The Story Behind
The Extraordinary History Behind Ordinary Objects
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
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Story Behind
Buy for $10.90
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Emily Prokop
-
By:
-
Emily Prokop
About this listen
Learn the fascinating history and trivia behind the everyday items we take for granted — from the host of the popular podcast The Story Behind, Emily Prokop!
Many of us learn about the major inventions that shape our world. But we too often overlook the objects we use every day. In The Story Behind, Emily Prokop, creator of the Webby Award nominated podcast, explores the who, how, and huh? of everything from Band-Aids to bubble gum; hypnosis to Hula Hoops; and lullabies to lead pipes. Along the way, she demonstrates how the major events of history - from wars, plagues and revolutions to historic achievements and discoveries - have influenced some of the world’s most pervasive inventions. From food, fashion and games to transit and modern technology, The Story Behind offers a closer look at the things closest to us.
©2018 Emily Prokop (P)2020 W F HowesListeners also enjoyed...
-
Interesting Facts for Curious Minds
- 1572 Random but Mind-Blowing Facts About History, Science, Pop Culture and Everything in Between
- By: Jordan Moore
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Interesting Facts For Curious Minds gives you the answer to all these and many, many more questions that I know have crossed your mind from time to time. This book is divided into 63 chapters by topic for your convenience, bringing you a nice mix of science, history, pop culture, and all sorts of stuff in between. Each chapter contains 25 concise yet engaging factoids that are sure to make you think and at times laugh.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very good
- By Cycleash on 12-28-22
By: Jordan Moore
-
Billion Dollar Whale
- By: Bradley Hope, Tom Wright
- Narrated by: Will Collyer
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,598
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,531
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,518
Now a number-one international best seller, Billion Dollar Whale is "an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale" (Publishers Weekly), revealing how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest heists in history. In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude—one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Couldn’t stop listening!
- By N Lane on 10-05-18
By: Bradley Hope, and others
-
Code Talker
- The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
- By: Chester Nez, Judith Schiess Avila
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 702
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 622
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 619
His name wasn’t Chester Nez. That was the English name he was assigned in kindergarten. And in boarding school at Fort Defiance, he was punished for speaking his native language, as the teachers sought to rid him of his culture and traditions. But discrimination didn’t stop Chester from answering the call to defend his country after Pearl Harbor, for the Navajo have always been warriors, and his upbringing on a New Mexico reservation gave him the strength to excel as a marine. This is the first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wrong narrator!
- By Kindle Customer on 06-26-20
By: Chester Nez, and others
-
Humble Pi
- When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World
- By: Matt Parker
- Narrated by: Matt Parker
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,164
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,838
Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire, and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the bizarre ways math trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating & enlightening even for da mathphobic✏️
- By C. White on 01-23-20
By: Matt Parker
-
The Ultimate Bathroom Reader
- Interesting Stories, Fun Facts and Just Crazy Weird Stuff to Keep You Entertained on the Crapper! (Perfect Gag Gift)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8
Who doesn’t love a bit of random trivia now and then? Or, for that matter, who doesn’t enjoy plucking some obscure tidbit of information from the back of their mind and dropping it into conversation? Get The Ultimate Bathroom Reader, your ultimate source of interesting facts about a wide range of diverse topics. This audiobook is truly a quick-listen packed with information from cover to cover. All of these facts, plus hundreds more, are listed here, in simple, bite-size chunks - with a few pop quizzes thrown in just to keep your brain ticking over.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
trivia you really didn't want to know
- By Anonymous User on 06-21-24
By: Bill O'Neill
-
The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
- Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I
- By: Douglas Brunt
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,236
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,236
September 29, 1913: the steamship Dresden is halfway between Belgium and England. On board is one of the most famous men in the world, Rudolf Diesel, whose new internal combustion engine is on the verge of revolutionizing global industry forever. But Diesel never arrives at his destination. He vanishes during the night and headlines around the world wonder if it was an accident, suicide, or murder.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just a girl and an audio book.
- By Lori Rhodes on 09-26-23
By: Douglas Brunt
-
Interesting Facts for Curious Minds
- 1572 Random but Mind-Blowing Facts About History, Science, Pop Culture and Everything in Between
- By: Jordan Moore
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Interesting Facts For Curious Minds gives you the answer to all these and many, many more questions that I know have crossed your mind from time to time. This book is divided into 63 chapters by topic for your convenience, bringing you a nice mix of science, history, pop culture, and all sorts of stuff in between. Each chapter contains 25 concise yet engaging factoids that are sure to make you think and at times laugh.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very good
- By Cycleash on 12-28-22
By: Jordan Moore
-
Billion Dollar Whale
- By: Bradley Hope, Tom Wright
- Narrated by: Will Collyer
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,598
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,531
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,518
Now a number-one international best seller, Billion Dollar Whale is "an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale" (Publishers Weekly), revealing how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest heists in history. In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude—one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Couldn’t stop listening!
