Tanya

Needs to be read

Revisado: 05-09-21

The narrator is clear, but needs to slow down about %10, maybe %20. I had to slow the playback to .9. In addition, the material isn’t covered well in the accompanying PDF.

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Good read

Revisado: 12-31-20

I am left still feeling ambivalent and with nuanced emotions. How are you supposed to honor the memory a conqueror with justification?
Alexander, Caesar, Joseph Stalin, a Japanese emperor, etc. It feels like the author wants the reader to understand that in some way Genghis Khan the conqueror was in some way a hero. You can take my comment any way you want to, I’m just thinking aloud.
I also wonder why I’ve seen documentaries matter of factly state that Genghis Khan had perhaps more children born from more women than any man in history - to the effect that 1 in 10 people today can trace their lineage to him. He was warned by shamans to abstain but hardheadedly ignored until his death. As perhaps untrue as these accounts may or may not have been, why did the author not mention that and address it with more accurate information?

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I wanted more

Revisado: 10-22-20

I wanted to hear more about the losses and struggles and victories of personal relationships. Didn’t he say he had a daughter, but never mentioned her again? What happened to his father? I felt the book was missing a broader focus about other people who were closest to him aside from his comrades. Maybe I spaced and didn’t catch certain parts of the book as I was often driving or exercising while listening.

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Read it to the end

Revisado: 03-05-18

I finally finished this book and my opinion has changed slightly. The narration was too dull, but the story gets good once we come to the 20th century. I didn’t agree with his conclusion in the final chapter. I recommend the book only to orthodox western economist types, not to heterodox economists. For this reason I took away the fifth star and demoted him to four stars.

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Consider this Vol. II to Stanley Karnow’s “Vietnam, a History”

Revisado: 12-26-17

If you’re interested in this topic, you really need to read the original epic masterpiece, “Vietnam, a History” by Stanley Karnow first, before you read this. And then watch the original PBS 13 part documentary, “Vietnam, a Television History”, which Karnow made to accompany the book. Both were done in the early 80s and they set the groundwork for this series. They have been shown in classrooms and assigned reading to students for decades.
Having finished this book, I appreciated the more updated view and new interviews. Bảo Ninh, Nguyễn Thanh Việt, some other guys, all of its useful. I wish they could have interviewed one American POW named Robert Garwood, who is still alive, who stayed in Vietnam until 1979- but he seems not to have wanted have participated with Burns on this project.
We seem to have forgotten everything we learned from our mistakes of the Cold War. We’re never going to get out of the Middle East. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes:)

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Can’t put it down

Revisado: 12-11-17

I loved this book just as much as Tyson’s first book. It gets a little dry in some places going into the details of Cus’s problems in the 50s-60s, but that’s when you get so impressed with Tyson’s abilities as a researcher, historian, writer and storyteller.
I finish the book wondering why In the hell fate can be so cruel. If Only Cus had loved to see his boy make it. But, I think Cus knew it was going to happen. Cus loved Mike as his son even if he didn’t make it.

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Can’t put it down

Revisado: 11-09-17

Truth is more entertaining than fiction, which is why I like Tyson’s story. I laughed and cried many times during this story. An unbelievable life.

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It’s good but very deep

Revisado: 10-20-17

It’s not an easy book to understand fully without some maturity and maybe a graduate degree of some sort. I’m left with many questions for the author who is unfortunately passed on.

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Very sobering narrator

Revisado: 10-19-17

When I first pressed play and began listening to this audio book, it was like listening to a judge sentencing a man to life in prison. I hit rock bottom but after he breaks you down, he slowly builds you back up again about halfway through the book. Hopefully no one will ever have to go through half of what possible scenarios the author prepares you for.

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Worth the time to read or listen to

Revisado: 11-17-16

Of course I like the description of the fight most of all, but overall a good book. It helps people who don't remember the way George Foreman and Muhammad Ali actually used to be thought of before they got old. Before Foreman became a nice guy who sold grills, and before Ali became famous for his philanthropy and valiant battle with Parkinson's syndrome.

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