Audiobooks – May 2018

Ramble On by Sinclair McKay

The history of walking in Britain and some of the author’s experiences. A pleasant listen. 7/10

Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan

Very hard-core Sci Fi (all tech, no character) about a 50,000 year old astronaut’s body being found on the moon. Dated in places (everybody smokes) but I liked it. 7/10

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

A good overview of pre-history of human species plus an overview of central features of cultures (government, religion, money, etc). Interesting throughout. 9/10

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes II by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, read by David Timson

Another four Holmes stories. I’m pretty happy with Timson’s version. Each is only about an hour long. 7/10

The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations by Jaime Kurtz

Written by a “happiness researcher” rather than a travel expert. A bit different from what I expected. Lots about structuring your trips to maximize your memories. 7/10

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir by Clint Hill with Lisa McCubbin

I’ve read several of Hill’s books of his time in the US Secret Service, this overlaps a lot of these but with some extra Jackie-orientated material. I’d recommend reading the others first. 7/10

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America by Bill Bryson

The author drives through small-town American making funny observations. Just 3 hours long so good bang for buck. Almost 30 years old so feels a little dated. 7/10

A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World by William J. Bernstein

A pretty good overview of the growth of trade. Concentrates on the evolution of  routes between Asia and Europe. Only brief coverage post-1945. 7/10

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes III by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventure of the Cardboard Box; The Musgrave Ritual; The Man with the Twisted Lip; The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. All well done. 7/10

The Gentle Giants of Ganymede (Giants Series, Book 2) by James P. Hogan

Almost as hard-core as the previous book but with less of a central mystery. Worth reading if you like the 1st in the series. 7/10

An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 – The Liberation Trilogy, Book 1 by Rick Atkinson

I didn’t like this as much as I expected or as much as similar books. Can’t quite place the problem though. Perhaps works better when written. 7/10

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes IV by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Case of Identity; The Crooked Man; The Naval Treaty; The Greek Interpreter. I’m happy with Timson’s version . 7/10

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