Billy G. Gruff
- 12
- reviews
- 143
- helpful votes
- 46
- ratings
-
Debunking Howard Zinn
- Exposing the Fake History That Turned a Generation Against America
- By: Mary Grabar
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States has sold over 2.5 million copies and is still required reading in some high school and college classrooms. But its polemic rewriting of American history as a story of oppression is an agenda-driven fairy tale that has no place in academia. In Debunking Howard Zinn, Mary Grabar debunks Howard Zinn’s lies and traces the damage his mega-bestseller has done to American education, culture, and politics.
-
-
Pure Alt-Right apologist.
- By K. Bradrick on 05-11-21
- Debunking Howard Zinn
- Exposing the Fake History That Turned a Generation Against America
- By: Mary Grabar
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
Damning
Reviewed: 09-29-24
An extremely well written, and carefully laid out indictment of Zinn’s dishonest polemic.
Ever wondered where all the angry yet nonsensical claims about western culture, colonialism, genocide, capitalism (e.g. “inDiGinOus PeoPLe’s DAy”) spouted by young idealists comes from?
Howard Zinn’s writings.
Debunking Howard Zinn finally reveals what commie apologists are braying about when they decry western culture and American history.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Tom Clancy Act of Defiance
- By: Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 17 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
US intelligence is reporting turmoil in the Russian navy. Their deadliest submarine, the Belgorod, has unexpectedly launched, and taken along with it a long list of questions. Who authorized the departure? What mission is it on? And, most disturbing of all, what weapons do the giant doors on the sub’s bow hide? It's been four decades since a similar incident with the Soviet sub, Red October, ended happily, thanks to a young CIA analyst named Jack Ryan.
-
-
The Ryan’s at their best
- By William Bailey on 05-27-24
- Tom Clancy Act of Defiance
- By: Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Still a Scott Brick Fan, But…
Reviewed: 06-15-24
Story: no surprises here; it’s a Tom Clancy thriller, after all. Andrews & Wilson remain faithful to Clancy’s characters, style, and technical accuracy, weaving in just the right amount of storytelling drama between the heroes and villains. The good guys are the picture of excellence; disciplined, & intuitive. The bad guys are diabolical, selfish, and dangerous. The fate of the world is at stake. Narration: Scott Brick falls short on this one, unfortunately. The way Brick reads their dialogue (both inner and outer), our heroes seem all-too-often overcome with emotion in moments that - for those of us familiar with the characters - syrupy sentimentality, rage, hysterics or uncharacteristic “popping off” are inappropriate. This happens with annoying frequency in AoD. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not terrible; Brick would have to try hard to completely muck up a narration. That said, as someone quite familiar with Brick’s talent, it is my suspicion that the director coached Brick during the recording, with the aim of giving the story a more feminine touch. If the Estate of TC is reading this: remember your audience demographics. Don’t do woke.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The Chaos Agent
- Gray Man, Book 13
- By: Mark Greaney
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder
- Length: 17 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Someone is killing the world's leading experts on robotics and computers. A desperate Russian scientist approaches Court Gentry and Zoya Zakharova to ask for their protection, but before they can help, they are attacked by a team of professional assassins. They escape, but wherever they turn, it's clear that whoever's tracking them is always going to be one step ahead. With a danger of this level, there's no choice but to attack into the threat.
-
-
This is Controlled Chaos…
- By shelley on 02-21-24
- The Chaos Agent
- Gray Man, Book 13
- By: Mark Greaney
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder
Top-Notch Cliffhanger & Mystery
Reviewed: 03-24-24
Another outstanding Gray Man thriller from Greaney with an added element of mystery. Who is assassinating the world’s top minds in AI development? I found myself changing my guess every other chapter. If you’re a fan of Court Gentry, Tom Clancy, or action / spy thrillers, you will *not* be disappointed. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Ever Wonder Why?
- And Other Controversial Essays
- By: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Leon Nixon
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thomas Sowell takes aim at a range of legal, social, racial, educational, and economic issues in this latest collection of his controversial, never boring, always thought-provoking essays. From "gun control myths" to "mealy mouth media" to "free lunch medicine," Sowell gets to the heart of the matters we all care about with his characteristically unsparing candor.
-
-
He does it again.
- By David H on 09-28-23
- Ever Wonder Why?
- And Other Controversial Essays
- By: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Leon Nixon
Outstanding, and Re-readable
Reviewed: 02-08-24
Thomas Sowell never disappoints (his academic treatises notwithstanding), and “Ever Wonder Why” is, IMO, one of his very best.
Ever Wonder Why is a collection of Sowell’s essays and newspaper columns, written for the layman. This is one of those rare books that - having listened to the audio version - I will be picking up a hard copy (which, unfortunately, is not offered in hardcover at the time of this writing).
