Ben

PLEASE Do Not Buy!

Revisado: 07-13-24

The writing itself is fascinating, important, and really grabs your attention. However, the reader is uneven, inarticulate, and usually has an audible sneer. It is the worst audiobook reading I have ever heard and I cannot believe a human editor signed off on it.

There is another version of this book, which I will have to try, but that only makes me angrier that I wasted money on this one.

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Direct & Informative

Revisado: 12-14-22

What a breath of fresh air!

I was hesitant even to try this course. Any subject of study adjacent to the Bible has to contend with constant attempts by the faithful to undermine honest enquiry. You can see them here in these reviews railing against the course for not conforming to their presuppositions. Most coverage of this material is made by and for such people, with little interest in the truth.

Fortunately this professor takes the Bible much more seriously than they do. By comparing the Biblical record to itself, archeological evidence, and the records of other ancient cultures, she assembles an impressively detailed picture of the world that produced it. Her voice is always steady and clear, if not especially dramatic. If you actually want to learn, this one is for you.

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Truly Awful Vocal Delivery

Revisado: 01-11-22

This is by far the worst performance I have had the misfortune to encounter on Audible. I barely made it through the introduction before I had to take a break to relieve my headache.

Most English speakers instinctively figure out how to modulate their tone throughout a sentence to help listeners understand the structure, but this guy just holds the same rising tone throughout. The effect is punishing in a way that I didn't even know was possible. It's like a horrifying mix between a computer-generated voice and the shepherd's tone. I'm very interested in the subject, and the bits I managed to catch were fascinating, but I doubt I'll ever make it through the torturous experience of actually listening to it all. What a shame!

Edit: I stuck it out, and the content of the book is indeed excellent. It doesn't hold your hand and tell you a bedtime story like a lot of pop history, but it's crammed with dense, interesting information. I'll be very happy to never hear this voice again though.

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Gripping Historical Narrative

Revisado: 06-21-21

This is a full and cohesive retelling of the events in Greece between the Persian Wars and the rise of Macedon. It's a difficult period to wrap your head around, with 150 years of constantly churning governments and shuffling alliances, but it rewards you with an incredible panorama of human drama.

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Fascinating

Revisado: 06-11-21

A very interesting and animated exploration of religion, especially Mediterranean polytheism. The lecturer really draws out the ironies and oddities, especially of Roman religion, to entertaining effect.

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History Without Emotion

Revisado: 05-20-21

Most people seem to demand that history be fed to them in the form of an exciting narrative, regardless of how close it holds to the facts. Personally, I would rather learn about what's true, and the only way to get there is to stick to the data, which this book is chock full of. Yes, it's dry and it demands more work from you, but it also rewards you with some genuine insights into who we humans are and where we come from.

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