Sean Lannan
- 17
- reviews
- 12
- helpful votes
- 130
- ratings
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Autocracy, Inc.
- The Dictators Who Want to Run the World
- By: Anne Applebaum
- Narrated by: Anne Applebaum
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 508
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 476
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 476
We think we know what an autocratic state looks like: There is an all-powerful leader at the top. He controls the police. The police threaten the people with violence. There are evil collaborators, and maybe some brave dissidents. But in the 21st century, that bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are underpinned not by one dictator, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, surveillance technologies, and professional propagandists, all of which operate across multiple regimes, from China to Russia to Iran.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Triumphant Work -Puts It All Together With Laser Clarity
- By Sjhoffman on 09-19-24
- Autocracy, Inc.
- The Dictators Who Want to Run the World
- By: Anne Applebaum
- Narrated by: Anne Applebaum
Clear and concise description of the organized threat of autocracies
Reviewed: 11-24-24
Current description of the trends and events up to the present time. Call for democracies to work together to counter threats.
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Prequel
- An American Fight Against Fascism
- By: Rachel Maddow
- Narrated by: Rachel Maddow
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,057
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,764
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2,761
Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Rachel Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century. Before and even after our troops had begun fighting abroad in World War II, a clandestine network flooded the country with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of the U.S. war effort and persuading Americans that our natural alliance was with the Axis, not against it.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The fight to keep democracy alive
- By Rex on 10-19-23
- Prequel
- An American Fight Against Fascism
- By: Rachel Maddow
- Narrated by: Rachel Maddow
The Surprising Popularity of Fascism in the US Before WW2
Reviewed: 11-25-23
A surprising, small group of individuals doggedly pursued German aligned right wing groups in the United States in the 1930s and 40s while the government showed surprising tolerance to various anti-democratic elements in the US.
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Going Infinite
- The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Michael Lewis
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,146
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,924
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,922
When Michael Lewis first met him, Sam Bankman-Fried was the world’s youngest billionaire and crypto’s Gatsby. CEOs, celebrities, and leaders of small countries all vied for his time and cash after he catapulted, practically overnight, onto the Forbes billionaire list. Who was this rumpled guy in cargo shorts and limp white socks, whose eyes twitched across Zoom meetings as he played video games on the side?
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1 out of 5 stars
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really expected more rigor from Michael Lewis
- By Wowhello on 10-04-23
- Going Infinite
- The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Michael Lewis
Breezy Look at an Unusual But Important Player in Crypto
Reviewed: 11-04-23
Michael Lewis wrote an entertaining look at an important player in the unregulated crypto markets. Gives the reader a sense of a wild, chaotic, and difficult to understand industry.
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Differ We Must
- How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America
- By: Steve Inskeep
- Narrated by: Steve Inskeep
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 127
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 118
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Story5 out of 5 stars 118
In 1855, with the United States at odds over slavery, the lawyer Abraham Lincoln wrote a note to his best friend, the son of a Kentucky slaveowner. Lincoln rebuked his friend for failing to oppose slavery. But he added: “If for this you and I must differ, differ we must,” and said they would be friends forever. Throughout his life and political career, Lincoln often agreed to disagree.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The excellent level of detail, both in the written and spoken language of Lincoln and his associates.
- By Amazon Customer on 01-23-24
- Differ We Must
- How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America
- By: Steve Inskeep
- Narrated by: Steve Inskeep
Timely interpretation of an influential leader
Reviewed: 10-24-23
The author writes about Lincoln in a fresh manner with a focus on how Lincoln worked with many who did not share his point of view. Through his interactions with others, he shaped others’ opinions and led people in a direction that had major consequences in the history of the United States.
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Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 35 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 24,600
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 21,318
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Story5 out of 5 stars 21,188
Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An Outstanding & Riveting Book!
- By Kevin on 03-04-05
- Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Captivating Story of a Founder of the US
Reviewed: 03-05-17
Where does Alexander Hamilton rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
One of the more important audiobooks.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Alexander Hamilton - brilliant, brash, vain, articulate, persuasive, persistent, unbalanced.
What does Scott Brick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
His brings the characters to life.
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Master of the Senate
- The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume III (Part 3 of a 3-Part Recording)
- By: Robert A. Caro
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,586
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,307
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1,305
Master of the Senate, told with an abundance of rich detail that could only have come from Caro’s peerless research, is both a galvanizing portrait of the man himself—the titan of Capital Hill, volcanic, mesmerizing—and a definitive and revelatory study of the workings and personal and legislative power.
