William L Eckman

MS Bloom has honored her mate as he wanted.

Revisado: 03-09-22

My father just passed after a long slow goodbye, his dementia defined his last two years. Mr Ameche, the hero and husband of the author chose his own way out. This type of first person eyewitness account is a daunting challenge for any writer but, Bloom has pulled it off. Read this book and ask yourself the inevitable question “Would I take the trip to Zurich to end life in my own terms?”

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Must reading

Revisado: 08-26-19

I just loved this book I’m sad to be finished. I like the content and the breezy writing style of MS Collins.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Idle tells his life story hilarity ensues.

Revisado: 01-09-19

The performance was expectedly great as often Idle was laughing as he read his book. Python was like The Beatles or Rolling Stones of comedy and apparently rock royalty even Elvis were huge fans of Python. These fans became Idle's friends the best part of the book is Idle's many stories of his friend George Harrison who by all accounts was a very special person and as Idle noted Harrison had a great sense of humor and despite his image as being quite instead he was a big talker. Idle's poignant retelling of Harrison and his wife's 15 minute running battle for their life with a disturbed knife wielding assaulter was particularly engaging.
Name dropping is a double edged sword. Idle spent so much of his life hanging out with many of the most well know celebrities of his generation that his retelling nearly became tedious almost fatuous. But, his self mocking about his name dropping saved the book. This is light reading that has as much humor as one would expect from a member of one of the best comedy acts of the baby boom generation.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

Zimmer is one of the best popular science writers.

Revisado: 01-08-19

Most scientists suffer from what is known as the curse of knowledge a cognitive bias that occurs when an individual, communicating with other individuals, unknowingly assumes that the others have the background to understand. Zimmer isn't a scientist instead he's an exemplary story teller. He's crafted this abstruse subject matter into a narrative more akin to a story. This is my first book of his that I've read and it won't be my last.
I think one of the biggest challenges for a sweeping story like this for the author is their conclusion or summarization. But in the final chapter Zimmer adroitly pulled the story of heredity in particular and genetics more broadly into a cautionary tale with cause for optimism as well as worry. This is a very good book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A great thinker. As good as his first book Sapiens

Revisado: 02-13-18

A path appears which seems filled with promise and rapid transformation. Excellent work. His other book Sapiens is equally informative.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

If I wanted a polemic I'd have looked for one.

Revisado: 01-23-18

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The level of intellect is unassailable in the good prof coupled with a style which when on point is witty and edifying. When off point the lecture comes across as settling scores from the easily discerned viewpoint of the prof vs the hordes of barbarians who shook academia from its slumber beginning in the early 70's. Their sins? 'What about women, slaves, Inca, Iroquois, Confucius?" oft heard response- "How dare you slam Homer, Plato and Western Civilisation!" "No, we said in addition to them we add to the cannon" NOOOOOO.

What was most disappointing about The Great Courses’s story?

Aren't we all sick and tired of the Reagan era battles in academia whereby two sides filled with absolutists clashed? PC War I--is over.
ugh, not this again. The nadir of the lectures? From the Prof "The Rennaisance didn't give us a philosopher"?"

What does Professor Daniel N. Robinson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've said too much.

Did The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition inspire you to do anything?

Revisit the great Goethe and his famous quote regarding Voltaire.

Any additional comments?

I'd love to see the professor debate as he is a brilliant person who I'd enjoy watching him parry with others of a similar intellectual heft. Steven Greenblatt comes to mind. Swerve by SG is a great read FWIW>

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Voltaire challenges all professors, Kors does well

Revisado: 12-29-17

What made the experience of listening to Voltaire and the Triumph of the Enlightenment the most enjoyable?

The passion of the professor.

What other book might you compare Voltaire and the Triumph of the Enlightenment to and why?

Anthony Padgen The Enlightenment and Why it Still Matters

Have you listened to any of Professor Alan Charles Kors’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. But, I know his politics are different than mine but, he skillfully kept his libertarian/conservatism from the lectures.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The parade in France for Voltaire near the end of his life.

Any additional comments?

Does history offer an intellectual peer for Voltaire? His prodigious writing was not something I was aware of before these lectures. 8 million words boggles the mind.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Wenner is a pretentious star F*****

Revisado: 12-29-17

Would you try another book from Joe Hagan and/or Dennis Boutsikaris?

Yes

What was most disappointing about Joe Hagan’s story?

His filling page after page with "bold type" names then describing their sexual peccadillos or other gossipy tangential tidbits "trust fund" "addict"

Which scene was your favorite?

Bill Graham

Did Sticky Fingers inspire you to do anything?

Not purchase Rolling Stone magazine.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

A journey for the listener worth the ride.

Revisado: 06-05-16

What did you love best about The Big Picture?

The content and the author's humor and reading.

What did you like best about this story?

Science made approachable.

What about Sean Carroll’s performance did you like?

His Humor.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed this reminded me of Carl Sagan and that is mighty high praise.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Sedaris at the top of his gaem.

Revisado: 09-01-08

If this was read by anyone other than the author it would not have had the laughs. Sedaris ads the right tone to the stories. I hope weird things keep happening around Sedaris so I can benefit from the skill in which he relates the stories.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona