The Short Story
A Very Short Introduction
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.00 for first 30 days
The Short Story
Buy for $11.17
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mike Cooper
-
By:
-
Andrew Kahn
About this listen
What defines a modern short story is much more than a question of length. Despite the efforts of early pioneers like Edgar Allan Poe, the genre was originally synonymous with the anecdote or tale and seen more as entertainment than art. However it has become far more than that, and this Very Short Introduction considers afresh the form's ongoing innovations in plot construction, capacity for psychological insight, and ability to offer intensely concentrated perceptions.
This book charts the rise of the short story from its original appearance in magazines and newspapers. For much of the 19th century, tales were written for the press, and the form's history is marked by engagement with popular fiction. From the later 19th century, the short story earned a reputation for its skillful use of plot design and character study. After the First World War it found outlets in high-brow publications, and single-author collections, as well as anthologies.
Exploring the form's techniques and themes, Andrew Kahn considers the continuity and variation in key structures and techniques such as the beginning, the creation of voice, the ironic turn or plot twist, and how writers manage endings. Throughout he draws on examples from an international and flourishing corpus of work, with close analysis of classic and lesser-known stories.
©2021 Andrew Kahn (P)2022 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Theodor Adorno
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Andrew Bowie
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
T. W. Adorno (1903-1969) was a German philosopher and social and cultural theorist. His work has come to be seen as increasingly relevant to understanding the pathologies of contemporary society evident in today's climate emergency, the financial crash, the reappearance of fascism in many countries, and the growing instability of the world order. This Very Short Introduction covers Adorno's work and life, explaining his key philosophical concepts and the philosophical background and historical context of Adorno's thinking.
By: Andrew Bowie
-
Atheism
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Julian Baggini
- Narrated by: Eileen McNamara
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the 20th century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.
By: Julian Baggini
-
Comparative Literature
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ben Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
From colonial empire-building in the 19th century to the postcolonial culture wars of the 21st century, attempts at "comparison" have defined the international agenda of literature. But what is comparative literature? That is discussed in this audiobook....
By: Ben Hutchinson
-
Classics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Mary Beard, John Henderson
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 16
We are all classicists - we come into touch with the classics on a daily basis: in our culture, politics, medicine, architecture, language, and literature. What are the true roots of these influences, however, and how do our interpretations of these aspects of the classics differ from their original reality?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Beard guides the reader through the Classics
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
By: Mary Beard, and others
-
Horror
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Darryl Jones
- Narrated by: Gareth Richards
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Analyzing the way in which horror has been used throughout history to articulate the fears and taboos of the current generation, Darryl Jones considers the continuing evolution of the genre today. As horror is mass marketed to mainstream society in the form of romantic vampires and blockbuster hits, it also continues to maintain its former shadowy presence on the edges of respectability, as banned films and violent internet phenomena push us to question both our own preconceptions and the terrifying capacity of human nature.
By: Darryl Jones
-
Aesthetics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Bence Nanay
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
- Length: 3 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 35
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Bence Nanay introduces the field of aesthetics, considering both Western and non-Western aesthetic traditions and exploring why it is sometimes misunderstood or considered to be too elitist - by artists, musicians, and even philosophers. As Nanay shows, so-called "high art" has no more claims on aesthetics than sitcoms, tattoos, or punk rock.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Critique of 'Western' Aesthetics - A Virtue Signal
- By Mr Timothy Webber on 10-05-21
By: Bence Nanay
-
Theodor Adorno
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Andrew Bowie
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
T. W. Adorno (1903-1969) was a German philosopher and social and cultural theorist. His work has come to be seen as increasingly relevant to understanding the pathologies of contemporary society evident in today's climate emergency, the financial crash, the reappearance of fascism in many countries, and the growing instability of the world order. This Very Short Introduction covers Adorno's work and life, explaining his key philosophical concepts and the philosophical background and historical context of Adorno's thinking.
By: Andrew Bowie
-
Atheism
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Julian Baggini
- Narrated by: Eileen McNamara
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the 20th century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.
By: Julian Baggini
-
Comparative Literature
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ben Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
From colonial empire-building in the 19th century to the postcolonial culture wars of the 21st century, attempts at "comparison" have defined the international agenda of literature. But what is comparative literature? That is discussed in this audiobook....