- By N Lane on 10-05-18
By: Bradley Hope, and others
-
Code Talker
- The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
- By: Chester Nez, Judith Schiess Avila
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 702
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 622
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 619
His name wasn’t Chester Nez. That was the English name he was assigned in kindergarten. And in boarding school at Fort Defiance, he was punished for speaking his native language, as the teachers sought to rid him of his culture and traditions. But discrimination didn’t stop Chester from answering the call to defend his country after Pearl Harbor, for the Navajo have always been warriors, and his upbringing on a New Mexico reservation gave him the strength to excel as a marine. This is the first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wrong narrator!
- By Kindle Customer on 06-26-20
By: Chester Nez, and others
-
Humble Pi
- When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World
- By: Matt Parker
- Narrated by: Matt Parker
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,164
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,838
Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire, and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the bizarre ways math trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating & enlightening even for da mathphobic✏️
- By C. White on 01-23-20
By: Matt Parker
-
The Ultimate Bathroom Reader
- Interesting Stories, Fun Facts and Just Crazy Weird Stuff to Keep You Entertained on the Crapper! (Perfect Gag Gift)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8
Who doesn’t love a bit of random trivia now and then? Or, for that matter, who doesn’t enjoy plucking some obscure tidbit of information from the back of their mind and dropping it into conversation? Get The Ultimate Bathroom Reader, your ultimate source of interesting facts about a wide range of diverse topics. This audiobook is truly a quick-listen packed with information from cover to cover. All of these facts, plus hundreds more, are listed here, in simple, bite-size chunks - with a few pop quizzes thrown in just to keep your brain ticking over.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
trivia you really didn't want to know
- By Anonymous User on 06-21-24
By: Bill O'Neill
-
The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
- Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I
- By: Douglas Brunt
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,236
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,236
September 29, 1913: the steamship Dresden is halfway between Belgium and England. On board is one of the most famous men in the world, Rudolf Diesel, whose new internal combustion engine is on the verge of revolutionizing global industry forever. But Diesel never arrives at his destination. He vanishes during the night and headlines around the world wonder if it was an accident, suicide, or murder.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just a girl and an audio book.
- By Lori Rhodes on 09-26-23
By: Douglas Brunt
-
Killing Jesus
- A History
- By: Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: Bill O'Reilly
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,672
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,532
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,544
Millions of people have thrilled to best-selling authors Bill O'Reilly and historian Martin Dugard's Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, works of nonfiction that have changed the way we view history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly 2,000 years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2.2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Jesus story in context
- By Kimberly on 10-01-13
By: Bill O'Reilly, and others
-
Vanishing Fleece
- Adventures in American Wool
- By: Clara Parkes
- Narrated by: Clara Parkes
- Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 872
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 763
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 762
Join Clara Parkes on a cross-country adventure and meet a cast of characters that includes the shepherds, dyers, and countless workers without whom our knitting needles would be empty, our mills idle, and our feet woefully cold. Travel the country with her as she meets a flock of Saxon Merino sheep in upstate New York, tours a scouring plant in Texas, visits a steamy Maine dyehouse, helps sort freshly shorn wool on a working farm, and learns how wool fleece is measured, baled, shipped, and turned into skeins.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book.
