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Marie

Forest Hills, NY, United States | Member Since 2015

168
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 30 reviews
  • 137 ratings
  • 252 titles in library
  • 7 purchased in 2015
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FOLLOWERS
4

  • The Botany of Desire

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Michael Pollan
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1574)
    Performance
    (838)
    Story
    (842)

    Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers' genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship.

    Teddy says: "If you have an open mind... Give it a listen"
    "Scrumptious"
    Overall

    This book has everything you can wish for. It has love, beautiful sex, philosophy, anthropology, poetry, history, mythology, science, and art. It is about pleasure. It serves both the senses and the mind. It makes you laugh, smile, sigh... in delight at every page. And Scott Brick's reading serves Pollan's glorious imagery to perfection.

    0 of 4 people found this review helpful
  • Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Daniel Goleman
    • Narrated By Daniel Goleman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (180)
    Performance
    (150)
    Story
    (149)

    Combining cutting-edge research with practical findings, Focus delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long overdue discussion of this little-noticed and under-rated mental asset. In an era of unstoppable distractions, Goleman persuasively argues that now more than ever we must learn to sharpen focus if we are to survive in a complex world.

    Daniel says: "Don't let the authors narrate their own books!"
    "Déjà vu all over again"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    For many years I have been a big fan of Daniel Goldman. I read all his books on SI and EI. I have taken them home and to work, trying to apply them to the best of my capacity.

    I saw him live on stage in New York and at Omega. I even heard him talk about "Focus" before its release. So I was very eager to read the book.

    But half way through the book, I still had not really encountered anything new. There is some kind of a teaser at the beginning, but why does he need to rehash what he has already written in other books and articles, many times before? I am sure that with a bit a perseverance, I would have reached the chore of "Focus", the new stuff. But I thought that it was disingenuous to spend so many pages on what had already been the topics of other books. What it tells me is that book, Focus, could have been a lot shorter. Maybe just enough for an article. I was angry enough to give up before I got to what I wanted to learn about Focus.

    So if you've never read anything else by Goldman, this book will be a great discovery. But if you have, I suggest that you find the print copy in a library and only read the pages you have never read before in other of his publications. Not worth buying the whole book.





    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Art Forger

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs)
    • By B. A. Shapiro
    • Narrated By Xe Sands
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1095)
    Performance
    (955)
    Story
    (957)

    Making a living reproducing famous artworks for a popular online retailer and desperate to improve her situation, Claire is lured into a Faustian bargain with Aiden Markel, a powerful gallery owner. She agrees to forge a painting - a Degas masterpiece stolen from the Gardner Museum - in exchange for a one-woman show in his renowned gallery. But when that very same long-missing Degas painting is delivered to Claire's studio, she begins to suspect that it may itself be a forgery. Her desperate search for the truth leads Claire into a labyrinth of deceit where secrets hidden since the late 19th century may be the only evidence that can now save her life.

    Cynthia says: "The Art Forger"
    "So predictable"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This book seems to have been written by a software in which someone put in all the ingredients of what makes a good story. It is so mechanical and predictable, with no literary value what so ever. I love language. That was the wrong book for me.
    So why did I pick it. Because I am an art educator/historian, the title was attractive, and I had read a good review on NPR. I didn't care about what happen to any of these characters who had no depth and less consistency than the figures in the painting. This read like the script of a mediocre movie.

    The only part that really interested me, and that I would have enjoyed without all the cheesy fiction and pseudo art thoughts that surrounded it, is the accurate description of painting techniques, and to a degree, what it takes to make a fake.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • How the Irish Saved Civilization

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs)
    • By Thomas Cahill
    • Narrated By Donal Donnelly
    Overall
    (384)
    Performance
    (135)
    Story
    (129)

    Thanks to Thomas Cahill, the pivotal era called the "dark ages" is brought back to vibrant life, its personages portrayed in all their seemingly contemporary humanity, its issues simply and compellingly spelled out. How the Irish Saved Civilization will change forever the way we look at our past, and ourselves.

    P says: "Fascinating book"
    "Dragging"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I gave up. The Romans got to me. Everything you read, or will read, on the Roman Chapters is true. Bring us the Irish for crying out loud. The Roman section could have been summarized. It in deed necessary to establish the fall the Empire and the role of the Irish, but the author is clearly indulging himself with little consideration for his readers.
    The slow pace of the reading doesn't help. I had it on fast speed (x 2) and still I dozed off a few times.
    I may take it up again if I find where the Irish enter the stage.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass

    • ABRIDGED (2 hrs and 30 mins)
    • By Lewis Carroll
    • Narrated By Alan Bennett
    Overall
    (13)
    Performance
    (7)
    Story
    (7)

    Young Alice leads an ordinary sort of life until, one day, she follows a rabbit down a hole and embarks on a series of adventures with some of the most weird and wonderful characters anyone has ever encountered! She soon discovers that nothing is ordinary in Wonderland, least of all the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, the Duchess, and the Mock Turtle.

