Alan

Good intro to Litecoin, not necessarily to crypto

Revisado: 02-12-18

This is a good honest introduction to Litecoin, but not necessarily to cryptocurrencies. Those completely new to cryptocurrencies may want to start elsewhere, since this goes fast and assumes you have some basic idea of what cryptocurrency is and throws in some technical terms without explaining them. That being said, this is great for those already familiar with cryptocurrencies who want to know what sets Litecoin apart from the others without getting bogged down in explanations of things you probably already know.

In addition to explaining some of Litecoin's current features and what sets it apart from bitcoin and other popular cryptocurrencies this book also explores some features currently under development and how they might be useful.

I like that this book doesn't try to sell you Litecoin as THE cryptocurrency. Many other sources of information about various cryptocurrencies get caught up in the hype or try to sell their preferred currency as the best. This book doesn't do that and comes across as honest, highlighting Litecoin's strengths as well as its flaws.

This audiobook is thirty minutes long, so you're not going to learn everything you need to know about Litecoin. But with a new cryptocurrency popping up every time it rains it's a full time job keeping up with them all. This audiobook will help you decide if Litecoin is something you wish to pursue further without a huge initial time investment.

I received this audiobook for free in return for providing my honest and unbiased review.

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Good overview but missing some important topics

Revisado: 01-09-18

This is a good introduction to the subjects of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

I've been looking into cryptocurrencies for a little while and find the whole thing overwhelming. The online communities are full of bias and vitriol towards one another so I figured a book would be a good place to get some objective information.

Sometimes this audiobook felt more like a collection of blog posts than a cohesive book, but it still managed to convey good information in a mostly complete and organized fashion. If you're new to the subject this is a decent starting point.

Unfortunately, despite being recently published, this audibook didn't touch on some of the developing issues with cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin. Mainly the slow transactions and high transaction fees. I was hoping to get some insight into these issues and how the developers and community planned to deal with them, but I was disappointed in that regard. I get that this is an introductory book so going into these subjects into detail may have been beyond the scope, but it is important for anyone getting into cryptocurrencies to be aware of them.

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Short, to the point, and packed with information

Revisado: 12-28-17

Buddhism for Beginners is short and to the point. At 38 minutes long you're not going to get the whole story, but if you're not sure where to begin or don't want a huge time investment this is a good place to start.

This audiobook is a quick overview of what Buddhism is, what it means to be a Buddhist, and what some of their beliefs are. It goes into what the goals of Buddhism are and introduces you to some terms and concepts. It also tries to dispel some common misconceptions and goes a little into what New Age is and how it's related to Buddhism.

This isn't my first foray into Buddhism and I still learned some things. One interesting piece of information that resonates with me is that cultivating knowledge and wisdom are part of the Buddhism tradition. It's easy to picture Buddhist monks sitting in a temple somewhere meditating, oblivious to the outside world but that's not a clear representation of what Buddhism is all about.

The only issue I had with the audiobook was when it mentioned "Kōans" a couple times in the beginning without ever explaining what the Kōans actually are.

Overall the narration was good. There were a couple brief instances where the volume of the audio dropped slightly, almost as if the narrator had moved a little farther from the microphone. Not a huge deal, but I did find it slightly distracting.

I received this audiobook for free in return for providing my honest and unbiased review.

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Helped me attain a deeper level of meditation

Revisado: 12-08-17

This guided meditation is great for beginners. It doesn't get caught up in complicated instructions like some others do. Just sit or lay in a comfortable position and breathe. We're guided through a quick body scan, then our attention is brought back to our breath. The narrator's voice was gentle and relaxing.

I've been dabbling in meditation for some time now. For the past few months I've been meditating a few times a week. Lately I've been struggling to remain focused while meditating. I figured I'd give this audiobook a try for some new perspective and to help me regain focus. I was pleasantly surprised when this guided meditation not only helped me accomplish that, but also helped me attain a deeper level of meditation than I had previously.

The audiobook takes a couple minutes to get to the point, so I was a little annoyed the first time I sat down to listen to it. I got prepared, sat in my preferred meditation position and then pushed play. I had to wait for the narrator to catch up to me. This time was used to give useful instructions to beginners though, so it wasn't just wasted time. The other thing I found disconcerting was being instructed to breathe at my own pace, then immediately directed to breathe in and out at a pace specified by the narrator. These two annoyances were largely a matter of expectation though, and on subsequent listens they were non-issues as I had adjusted my expectations.

I've already used this audiobook a couple times, and I will be using it again in the future.

I received this audiobook for free in return for providing my honest and unbiased review.

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War is coming... and I intend to be victorious!

