Expect to take your time with Rosen's lengthy history of steam power—which proves to be more engaging than you might expect. Michael Prichard brings the necessary gravitas to a narrative that puts its subject into a 10,000 year perspective, and, in fact, this is a history of invention itself, and why certain times, places, and conditions favor it. James Watt is the central figure, but a long chain of inventors play their parts. Only a professional like Prichard could maintain the pace and cohesion of so expansive a story, but he really should not attempt a Scottish accent. For history buffs and the technically minded, this title will be a favorite. But it is aimed at, and deserves, a wider audience. Especially interesting, considering the debate over property rights in the current film THE SOCIAL NETWORK, is this book's historical survey of patent rights and the ever-thorny issue of "discovery."
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2010
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The author describes her efforts to implement a meaningful sustainability initiative for Wales and the world at large. An educator and minister of the environment, sustainability, and housing in her tiny country, she's a wonderful narrator who sounds at once relaxed and passionate, likable and dignified. Her voice is a perfect vehicle for amplifying her humanitarian intentions as well as the breadth of her methodical thinking. But what makes this audio so inspiring are the personal asides she shares throughout concerning her willingness to be vulnerable and her calm resolve to do something for the world's future generations. Davidson's descriptions of the laborious process of cultural transformation would have been dry listening without her pleasing UK speaking voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Lisa Flanagan has a wonderful vocal personality--lithe with a broad palette of pitch patterns and a range of believable emotional tones. Her friendly voice works well with this lighthearted overview of how dramatically the Internet has changed the world in the past 30 years. Though being digitally connected has improved life in many ways, the author says we've lost many of the interpersonal experiences that used to sustain us. We have less privacy, don't need all those reference books, and have largely forgotten how to have vocal conversations with other people. The audiobook is entertaining nostalgia for anyone who feels incompetent navigating the World Wide Web, and a soothing reminder that those of us who miss the simplicity of the pre-Internet era are not alone.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593418055
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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