Listen to Top 100 Audiobooks in Nonfiction, Philosophy

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Title: The Hunger Games and Philosophy

Subtitle: A Critique of Pure Treason

Author: George A. Dunn, Nicolas Michaud

Narrator: Vanessa Hart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-22-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

A philosophical exploration of Suzanne Collins's New York Times best-selling series, just in time for the release of The Hunger Games movie.

Katniss Everdeen is "the girl who was on fire," but she is also the girl who made us think, dream, question authority, and rebel. The post-apocalyptic world of Panem's twelve districts is a divided society on the brink of war and struggling to survive, while the Capitol lives in the lap of luxury and pure contentment. At every turn in the Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and their many allies wrestle with harrowing choices and ethical dilemmas that push them to the brink. Is it okay for Katniss to break the law to ensure her family's survival? Do ordinary moral rules apply in the Arena? Can the world of The Hunger Games shine a light into the dark corners of our world? Why do we often enjoy watching others suffer? How can we distinguish between what's Real and Not Real? This book draws on some of history's most engaging philosophical thinkers to take you deeper into the story and its themes, such as sacrifice, altruism, moral choice, and gender.

An essential companion for Hunger Games fans, this book will take you deeper into the dystopic world of Panem and into the minds and motivations of those who occupy it.

Members Reviews:

Narrator's "Serious Voice" is GRATING!!!

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I loved the content, but will need to buy the hard copy, as I cannot stand the narrator!

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

I truly enjoyed the series, and it's incredibly interesting to draw parallels and revisit history as well as to examine the work philosophically!

What didnt you like about the narrators performance?

"uh-trackerrrr-uh-jacker-uh-nessst." Narrator speaks with an /u/ sound which strings each word together when she is trying to say something poignant. It's bloody irritating. I really don't love it.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Hunger Games and Philosophy?

I think I will know better when I read the book in its entirety.

Any additional comments?

Narrator: no bueno. :/

Philosophy of decisions

Would you consider the audio edition of The Hunger Games and Philosophy to be better than the print version?

I found listening allowed me to review and contemplate how the characters interacted among each other. I enjoyed the emotional roller coaster of all the Hunger games books. The Philosophy of the Hunger games ties all of the actions together for the listener to understand why certain actions were taken by the characters. A very good series of audio books that are more entertaining to listen too, than read.

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Title: Status Anxiety

Author: Alain de Botton

Narrator: Nicholas Bell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-17-12

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

Do you worry about how well you're doing? Are you envious of your friends' success? Are you suffering from status anxiety?

We all worry about what others think of us. We all long to succeed and fear failure. We all suffer - to a greater or lesser degree, usually privately and with embarrassment - from status anxiety. For the first time, Alain de Botton gives a name to his universal condition and sets out to investigate both its origins and possible solutions. He looks at history, philosophy, economics, art, and politics - and reveals the many ingenious ways that great minds have overcome their worries. The result is a book that is not only entertaining and thought-provoking - but genuinely wise and helpful as well.

Critic Reviews:

"De Botton is in tune with the times. He is artful in defining the contemporary Western condition, and through careful deliberation places his concepts in everyday, historical, and cultural contexts. And he does it with wit: his mock tabloid headline for Oedipus the King is: "Sex with Mum was Blinding". He does not deserve the frequent criticism of his fragmentary style (which veritably adds to the pleasure), and of watering down philosophy. If philosophy is to be revived as a pertinent inquiry into the nature of being, which is what it is, then why shouldn't the masses partake in it?" (

Sydney Morning Herald)

Members Reviews:

An in depth look at the history of status

Some great little insights, but dragged a little in places. Good for a different perspective

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Title: Epistemology: Bolinda Beginner Guides

Author: Robert M. Martin

Narrator: Richard Aspel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-12

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 40 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

Epistemology is the philosophical study of knowledge. Without knowledge, scientific enquiry is meaningless and we cant analyse the world around us. But what exactly is knowledge and how do we obtain it? Should we trust our senses? When is belief knowledge?