By: Ben Hutchinson
-
Classics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Mary Beard, John Henderson
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 16
We are all classicists - we come into touch with the classics on a daily basis: in our culture, politics, medicine, architecture, language, and literature. What are the true roots of these influences, however, and how do our interpretations of these aspects of the classics differ from their original reality?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Beard guides the reader through the Classics
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
By: Mary Beard, and others
-
Horror
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Darryl Jones
- Narrated by: Gareth Richards
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Analyzing the way in which horror has been used throughout history to articulate the fears and taboos of the current generation, Darryl Jones considers the continuing evolution of the genre today. As horror is mass marketed to mainstream society in the form of romantic vampires and blockbuster hits, it also continues to maintain its former shadowy presence on the edges of respectability, as banned films and violent internet phenomena push us to question both our own preconceptions and the terrifying capacity of human nature.
By: Darryl Jones
-
Aesthetics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Bence Nanay
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
- Length: 3 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 35
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Bence Nanay introduces the field of aesthetics, considering both Western and non-Western aesthetic traditions and exploring why it is sometimes misunderstood or considered to be too elitist - by artists, musicians, and even philosophers. As Nanay shows, so-called "high art" has no more claims on aesthetics than sitcoms, tattoos, or punk rock.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Critique of 'Western' Aesthetics - A Virtue Signal
- By Mr Timothy Webber on 10-05-21
By: Bence Nanay
-
Socrates (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: C.C.W. Taylor
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Christopher Taylor explores the life of Socrates and his philosophical activity, before looking to the responses his philosophical doctrines have evoked in the centuries since his betrayal and execution at fellow Athenian hands.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A master class in the interpretation of ancient texts.
- By cpk on 11-29-24
By: C.C.W. Taylor
-
Linguistics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: P.H. Matthews
- Narrated by: James Conlan
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 21
Linguistics falls in the gap between arts and science, on the edges of which the most fascinating discoveries and the most important problems are found. Rather than following the conventional organization of many contemporary introductions to the subject, the author of this stimulating guide begins his discussion with the oldest, "arts" end of the subject and moves chronologically through to the newest research - the "science" aspects.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Almost Impossible to Listen to Without Text
- By Drone Boy on 05-06-24
By: P.H. Matthews
-
The Anglo-Saxons
- A History of the Beginnings of England: 400 - 1066
- By: Marc Morris
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,022
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 899
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 895
Sixteen hundred years ago Britain left the Roman Empire and swiftly fell into ruin. Grand cities and luxurious villas were deserted and left to crumble, and civil society collapsed into chaos. Into this violent and unstable world came foreign invaders from across the sea, and established themselves as its new masters. The Anglo-Saxons traces the turbulent history of these people across the next six centuries. It explains how their earliest rulers fought relentlessly against each other for glory and supremacy, and then were almost destroyed by the onslaught of the vikings.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
"Pretty Good"
- By Stephen on 05-30-21
By: Marc Morris
-
History
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: John H. Arnold
- Narrated by: Richard Davidson
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
There are many stories we can tell about the past, and we are not, perhaps, as free as we might imagine in our choice of which stories to tell or where those stories end. John Arnold's addition to Oxford's popular Very Short Introductions series is a stimulating essay about how people study and understand history.
By: John H. Arnold
-
Ethics (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Simon Blackburn
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 3 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
This second edition of the Very Short Introduction on ethics has revised and updated aspects of the original to reflect changing times and mores. It highlights the importance of an understanding of approaches to ethics and its foundations, confronted as we are with a fluid and uncertain world of eroding trust, swirling conspiracy theories, and a dismaying loss of respect in public discourse.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
True to the title this is a very short introduction
- By cpk on 09-12-24
By: Simon Blackburn
-
The Hopkins Manuscript
- A Novel
- By: R.C. Sherriff
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Lameece Issaq
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
Edgar Hopkins is a retired math teacher with a strong sense of self-importance, whose greatest pride is winning poultry-breeding contests. When not meticulously caring for his Bantam, Edgar is an active member of the British Lunar Society. Thanks to that affiliation, Edgar becomes one of the first people to learn that the moon is on a collision course with the earth. Members of the society are sworn to secrecy, but eventually the moon begins to loom so large in the sky that the truth can no longer be denied.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A cosy catastrophe masterpiece
- By Jim Harris on 01-09-23
By: R.C. Sherriff
-
The Enlightenment
- The Pursuit of Happiness, 1680-1790
- By: Ritchie Robertson
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 40 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 290
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 237
This magisterial history - sure to become the definitive work on the subject - recasts the Enlightenment as a period not solely consumed with rationale and reason, but rather as a pursuit of practical means to achieve greater human happiness.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The quickest 40 hour audio book I’ve listen to
- By Joey Caster on 04-02-21
-
Poststructuralism
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Catherine Belsey