    Marie says: "Disappointed"
    "Disappointed"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Granted I didn't grow in an English speaking country, it may be just a cultural thing. I had never read Alice in Wonderland. Decided to do so because my work required it.
    I was bored. I didn't find the humor (I assume it IS humor) in the least entertaining. The lengthy repetitive scenes tired me to no end. There might be some deeper meaning to it, but I have read children and adult fantasy tales more apt at conveying depth. The Little Prince being one of them. But then again, it might be a cultural bias. And yet I love English and American gothic lit. Somehow, Alice didn't do it for me.

    With that said, the performance was excellent. I loved more particularly the rendition of the rabbit. And anyone who likes Alice, will probably enjoy this version.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Emotional Intelligence

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 36 mins)
    • By Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.
    • Narrated By Barrett Whitener
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1073)
    Performance
    (461)
    Story
    (462)

    Is IQ destiny? Not nearly as much as we think. This fascinating and persuasive program argues that our view of human intelligence is far too narrow, ignoring a crucial range of abilities - emotional intelligence - that matter immensely in terms of how we do in life.

    Stephanie says: "Good info, hard to listen sometimes"
    "A text book on how to be human"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This book has been around for long enough. I probably won't say anything new about it.

    It draws the map of what makes us who we are, and suggests how to be our best. It should be taught in elementary school (Okay, slightly simplified) and be required reading by HS. It can be poignant, painful even when you stumble on those "aha" moments, discovering why you do what you do (and are not so proud of). But it is neither moralistic nor does it indulge your flaws. It just describes the complex bundle that we humans are, with both scientific accuracy and compassion. If all the people in a position of power read it, the world would be a much better place. To read this book is to learn how to read yourself.

    I gave only four stars for the performance because although Barrett Whitener does a decent job of reading, he is a little cold and it took me a while to get used to his nasal voice. I would have preferred this book to be read by Daniel Goleman himself, who is heard in the Preface and the Epilogue.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Pillars of the Earth

    • UNABRIDGED (40 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (14093)
    Performance
    (6328)
    Story
    (6370)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: Got 40 hours to kill? You’ll find the time when you start listening to Lee’s take on Follett’s epic – and widely celebrated – novel of 12th-century England. The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...and of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame....

    CynNC says: "Captivating"
    "Couldn't put it down"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I really don't have anything original to say about this book. There is a lot for every taste. For those interested in medieval daily life, sociology, history, medieval Church history, art (and particularly architecture), maddening suspense, romance, battle scenes, love scenes, family scenes... and everything in between, that is the perfect book. It seamlessly meshes all those elements and more in a saga full of turns, and rebounds, surprises, frustrations, heart breaking disappointments, glee, exultation, and leaves you wanting for more. One Sunday I listened 8 continuous hours. I totally lost track of time.
    My only reservation, which won't lower my "grade", has to do with the Manichean view of that society. The villains are pure evil. And the good guys and gals are basically spotless (or their flaws would only qualify as such in a medieval society, but not from our 21st Century point of view, e.g "the Witch" character).
    John Lee does a wonderful job of carrying the story without excessive voice effects.
    I highly recommend this book.

    1 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Hal Herzog
    • Narrated By Mel Foster
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (150)
    Performance
    (104)
    Story
    (104)

    Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat is a highly entertaining and illuminating journey through the full spectrum of human-animal relations, based on Herzog's groundbreaking research on animal rights activists, cockfighters, professional dog show handlers, veterinary students, and biomedical researchers. Blending anthropology, history, brain science, behavioral economics, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy, Herzog carefully crafts a seamless narrative.

    Fara says: "Thorough and beautifully written"
    "No more chicken..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Before I read this book I was appalled by cock fighting and thought little about eating chicken, although I wouldn't each mammal meat.
    Since I read that book, I have looked at cockfighting as an insignificant infraction to the law, and cannot look at packaged drumsticks without thinking "torture". It took me three months to finally eat some chicken after I "put the book down". And I made sure that the bird was organic and free-range. And I may not even do it again in a while. In that regard, it reminded me of the chapter on Potatoes in Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire. I never looked at a potato in the same way again, and certainly have never knowingly eaten a Russet Burbank ever since.

    There are many other interesting things about animals in Herzog's book. Not the cutesy type of things. He is pretty down to earth, scientific, and factual. He destroys many preconceptions and forces us to face our cultural biases vis a vis certain creatures, mainly some that are good to pet and cuddle with in our culture might be good to eat in another. I actually recommended the book to some anti-Obama campaigners who vilified him for eating dog meat in Indonesia when he was 10 years old... A little knowledge of cultural tastes in food goes a long way, even in politics. And Herzog is a good source.

    An enjoyable, entertaining read, that I would definitely recommend.

    5 of 6 people found this review helpful
  • The Swerve: How the World Became Modern

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 44 mins)
    • By Stephen Greenblatt
    • Narrated By Edoardo Ballerini
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1184)
    Performance
    (1025)
    Story
    (1018)

    Nearly six hundred years ago, a short, genial, cannily alert man in his late 30s took a very old manuscript off a library shelf, saw with excitement what he had discovered, and ordered that it be copied. That book was the last surviving manuscript of an ancient Roman philosophical epic by Lucretius—a beautiful poem containing the most dangerous ideas: that the universe functioned without the aid of gods, that religious fear was damaging to human life, and that matter was made up of very small particles.

