Teresa Kodie

Strangely Amusing, sprinkled with facts.

Revisado: 06-11-17

If you could sum up How to Fight Presidents in three words, what would they be?

This book sounds like I'm having beer with the author while discussing presidential history. Heavy with well placed expletives (swear words). The story moves from a history lesson of a particular president into how to fight him "brawl style" based on knowledge of their administrative style. As a woman, I found this book amusing, and full of interesting tidbits. The author has gone out of his way to present only the most interesting bits of info. The narrator though, makes the book. I could also see this easily being transformed into multiple episodes of Drunken History. On many occasions, I feared peeing my pants with laughter.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How to Fight Presidents?

I seriously need to get a couple of books about Lynden B Johnson. Sorry, you gotta listen to the book to enjoy that one.

Have you listened to any of Richard McGonagle’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I intend to find some more. He's an amazing narrator. Listening to him swear in the context of this book was marvelous.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Defending yourself against the bad-asses who ran America.

Any additional comments?

Be prepared. It's allot of swear words. If you are easily offended, this is not the book for you. However the swears are well placed and used in context making the narration come alive. It's part of what made me laugh my way through the whole book. So don't listen in front of the kids, but do listen, it's worth the laugh.

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My Prayer Life is Renewed

Revisado: 06-08-14

I purchased this book to get a new perspective on my prayer life. I'd been feeling like I my prayers were becoming redundant and lacked passion. They were losing their authenticity. From the get go, this book helped me break down my prayers and showed me very clearly why my passion was fleeting.

I realized very quickly that although I pray several times a day, I've never prayed for Christ to return quickly. I also was not praying for leaders in my church, community, and country. Such as "Lord, let your Will be fulfilled in these chosen leaders". In short, I needed to pray more for what God wanted. My prayers weren't selfish. They centered mostly on others, but my prayer scope was very small and wasn't furthering the Kingdom.

The author broke prayer down into categories based on the "Lord's Prayer" and I was able to quickly identify what was missing from my prayers. More importantly, I was able to apply the lessons I learned. My prayer life is now more passionate and God centered. I'm getting ready to listen to it again.

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esto le resultó útil a 15 personas

Detailed and thought provoking

Revisado: 09-03-13

Any additional comments?

Yes, this is a long book. I purchased it because I was interested in getting allot more details of daily life and a story that was not rushed. I was not disappointed. This book offered detailed information about the complex relationships and hierarchy of French Court. It did an excellent job of pointing out the precise change in the public's view of Marie Antoinette and the probable causes. I found myself increasingly empathetic toward her. She did her very best to live up to all of the requirements of her role, but was sadly ill-prepared for some aspects of married life and politics. This book is for the person who wants a deeper look into the everyday life, relationships, politics, and obstacles of the premier queen of France.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Lots of jolly good fun and exciting intrigue.

Revisado: 09-03-13

Any additional comments?

I have enjoyed both the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Elusive Pimpernel very much. The hero of the book kept me laughing all the time. His duplicity was very amusing and I listened eagerly for his each new encounter to see what he had to say, or what amazing way he would handle the next situation. Yes, it has intrigue, conflict, and adventure, but the dialogue is also fun and kept me engaged. The time it was written in posed no issues. There was nothing "lost in translation". A fun read.

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Everything I never knew about Benedict Arnold.

Revisado: 09-03-13

Where does The Notorious Benedict Arnold rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high. I've often wondered what the big deal was about Benedict Arnold, and why he became so hated. I'll say I fell in love with his personality 15 minutes into the book. I imagine his exploits offered wonderful and entertaining reading in his day. I would have followed articles about him had I been alive at the time. I now understand what happened and why this amazing person fell from grace; giving in to the behaviors that dog many of us today. He was a serious hero of the American Revolution. We would not be where we are today without his contributions. This book depicts his efforts with such style and heroism. The book was an adventure in itself. I was spellbound. Men will love this book as it depicts many shenanagans as well as heroic efforts. The historic quotes gave me many a chuckle. He is certainly someone I would love to have at my dinner table despite the outcome of his poor choice. Ladies must have swooned in his presence. His charisma is immediately clear and uncontested. The author does a great job of explaining why he never ran for office despite this gift. This book is a very good listen. Benedict Arnold was not who I thought he was. Throughout the book I wished I could reach out and discuss the issues he was facing with him, and of course hear war stories.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Notorious Benedict Arnold?

I found the information about his memorial strangely hypnotic.

What about Mark Bramhall’s performance did you like?

The narration maintained a sense of continuity and was easy to follow.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Valor or Deception?

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A gritty, thought-provoking, eye opener. wow.

Revisado: 09-21-12

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. However understand that this book chronicles 4 years that the author spent living among the gangs of the Chicago housing projects. It's not intended to be a fluffy story. If you really want to understand how a gang organizes itself, draw parallels to to modern business, get more information about the Freakonomics chapter about gangs and economics, or try to better understand those living in the projects, this is an awesome listen.

What did you like best about this story?

It really changed my attitude about why people live the way they do, why they don't accept help, and why they would turn a blind eye to what I consider appauling behavior. At times I had to walk away for a while to process the information, which is a good thing. It tells me I'm really giving consideration to the book. It took me far outside my comfort zone. At times I loathed the subjects and at other times I wanted to invite them out for coffee. Good job Sudhir. I found JT rather likeable.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator added a grit to the story that made me feel like I was living in the projects. Had I read it myself, it would have been a fluffier story with flowers, puppies, and ice cream in it. The story would have suffered had I read it myself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I stumbled upon this audio book and remembered the authors name from a chapter in Freakonomics. Since Freakonomics makes my top three books list, I gleefully purchased this book. However I had to listen on commutes, so it took me a couple of days to finish. Good thing too. It gave me time to contemplate the actions of the subjects and change my attitude toward them. (Thank you Sudhir)

Any additional comments?

So grateful I got to listen to this book. When reading Freakonomics, I always wanted more information. This book deeply satisfied that desire. Delighted Sudhir lived to tell the tale.

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Intriguing look at wax and the french revolution

Revisado: 08-20-12

What made the experience of listening to Madame Tussaud the most enjoyable?

The narrator is easy to listen to. The story is wonderful. It beautifully merges the french revolution with an interesting look into the art and science of wax sculpting. I walked away with a marvelous impression of what it might have been like to live in the times and how the media of the day impacted the entertainment of the people of the time.

What did you like best about this story?

Enjoyed this story very much. It's not overtly feminine, Marie is not a flowery lady. The story features complicated relationships, political conflict, uprising factions, intrigue, and science. I found it to be an exciting romp as I followed Marie from just running her business to spending time among the courts of Versailles, to her inner turmoil about her loyalties, and her continuous strength and determination to see it all through.

What does Rosalyn Landor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is easy to listen to. Her voice depicted each character in an original way that kept me engaged in the story. Will look for other narrations she's done.

Who was the most memorable character of Madame Tussaud and why?

Antionette. The story gave me a new perception of the character. And, of course Marie who is wonderfully complicated.

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esto le resultó útil a 8 personas

Let it go, for your own sake! - Marvelous

Revisado: 07-03-12

Would you consider the audio edition of Seven Things That Steal Your Joy to be better than the print version?

yes.

What did you like best about this story?

The honestly with which it is presented.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes.

Any additional comments?

If you don't want it to grow, (bitterness, unforgiveness, self loathing, envy, greed) stop nursing it. This book is about things that steal your joy and how we let it happen. Joyce states clearly some of our bad habits, why we do them, and how they prevent you from enjoying the true happiness Christ came here to give you. Christ said, "I came so that you could enjoy life." And Joyce is saying the same thing. However Joyce explains how allowing these things to fester in us prevents us from having a close personal relationship with God. She backs it up with sound biblical teachings (yes, I read my bible regularly). Then she tells you how you can start to make positive changes in your life that lead to life long happiness in a Christ filled life.

I also suggest Battlefield of the Mind for those who are serious about applying life changing principles that lead to long lasting happiness. Prayer isn't enough. You have to prune your life of bad habits and get connected to God. I have an amazing life now as a result of applying principles I've read in this and her other books. I can honestly say I have reached a level of peace that I've never felt before, and frankly I want more of it in my life. Good luck to you and God bless.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

helpful, bit sized topics

Revisado: 05-27-11

This book is set up as a message a day designed to help you to explore your relationship with God and understand how the Holy Spirit lives within you. For those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior, it makes the topic more approachable. I encourage you to listen. You can listen to each daily topic which takes only a couple of minutes, or you can listen all the way through. If you are already a Christian, this book is helpful for gaining a more fulfilling relationship with God, and a better understanding that he wants to bless you, but you need to invite him into your everyday.

I have applied these principles in my own life and have seen more personal peace and joy. I also recommend Battlefield of the Mind as a follow up book. God Bless.

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Love it!

Revisado: 01-29-10

Anyone who likes history, strategy, world travel, or just plain wondered about the impact of salt on the world will enjoy this book. It's a wonderful sprinkling of knowledge that will appeal to anyone who likes to pull a "did you know..." out of their pocket during random conversation. I've had a great deal of fun finding ways to recall stories from this book in everyday conversations with friends and collegues to show how salt continues to shape their lives in amazing ways. (In fact I got a fake book called the History of Pepper as a gift) If you love history or technical reading this is an incredible book. To date it is my favorite and has topped my list for several years. I found the recipe section interesting, though I admit a little dry. However the wealth of other fascinating impacts of salt on world history kept me riveted. I was delighted to see the book in audio form so that I can enjoy it again during commutes. It's got everything. Stories about everyday man, ruling bodies, ancient and modern trade routes, waring factions, and usurping politicians. It honors the contributions of many cultures and beautifully illustrates the impact salt had on those civilizations. Well Done! Highly recommended.

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