Revisado: 12-03-17

Tensions are rising between my neighbor and I. Earlier this week I caught his horse stealing apples from my tree again. Then yesterday morning I saw his cat chasing mine. These are just a few recent examples from a long list of transgressions that are unacceptable! Earlier today I attempted diplomacy but he just laughed in my face and said my complaints are "petty" and told me to "stop wasting his time." Right now he's out on his tractor. I think he might be erecting some sort of a barrier. War is coming, my friends... and I intend to be victorious!

According to Sun Tzu I shouldn't attack until my victory is assured, so I've begun the planning process. My neighbor's position is well fortified so I will need to draw him out (this is what Sun Tzu recommends; siege should only be used as a last resort). The chapter on employing fire gave me the perfect idea. I'm going to begin my offensive by lighting his barn on fire to draw him out...

Sorry about that. You're not here to read about my troubles. You want to know if Sun Tzu's ancient treatise on military strategy, The Art of War, is worth your time. Surprisingly, the strategies laid out in The Art of War are applicable in many aspects of life (especially if you have deviant neighbors). I found this edition particularly helpful since it provides a couple thoughtful discussion questions at the end of each chapter, some of which help you think about the concepts in a non military context. The narration was clear and appropriate for a book of this nature. Honestly, though, this book is short and concise. If you want to get the most from it you're going to need to listen to it more than once.

I received this audiobook for free in return for providing my honest and unbiased review.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

He was ignorant of my other faults

Revisado: 11-30-17

The Enchiridion is a short collection of Epictetus' writings, full of practical advice for daily life. First published almost two millennia ago, most of it is still straightforward and still directly applicable. It does have a couple scenarios that are a bit dated since there aren't many gladiators these days and I don't own a horse, but the message is still understandable.

I was a little worried about listening to an audiobook of this nature, as it is just a collection of relatively unconnected thoughts and could seem disjointed, but the narrator did a perfect job of keeping the pacing natural and smooth.

I was provided this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

My favorite piece of advice from this book was this: If anyone tells you that a certain person has spoken in a bad way about you, don’t make excuses about what has been said, but answer "He was ignorant of my other faults, otherwise he would have mentioned those also."

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Cause if you let your breath go... it'll come back

Revisado: 11-28-17

These lectures are great for anyone with an open mind, from the merely curious to those seeking satori. A self proclaimed "spiritual entertainer," Alan Watts takes various concepts from eastern religions and translates them for a western audience, providing both entertainment and insight along the way. If you ever need a new perspective on the human condition try giving Alan Watts a listen.

This man passed over a decade before I was born, but his voice gives me comfort and his words bring me peace. He's helped me through some tough times, and I return to his lectures, or his writings, from time to time when I need a refresher.

"So, translated into colloquial American, nirvana is 'whew.' 'Cause if you let your breath go... it'll come back."

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esto le resultó útil a 34 personas

Be wary when antagonizing the status quo

Revisado: 11-24-17

I'm not very well versed in ancient philosophers but it is a topic I wish to learn more about. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to get a free copy of this audio book in exchange for my honest review, and I'm glad I did. It was a quick listen with good narration and I'm sure I'll revisit it in the future.

This was a great introduction to Plato's writings and the type of man Socrates might have been. He gave a clever, well reasoned defense and refused to back down or sacrifice his integrity even in the face of death. I think the moral of this story is to be wary when antagonizing the status quo. It can have dire consequences.

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18 Hours - Wasn't Long Enough

Revisado: 11-21-17

I didn't pay enough attention in school when it came to science and history (and probably everything else). I have a short attention span and school somehow made these topics dull. Bill Bryson did a masterful job of explaining so many things I have either forgotten or never learned. More importantly, he made it not only interesting but often funny. This is a book I'll be listening to again and again.

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This book takes away our excuses

Revisado: 11-21-17

Most of my life I thought many of my skills had reached their (disappointing) peak. I had practiced them over and over again for hours, days, months, or even years, but I wasn't getting any better. I figured I'd reached the limit of my abilities in certain areas. Most people are just better than me at these things and that's just the way it is.

This book taught me how wrong I was. My problem wasn't that I couldn't get any better at these things. My problem was my technique for improving was flawed. The key I was missing was "deliberate practice." Just doing the same thing over and over mindlessly doesn't make you better after a certain point. You need to approach practice deliberately to find and improve your weak points if you want to keep improving.

This book takes away our excuses as to why we're not as good as we'd like to be at something. If we really wanted to we could put in the time and effort to improve. The individuals who have excelled and become masters of their fields didn't so so though genetic gifts or innate talent, they did so though hard work, determination, and deliberate practice.

The lessons in this book can be applied to almost any skill in life. If there's something you really want to get better at give this book a shot.

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