this to anyone browsing and will probably be listening to this more than once!

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: A History of Ancient Rome

Author: Professor Frances B. Titchener

Narrator: Professor Frances B. Titchener

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 122 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

This course explores the world of Ancient Rome as students investigate important events and key figures of the epoch. The individual lectures will examine major themes while touching upon the fascinating details of Roman life, such as the Romans' intensely hierarchical social order. Along the way, numerous facts of cultural literacy, such as what it means to "cross the Rubicon", will be illuminated as listeners enjoy Frances Titchener's unique style and finesse. At the end of this course, students will possess a thorough understanding of Ancient Rome's legacy to the modern world, and will have fully considered the poet Vergil's assertion that the Romans' talent was to "rule mankind and make the world obey."

Members Reviews:

It is what it is...

I think a middle ground is called for here. I would argue both with the reviewer who questioned Titchener's credentials (she has them, and deserved) and with the reviewer who called the book thorough and 'the' one to get--I think a closer view is somewhere in the middle. The parameter's of the task (a general audience comprehensive history of Rome with length and lecture limits) necessitate curtailment of detail. And while there are some factual errors and some infelicities, the book has its merits. Personally, I think the course would have been better served to be in two parts; Titchener seems much more captivated by the republic than the Empire (the Julio-Claudians in half an hour?). Maybe I was just growing weary of it, but it did seem to me that the glib colloquialism increased and, by the time of the Julio-Claudians the goal seemed to become more to tell an entertaining quick story than to engage in history. A little less embellishment of one line in Plutarch about Sulla's death, for example, or using a satirist as a historian (i.e. Juvenal) would have given time for more nuanced coverage. On the other hand, as evidenced by the positive reviews, the book is OK. A good overview. Just don't take it as the final word in Roman history.

Fantastic Overview for the Ignorant

This is an excellent starting point if you know very little about the Ancient Romans and want to learn, in a nutshell, the real story. Most of us know the names Caesar, Nero, Caligula ... with the associated tags. e.g. Caesar crossed the Rubicon - Nero fiddled whilst Rome burned - Caligula married his sister then killed her!

These lectures provide a wonderfully simple springboard from which to venture into a more in depth study of the fascinating Ancient Romans!

BRIEF HISTORY OF ROME

Excelent book, I enjoy the listening. Interesting analysis of the great questions of the history of Rome; the author addresses the causes of the success of Rome, the fall of the Republic and finally the collapse of the Imperio

Book Maximus

A quick overview of Roman history this series of lectures was absolutely fascinating. The professor did a wonderful job of presenting the material in an informative and humorous manner. I've listened to it several times since its purchase and would buy it all over again.

Worth The Listen

I have listened to this book several times. It is very thorough and enlightening. Highly Recommend.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: Archaeology and the Iliad: The Trojan War in Homer and History

Author: Eric H. Cline

Narrator: Eric H. Cline

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 149 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

But did Troy actually exist? And if so, where is it located? Was the Trojan War actually fought? If it was, did it take place over the course of ten years, as Homer wrote, or was it a much longer series of battles? And why was the war fought? Could Helen's face alone really have launched a thousand ships?

In this course, esteemed professor Eric H. Cline examines the real history of Troy and delves into the archaeological discoveries (which continue to the present day) that help to answer the questions above. Through an entertaining and incisive analysis of known data, Professor Cline provides a fuller, richer understanding of this historic clash.

Members Reviews:

I can see the windy plains of Troy

This was a thoroughly enjoyable series of lectures on Bronze Age Greece. If you find yourself interested in this period of history you'll find this absolutely fascinating. I loved this book and would buy again.

Myth vs. Reality: Reality Wins

This 2006 course may seem a little dated, in part because in several of the lectures Dr. Cline refers to the 2004 movie "Troy" that starred Brad Pitt as the iconic Greek hero Achilles (a movie that I, like Dr. Cline, enjoyed more than the critics did). Dont let that turn you off. This course is a great mix of history, literature, and archeology.

Eric Cline is one of my favorites among the academics who star in the Modern Scholar and Great Courses. He has wide-ranging interests and expertise, as well as a kind of dorky sense of humor about himself. And, as an archeologist, he doesnt just read, write, and pontificate from an ivory tower (in Dr. Clines case, its George Washington University). He has spent many seasons doing field work in the Middle East and has seen first-hand much of what he talks about.

After an introductory lecture, the first three sessions give an overview of the clashing parties--the Mycenaeans (Achaeans/Greeks), Hittites (Trojans), and the Sea Peoples--in the late Bronze Age, the time the Trojan War most likely took place (if indeed it did take place, which Cline thinks it did). The Sea Peoples are the most mysterious of these groups, and probably for that reason I found them the most interesting. (Clines book 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Fell Apart, an in-depth analysis of the Sea Peoples and their role in the collapse of Bronze Age civilization, expands on many of the themes he introduces in these lectures.)

The second group of lectures turns from history to literature. Turns out that many of the plot points we associate with the Iliad--including the famous Trojan Horse--arent in the Iliad at all, but are part of a larger work, the Epic Cycle, that today exists only in fragments or referenced in other works (such as the tragedies of the classical Greek playwright Aeschylus). These lectures discuss the questions of who was Homer, and was there even a Homer, and (the presence of gods and goddesses aside), how accurate is the Iliad? Does it in fact depict the late Bronze Age of the Trojan War, or the early Iron Age of Homer? There is also a lecture on ancient Hittite writings that may (or may not) shed light on the real Trojan War. All in all, a unique perspective that draws on all of Clines fields of interest.

The largest group of lectures covers the discovery and excavation of what is now generally accepted as the remains of the ancient city (or cities, as youll learn) of Troy.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: History of Ancient Greece

Author: Eric H. Cline

Narrator: Eric H. Cline

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 178 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Ancient Greece, indeed, lives on in modern culture, evidenced by an ever-present fascination with the tales of Homer, Greek drama, and the spectacular stories associated with Greek mythology. In the rise of Sparta and Athens, and the origins of democracy in Greek society, people today find a wealth of relevant material for understanding not only ancient Greece, but the modern world. And there is no greater fount of learning than that supplied by the immortal philosophers of Greece: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Members Reviews:

Excellent survey

This is a perfectly-pitched survey of Ancient Greece. If you're like me, you know the vague outlines of Greek history, but wanted to know more of the details. If so, this will be an excellent series of lectures for you: the lecturer gives you a solid outline of the historical facts, covering a bit of social history and philosophy along with the stories of the kings and warrriors, and he organizes it well, with summaries at the end to remind you of what you've learned. He never condescends, speaking briskly and packing lots of information into each short lecture.

By the way, the reviewer who says there is 'too much Christianity' in these lectures must be reviewing some other audiobook by mistake - there is no mention of Christianity at all in this one.

Extremely informative

This series of lectures is extremely informative and enjoyable. A detailed overview of Greek history it is a very good introduction to the ancient Greeks. If you already have a working knowledge of Greek history it's a pretty good review if you don't it's an even better place to start. Well worth the time and money. I'd buy it again.

A good survey : listenable , but a bit light...

If you've a vague or no idea of the ancient Greek history and you'd like to know the big picture , this book is for you. The history is presented with clarity and it is easy to follow. However for more knowledgeable readers this is far too light , i.e more an high school book than a source for more academic information. The author goes trough smoothly major events and anecdotes without really trying to raise and discuss more interesting issues that go behind battles and kings.

Great content, clunky lecture

This is a solid overview of Ancient Greece. The lecturer is a bit awkward, but in a harmless, even endearing way. If you know little or nothing about Greek history, I recommend this course highly.

Greek History

I listened to the lectures happily enough. They are affably and intelligently presented, though not particularly incisive. As an introduction to the Greeks, they do fine.

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Title: Rome and the Mediterranean Vol. 2

Subtitle: The Histories

Author: Polybius

Narrator: Charlton Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-28-08

Publisher: Audio Connoisseur

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 62 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Volume 2 of Rome and the Mediterranean brings to an end the long and violent struggle between Scipio and Hannibal. The grand spectacle of naval and land battles, the political intrigue and tribal quarrels, and the interminable squabbles among the Greek city states...all comes to an end. Roman hegemony is now complete. If for no other reason, the pleasure of reading Polybius is his penetrating character analysis of the leading men of his day.

There is something peculiarly modern about Polybius, though in his own day he was criticized for his lack of "style". In fact, by the time of the third century A.D., he had largely been forgotten in the West. He was resurrected in the Renaissance and found greater and greater support among republican thinkers, especially those of the Founding Fathers of the American Revolution. Until recently, Polybius was read only by those interested in Roman Republican and Greek Hellenistic history. However, his spectacular ability to draw the reader into the drama of the historical narrative has made him popular among modern readers, and all the more so as he is the primary source for those events in ancient history which are today considered not only of the utmost importance, but also of enduring interest. It is a great pity that his work did not survive intact, though we should consider ourselves fortunate to have what is left.

Members Reviews:

Masterpiece!

One of the greatest Roman histories from one of the greatest historians of all time!