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5 out of 5 stars
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WONDERFUL BOOK - BADLY PRESENTED BY AUDIBLE
- By PS on 08-03-16
- Master of the Senate
- The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume III (Part 3 of a 3-Part Recording)
- By: Robert A. Caro
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
Politics in Detail
Reviewed: 07-15-16
What disappointed you about Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 3?
The focus was heavily on Senate rules, parliamentary maneuvers and Senate personalities of the 1950"s.
What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?
Grover did a great job of adding life to the characters.
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Destiny and Power
- The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 25 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,609
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,409
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,407
Drawing on President Bush’s personal diaries, on the diaries of his wife, Barbara, and on extraordinary access to the 41st president and his family, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham paints an intimate and surprising portrait of an intensely private man who led the nation through tumultuous times.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fair and insightful
- By Jean on 12-02-15
- Destiny and Power
- The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
Compete, Win, Serve
Reviewed: 12-24-15
George H W Bush grew up with privilege and learned to serve with determination. This is an interesting life story of a president who saw combat in WWII, the end of the Cold War and a radically changed world. It makes for a fascinating story of a complex person dedicated to his family, country and doing what he thought was right.
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Superforecasting
- The Art and Science of Prediction
- By: Philip Tetlock, Dan Gardner
- Narrated by: Joel Richards
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,810
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,070
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,055
Everyone would benefit from seeing further into the future, whether buying stocks, crafting policy, launching a new product, or simply planning the week"s meals. Unfortunately, people tend to be terrible forecasters. As Wharton professor Philip Tetlock showed in a landmark 2005 study, even experts" predictions are only slightly better than chance. However, an important and underreported conclusion of that study was that some experts do have real foresight.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great for Experts
- By Michael on 02-20-17
- Superforecasting
- The Art and Science of Prediction
- By: Philip Tetlock, Dan Gardner
- Narrated by: Joel Richards
Forecasting Near-Term Can Work
Reviewed: 11-02-15
A measurement-driven experiment was sponsored by IARPA and Tetlock and Gardner showed documented evidence that forecasts of less than three years can be accurate. Superforecasters are not the pundits, experts or talk show guests you see in the media. The techniques for good forecasting can be used by business, government, not-for-profits and others to make better decisions. The narration was good, the examples were enlightening and the concepts are useful.
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1 person found this helpful
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Napoleon
- A Life
- By: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 32 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,438
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,567
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,537
Andrew Roberts" Napoleon is the first one-volume biography to take advantage of the recent publication of Napoleon"s thirty-three thousand letters, which radically transform our understanding of his character and motivation. At last we see him as he was: protean multitasker, decisive, surprisingly willing to forgive his enemies and his errant wife Josephine.
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4 out of 5 stars
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What a dynamo!
- By Tad Davis on 01-16-15
- Napoleon
- A Life
- By: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: John Lee
Napoleon - Opportunist/Statesman/Military Genius
Reviewed: 10-20-15
If you could sum up Napoleon in three words, what would they be?
Ambitious, energetic, historical
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
This is a big book that tells a big story. It should be consumed in large bites over days.
Any additional comments?
Andrew Roberts writes a substantial biography of a significant figure in European history in a broadly balanced manner with a touch of pro-Bonaparte inclinations which provides a great education for a student of history. Napoleon had a significant impact on European politics, warfare and law. This book is a worthwhile review of such a significant figure in nineteenth century Europe.
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Leadership BS
- Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time
- By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 443
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 384
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 376
In Leadership BS Jeffrey Pfeffer shines a bright light on the leadership industry, showing why it"s failing and how it might be remade. He sets the record straight on the oft-made prescriptions for leaders to be honest, authentic, and modest; tell the truth; build trust; and take care of others. By calling BS on so many of the stories and myths of leadership, he gives people a more scientific look at the evidence and better information to guide their careers.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Antidote to Bromides from Leadership Gurus
- By Sean Lannan on 09-23-15
- Leadership BS
- Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time
- By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
Antidote to Bromides from Leadership Gurus
Reviewed: 09-23-15
The leadership industry is full of inspirational, feel-good talk which does not match what the majority of organizational leaders look like. According to Pfeffer, most leaders act out of their own self-interest and are rarely held accountable for bad behavior. Individuals and organizations should recognize this and plan accordingly. Organizations should be made less leader-dependent, balances of power created, metrics and reward systems put in place that assume leaders act out of self-interest.
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3 people found this helpful