Ralph

The breath of this study and the depth of his experience and knowledge.

Revisado: 03-06-24

I disagree with some of the policy issues that the author espouses however, he remains consistent to them, He is very thorough in his analysis.

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Great account of the Mediterranean's "Other" City

Revisado: 04-27-20

As much as I have read about Roman history, I have only learned about Carthage while studying about Rome. Everything has been derived. Thus, Carthage was typically presented in almost a stereotypical manner, juxtaposed as the proverbial villain against Rome. Miles did a good job in distilling Carthaginian history, much of which was passed to us through Roman bias.

It is amazing to consider what Phoenicia and Carthage did through their exploration and establishing trade routes. Reading that they made it to the West coast of Africa, and probably up the French coast is not surprising. But to accomplish what they did given their technology and tools is remarkable.

Its tragic end was somewhat anti-climatic, although everything we have of it is through a Roman lens. And I don't think Miles fully grasped Scipio Corculum's opposition to the war. He presented this as a possible addition by later generations who had experienced the Roman Civil Wars that broke out after the fall of Carthage. But many Roman's understood their history and had seen what had happened previously when an up-and-coming civilization had supplanted its rival and arrived on the pinnacle with no rivals. Athens (Persian Empire) and Sparta (Athens) both suffered in a breakdown of their society's and then of their country after having bested their nemesis. The parallel with the US and the USSR is unmistakable.

Great read and a great companion to Cline's 1177 B.C., both of which I recommend highly. - Hamilton of the Smokies

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Good problem identification but poor analysis

Revisado: 12-29-17

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

Foroohar has correctly identified the growing problem of finance, the all-too cozy relationship between the larger banks and the government. Even legislation that is intended to curb their excesses and correct their practices becomes yet another opportunity for them to exert their influence and increase their powers and protect their actions. Yet she misses what should be the all too obvious problem that lies at the center of this- the Federal Reserve. Banking has always wielded much power in government but with the Reserve the power has been concentrated in a select few, their power has increased, and they are shielded from any true reform. Foroohar also suffers from poor analysis and I was quite surprised that the publishers did not step in and correct this. In arguing against the illusory claims that fees were going to come down with the application of technology, she merely points out that fees actually increased over a period. I cannot recall the precise numbers but it was something along the lines of 85%. What she missed was that assets under management increased almost 150%. That she would only look at things on a net basis was shoddy at best. Next, on several occasions she picks out years to be a baseline year that have no rationale other than to make her point seem more profound. Lastly, her constant referral to Sen. Warren without acknowledging other voices in government reemphasizes the shoddy analysis. The problems are ingrained in the system and she is exposing them. Unfortunately, her "cures" would be more destructive than the system as it is. And to think she is considered to be one of the better financial journalists.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rana Foroohar? Why or why not?

I would be skeptical and cautious of purchasing another book from Foroohar.

Did Makers and Takers inspire you to do anything?

Yes. think about writing a better book on the topic.

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Still Relevant After 2000 Years

Revisado: 08-09-17

What made the experience of listening to The Peloponnesian War the most enjoyable?

Not only is this an insightful view into a pivotal time in Greek History, as the Greeks arose victorious over the Persians and Athens emerged to preeminence and then squandered it and was supplanted by Sparta, but also we are provided signposts for our own time as we see parallels in our own day.

What other book might you compare The Peloponnesian War to and why?

Plutarch's Lives - whereas Plutarch focuses on individuals so that we may learn from their character and actions to gain wisdom, Thucydides focuses more on the city-states to provide some of the same insights.

What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?

His voice is well suited for history and his tone always seemed appropriate.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed it enough to read through it twice.

Any additional comments?

For anyone wanting to understand the course of the United States over the past thirty years this book is a must.

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Overturning myths on talent

Revisado: 02-05-12

Where does Talent Is Overrated rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Talent ranks highly, but I have enjoyed all of my audiobooks.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The book had numerous people and examples, including Mozart, Tiger Woods, GE, etc. each which was insightful.

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