- By Josemiguel Gomez on 03-02-20
By: Clara Parkes
-
America Again
- Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't
- By: Stephen Colbert
- Narrated by: Stephen Colbert, Tim Meadows, Jordin Ruderman
- Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,279
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,053
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2,030
Book store nation, in the history of mankind there has never been a greater country than America. You could say we're the number one nation at being the best at greatness. But as perfect as America is in every single way, America is broken! And we can't exchange it because we're 236 years past the 30-day return window. Look around - we don't make anything anymore, we've mortgaged our future to China, and the Apologist-in-Chief goes on world tours just to bow before foreign leaders.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not His Best, but Still Funny
- By Troy on 05-07-15
By: Stephen Colbert
-
Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,542
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,275
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,274
In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land, explaining how a dusty hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wild West wasn't won, why Americans say 'lootenant' and 'Toosday', how Americans were eating junk food long before the word itself was cooked up, as well as exposing the true origins of the G-string, the original $64,000 question, and Dr Kellogg of cornflakes fame.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Bryson Not Reading Makes For a Rare Fail
- By John on 02-28-14
By: Bill Bryson
-
The Reassembler
- By: James May
- Narrated by: James May
- Length: 2 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 115
From the humble garden lawnmower to the ear-splitting electric guitar, James May returns with a typically wacky account of what makes these great machines work, one piece at a time. Reassembly is merely a form of therapy; something that stimulates a part of my brain that is left wanting in my daily life. When I rebuild a bicycle, I reorder my head. So might you....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I just like hearing this audio book. play it a lot
- By PJC on 08-22-19
By: James May
-
Super Mario
- How Nintendo Conquered America
- By: Jeff Ryan
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,656
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,306
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,295
Nintendo has continually set the standard for video game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape. The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan shares the story of how this quintessentially Japanese company found success in the American market.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not Exciting
- By TM on 08-18-14
By: Jeff Ryan
-
Buyology
- Truth and Lies About Why We Buy
- By: Martin Lindstrom
- Narrated by: Don Leslie
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 755
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 460
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 457
Based on the single largest neuromarketing study ever conducted, Buyology reveals surprising truths about what attracts our attention and captures our dollars.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Very High Word to Idea Ratio
- By Pamela on 04-08-09
By: Martin Lindstrom
-
Brain Glue
- How Selling Becomes Much Easier by Making Your Ideas "Sticky"
- By: James I. Bond
- Narrated by: Jonny Unitus
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 30
If you are serious about boosting the selling power of your ads, emails, social media posts, and personal presentations, you need to get this revolutionary marketing audiobook. It reveals a secret so profound, it will change the way you market and sell forever.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I find 'Brain Glue' impressive and helpful
- By Robie P. on 02-21-23
By: James I. Bond
-
Dent's Modern Tribes
- The Secret Languages of Britain
- By: Susie Dent
- Narrated by: Susie Dent
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Learn how to decode the private languages that are swapped around us every day - amongst cabbies and paramedics, soap stars and comedians, cricketers and barristers - in Susie Dent's unique and witty guide to Britain's modern tribes. Did you know that a soldier's biggest social blunder is called 'jack brew' - making yourself a cuppa without making one for anyone else? That twitchers have an expression for a bird that can't be identified - LBJ (the letters stand for little brown job)?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved It!
- By Anonymous User on 06-02-20
By: Susie Dent
-
Pure Invention
- How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World
- By: Matt Alt
- Narrated by: Matt Alt
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 265
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 232
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 231
Japan is the forge of the world’s fantasies: karaoke and the Walkman, manga and anime, Pac-Man and Pokémon, online imageboards and emojis. But as Japan media veteran Matt Alt proves in this brilliant investigation, these novelties did more than entertain. They paved the way for our perplexing modern lives.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
great book ruined by ending
- By Grant Holder on 06-07-22
By: Matt Alt
-
What Women Want
- The Global Marketplace Turns Female Friendly
- By: Paco Underhill
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 37
Paco Underhill, the author of the hugely successful Why We Buy and Call of the Mall, reports on the growing importance of women in everybody’s marketplace - what makes a package, product, space, or service “female friendly”. Underhill offers a tour of the world’s marketplace - with shrewd observations and practical applications to help everybody adapt to the new realities.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Nice Try
- By rebecca armstrong on 03-08-19
By: Paco Underhill
-
The Alchemy of Us
- How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
- By: Ainissa Ramirez
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 445
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 366
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 364
In The Alchemy of Us, scientist and science writer Ainissa Ramirez examines eight inventions - clocks, steel rails, copper communication cables, photographic film, light bulbs, hard disks, scientific labware, and silicon chips - and reveals how they shaped the human experience. Ramirez tells the stories of the woman who sold time, the inventor who inspired Edison, and the hotheaded undertaker whose invention pointed the way to the computer.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Content, Horrible Narration