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Poststructuralism changes the way we understand the relations between human beings, their culture, and the world. Following a brief account of the historical relationship between structuralism and poststructuralism, this Very Short Introduction traces the key arguments that have led poststructuralists to challenge traditional theories of language and culture.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
the clarity in the order in which the book was writen
- By Anonymous User on 06-11-25
By: Catherine Belsey
-
Story
- Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
- By: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,263
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,514
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,480
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Only 5 Chapters
- By Stephen Buck on 02-15-11
By: Robert McKee
-
Dialogue
- The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
- By: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 843
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 714
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 703
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not suited for audio
- By Smith on 03-04-17
By: Robert McKee
-
The Blazing World
- A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689
- By: Jonathan Healey
- Narrated by: Oliver Hembrough
- Length: 19 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 118
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 100
The seventeenth century was a revolutionary age for the English. It started as they suddenly found themselves ruled by a Scotsman, and it ended in the shadow of an invasion by the Dutch. Under James I, England suffered terrorism and witch panics. Under his son Charles, state and society collapsed into civil war, to be followed by an army coup and regicide. For a short time—for the only time in history—England was a republic. There were bitter struggles over faith and Parliament asserted itself like never before. There were no boundaries to politics.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Been looking for this book for a long time
- By cmurrell on 07-30-23
By: Jonathan Healey
-
At the Existentialist Café
- Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails
- By: Sarah Bakewell
- Narrated by: Antonia Beamish
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,089
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 961
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 955
Paris, 1933: Three contemporaries meet over apricot cocktails at the Bec-de-Gaz bar on the rue Montparnasse. They are the young Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and longtime friend Raymond Aron, a fellow philosopher who raves to them about a new conceptual framework from Berlin called phenomenology. "You see," he says, "if you are a phenomenologist, you can talk about this cocktail and make philosophy out of it!"
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Consistent look at incoherent philosophy
- By Gary on 06-19-16
By: Sarah Bakewell
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Beats
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: David Sterritt
- Narrated by: James Conlan
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 9
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the writers of the Beat Generation revolutionized American literature with their iconoclastic approach to language and their angry assault on the conformity and conservatism of postwar society. They and their followers took aim at the hypocrisy and taboos of their time - particularly those involving sex, race, and class - in such provocative works as Jack Kerouac's On the Road (1957), Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" (1956), and William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959).
By: David Sterritt
-
Comparative Literature
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ben Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
From colonial empire-building in the 19th century to the postcolonial culture wars of the 21st century, attempts at "comparison" have defined the international agenda of literature. But what is comparative literature? That is discussed in this audiobook....
By: Ben Hutchinson
-
Mary Shelley
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Charlotte Gordon
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
In 1816, when eighteen-year old Mary Godwin began writing Frankenstein, the idea that a woman could dream up such a tale was as far-fetched as raising a being from the dead. But Mary wasn't just any woman. The daughter of two notorious radicals, Mary had become an outcast from English society when she was only sixteen. A lifelong advocate for the rights of women, she refused to be governed by social conventions, running away with a married man, having children out of wedlock, and authoring books, stories, and essays that broke literary conventions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Mary Shelley....an incredible soul.
- By Prometheus Worley on 06-10-25
By: Charlotte Gordon
-
Topology
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Richard Earl
- Narrated by: Bruce Mann
- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Richard Earl gives a sense of the more visual elements of topology (looking at surfaces) as well as covering the formal definition of continuity. Considering some of the eye-opening examples that led mathematicians to recognize a need for studying topology, he pays homage to the historical people, problems, and surprises that have propelled the growth of this field.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
4 stars if u have the book to follow the drawings
- By suseco on 07-30-20
By: Richard Earl
-
Silent Film
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Donna Kornhaber
- Narrated by: Emily Beresford
- Length: 3 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 7
Encompassing the 35 year span between the initial development of film technology in the mid-1890s and the adoption of synchronized sound in the late 1920s, the cinema's silent era is both one of the most important epochs of film history and one of the most misunderstood within the popular imagination. In this brief, engaging account, these formative decades come vividly to life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Overview
- By Oliver on 01-08-25
By: Donna Kornhaber
-
Blasphemy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Yvonne Sherwood
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1
In a world where not everyone believes in God, "blasphemy" is surely a concept that has passed its use-by-date. And yet blasphemy (like God and religion) seems to be on the rise. In this Very Short Introduction Yvonne Sherwood asks why this should be the case, looking at factors such as the increased visibility of religious and racial minorities, new media, and engines of surveillance (which are far more omniscient than the old gods could ever be), and the legacies of colonial blasphemy laws.
