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Daniel

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Oscar worthy book

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-16-21

McConaughey personifies in this book what it is to be human. An expert story teller and poet, I was astonished by the captivating power of his prose. Never bored for a minute, no one will ever regret a credit for Greenlights!

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Not a 4.9 star.. But not a 1 either

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
1 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-22-20

So there are 2 main issues with this book. First is the fact that Michelle narrates it herself and her voice is rather sleepy. I really wish she'd outsourced this. Second is the beyond boring first 20% of the book. These two factors combine for most of the negative reviews I'm sure of that. Once Barack comes into the story it becomes really interesting, although he in no way becomes the focal point. Happy I spent a credit but the experience was bittersweet.

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Great story epic performance

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-31-20

An entertaining and easy listen that also happens to be massively educational. Fully deserving of its credit.

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A necessary listen

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-04-20

As much about Julia Whalen's masterful performance as it is of the subject matter and Tara's brilliant writing!

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Essential listening

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-08-20

Necessary. This book must be read and the audio performance is great. Voice tailored to the movement of the story perfectly.

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Downright Silly

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-29-14

At best I would call this 2nd rate recycled X-Men.
To start with the positives, yes it is a very entertaining listen, decently performed and heart to put down.. But Brandon should have tried a little harder here with the details. Anyone reading a book about superheroes (called epics here) needs to have an imagination and let a few ludicrous occurrences slide here and there, but it went way too far, too often for me.

One of the superheroes' power is that he never runs out of bullets. Really?? I mean, walk me through that one. He creates bullets in the chamber? Or does the clip magically regenerate the bullets? Surely if he can do that, there are way more efficient and powerful things he can do.
The main 'epic' of the book turns everything around him into steel.. STEEL a manmade alloy of iron and carbon. I may be being too critical here but as an engineer, I'd like to be humoured a little.
All epics have weaknesses that bring about their downfall. One of the epics mentioned has a weakness that is that exactly 16 people have to be attacking that epic at once. Then that epic will die.. sorry but some of this just made me rewind and listen in disbelief.

Those wanting blissful entertainment, not taking it too seriously will be thoroughly entertained though.

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Bonhoeffer Audiobook By Eric Metaxas cover art

Sub-par narration to accompany a brilliant story

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-20-13

Any additional comments?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of the most overlooked individuals of the 20th century. It is very rare to find such a gifted theologian who puts his belief system into practice and actually ends up making the ultimate sacrifice for it. Bonhoeffer was such a man. Having found asylum, a future, and security in America, he returned to Germany to support his people and plot to remove Hitler. He was tragically executed at Hitler's command weeks before the fall of the 3rd Reich.

This story details the extraordinary events surrounding Dietrich's life while going to great lengths to paint a colorful picture of his ethos and personality through a series of stories. It is awakening and reorienting when considering who we deem to be the heroes of WW2 (Churchill, Roosevelt etc..) when we learn that these men and many more would not even speak to Bonhoeffer and the German resistance because their war efforts and propaganda campaigns depended on their people believing that all Germans were inherently evil and that "the only good German is a dead German."

Unfortunately, the narration is not befitting of such an epic biography. Monotone delivery with minimal modulation and I found my mind often drifted to other agendas of the day. For this reason, I would recommend that this book be read and not listened to.

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How to turn a listener off..

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-13

Any additional comments?

Before listening to this audio, I would have considered myself a moderate who doesn't believe in banning guns, but at the same time doesn't believe in liberally handing out AK's along with unlimited ammo to any and all willing to wield them. BLASPHEMY cries Glenn Beck! There is no such thing as being moderate or trying to set limits to anything regarding this precious amendment.

Oddly enough, I bought this with the open mind and intent to be convinced. To take my views slightly further to the right if the opportunity presents itself. Beck is so immature and condescending in his arguments that I think he may have had a reverse effect on me. He constantly attacks, with unnecessary belligerence, all members of the press and other celebrities who take the other side of the argument. Even anyone who speaks out against automatic weapon bans is not spared his wrath. Poor Piers Morgan is mention with distaste at least 20 to 30 times in this book. Furthermore, Beck is unwilling to entertain any notion of limitation, using ludicrous arguments and extreme scenarios to validate his points.

One thing I am grateful for is that Beck presents ideas that I had never heard of or thought about. Apparently, there is an ongoing debate to limit magazines to 10 bullets. I liked this idea as why would anyone, in the name of self defence, ever need more without having to reload? Apparently, I am not at liberty to infringe on the God given right of unlimited continuous shots by asking this question.

Glen Beck could really benefit from a little more refinement and grace in his writing.. yes even while lobbying for an agenda he's seemingly willing to die for.

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9 people found this helpful

Drinking water from a firehose..

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-13

Any additional comments?

This review is more a reflection on the idea of "the great courses" than the actual content of this audiobook. I could not get through half of it as the information was shot at me in sporadic stints of haphazard lumps. The presenter jumps frequently through time and space and subject. There is no opportunity to absorb anything or even to be entertained and reflect on a gladwell-ian attempt at perspective.
I for one will be staying away from these lectures as a whole from here on out.

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4 people found this helpful

Incredible work by Follett

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-13

Any additional comments?

I am one of those people who constantly yearns for a good work of historical fiction. Unfortunately for me and my kind, this is the only 5 star in the category I've yet come across.
This book has everything, entertainment, rich plot, deep characters, historical accuracy and education. John Lee does a brilliant job on narration, with an endless plethora of accents and modulated tones to enhance the experience all the more.

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1 person found this helpful