Presuming no prior experience of philosophy, Robert Martin covers everything in the topic from scepticism and induction to Kants transcendentalism. Clear and readable, this audiobook is essential for philosophy students and a much needed introduction to the topic for the general reader.

Editorial Reviews:

At the heart of philosophy is epistemology, the study of knowledge. This introductory guide created by Dalhouse University Professor of Philosophy Robert M. Martin gently leads listeners into this rich field of philosophical enquiry. Featuring a charismatic and clear narration from Richard Aspel, this audiobook provides easy-to-understand examples that encourage the audience to think creatively and critically about epistemology, while leaving room for listeners to make their own decisions about the field. Ranging from skepticism to Kant's transcendentalism, this guide is at once thorough and accessible.

Members Reviews:

Going to hear it again

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

Yes, is an excellent introduction to the subject of epistemology.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Epistemology: Bolinda Beginner Guides?

The belief on the external world remains so, a belief. Cannot be proven, has simply to be accepted. Also the exposition about defeaters.

Which scene was your favorite?

The exposition of Rationalism. Analytic and synthetic knowledge.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Do we really know anything?

Any additional comments?

It is a begginer guide, but pay close attention to it. As much as the narration is clear and concise is not an easy subject. I am surprised the book has so few reviews and ratings, so I felt obliged to do mine. I am hearing it again, it is a good and beneficial guide.

Good intro... but showed me its irrelevence

I got this audiobook because I'm teaching a small set of classes about the philosophies of science... and while that subject has its own issues with whether diving in too deep has any real value to the world... epistemology has even deeper issues with relevance to reality. But the author and reader did a very good job of taking a subject that is very divorced from usefullness, and made it understandable.

Well structured, very broad, sometimes confusing

Bolinda does a fantastic job of parsing large difficult topics like this one. They did a great job here as well. However, in some of the more complex chapters (such as those dealing with Gettier, or the linguistic problems of truth) I think it would have been better to have the text in front of me. The more layered and "meta" the explanation gets, the harder it is to signify where you are in the "stack" by mere pauses and emphases alone.

Don't know where this is taking me

What would have made Epistemology: Bolinda Beginner Guides better?

This book starts from considering how we know things and moves on from there. I am interesting in learning from an educational perspective and this is definitely more of a general book.

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Title: Descartes, Bacon, and Modern Philosophy

Author: Jeffrey Tlumak

Narrator: Lynn Redgrave

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

The World of Philosophy series is a dramatic presentation, in understandable language, of the concerns, questions, interests, and overall outlook of the world's great philosophers and philosophical traditions. Special emphasis on clear and relevant explanations gives you a new arsenal of insights toward living a better life.

Members Reviews:

More Descartes than Bacon

Very detailed (and accurate) summary of Descartes's philosophy. Much less info about Bacon.

Not Great

Though informative, over three-quarters of the treatment is concerned with Descartes, leaving very little room for Bacon and leaving Modern Philosophy as an after thought tacked on as a closing paragraph. There's also problems with the recording at certain points throughout making it quite irritating to listen to at times.

If you want to learn more about Descartes than Bacon this is probably good as an introduction, but don't expect much else.

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Title: The Art of War

Subtitle: Original Classic Edition

Author: Sun Tsu

Narrator: Don Hagen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-12

Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

This Chinese treatise on war was written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century B.C. Each one of the 13 chapters is devoted to a different aspect of warfare, making it the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. Studied by generals from Napoleon to Rommel, it is still one of the most influential works on the subject and is required reading in most military academies around the world. Although it was meant to be a practical guide to warfare in the age of chariots, this seminal work on the philosophy of successful leadership is as applicable to contemporary business as it is to war, and has become increasingly popular among today's corporate and political leaders.

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Titel: Wer bin ich - und wenn ja, wie viele?