By: Yvonne Sherwood
-
The Beats
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: David Sterritt
- Narrated by: James Conlan
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 9
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the writers of the Beat Generation revolutionized American literature with their iconoclastic approach to language and their angry assault on the conformity and conservatism of postwar society. They and their followers took aim at the hypocrisy and taboos of their time - particularly those involving sex, race, and class - in such provocative works as Jack Kerouac's On the Road (1957), Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" (1956), and William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959).
By: David Sterritt
-
Comparative Literature
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Ben Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
From colonial empire-building in the 19th century to the postcolonial culture wars of the 21st century, attempts at "comparison" have defined the international agenda of literature. But what is comparative literature? That is discussed in this audiobook....
By: Ben Hutchinson
-
Mary Shelley
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Charlotte Gordon
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
In 1816, when eighteen-year old Mary Godwin began writing Frankenstein, the idea that a woman could dream up such a tale was as far-fetched as raising a being from the dead. But Mary wasn't just any woman. The daughter of two notorious radicals, Mary had become an outcast from English society when she was only sixteen. A lifelong advocate for the rights of women, she refused to be governed by social conventions, running away with a married man, having children out of wedlock, and authoring books, stories, and essays that broke literary conventions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Mary Shelley....an incredible soul.
- By Prometheus Worley on 06-10-25
By: Charlotte Gordon
-
Topology
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Richard Earl
- Narrated by: Bruce Mann
- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Richard Earl gives a sense of the more visual elements of topology (looking at surfaces) as well as covering the formal definition of continuity. Considering some of the eye-opening examples that led mathematicians to recognize a need for studying topology, he pays homage to the historical people, problems, and surprises that have propelled the growth of this field.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
4 stars if u have the book to follow the drawings
- By suseco on 07-30-20
By: Richard Earl
-
Silent Film
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Donna Kornhaber
- Narrated by: Emily Beresford
- Length: 3 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 7
Encompassing the 35 year span between the initial development of film technology in the mid-1890s and the adoption of synchronized sound in the late 1920s, the cinema's silent era is both one of the most important epochs of film history and one of the most misunderstood within the popular imagination. In this brief, engaging account, these formative decades come vividly to life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Overview
- By Oliver on 01-08-25
By: Donna Kornhaber
-
Blasphemy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Yvonne Sherwood
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1
In a world where not everyone believes in God, "blasphemy" is surely a concept that has passed its use-by-date. And yet blasphemy (like God and religion) seems to be on the rise. In this Very Short Introduction Yvonne Sherwood asks why this should be the case, looking at factors such as the increased visibility of religious and racial minorities, new media, and engines of surveillance (which are far more omniscient than the old gods could ever be), and the legacies of colonial blasphemy laws.
By: Yvonne Sherwood
-
Ludwig van Beethoven
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Mark Evan Bonds
- Narrated by: Paul Heitsch
- Length: 4 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
Despite the ups and downs of his personal life and professional career—even in the face of deafness—Beethoven remained remarkably consistent in his most basic convictions about his art. This inner consistency, writes the music historian Mark Evan Bonds, provides the key to understanding the composer's life and works. Discarding tired myths about the composer, Bonds proposes a new way of listening to Beethoven by hearing his music as an expression of his entire self, not just his scowling self.
By: Mark Evan Bonds
-
Energy Systems
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Nick Jenkins
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
In this Very Short Introduction, Nick Jenkins explores our historic investment in the exploitation of fossil energy resources and their current importance, and discusses the implications of our increasing rate of energy use. He considers the widespread acceptance by scientists and policy makers that our energy systems must reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and looks forward to the radical changes in fuel technology that will be necessary to continue to provide energy supplies in a sustainable manner, and extend access across the developing world.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Extremely irritating voice distracting from the substance
- By Kindle Customer FB on 12-29-23
By: Nick Jenkins
-
Aerial Warfare
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Frank Ledwidge
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3
Aerial warfare has dominated war-making for over 100 years, and despite regular announcements of its demise, it shows no sign of becoming obsolete. In this Very Short Introduction, Frank Ledwidge offers a sweeping look at the history of aerial warfare, introducing the major battles, crises, and controversies where air power has taken center stage, and the changes in technology and air power capabilities over time.