- By F. AHMAD on 05-01-21
By: Ainissa Ramirez
Critic reviews
"There's something so fascinating about looking into the history and stories behind the everyday, mundane, and ordinary. Emily's book will perfectly scratch the itch of curiosity you have for thing you see everyday!" (Patrick Foote)
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Tiny Blunders/Big Disasters
- Thirty-Nine Tiny Mistakes That Changed the World Forever
- By: Jared Knott
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 43
How often does a single tiny mistake cause an entire civilization to collapse? More often than you think! Listeners of Jared Knott’s book Tiny Blunders/Big Disasters will be amazed at the little things that changed history in a big way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very, very interesting facts
- By dexter on 11-02-21
By: Jared Knott
-
The Flip Side of History
- Strange News, Hard-to-Believe Headlines, and Other Curious Stories from History
- By: Steve Silverman
- Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
In this collection of true, quirky history, Steve Silverman provides fascinating tales to astonish and entertain. Covering a wide variety of topics, these stories that have been lost to history highlight the quirks, complexities, and curious nature of our species.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good stories
- By Tyler on 10-21-24
By: Steve Silverman
-
50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True
- By: Guy P. Harrison
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 139
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 119
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 118
Maybe you know someone who swears by the reliability of psychics or who is in regular contact with angels. Or perhaps you're trying to find a nice way of dissuading someone from wasting money on a homeopathy cure. How do you find a gently persuasive way of steering people away from unfounded beliefs, bogus cures, conspiracy theories, and the like? Longtime skeptic Guy P. Harrison shows you how in this down-to-earth, entertaining exploration of commonly held extraordinary claims.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Skepticism, so Dull & Condescending
- By Mr Conway on 03-11-13
By: Guy P. Harrison
-
Interesting Stories for Curious People
- A Collection of Fascinating Stories About History, Science, Pop Culture and Just About Anything Else You Can Think Of
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 49
Want to impress your buddies at the bar? Need to think of something interesting to do at the next family gathering? Want to learn a bunch of random facts about history, science, true crime, and the paranormal? Listen to Interesting Stories for Curious People, the ultimate guidebook for a plethora of interesting facts about a whole bunch of several different topics. A quick listen packed with information.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
no...not again...not for me
- By Still here...still on 09-23-20
By: Bill O'Neill
-
The Second Book of General Ignorance
- Everything You Think You Know Is (Still) Wrong
- By: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Just when you thought that it was safe to start showing off again, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson are back with another busload of mistakes and misunderstandings. Here is a new collection of simple, perfectly obvious questions you'll be quite certain you know the answers to. Whether it's history, science, sports, geography, literature, language, medicine, the classics, or common wisdom, you'll be astonished to discover that everything you thought you knew is still hopelessly wrong.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
It's all stuff from QI
- By Bonnie Kennedy on 04-07-21
By: John Lloyd, and others
-
The Forgotten 500
- By: Gregory A. Freeman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,878
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,414
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,419
Here is the astonishing, never-before-told story of the greatest rescue mission of World War II: when the OSS set out to recover more than 500 airmen trapped behind enemy lines. During a bombing campaign, hundreds of American airmen were shot down in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia. Local Serbian villagers risked their own lives to give refuge to the soldiers, and for months the airmen lived in hiding, waiting for rescue.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
an amazing tale
- By Ron on 10-28-07
-
Tiny Blunders/Big Disasters
- Thirty-Nine Tiny Mistakes That Changed the World Forever
- By: Jared Knott
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 43
How often does a single tiny mistake cause an entire civilization to collapse? More often than you think! Listeners of Jared Knott’s book Tiny Blunders/Big Disasters will be amazed at the little things that changed history in a big way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very, very interesting facts
- By dexter on 11-02-21
By: Jared Knott
-
The Flip Side of History
- Strange News, Hard-to-Believe Headlines, and Other Curious Stories from History
- By: Steve Silverman
- Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
In this collection of true, quirky history, Steve Silverman provides fascinating tales to astonish and entertain. Covering a wide variety of topics, these stories that have been lost to history highlight the quirks, complexities, and curious nature of our species.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good stories
- By Tyler on 10-21-24
By: Steve Silverman
-
50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True
- By: Guy P. Harrison
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 139
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 119
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 118
Maybe you know someone who swears by the reliability of psychics or who is in regular contact with angels. Or perhaps you're trying to find a nice way of dissuading someone from wasting money on a homeopathy cure. How do you find a gently persuasive way of steering people away from unfounded beliefs, bogus cures, conspiracy theories, and the like? Longtime skeptic Guy P. Harrison shows you how in this down-to-earth, entertaining exploration of commonly held extraordinary claims.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Skepticism, so Dull & Condescending
- By Mr Conway on 03-11-13
By: Guy P. Harrison
-
Interesting Stories for Curious People
- A Collection of Fascinating Stories About History, Science, Pop Culture and Just About Anything Else You Can Think Of
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Robin LaRose
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 49
