A. Pico

Choose the one narrated by Jodie Foster

Revisado: 03-14-25

Laurel Lefkow’s narration was intolerable. Switched to Jodie Foster’s halfway through and it so much more enjoyable. Can focus on the story more and gotta love Jodie’s performance!

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unbearable reading

Revisado: 05-04-11

I listen to >20 books a year and am not that picky about the narrator in general. But this reading was unbearable. Sounded like an amateur. Tried to do voices per character, but was so inconsistent it just added confusion. I quit before the first chapter was done and I really wanted to "read" this title. Will by the paperback.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Instant Disappointment

Revisado: 02-10-07

As mentioned in other reviews, the Pimsleur introduction to Japanese is really excellent, especially for your first attempt at the language.
I tried this "Instant Immersion" next and was very disappointed. Not only is the format bad, but the content is... curious. They immediately blurt out a 10+ syllable phrase, repeat once, then give you the english translation once, then they are off to the next phrase. And the phrases are harldy practical. Here are the first few: "behind the elevator", "relax, don't hold back", "delicious", "I want to go shopping", "take off your shoes", "are you married?" Is it just me, or do these seem a little wrong?

I give it one star because I suppose the content might be practical if you were going to Japan to be a hooker!

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esto le resultó útil a 56 personas

Solid journalism of infinite relevance

Revisado: 12-22-06

Pollan is a botanist and a journalist, but this particular piece of work is so much more than the sum of those parts. Unlike "Botany of Desire" (which is also great!), this work covers ground that is infinitely relevant: from every meal you eat to vegetarianism to international agricultural politics to the current energy crisis. And in every case he does not beat you over the head with his views or any common dogma (pro or against; left or right). Instead, like a good journalist, he reports on what is going on. He highlights the facts that are otherwise obscured and leaves it to you to decide if they are better left obscured or if you want to know more. He does not play any blame games or righteousness kicks. He tells you how it is and presents the full complexity of ideas and feelings that we have when facing the truth about what we eat everyday tracing it all the back to how, where and why it came to be.

This book will change your life, but it won't dictate which way it should change. You just can't walk away from all the information without gaining some new insight into how you live.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

A

Revisado: 12-22-06

If you live on Earth, you should probably read this. A detailed accounting of the state of the life on this planet. Wilson's broad and specialized knowledge makes this a unique piece of work that no one else could have put together. He doesn't beat you over the head with guilt, but rather tells you how it is, how it got that way and where it's headed. And, of course, "it" refers to life on this planet. So, again, if you included in that category you really should take the time to learn a bit more about your world.

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

good cyberpunk noir

Revisado: 12-22-06

This first book follows in the tradition of early William Gibson (Neuromancer) and the line of cyberpunk fiction. Good stuff! And the reading is excellent with quality voice acting performed by Todd McLaren. Todd may actually even make the words better than they'd read on a page! I just downloaded the sequels to complete the trilogy. Hopefully they hold up.

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chalkboard not included

Revisado: 12-22-06

While it may be inspiring to hear the man's voice. The content is difficult to follow without figures. If you're listening at home with pad and pen and have a mathematics or physics background it is easy enough to follow along with your own scribblings (equations, diagrams, etc) as he describes them. Otherwise, if you listening while driving (like I was) you only get the gist and miss out on the details where, of course, most of the beauty lies.

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esto le resultó útil a 10 personas

...for the second time

Revisado: 12-22-06

I guess I didn't read the description carefully on this selection. This is just snipets of text from his other works in which characters "first meet." Sound dull and unimaginative? Well, that's exactly what it is!

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

un

Revisado: 12-22-06

On rare occasion an author can accurately and insightfully speak from the perspective of the other gender. This is not one.

The main character is an early-mid twenties male, living with a girlfriend. The author doesn't even get close to estimating his internal dialog and emotional states.

Particularly bad are the parts where he is waiting for his girlfriend to take a pregnancy test and where he is reflecting on his relationship with his divorced parents. Both of which I have had some experience with :)

Caveat: these scenes are at the begining of the novel. I did not read on. Who knows... maybe it get's better?

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