By: Frank Ledwidge
-
Superstition
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Stuart Vyse
- Narrated by: Mike Carnes
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
Superstition: A Very Short Introduction explores the nature and history of superstition from antiquity to the present. For two millennia, superstition was a label derisively applied to foreign religions and unacceptable religious practices, and its primary purpose was used to separate groups and assert religious and social authority. After the Enlightenment, the superstition label was still used to define groups, but the new dividing line was between reason and unreason. Today, superstitious belief and behavior remain widespread, and highly educated people are not immune.
By: Stuart Vyse
-
The American Judicial System
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Charles L. Zelden
- Narrated by: Tristan Morris
- Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
Whatever the level of contact, the American judicial system affects peoples' lives. What courts and judges do matters. This book provides a very short, but complete introduction to the institutions and people, the rules and processes, that make up the American judicial system. This Very Short Introduction explains the "where," "when," and "who" of American courts. It also makes clear the "how" and "why" behind the law as it affects everyday people. It is, in a word, a starting place to understanding the third branch of American government at both the state and federal levels.
-
Plato
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Julia Annas
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
This lively and accessible introduction to Plato focuses on the philosophy and argument of his writings, drawing the listener into Plato's way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking. It looks at Plato as a thinker grappling with philosophical problems in a variety of ways, rather than a philosopher with a fully worked-out system. It includes a brief account of Plato's life and the various interpretations that have been drawn from the sparse remains of information.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Anti-woke reviews are dramatic
- By Chase White on 12-15-24
By: Julia Annas
-
Continental Philosophy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Simon Critchley
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
In this enlightening Very Short Introduction, Simon Critchley shows us that Continental philosophy encompasses a distinct set of philosophical traditions and practices, with a compelling range of problems all too often ignored by the analytic tradition. He discusses the ideas and approaches of philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Habermas, Foucault, and Derrida. He also introduces key concepts such as existentialism, nihilism, and phenomonology, by explaining their place in the Continental tradition.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
narrator and book 5 star
- By Wesley Bishop on 10-11-24
By: Simon Critchley
-
Fire
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Andrew C. Scott
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
Fire is rarely out of the headlines, from large natural wildfires raging across the Australian or Californian countrysides to the burning of buildings such as the disasters of Grenfell tower and Notre Dame. Fire on these scales can represent a serious risk to human life and property. But the advent of fire made and controlled by humans also represented a crucial point in our evolution, allowing us to cook our food, forge our weapons, and warm our homes.
By: Andrew C. Scott
-
Pakistan
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Pippa Virdee
- Narrated by: Shakira Shute
- Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
This Very Short Introduction looks at Pakistan as one of the two nation-states of the Indian subcontinent that emerged in 1947. Pippa Virdee reaches into the ancient past to demonstrate the influence of trajectories of human settlement and civilization on Pakistan's contemporary political arena, and shows how the longer continuities between the land and its peoples are as important as the short-term changes in the political landscape. She considers Pakistan's religion and society, the state and the military, everyday life, popular culture, languages and literature.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Very dry
- By T. Johnson on 08-19-24
By: Pippa Virdee
-
Philosophy of Science (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Samir Okasha
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 25
How much faith should we place in what scientists tell us? Is it possible for scientific knowledge to be fully "objective"? What, really, can be defined as science? In the second edition of this very short introduction, Samir Okasha explores the main themes and theories of contemporary philosophy of science and investigates fascinating, challenging questions such as these.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
VSI#67
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
By: Samir Okasha
-
Design
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: John Heskett
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2
John Heskett wants to transform the way we think about design by showing how integral it is to our daily lives, from the spoon we use to eat our breakfast cereal, and the car we drive to work in, to the medical equipment used to save lives. Design combines "need" and "desire" in the form of a practical object that can also reflect the user's identity and aspirations through its form and decoration. This concise guide to contemporary design goes beyond style and taste to look at how different cultures and individuals personalize objects.
By: John Heskett
-
Aristotle
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Jonathan Barnes
- Narrated by: Phil Holland
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
The influence of Aristotle, the prince of philosophers, on the intellectual history of the West is second to none. In this book, Jonathan Barnes examines Aristotle's scientific researches, his discoveries in logic and his metaphysical theories, his work in psychology and in ethics and politics, and his ideas about art and poetry, placing his teachings in their historical context.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book Moderate Storyteller
- By Brad on 08-23-24
By: Jonathan Barnes