Autor:: Richard David Precht

Erzähler: Bodo Primus

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 12 hrs and 48 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 03-07-12

Herausgeber: Random House Audio, Deutschland

Bewertung: 4.5 von 5 von 8 Stimmen

Kategorien: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

In seiner faszinierenden Reise in die Welt der Philosophie führt Richard David Precht mit Hilfe naturwissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse kompetent und unterhaltsam an die großen Fragen des Lebens heran. Was ist Wahrheit? Woher weiß ich, wer ich bin? Warum soll ich gut sein? Eine Einladung, lustvoll und spielerisch über das Leben und seine Möglichkeiten nachzudenken!

©2011 Goldmann (P)2012 Random House Audio

Redaktionelle Rezensionen:

Nachdenken, nach dem Warum? fragen, innere geistige Freiheit finden, das richtige Leben begreifen wollen: Wenn Sie wie Richard David Precht Antworten auf die großen Fragen des Lebens suchen, machen Sie sich mit ihm auf seine philosophische Reise! Hören Sie seine Ausführungen zu Themen, die bestimmt auch Sie beschäftigen: Was ist Wahrheit? Wie funktioniert unser Gehirn? Was sind Gefühle? Richard David Precht macht in der Hörbuch-Ausgabe von Wer bin ich und wenn ja, wie viele? komplexe philosophische Themen für jedermann verständlich.

Bodo Primus ist die ideale Besetzung als Sprecher. Kompetent und glaubwürdig begleitet er die Hörer auf Prechts Reise durch die Philosophie. Wer bin ich und wenn ja, wie viele? ist in jeder Hörminute kurzweilig, spannend, unterhaltsam und unwiderstehlich geistreich. Ein Hörbuch, das Sie zum Mit- und Nachdenken anregt und das Sie immer wieder gerne hören!

Audible wünscht gute Unterhaltung!

Kritik Bewertungen:

Wenn Sie dieses Buch lesen, haben Sie den ersten Schritt auf dem Weg zum Glück schon getan.

-- Elke Heidenreich

Diese herausragende Denk-Fibel trifft den Nerv der Zeit. Precht speist uns nicht mit simplen Guru-Weisheiten ab, sondern gibt differenzierte, verständliche Antworten auf Lebensfragen.

-- Nürnberger Nachrichten

Ein fantastisches, ein brillantes Buch!

-- Markus Lanz, ZDF

Mitglieder Bewertungen:

Bestes Zitat

Füllen sie nicht ihr Leben mit Tagen sondern ihre Tage mit Leben!

Kann das Buch sehr empfehlen.

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Title: Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahlers Ninth Symphony

Author: Lewis Thomas

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-28-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

This collection of 24 essays is a perfect introduction to the world of Lewis Thomas. Topics ranging from the riddle of smelling to nuclear proliferation carry the gentle, unassuming persuasiveness that characterizes the authors work. Here we are also introduced to the concerns that have distinguished Thomas literary career: the natural altruism of organisms; the inter-relatedness of all creatures; the fragility of the human species; the uneasiness of life on a threatened planet.

Members Reviews:

poignant, deep, well written

The essays collected in "Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahler's Ninth Symphony" should probably by on the mandatory reading list in college (regardless of the major).

The author, Lewis Thomas, was a very successful physician scientist. He was not only a great scientist, but also an accomplished writer and an advisor in the President Carter's Science Advisory Committee. He writes clearly and to the point about matters of science, humanity and politics, expressing his concerns, sharing his thoughts based on substantial knowledge of the topics at hand. Not surprisingly, all the subjects turn out to be connected: scientific research impacts the decisions of the politicians and the everyday life of people all over the world.

The book was first published in 1983, when the end of the Cold War was not yet in sight. In many of the essays Thomas writes about the dangers of developing nuclear weaponry and the fears connected with its potential use, appealing to the conscience of the readers (invoking Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and a book "The Unforgettable Fire"). The threat was real then. Is it any less real now? I think none of the essays in this volume has aged. The countries arming themselves may be different and the powers have shifted, but the fact that we are capable of the annihilation of our own species, due to directing our achievements in science and technology towards the wrong goal, remains true.

