B. Baxter

Wow, just wow!

Revisado: 12-18-24

I have always been interested in ancient Egypt. I've loved reading about the tomb of Tutankhamen and reading a now out of print book called The Lost Queen of Egypt, so I thought this lecture series would be fun. it was way more than that. Bob Brier is a preeminent Egyptologist and the most amazing lecturer. He is so excited about the topic and tells the 3,000 year history of Egypt in the most engaging manner. The series is 48 lectures, and he recaps earlier ones in such a way that by the time he wraps the whole thing up and says "You will remember this and you will remember that," you really do. I would love to sit in his classes. This is the next best thing.

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Compelling and Much More Than A Biography

Revisado: 11-12-24

I watched the Gregory Peck movie MacArthur and wanted to learn more about him. My father, a WWII veteran in the Pacific theater, had nothing good to say about him but gave no reason. I researched for a biography that was deemed to be the most balanced, and Manchester's came to the top of the list. What a fantastic book!! I wasn't a fan of the narrator - his voice was irritating at first, but I stuck with him and eventually became more comfortable. And the opening section about his father and his very early childhood was a bit boring. But stick with it, because that background is vital to understanding the man. The sweep of this book is truly compelling and avoids, for the most part, being hagiographic. Manchester does a good job of showing MacArthur's faults as well as his genius, and by the end of the book, I agreed with the author that the man was truly a genius.

What made it even more interesting was that there was history of WWI and WWII, especially in the Pacific. The context of the events of the two wars made it even more understandable about what shaped MacArthur. (Now I need to read more about WWI.) I am well-read on the European theater, but had limited knowledge about the Pacific before Midway and had no idea the threat to Australia as well as the impact on the Philippines. I loved learning about that, and about this flawed but vitally important man. I wish my Dad was still alive to discuss it with him! Highly recommend.

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Amazing story of commitment and overcoming overwhelming challenges

Revisado: 07-03-24

I love Lawrence Anthony's books. This one is different from those of his beloved Thula Thula. This is the story of the passion of many to save the traumatized animals of the Baghdad Zoo and the almost miraculous way they overcame devastation to rebuild a critical part of Iraqi culture. Simon Vance is brilliant, as always. A must read!

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Excellent, concise book about history, truth, and how to hold both together

Revisado: 02-08-24

Tracy McKenzie is a great teacher of history. This little book, conceived primarily for Christian believers but applicable to all, helps separate myth from fact regarding the First Thanksgiving and the pilgrims. very interesting and accessible, it cautions against imposing our experiences and preconceptions on events and people I the past and helps lay out principles to follow to think Christianly about history.

The narrator was not particularly good. at times he seemed positively mocking or sarcastic and there were a surprising b
number of completely mispronounced words, e.g, "treatise" read as "treet-ice."

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Another lovely book about an amazing place

Revisado: 01-17-24

I became hooked on Thula Thula reading Lawrence Anthony's book, The Elephant Whisperer. This second book by his Widow, François Malby-Anthony, isn't quite as good as her first, An Elephant in My Kitchen, being more a series of mini-stories about the animals at Thula Thula than an overarching arc of a memoire. Stiill, for anyone in love with animals and this particular spot, it's a worthwhile continuation of the joys and challenges involved in running this reserve, especially during the pandemic. Well read.

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Lovely to hear William Gaminara

Revisado: 02-25-23

This isn't a Campion mystery, but an enjoyable one. I became aware of William Gaminara as an actor in Silent Witness and was pleased to discover he narrates too. Excellent performance and a good mystery.

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Intriguing story, but narration got in the way

Revisado: 02-15-23

This was a well done story, a but different than other Gamache tales. Clever weaving of the past and present and well drawn characters. Robert Bathurst made me crazy, though. Half his narration was fine, but most of the women's voices and some of the male characters affected a horrible American accent that was practically guttural. It was like nails on a chalkboard. Ralph Cosham was a hard narrator to follow, but other Bathurst books have not been so jarring.

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Wonderful narrative, wonderful narrator!!

Revisado: 01-09-23

I only knew Hugh Bonneville from his roles in Downton Abbey, the Monuments Men, and the Paddington movies. What a wonderful discovery to find this book. Always erudite, by turns witty and poignant, this is a must-read account of a life warmed by family, impassioned by the theater, and narrated by a born raconteur. As I listened while on my daily walks, my neighbors must have wondered why I was laughing out loud. Bonneville's turns of phrase and delicious asides makes one feel as though we are side by side, kicking back and relaxing while he recalls wonderful memories of his life - and those along the way with whom he works.

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A must read, whether you like comics and Sci-Fi or

Revisado: 11-18-22

In my opinion, Babylon 5 is the best show ever done on television. The huge story arc, the journey of the characters, the redemptive power of friendship and love -- all aspects of the show are gripping. So when I saw that the creator of Babylon 5 had written an autobiography, I was eager to learn about his life, about which I had never heard, except that he was a talented writer. What an amazing story! J. Michael Straczynski's own tale is far more sweeping than his television creation. It is a powerful journey of resilience, heartbreaking in its honesty and transparency, and one that will impact every reader/listener, whether he or she likes science fiction or not. Peter Jurasik, a beloved actor on Babylon 5, reads with deep sympathy and affection. This is a book I will listen to again, and highly recommend!

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Interesting

Revisado: 10-29-22

This book had some great moments, and some others where I wanted to slam it shut. Could have used some editing. The best parts were discussions of the film-making of Martin Sheen and his son, but they both wallowed in the parts about their own self-discovery and spirituality.

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