OYENTE

Michael Scharf

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  • 3
  • votos útiles
  • 29
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A Compendium of Greed and Evil

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 08-10-24

It never ceases to amaze me how the Mafia is still held in such high regard by people in this country. Mobsters, from street toughs to the Godfathers are looked at as charming rogues, rough Robin Hoods, who are to be admired for their lifestyle. This book makes it very clear that they're not celebrities, they're thieves who steal from every single American. If you knew how much they cost you, YES, YOU, you'd be demanding that someone put every single one of them in jail. It's always of vital importance to know your enemies, and these mafiosos are indeed your enemies. This book will help you understand how La Cosa Nostra got started and how pathetic law enforcement's attempts at controlling it have been. Most "true crime" book extoll law enforcement and government officials who fight crime, but this one makes no bones about how idiotic and willfully obtuse those agencies, especially the FBI, were/are. This book is a fascinating accounting of mob history and is guaranteed to make you see the Mafia in a whole new light.

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Great for WWII Buffs & Students of Law History

Total
4 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
4 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 08-10-24

The vast majority of people have no idea how important the Nuremberg trial was, not just because it brought truly evil people to justice, but because it set the precedence of modern international law and showed how global judgements should be handled. This book chronicles that historic trial in great detail, sometimes too much so. It's like having a really nice, thick streak with just a bit too much fat around it. You'll get a great meal, but you need to cut your way through the extraneous stuff, This isn't a book for a novice history learners. Without in-depth knowledge of the totality of WWII and the political situations before, during, and after, this book won't have enough context to be truly impactful, Students of law history will probably find it the most meaningful and insightful. The minutia of how this trial was organized and carried out will be of great interest to those seeking to understand the maturation of the global legal system.

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How History Should Be Taught

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 08-10-24

If every student had a teacher like Cody Cassidy history would be the most popular class in school.
"I know I have a broken leg, Mom, but I don't wanna stay home from school! Mr. Cassidy is gonna teach us how not to become a cannibal's dinner!"
I love history with a passion, but I'll be the first to admit that it can be a bit boring if not handled the right way. Mr. Cassidy knows exactly how to bring the past alive while presenting detailed, factual recountings of what happened and why, His writing style is droll, but never condescending. His device of presenting history from the perspective of a time traveler lets people lower their guard about learning history by having them imagine themselves in whatever historical moment is happening. Rather than the dull, aloof perspective of someone reading an old, boring account of what others experienced, the reader can place themselves in harrowing moments such as standing side by side with the pirate Blackbeard as a prey ship is taken or battling fiercely to stop Rome from being overrun by barbarians. Mr. Dennis Boutsikaris is the perfect narrator for this gem of a book. His voice, pace, and ability to project the author's humor are excellent.

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Should be Interesting, but It Isn't

Total
2 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
2 out of 5 stars
Historia
3 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 07-09-24

Dozens and dozens of individual tragedies somehow rendered boring and unemotional. Books in this genre should educate people about the perils which surround us and give readers the tools to alter their behaviors or to be situationally aware so that they or their loved ones will not become chapters in someone else's book. Sadly, this recounting of deaths in one of the most majestic national parks in America doesn't serve any point at all.

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An Utterly Wasted Opportunity

Total
1 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
1 out of 5 stars
Historia
1 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 07-09-24

Zombie stories = Exciting
WWII stories = Exciting
Alternate History stories = Exciting

So all three of those genres rolled into one novel should be pure awesomeness, right?
WRONG.
This book manages to be boring, repetitive, and pedantic. It reads like a high school history textbook with no actual characters and zero drama or scares. Adding insult to injury is a painfully inappropriate computer generated voice which sounds like a cheerful kindergarten teacher. Don't waste your time with this one.

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Forget the Date. This is Our Future.

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 07-09-24

If this doesn't scare the fecal matter out of you and make you think, 'Damn, this could really happen,' then you really need someone to slap you awake. This in an excellent adaptation of Orwell's masterpiece, Perfect casting and pacing. Don't stop with this audio drama; read the original book and check out Orwell's other works, particularly 'Animal Farm'. Don't forget the Boiling Frog Syndrome. The water is getting mighty damned warm, people!

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The Unthinkable Audiolibro Por Amanda Ripley arte de portada

Understanding Why We Humans Do What We Do

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 07-08-24

Just the fact that you are considering reading/listening to this book means you're probably a fair bit smarter and more aware than your average person. It also means you probably like to understand things on all levels, from the macro to the micro. Average people ask who, what, when, and where, but intelligent people also ask why. This book tells you in compelling fashion why human beings react the way they do in times of dire circumstance. That knowledge will enable you to engage in some introspection and will allow you to craft an inner preparedness plan for sudden catastrophe. Your brain is the greatest survival tool you have and this book will sharpen that tool.

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Who Needs Fictional Covert Heroes

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 06-25-24

If you didn't know that this story was actual factual history, you'd think you were reading an excellent spy/covert ops novel. Understanding that it really happened should bring a sense of admiration at the bravery and determination of those who captured Eichmann and a profound sadness that humanity really has bred monsters like him. This true story is very detailed and despite the fact that we all know the outcome, it manages to build an admirable amount of tension.

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Primo Reading for Zombie Aficionados

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 06-21-24

I love zombie movies and books, always have. It started with the grand-daddy of them all, Romero's original 'Night of the Living Dead' and progressed through hundreds of films, novels, and comics. I'll be the first to admit that zombie literature doesn't exactly attract Shakespeare-level authors and most of the tales out there are pretty much trash, but every now and again you come across a zombie novel that really gets the job done well. 'Convoy 19' is full of action, great characters, and biting social/political commentary. I enjoyed every minute of it and even shed a tear or two at the end. I'd love to see this one made into a movie!

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Best Zombie Apocalypse POV Ever

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
4 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 06-17-24

Having portions of the narrative be from the POV of a pair of tiny dogs is brilliant. Add to it some very likeable characters and a fairly realistic plot line and you have a fun, scary, zombie tale that outshines so many others in this sub-genre. I was born and raised in Boise and my sister still lives there in a walled community just like the ones discussed in the story. She even has a little bitty dog who is definitely the embodiment of Cheech. I recognized many of the locations mentioned and that added a lot of vividness to the mental movie playing in my head as I listened. Do be warned that this book is narrated by Virtual Voice which is a computer generated voice. It's not too bad most of the time, but there are instances of mispronunciations and inappropriate tonal inflections which can yank you out of the story and remind you that you're listening to an audiobook.

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