An engaging account of Roman society during the Pu

Polybius puts you in the middle of Roman society during the wars with Hannibal

Polybius was a Greek military commander who spent most of his life in Italy. In his History he describes many battles of the First and Second Punic Wars that he was an observer at along with many others that he was able to reconstruct from first-hand accounts. He starts his History with a clear thesis, how the rise of Rome from a small parochial, inward-looking alliance of a few cities in southern Italy came to dominate the whole of the known world. The timeline is roughly confined to the 140th Olympiad (220 BCE - 167 BCE). Polybius clearly sees himself as a sort of Roman Thucydides as opposed to someone akin Herodotus. He's a hardnosed, fact-based historian who has clear ideas about how good history should be done and there's a lot of academic sniping at the best-selling Timaeus (the Herodotus of the day) who extensively employs supernatural explanations of many developments and parades his personal biases in making his judgments on his subject historical figures. In stark contrast to such armchair historians, Polybius contends that a good historian should attempt to strictly state the facts as best he can reconstruct them and to consult primary sources wherever possible. At first I was a bit annoyed about Polybius dilating on his historiography but when you consider what it would have been like (hypothetically) to pull down any typical history scroll from a good collection in the ancient world, youll realize that it would have been more likely than not to have to wade through many Timaeus-like works before you came across gems like Polybius.

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Title: Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey

Subtitle: A Biography: Books That Changed the World

Author: Alberto Manguel

Narrator: Michael Prichard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-04-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

In this graceful and sweeping addition to the Books that Changed the World series, Alberto Manguel traces the lineage of these epic poems. He considers their original purpose, either as allegory or record of history; surveys the challenges the pagan poems presented to the early Christian world; and traces their spread after the Reformation. Following Homer through the greatest literature ever created, Manguel's book above all delights in the poems themselves, the "primordial spring without which there would have been no culture".

Critic Reviews:

"Alberto Manguel is to reading what Casanova was to sex." (Scotland on Sunday)

"Manguel is not only a gentleman and a scholar but a gentleman as a scholar, offering constellations of connected readings and insight with grace, humor, and tact." (The New Yorker)

Members Reviews:

Some Things Just Don't Work in Audio

I have enjoyed this series of "biographies" of great books, but am abandoning this one after an hour, sorry to say. It may be a good work in print. But the combination of Manguel's elegant syntax and endless arcane asides together with a skilled but bloodless reading make it nearly impossible to follow or retain. It all becomes a refined, scholarly drone, with each sentence's subject forgotten by the time it arrives (slowly, tortuously) at the distant predicate. I don't blame the reader or writer exactly, but this one just doesn't work as an audio book.

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Title: The Buried Book

Subtitle: The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh

Author: David Damrosch

Narrator: William Hughes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-07

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 108 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

One day in 1872, self-taught Assyriologist George Smith was sifting through a pile of clay tablets when he realized he was reading about "a flood, storm, a ship caught on a mountain, and a bird sent out in search of dry land". This is the riveting story of the discovery of the world's first literary epic, the "Epic of Gilgamesh".

©2006 David Damrosch (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Members Reviews:

interesting- but not for everyone

This book has 3 very different parts told in reverse chronological order.

The first part tells of the discovery and decyphermment of the epic of Gilgamesh through biographies of 2 of the discovers.

The 2nd part tells of the Assyrian kings who assembled the library in which it would be found and has a brief history of the neo-Assyrian Empire.

The 3rd section discusses the epic of Gilgamesh itself, relating the story and telling of earlier versions of the work and finally what little is known of the real King Gilgmesh.

The narrator is good, if perhaps a bit too brisk. And now you'll know how to pronounce "Ninevah".

I'm guessing the author wanted to personalize the story and so told it through a series of biographies. I think he was fairly succesful, but doubt if it would work for anyone not interested in archaeology.

A great story

The story of rediscovering the cuneiform tablets in Iraq should benefit not only those interested in history. This story is nicely compsed, never boring and actually quite interesting. The intrigues of the British "high society" scientific world in the late 1900s should come as a surprise to no one. But the most interesting part is the Sumerians and Akkadians speaking to us about their daily life some 4-5.000 years ago though the tablets. This is really mind-boggling. It is a sort of Facebook and Twitter long before computers. Well worth reading.

Interesting History

Well researched and presented history of this ancient epic. A lot of time is spent on the rivalries of the English archaeologists involved in its discovery and translation. Best part is an analysis and explanation of the story itself. It greatly enhanced my appreciation of the epic.

Hidden history through the back door of academia

Where does The Buried Book rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Damrosch does well by getting at details that introductory books fall far short of. The Epic of Gilgmesh and its rediscovery has huge implications for our understanding of history and religion. Having books of this depth keep me looking at the Audible selection and I hope to find more like this one.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Buried Book?

Damrosch brings out the complexity of archaeology and the politics behind it. In particular the fate of the Iraqi man who actually found the clay tablets with the epic on them.

What about William Hughess performance did you like?

The narration was solid and did not get in the way of the story at all.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book held my interest till the end.

The men behind the Epic

What did you love best about The Buried Book?

I liked the personal glimpse that we got behind all of the people involved in the rediscovery, translation, writing, and preservation of the epic of Gilgamesh.