Want to impress your buddies at the bar? Need to think of something interesting to do at the next family gathering? Want to learn a bunch of random facts about history, science, true crime, and the paranormal? Listen to Interesting Stories for Curious People, the ultimate guidebook for a plethora of interesting facts about a whole bunch of several different topics. A quick listen packed with information.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
no...not again...not for me
- By Still here...still on 09-23-20
By: Bill O'Neill
-
The Second Book of General Ignorance
- Everything You Think You Know Is (Still) Wrong
- By: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Just when you thought that it was safe to start showing off again, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson are back with another busload of mistakes and misunderstandings. Here is a new collection of simple, perfectly obvious questions you'll be quite certain you know the answers to. Whether it's history, science, sports, geography, literature, language, medicine, the classics, or common wisdom, you'll be astonished to discover that everything you thought you knew is still hopelessly wrong.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
It's all stuff from QI
- By Bonnie Kennedy on 04-07-21
By: John Lloyd, and others
-
The Forgotten 500
- By: Gregory A. Freeman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,878
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,414
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,419
Here is the astonishing, never-before-told story of the greatest rescue mission of World War II: when the OSS set out to recover more than 500 airmen trapped behind enemy lines. During a bombing campaign, hundreds of American airmen were shot down in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia. Local Serbian villagers risked their own lives to give refuge to the soldiers, and for months the airmen lived in hiding, waiting for rescue.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
an amazing tale
- By Ron on 10-28-07
-
Brain Boosting Facts for Curious Minds, A Trivia Book for Adults & Teens
- 1,522 Intriguing, Hilarious, and Amazing Facts About Science, History, Pop Culture & More!
- By: Daniel Kane
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 3
Unleash your inner Einstein with the most exhiliarating, laugh-out-loud trivia book ever written! Be catapulted on a whirlwind adventure through the zany, weird, and utterly fascinating realms of knowledge, as we take trivia to a whole new level of fun! Packed with 1,522 mind-blowing facts spanning science, history, pop culture, and more, this rip-roaring, side-splitting tome is perfect for trivia buffs and inquisitive minds of all stripes, comprising everything from the astonishing to the absurd, the hilarious to the hair-raising, and everything in between. "Brain-Boosting Facts for ...
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Redundancy
- By Kat on 11-07-24
By: Daniel Kane
-
What Einstein Didn't Know
- Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions
- By: Robert L. Wolke
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 209
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 186
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 185
How does soap know what's dirt? How do magnets work? Why do ice cubes crackle in your glass? And how can you keep them quiet? These are questions that torment us all. Now Robert L. Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, provides definitive - and amazingly simple - explanations for the mysteries of everyday life.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A funny thing happened on the way to a great book
- By Joseph on 10-01-12
By: Robert L. Wolke
-
A Million Years in a Day
- A Curious History of Everyday Life from the Stone Age to the Phone Age
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 90
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 83
Who invented beds? When did we start cleaning our teeth? How old are wine and beer? Which came first: the toilet seat or toilet paper? What was the first clock? Every day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our pillow at night, we all take part in rituals that are millennia old. Structured around one ordinary day, A Million Years in a Day reveals the astonishing origins and development of the daily practices we take for granted.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Super interesting!
- By Brandon on 07-07-16
By: Greg Jenner
-
A Grain of Salt
- The Science and Pseudoscience of What We Eat
- By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 21
Of all the dietary and nutritional claims pitched to us, what can we believe? How does cinnamon affect your health? How splendid is Splenda? Should you buy farmed, wild, or canned food? What's fishy about fish-oil supplements? Will a diet of Twinkies and M&M's lead to weight loss? Water from a tap or from a plastic bottle - which should you choose, and which is better for the environment? Should you carry your groceries home in plastic or brown paper? We all have questions, and Dr. Joe Schwarcz has the answers, some of which will astonish you.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent! Science-baced nutritional information.
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
-
Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old
- A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong
- By: Steven Petrow
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 134
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 114
Soon after his 50th birthday, Steven Petrow began assembling a list of "things I won't do when I get old" - mostly a catalog of all the things he thought his then 70-something-year-old parents were doing wrong. That list became the basis of this rousing collection of dos and don'ts, wills and won'ts that is equal parts hilarious, honest, and practical.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Poinient but Depressing
- By Dr Karen on 06-30-21
By: Steven Petrow
-
You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News
- Shocking but Utterly True Facts
- By: Cracked.com
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,204
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,098
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,094
You're going to wish you never got this audiobook. Some facts are too terrifying to teach in school. Unfortunately, Cracked.com is more than happy to fill you in. Think you're going to choose whether or not to buy this book? Scientists say your brain secretly makes all your decisions 10 seconds before you even know what they are.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Buenas fabulas de humor
- By Cynthia on 10-27-14
By: Cracked.com
-
The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 569
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 373
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 371
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant and Funny. What more could you want?