Luckily, Thomas writes also about the positive aspects of scientific discoveries (for example, artificial organs - much has been done about it since, and he predicted many developments correctly) and about the undiscovered, interesting phenomena, which deserve attention (behavioral science, basic biological questions). Additionally, he devotes some essays to the problems of special interest to scientists: funding (government grants vs. private investments), scientific integrity, and connection between "hard" science and humanities.

"Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahler's Ninth Symphony" is a thought-provoking, poignant collection of essays. It is a book one should come back to time and time again, as I will definitely do.

What a pleasure

It is simply a great pleasure to read the essays of Lewis Thomas. His intelligence, his balance, his sense of wonder, his great knowledge his humility and sense of human values , his masterly and often poetic writing ability make each of the essays an adventure of discovery and delight.

In the opening essay he considers the horrifying consequences of nuclear war, and argues urgently that Mankind must cease being its own worse enemy, and threatening itself in a way no natural phenomenom could.

In many of the other essays he argues for the centrality of the human, and the terrestial.

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Title: Socrates

Subtitle: A Man for Our Times

Author: Paul Johnson

Narrator: John Curless

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-13-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

Acclaimed historian and best-selling author Paul Johnsons books have been translated into dozens of languages. In Socrates: A Man for Our Times, Johnson draws from little-known resources to construct a fascinating account of one of historys greatest thinkers. Socrates transcended class limitations in Athens during the fifth century B.C. to develop ideas that still shape the way we think about the human body and soul, including the workings of the human mind.

Members Reviews:

Plat-Soc-Paul

What was most disappointing about Paul Johnsons story?

This isn't exactly an introduction, because much of what Johnson discusses will require prior knowledge and familiarity with Socrates and this period of Greek history. However, this work is nowhere near scholarly quality either. This can only be a review or refresher - yet it is a review of the author's highly biased ideas of what he wants Socrates to represent. The author's style is at once narcissistic, pompous, and vague.

Johnson rebukes Plato for using Socrates as a mouthpiece for his own ideas, yet does so himself ad nauseum throughout the entire book. Socrates in Johnson's hands is little more than a puppet used to validate Johnson's own ideology. Johnson's sycophantic rendering of Socrates is selective hero worship, not genuine scholarship.

Would you listen to another book narrated by John Curless?

The narrator is perfectly adequate to the task and the book is easy to listen to and can be absorbed in a single sitting because it lacks the kind of substance that would require rest and reflection.

Any additional comments?

Skip this drivel - check out Plato's Dialogues so that you can form your own ideas and come to your own conclusions about Socrates.

History, context, and analysis: Great listen!

I love all of Johnson's books. This one gave me an understanding of what we know of Socrates. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a brief overview of the era, culture, his contemporaries, his life and death, his philosophy, and a masterly analysis of it all.

Great Story About a Great Man

We all know the name Socrates, but often time we think philosophers are insufferable know-it-alls. Socrates was not. Although this book only generally touches upon his philosophy it does a great job in describing what sort of man Socrates was and the times he lived in. The author does a great job in making the information accessible and interesting and the narrator was excellent.

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Title: Ethics

Author: Benedict de Spinoza

Narrator: Antony Ferguson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

Benedict de Spinoza's Ethics, first published in 1677, constitutes a major systematic critique of the traditional and religious foundations of philosophical thought. In it, Spinoza follows a logical step-by-step format consisting of definitions, axioms, propositions, proofs, and corollaries to create a comprehensive inquiry into the truth about God, nature, and humans' place within the universe. From these broad metaphysical themes, Spinoza derives what he considered to be the highest principles of religion and society and lays out an ethical system in which reason is the supreme value. A seminal contribution to 17th-century rationalism, Spinoza's Ethics refutes the dualism of René Descartes and provides a bridge between religion and modern-day psychology. This edition is the translation by R. H. M. Elwes.