    Ethan M. says: "Very compelling history, a less compelling thesis"
    "Too many swerves"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Truth be told, I have not quite finished the book, I have read about 3/4 of it, and I am running a bit out of steam. Unless the author is.

    The Swerve is amazing in some regards, but it is also problematic, at least for me.
    First let me say that the narrator is perfect. In addition to having a beautiful enunciation and pace, he obviously knows Italian, convincingly integrating all these Italian names in the English text. (I am French, and too often cringe at the French pronunciation of some otherwise excellent narrators).

    The rationale for the book, the history of the discovery and rediscovery of the ground breaking On The Nature of Things, written c. 50 b.c.e by Roman philosopher Lucretius, is fascinating. My jaw dropped when The Swerve first revealed what was in that ancient poem of which I knew nothing. (I won't spoil it for you if you haven't read it yet.)

    The historical and sociological backgrounds are fascinating. I have a passion for the history of books as objects, and that was honey to my ears. You will learn a huge amount about bookmaking, the scribal profession, the importance of lettering, as well as the role of Christianity and the Church on culture, knowledge, science, taste, sex, love, pleasure, pain... in brief, on Western human LIFE. You'll learn how all of the above is connected to books, libraries, collections... and politics, wars, papacy, schisms, heresy.... and then some.

    And this is where, in my view, the Swerve puts you on info overload. Don't get me wrong. It is ALL interesting. And I want to hear it all. But maybe not in one single book, the premise of which was to tell me the story of an ancient manuscript. The background too often takes center stage, and feels like a massive digression. He could almost have written one book with each of those digressions into the societal history of the time.

    Another problem with the Swerve, which is related to the volume of information it contains, is the time lime. Until the narration settles on the life of the genial Poggio Bracciolini in 15th century Italy, the first 1/4 of the narration repeatedly shifts between Antiquity, Middle Ages, and Renaissance, making the sequence of events rather confusing.

    I am at the point in the story when Poggio has died, and I find myself loosing interest in the narrative. The author had succeeded in making Poggio so real, that I felt I was reading a novel. Without Poggio, I find the Swerve to sound a bit more like a history textbook. Maybe I am only suffering from "Poggio withdrawal". I will finish it. Maybe it will pick up steam in a while.

    Overall, I highly recommend the Swerve. It is very well written. It does not feel like a theses. The language is elegant and accessible. What you'll learn about The Nature of Things alone is worth the read.

    46 of 48 people found this review helpful
  • Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama

    • ABRIDGED (5 hrs and 14 mins)
    • By Daniel Goleman, the Dalai Lama
    • Narrated By Ed Levin
    Overall
    (221)
    Performance
    (64)
    Story
    (64)

    Buddhist philosophy tells us that all personal unhappiness and interpersonal conflict lie in the "three poisons": craving, anger, and delusion. With new high-tech devices, scientists can peer inside the brain centers that calm the inner storms of rage and fear. They also can demonstrate that awareness-training strategies such as meditation strengthen emotional stability - and greatly enhance our positive moods.

    Shannon says: "Right Brain/ Left Brain"
    "A bit dry but..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Yes, I would agree with the readers who found this book a bit dry. Both the format and the content read like the transcript of a symposium. The narrator has a blank tone to match the format. And indeed this book is basically the transcript of a five day symposium. But the readers who enjoyed Daniel Goleman's Social Intelligence, and Emotional Intelligence, and presumably the Dalai Lama's books (none of which I have read yet) will no doubt enjoy this read. I found the parallel between modern neuroscience and Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama's approach to science absolutely fascinating. It is not a how-to book. It doesn't offer practice, exercises, and self help strategies. It is a polyphonic dialogue between high level scientists and devout Buddhists. It is very respectful, enriching, and highly civilized. If the world listened to this group of people, both scientists and monks, it would be a much better place.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Tao Te Ching: A New English Version

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 43 mins)
    • By Lao Tzu, Stephen Mitchell
    • Narrated By Stephen Mitchell
    Overall
    (409)
    Performance
    (308)
    Story
    (307)

    In 81 brief chapters, Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, as well as a serene and generous spirit. It teaches us how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao: the basic principle of the universe.

    Amazon Customer says: "Relaxing Listen"
    "Infuriating "punch line""
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I loved every aspect of this book. The translation, granted I know no other, was in clear and modern English that allowed me to fully appreciate the content in all its subtleties. Stephen Michell's soft tone of voice and the slow pace of his reading gently lead me through the meanders of Lao Tzu's thoughts.
    As I heard the gentle voice say "by not dominating, the master leads", I was sinking deeper into a comfortable meditative mode. When suddenly, that Jack sprung out of her box: "Hello, this is Cherry Jones... bla bla bla". What possessed the producers of that book to kill it with that obnoxious ad at the end, which jumps into the listener's ears without a iota of a pause or a transition to isolate it from the reading of the Tao? That is how I learned that the reading of the Tao was over. With Ms Jones yelling in my ears.
    That explains my one star for "Overall." There should be a grading for production quality.

    24 of 28 people found this review helpful

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