- By Septimus MacGhilleglas on 01-22-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
-
True Facts That Sound Like Bulls#*t: 500 Insane-but-True Facts That Will Shock and Impress Your Friends
- By: Shane Carley
- Narrated by: Chris Barton
- Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3
Prove your awesomeness - or bolster your stockpile of conversation starters! Either way, prove you’re the smartest schmuck in the room with over 500 absurdly real facts! With over 500 outrageous and real facts on everything from hippo sweat to stars in the galaxy, you're sure to impress your friends, stump your colleagues, and crush the trivia night competition! Discover insane-but-true factoids and prove you really do know it all! Test out the true or false questions covering the gamut of science, sports, history, pop culture, and a potpourri of others.
By: Shane Carley
-
Amazing Trivia and Fun Facts
- Cool stories and stuff you didn't know
- By: steve pease
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 1 hr and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1
I put together this book because; most people want to learn about things we don’t know. Even as a kid I loved to read about these things. The Book of world records has been one of my favorite reads. I will share with you many subjects to peak your interest in fun facts and useful information. We will cover The Earth. Geography History Food People Animals Plants Science Space Technology The Universe Weather Sports And a misc category for other stuff. You will be interested and you will learn as you read. As you read through the book, you will learn about many things you didn’t know. You ...
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Too American
- By Mike Carmel on 07-24-24
By: steve pease
-
Fact or Fiction
- Science Tackles 58 Popular Myths
- By: Scientific American
- Narrated by: Janet Metzger
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 153
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 134
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 134
Did NASA really spend millions creating a pen that would write in space? Is chocolate poisonous to dogs? Does stress cause gray hair? These questions are a sample of the urban lore investigated in this audiobook, Fact or Fiction: Science Tackles 58 Popular Myths. Drawing from Scientific American’s “Fact or Fiction” and “Strange But True” columns, we’ve selected 58 of the most surprising, fascinating, useful, and just plain wacky topics confronted by our writers over the years.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Fun!
- By J. L. Smith on 09-14-24
-
What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia
- By: Elizabeth Catte
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 155
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 137
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 137
What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia is a frank assessment of America's recent fascination with the people and problems of the region. The audiobook analyzes trends in contemporary writing on Appalachia, presents a brief history of Appalachia with an eye toward unpacking Appalachian stereotypes, and provides examples of writing, art, and policy created by Appalachians as opposed to for Appalachians. The audiobook offers a much-needed insider's perspective on the region.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Stop trying to make us fit into your ideology
- By Anonymous User on 03-08-19
By: Elizabeth Catte
-
Blood and Guts
- A History of Surgery
- By: Richard Hollingham
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 72
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 60
Today, astonishing surgical breakthroughs are making limb transplants, face transplants, and a host of other previously undreamed-of operations possible. But getting here has not been a simple story of medical progress. In Blood and Guts, veteran science writer Richard Hollingham weaves a compelling narrative from the key moments in surgical history. We have a ringside seat in the operating theater of University College Hospital in London as world-renowned Victorian surgeon Robert Liston performs a remarkable amputation in 30 seconds - from first cut to final stitch.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I love this book!
- By Kristin on 08-25-19
What listeners say about The Story Behind
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- celeste rickers
- 02-14-23
So fun!
I enjoyed the book very much! I only wish it was longer :-) thanks for the facts and trivia!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zach Brunson
- 07-12-21
Fun, Short, and Quirky Factoids
This is a collection of fun, short, and often quirky stories about the background and history of random aspects of everyday life: factoids for the inquisitive mind.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- John Cashman
- 11-07-20
Very good book
if you are interested in the origins and evolution of everyday things, you will love thisbook.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Dogs Land
- 03-25-24
One third of the book is repeated after initial description of subject under “TLDR” ..?
I had to look that up, so I must not be the target audience.
In first part of book she states that all she knew about inventions was that “white men invented them”. Perhaps a little history lesson about the massive contributions Asian, Arabic and African cultures made in the early history when white people were scratching out a life in Europe…
Glad it was free
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!