Members Reviews:

Now I understand "the God of Spinoza"

The best way to read this book is to listen to it. If I were to have read it, I would have dwelled excessively on the axioms, definitions and propositions and would have missed the forest for the trees. Don't worry if you don't get the definition as he gives them. You'll be able to pick them up when he uses them latter on. Spinoza is an incredibly good writer. He will tell you what he's going to tell you, tell you and than tell you again. He'll say "in other words" or "take this example" or other such explanatory statements and amplify what he's been telling you while never being 'prolix' (a word he actually uses and I had to look it up. It means tediously long winded with words).

I've often heard people make the expression that they "believe in the God of Spinoza". After having read this book, I seriously would doubt them. What they've done is focused on the Spinoza formulation "that God is Nature and Nature is God" and they like the way that sounds, but they don't really know how Spinoza gets there or what he means by it.

This book is a vibrant defense of Scholasticism (Aristotelian thought) against Descartes' mind body duality. Spinoza creates a system with only one substance (God) but infinite attributes. Two of those attributes are thought and extension (body), but it's clear that God possess infinitely many more. God (or Substance) is the creator of the universe and possess thinking. The God/Nature Nature/God formulation would be pantheistic. But, Spinoza goes beyond that and very well could be 'panentheistic' (God transcends nature), but I can't say for sure based only on this book.

Spinoza uses most of the metaphysics of Aristotle. He believes God is the efficient cause (the mover) of the universe, but he does not believe in Aristotle's final causes, teleology. He believes that God is necessary, and that the universe is determined because from the necessary existence and therefore essence of God everything must follow from cause and effect (i.e. that Free Will is an illusion. Aristotle in his Ethics believes that Free Will does exist, but mostly Spinoza and Aristotle seem to agree. The concept of 'essence' are essential items in each of their systems). Things are only contingent when we don't know enough.

Only the first two sections of the book dealt with God and the Mind. The other three sections deal with emotions and our control.

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Title: Symposium, the Apology, and the Allegory of the Cave

Author: Plato, Benjamin Jowett (translator)

Narrator: Jonathan Cowley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-28-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 33 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Publisher's Summary:

This collection brings together three of Plato's most enduring classics: the "Symposium", the "Apology", and the famous "Allegory of the Cave" from the Republic. The "Symposium", a dialogue on the nature and purpose of love centered around the ideals of beauty and goodness, is arguably the deepest inquiry of its kind in Western philosophy. The "Apology", Plato's account of the speech given by Socrates at his trial in 399 BC, constitutes an essential defense of Socrates' life and philosophy. Finally, the "Allegory of the Cave", written as a fictional dialogue between Socrates and Plato's brother, Glaucon, is a profound commentary on the human understanding of reality. This edition is the translation by Benjamin Jowett.

Members Reviews:

Reader kills it

Good choice of extracts if you want to learn the basics of Plato. It's the Benjamin Jowett translation, which is a bit stodgy but fine, and features lengthy introductions.

Unfortunately the reader kills the text. He's perfectly clear, but he recites everything in the same emotionless monotone. He doesn't give different voices to the characters in the Symposium, so it's hard to tell who's talking. He keeps giving words the wrong intonations, as if he's reading the text for the first time. He pronounces 'rhetoric' wrong (which is annoying because Plato says it a lot). It's very clear that the reader doesn't understand or care about what he's reading - indeed it sounds like he's not even listening to himself speak.

I fought through the whole thing, but I won't be buying any more books by this reader.

absorbing

Would you listen to Symposium, the Apology, and the Allegory of the Cave again? Why?

yes - especially the symposium. takes multiple listens.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

decription of Socrates as a soldier in the SYmposium

What does Jonathan Cowley bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The even pacing foregrounds the ideas

Excellent

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

This audio book thouroughly enhances the scenes created for us by Plato!

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The Symposium was definitely the best. It was quite compelling to hear the dialogue read.

Which character as performed by Jonathan Cowley was your favorite?

They were all read equally well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh when the discussion of drinking was being performed in the Symposium.

Not a good reader

The reader has a good voice but someone should correct his pronounciation. Words like agora and rhetoric he gets so wrong and he does not really know how to dramatise reported Or direct speech. Did he have any direction ? Sadly these faults spoilt the enjoyment of this important work