Marianne

The reading is abysmal! She ruined the audiobook.

Revisado: 03-13-25

Why, in the name of botany, would HighBridge Audio choose a narrator for a botanical reference whose pronunciation of scientific names and horticultural terms is so far off? She pronounced the ending of EVERY taxonomic family name incorrectly. Apparently, she has never taken a biology class, or is just so sure of her own reading skills that she didn't bother to look up terms. In addition, her inflections are so affected as to make the reading grating on the ears. I couldn't bring myself to finish the audiobook. I will instead read it in hardcopy. I think High Bridge did Amy Stewart a great disservice. The material in the book is very interesting and presented in a such a way as to make me appreciate the history of not only the drinks but also of the cultivation of the plants that go into them. The amount of research she undertook is amazing.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Interesting info, bit of a negative presentation

Revisado: 01-08-15

While the research that went into this book is impressive, I felt that the overarching message was somewhat of a downer. Everyone who lived through that era and was tuned into the music was aware of the prevalence of drugs and partner-swapping in that culture. That the book focused so heavily on those issues, along with the conflicts between band members, caused the narrative to drag on in places. I found myself anxiously awaiting more positive stories or anecdotes. Sadly, that did not come until near the end. I got the impression that Browne was fairly young in 1970. Perhaps not having experienced that time period as a young adult, he became more intrigued by the flaws in the characters than in the happier aspects of their lives and associations.

The narration could have been much more pleasing if done by a more dynamic reader. I felt that the material deserved a reader who is enthusiastic about rock music. Sean Runnette is a good reader of general history, but, in my opinion, this history needed the reader to be in tune with the genre. And the mispronunciations! I have listened to several books read by him and tolerated many of his mispronunciations of science terminology, but for him to mispronounce names of well-known people is inexcusable for a reader of his scope. Granted, Laura Nyro and Jorma Kaukonen were not "major" stars, but if he did not know for sure how to pronounce their names, he owes it to his listeners to look them up before reading the book.

Lest I have discouraged other listeners, let me say that I did enjoy the book and I am glad I bought it. I will probably listen to it again, in time. After you listen to the book, go listen to the music, and be reminded that a lot of incredible things came out of all that turmoil and conflict.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Compelling story; horrible narration!

Revisado: 10-24-11

Very well researched, this book fills in a lot of gaps, while tying together Byzantium's vast influences on early world powers. I have read and listened to several histories of the eras covered in this book, and found that this one pulls them into perspectives with each other very nicely. The most disappointing part is that the reading is truly awful! I have listened to many dozens of audio books and this narration rates high on the list of the worst. Possibly the reason some reviewers found the book dry is due to the narration, which is ponderous and halting at best, and screamingly annoying at worst. There are too many mispronunciations and sentences left hanging off a cliff. The reader does not even know how to read the possessive of a name ending in "s" - grammar school stuff. I feel cheated, in that the sample given on this site is the only cohesive reading the narrator gave in the entire performance. I would have enjoyed the book much more with a better reader.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

The best of both worlds

Revisado: 10-06-08

For someone who is passionate about basketball and jazz, the book was a great treat. Kareem has given us such a colorful, in-depth, history of the music. It was a surprise to learn how closely it is linked to the history of blacks in professional basketball. The only drawback to the audiobook is the reader; he seemed to be trying very hard to sound learned, but he came off sounding pretentious; and he made several unfortunate mispronunciations. But I refused to let that get in the way of my thorough enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend it if you are a jazz fan, or a basketball fan, or just want to listen to a very well written book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas