Luke A.

Chernow’s mastery on display once again

Revisado: 07-05-22

The greatest modern biographer takes on the life of the grandest industrial titan, and the result is every bit as immensely satisfying as one should expect. I’ve read nearly all of Chernow’s books, and he has spoiled me for all other biographies; he insists on bringing you into the same room with the subject and seeing him up close, moment by moment through his entire life, from a vantage point too full and intimate for any camera lens — or lesser biography — to capture. Pure brilliance.

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Chernow brings another historical giant to life

Revisado: 04-01-22

In another biographical tour de force, Ron Chernow has (re)introduced us to a quixotic man whose critical role in America’s story has somehow slipped out of view. My favorite thing about reading Chernow is that every sentence feels like the product of a week of research; his books are almost impossible in depth and breadth, without a wasted word or subplot. And best of all, his subjects always comes surging to flesh-and-blood life, and Grant is no exception.

Make it a life goal to read all of Chernow’s works — I have, and I’m almost there!

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Good for finance history buffs; robo-narrated

Revisado: 02-13-22

An uneven but overall satisfying read for anyone who loves banking history and/or Trump dirt. The narration is terrible and is so monotone that it leaves you wondering if they’re experimenting with new AI bots to save a few bucks. Production value is low — many missed pronunciations and frequent volume/pitch changes after recording breaks — but eventually it fades into the background for an excellently researched, serviceably written, and truly real-life tragic financial/political thriller.

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Mesmerizing.

Revisado: 09-22-20

No sentence can capture the divine wisdom you will find in this book. I hung on every word... of a book about sentences! Brilliant. Read it several times.

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A staggering masterwork, beautifully narrated

Revisado: 02-28-20

If you're looking for a fascinating, impossibly dense but immensely satisfying read, and you want to bask a bit in the history of the banking sector on both sides of the pond, I'd highly recommend this book.

It's a history of the Morgan banking dynasty, beginning in England in the early 1800s, through Junius and J. Pierpont and Jack Morgan and all the way to the Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan of the 1980s, where the tale concludes.

It’s the kind of staggering masterwork that makes you appreciate the craft of historical research itself; it feels like three hours of hard labor went into every single sentence (and it's a very long book).

Robertson Dean’s booming baritone is perfect for the narration. Pro tip: he sounds full of brisk energy at 1.5x (and even moreso at 1.75x!).

If this sounds like fun and you have a few dozen hours to spare, enjoy!

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Brick brings Manning’s poetic treatise to life

Revisado: 11-24-18

I will read this book over and over through the balance of my life. It’s hard to imagine an author choosing his words more lyrically, or making his point more forcefully.

Scott Brick issues the text the reverence it’s due, while making the message feel refreshingly modern and imminent.

A beautiful book that will be sewn right into the soul of anyone who is anywhere on the spectrum of curiously peeking over the fence at belief in God to needing a routine tune-up on their long-held faith.

Read it and be enriched!

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Delightfully informative & perfectly narrated!

Revisado: 06-28-18

I’m working on a book project that may have elements of memoir, so I thought I’d learn a bit about the craft. I’m so glad I did, and that I chose Herron’s wonderful book as my guide.

Her writing is clever and well-structured, as might expected from a writer, but her narration is - and this is odd praise for a how-to book - delicious! Surprisingly witty and heartfelt at every beat.

I look forward to returning to key parts of the book as I reach each milestone in the writing process. Thanks, Rachel!

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A beautiful treatise to leadership

Revisado: 05-05-18

Some day, when the dust settles on the Trump era and my kids ask me to explain it, I will start by asking them to read this book. Comey was the right man placed in the right spot in a critical moment in our history, not unlike Hamilton or Madison finding the unlikely route to ratification of the Constitution in another very contentious time.

Comey is so very clearly a decent man, in the truest, most flattering, old-fashioned sense of that word. Please read this book.

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The narration makes this classic even better!

Revisado: 11-04-17

The book itself is a singular masterpiece of shoe-leather sports and culture journalism, and the narration, performed with passion and abandon (even if best digested with a dose of period-piece license), makes this an even more pleasing and unforgettable read. I loved every detail and every turn of phrase. Read it.

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Overall compelling read after a slow start

Revisado: 02-15-17

This book continually gains momentum after a rather slow start, and becomes a fascinating and thought-provoking journey. The studio performance is fair; several passages have misplaced emphasis, as though Boutsikaris is reading them for the very first time and is not receiving direction. But he shows an affinity for the two subjects of the book, and his reading is colorful enough to keep you engaged (read at 1.25x). Highly recommended for Lewis fans (not his best, but worthy of his collection!) and anyone who likes to ponder the rhythms and quirks of the human mind.

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