Anonymous

Important Story Well Told

Revisado: 05-29-21

This already "ancient" title sat on my wishlist for a year, but I worried it might be something I should know about. Thank you, Nathan Harden, we all should know. By the way , I came across the old New York Times report on this book by a reviewer who apparently didn't even read it. If she had as I did (save for Chapters 17, 18 and 19 -- it was getting a little too long) she'd know it's author still loves his alma mater, has no interest in bringing it down, and in fact is not (or probably was not) a "conservative" despite being home-schooled. (Really how racist is that -- assuming someone's politics on the bases of their parents' choices?). In reading this book, however, I understand better why once great institutions like the NY Times have such nincompoops working for them, as it is now more completely clear what goes on in the elite schools where they are educated. (But the reviewer wants us know Yale's alright because this stuff also goes on in not-so-elite colleges.!) I have to say one thing very, very special about this author. Look, guys just don't get it -- and never will -- just as gals don't get it either; but this young man gets it (about what we ladies go through) better than any other I have seen. To whit, The New York Times book reviewer even had a problem with Mr. Harden's shorter courtship with the wife he mentioned here and there in the book with nothing but complete admiration and respect. I guess she likes better the long-time "engagement" guys who cut out just before the woman's proverbial clock has two seconds left to tick.

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Enjoyable read.

Revisado: 03-03-21

I'm forced to give three five-stars for what is more like 4.5 all across. A little less than perfect, not exactly out-of-this-world, but it's fair to say this book was great -- interesting story, well told, captivating self-narration.

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Impeccable craft and substance.

Revisado: 03-03-21

Wow, this man can write!¹ The words just flow through complex concepts and exactly what he means is immediately comprehended minimizing the need for backtracking. (Well at least I for one drive myself nuts with this bad reading habit -- backtracking -- so this writing is so wonderful that enables me to "get it" the first time.)

I could sing a trillion (!) specific praises, but I would like to respond to the charge of bias I noted in other reviews. I would say insofar as one worldview is "leaned" toward more than another, yes; but otherwise his presentation is fair (and he doesn't flinch from blame where due to those on his "own side").

Sowell is also outstanding (perhaps because in this way so many authors disappoint) in crafting a book in which all the parts fall in and pull together with nothing left dangling out there like Prometheus unresolved. Finally, he ventures a feat of theater with a major digression almost at the end, and pulls it all back perfectly into his conclusion.

The audible narration of this book was also flawless.

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Beautifully read by Gregory Peck ... gorgeous!

Revisado: 03-17-20

I suppose the late Gregory Peck was a fine actor, but he must have been much more than that. There is exemplary dedication to the loving perfection of every aspect of craft in evidence here. As the end product of so much visual Hollywood enterprise, he chose to care for his voice.

The reverence, the cadence, the flawless pronunciations and punctuating -- I am astonished that he could get through nineteen hours of this, without any instance of stumbling or exhaustion -- and positively not one mistake.

I have enjoyed listening to this in the KJV translation that like so many in my generation I had all but given up on. Peck makes it so accessible it's as though I've simply learned a new language just by listening, and the central charm in the way he reads, is that he makes it all so readily understandable.

Sometimes I enjoy just listening, letting it flow, as I know I will over and over again in years to come. Sometimes I enjoy listening while also visually reading the KJV on my paperwhite. And again, Peck does not make one mistake.

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What happened?

Revisado: 03-02-20

First, Fiona Hardingham deserves high praise for her dual ability to effect dramatic impact while carrying the narrative at a pleasing pace and without intruding. Unfortunately I must remove one star for too many words obfuscated by the overly British thing. Then I must take away at one more for her too often losing the stances she creates to differentiate among characters in dialog.

Then there's the story -- aargh! Did Sophie Kinsella's editor even read the book? By the end it's gotten so I can't even stand the proposed "heroine" with all the personality tangents. When she decides her boss is the b-word, the b-word, THE B-WORD, we can understand completely why a deep-woods round of sordid criminal acts makes perfect sense.

The plot is just as unjointed. Our unworthy one has hot sex in an open meadow (families and children being all about) with her blood-all-over-his-face beau. Then after their midday nap, he says shit, buttons his knickers, socializes around a campfire, and fires KC's boss -- all without washing his face or changing his (bloody!) shirt. Was it a head gash? We never find out.

As for some other editors who obviously never read the book either, very little of the story concerned an Instagram account, as per the promotional write-up.

Overall it was an entertaining listen.

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Astounding!

Revisado: 02-13-20

Finally, I get what Rush Limbaugh means by "feminazi" for if this is the reason for bringing in the girl character then it proves the case, and that leads to why I'm stuck with dropping my assessment to four stars straight across.

Why can't we have a wonderful book about a time traveler and his talking horse who acquires ONE additional sidekick in the form of a great BOY who is assigned to his disciplinary detention where he works as a substitute tleacher?

In fact, in the beginning there was this great boy-ness about the whole thing that ONE TRAGICALLY NEVER FINDS ANYWHERE ANYMORE (and I'm thinking good for you, Rush, thank you for this) and the story is just unfolding so wonderfully I can't believe he actually wrote this. The characterizations, the descriptions, the story development were (at the start) out of this world!

Then they have to go back and get the girl (so she can go time travelling too) and it all starts getting a little choppy. We never do get the sword lessons Miles Standish promises Tommy because we have to make time for Squanto bringing a dress to the girl. (If I'm not mistaken this is the third dress she gets in the book.) Then both she AND Tommy must go off by themselves to explore a wooded hill (or to play games with some other kids) because there being now one too many, a few characters simply must be removed from center stage.

While I've gone on about this point that I think is too bad (and to explain why I could only give it four stars) the book is still great overall! I bought it because I was curious about Rush Limbaugh's children's books, and to show my support. As for the Medal of Freedom he deserves it for what he says in his introductory comments to this book alone.

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Thud.

Revisado: 02-08-20

This book starts off brilliant but ends dull and pointless, unless he's trying to indicate social mobility usually takes more than one generation -- for all of us I'm sure.

I know I paid two bucks for this, and I actually prefer a plainer narration style, but I was surprised to hear either he was eating, drunk or perhaps these were medical episodes.

Glad I read the book, though. I had no idea it even existed.

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Didn't even start reading it yet.

Revisado: 02-07-20

Ditto. If you accidentally touch the stars they light up, and you can't undo that. Someone should fix this.

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Haven't finished yet.

Revisado: 02-07-20

Just messing around trying to figure out what the stars mean, and can't erase them. So far, I liked the first chapter.

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Good performance.

Revisado: 02-07-20

No reflection on the narrator or (certainly not!) the author, it's just my personal aversion to dialectics I guess. So "not for me" the book, nor the dramatized narration style for that matter. In context, however, Carl Reiner delivers a professional piece of work.

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