The Curious Habits of Man
Essays and Effluence
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The Curious Habits of Man
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Narrated by:
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Steve Toner
About this listen
What is the one true secret to weight loss?
What is the correct way to make a grilled cheese sandwich? Is the designated hitter rule the salvation of baseball or its undoing? Is it rational to be an optimist?
And - the question that haunts us all - should toilet paper unwind over the top of the roll or from underneath?
In his first collection of essays, author Brian Kenneth Swain tackles hundreds of life's questions while exploring a vast array of subjects - from tubas to two-year-olds, from field goals to child labor laws, and from high school shop class to the worst round of golf ever played. With an acerbic wit and an honest approach, Swain shares his perspective on such pivotal matters as how to ski without losing a limb or your self-esteem, how to correctly prepare and consume lobster according to Maine standards, and whether marketing ploys hypnotically convince consumers to replace perfectly functioning items without a second thought. Swain encourages a kind of tongue-in-cheek thinking that prompts us to take a second look at the world around us.
The Curious Habits of Man shares an amusing glimpse at life as one man contemplates many of our greatest - and smallest - questions.
©2013 Brian Kenneth Swain (P)2015 Brian Kenneth SwainListeners also enjoyed...
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Drawing on Zen philosophy and his expertise in the martial art of aikido, best-selling author George Leonard shows how the process of mastery can help us attain a higher level of excellence and a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in our daily lives. Whether you're seeking to improve your career or your intimate relationships, increase self-esteem or create harmony within yourself, this inspiring prescriptive guide will help you master anything you choose and achieve success in all areas of your life.
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thank you.
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When to Rob a Bank
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When Freakonomics was initially published, the authors started a blog - and they've kept it up. The writing is more casual, more personal, even more outlandish than in their books.
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this book is free on the blog and podcast.
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The Upside of Irrationality
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,665
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 987
In his groundbreaking book Predictably Irrational, social scientist Dan Ariely revealed the multiple biases that lead us into making unwise decisions. Now, in The Upside of Irrationality, he exposes the surprising negative and positive effects irrationality can have on our lives. Focusing on our behaviors at work and in relationships, he offers new insights and eye-opening truths about what really motivates us on the job.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not as good as the first
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 693
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 616
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 617
Based on a legendary course Roth has taught at Stanford University for several decades, The Achievement Habit employs the remarkable insights that stem from design thinking to help us realize the power we all have within to change our lives for the better. By ridding ourselves of issues that stand in the way of reaching our full potential, we gain the confidence finally to do things we've always wanted to do.
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2 out of 5 stars
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I should have known better...
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Success Is for You
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- Narrated by: David R. Hawkins MD/PHD
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 361
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 303
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 301
Success Is for You draws upon many concepts that fans of Dr. Hawkins will recognize and applies them to the world of business and the psychology of success. Expanding upon the illuminating discussion of the attractor patterns of success from Power vs. Force, this remarkable never-before-published book pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of the successful mind. Success, according to Dr. Hawkins, is an attitude we inhabit rather than a goal we strive for.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Actually some new stuff for me...
- By Amazon Customer on 03-28-17
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Surfaces and Essences
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- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 219
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 190
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Story4 out of 5 stars 188
Analogy is the core of all thinking. This is the simple but unorthodox premise that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Hofstadter and French psychologist Emmanuel Sander defend in their new work. Hofstadter has been grappling with the mysteries of human thought for over 30 years. Now, with his trademark wit and special talent for making complex ideas vivid, he has partnered with Sander to put forth a highly novel perspective on cognition.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An analogy to describe this 33-hour book
- By George C. on 11-08-19
By: Douglas Hofstadter, and others
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The Spark and the Grind
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- By: Erik Wahl
- Narrated by: Erik Wahl, Tasha Wahl
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 39
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Erik Wahl, a visual artist, speaker, and entrepreneur, helps us unite the yin and yang of creativity - the dynamic new ideas with the dogged effort. He shows why we won't get far if we rely on the spark without the grind or the grind without the spark. What the world really needs are the creators who can hold the two in balance. This audiobook offers surprising insights and practical advice about how to fan the sparks and make the grind more productive.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Worth reading!
- By june d barnard on 06-01-18
By: Erik Wahl
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The Fran Lebowitz Reader
- By: Fran Lebowitz
- Narrated by: Fran Lebowitz
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 383
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 321
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Story4 out of 5 stars 320
In "elegant, finely honed prose" (The Washington Post Book World), Lebowitz limns the vicissitudes of contemporary urban life—its fads, trends, crazes, morals, and fashions. By turns ironic, facetious, deadpan, sarcastic, wry, wisecracking, and waggish, Fran Lebowitz is always wickedly entertaining.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful in her own voice.
- By Sue C on 11-07-12
By: Fran Lebowitz
What listeners say about The Curious Habits of Man
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Dave Comeau, PhD
- 02-28-16
Melba Toast and Dry Tea
This title befits a review cloaked in metaphor and colloquies...,essentially what this entire collection of essays summarize. To pass off as mediocre and painfully average, may be an overstatement. Great yawn if your NyQuil needs assistance - otherwise, pass.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Stacey L. Davis
- 04-24-15
Boring
Painfully boring. I honestly have nothing good to say about this audio book. It was a complete waste of time and money.
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