Entertaining? You bet. In fact - at times - laugh-out-loud funny.
Thought-provoking? 100%. I found myself pausing several times to digest the ramifications of what was being said.
Iconoclastic? Always.
“Pop-economics” isn’t the descriptor I’m looking for, but it’s the first one that comes to mind.
This is my first audiobook with Leon Nixon as narrator, and I am now a fan. Nixon is a gifted narrator, and it seems clear from the way he narrates Sowell’s book (where he places emphasis, gravity, levity, pauses, etc) that he “gets it.” I don’t know any other way to put it, other than to say, he voices Thomas Sowell’s work better than Sowell himself.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Tom Clancy Command and Control
- A Jack Ryan Novel, Book 23
- By: Marc Cameron
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For a century, the Panama Canal has served as the path between the seas. Control of this vital waterway is the difference between free trade and chaos in world markets. So when Panamanian President Rafael Botero asks for a show of support against the socialist opposition, his old friend President Jack Ryan can’t turn down an invitation to visit the country, but what seems like an ordinary opportunity to preach the values of democracy quickly turns into a nightmare when a full-blown coup d’état erupts.
-
-
Another success
- By Jim on 01-01-24
- Tom Clancy Command and Control
- A Jack Ryan Novel, Book 23
- By: Marc Cameron
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Excellent, As Always
Reviewed: 02-08-24
Marc Cameron and Scott Brick never disappoint. The former is a gifted story-teller, the latter is a the ideal for narrating those stories.
If you’re an avid fan of Marc Cameron’s work (and/or the Jack Ryan series), there are no surprises here: edge-of-your-seat spy thriller, with terrifying bad guys vs. top-gun good guys, battling it out in a high-stakes chess game on a global scale, using ultra-cool weapons that most of us can’t afford. [Side note: don’t you just love how Cameron lists the weapons build out for what the operators use? “…Sig lower with a 12½” Sionics upper, 5½” Huxwrx 3D printed suppressor, Nightforce NXS 2.5 10x42 optic, Aimpoint T2 red dot mounted at a 45º angle…”; thanks Marc.]
If you’re a first-time reader of the Jack Ryan series, this is a fine book to start with, and is emblematic of the rest of the series. Once you’ve finished it (and assuming you enjoy it), I have great news for you: you have plenty of material to read starting at the beginning to digest while waiting for the next book to come out.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Die Trying
- Jack Reacher, Book 2
- By: Lee Child
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
- Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a woman is kidnapped off a Chicago street in broad daylight, Jack Reacher's in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's kidnapped with her. Chained together and racing across America toward an unknown destination, they're at the mercy of a group of men demanding an impossible ransom. Because Reacher's female companion is worth more than he imagines. Now he has to save them both - from the inside out - or die trying....
-
-
Where is Dick Hill?
- By Amazon Customer on 10-31-12
- Die Trying
- Jack Reacher, Book 2
- By: Lee Child
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
Great Storytelling; Lackluster Narration
Reviewed: 12-17-23
There are good storytellers, & then there are great storytellers. Right? The way I figure it, Lee Child stands squarely in the latter category. No doubt about it. Unfortunately, Johnathan McClain is a mid narrator. He’s adequate, but he’s no Scott Brick. He’s no Lou Diamond Phillips. That’s for sure. For this second novel in the JR series, Child tells the story in third person. Not first person, like in the first novel; third person. That’s for sure. No doubt about it. The story, nonetheless, is still just as thrilling. Still just as terrifying. And that’s what makes the rating hit four stars. It’s a great story, with adequate narration. That’s for sure. No doubt about it. Recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The Anti-Communist Manifesto
- By: Jesse Kelly
- Narrated by: Jesse Kelly
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A rallying cry striking at the roots of today’s major issues, Jesse Kelly uses his trademark bombast, intelligence, and humor to take down the most dangerous philosophy in history and address its resurgence in America. This instant bestseller is for anyone who feels alienated by political and popular culture in the United States and recognizes the danger of communism as it threatens to rip apart America’s social fabric.
-
-
Excellent example of True American Leadership
- By Donald on 06-06-23
- The Anti-Communist Manifesto
- By: Jesse Kelly
- Narrated by: Jesse Kelly
Outstanding & Actionable
Reviewed: 11-17-23
There are several good books out there that are good at diagnosing the problem of communism, and just as many that are good at pointing to examples, & explaining the pathology of communism
However, until Kelly’s book came along, none offered any remedies. The anti-communist manifesto does an excellent job of all three. Which is to say, it points to, concrete examples of communism, explaining the pathology, and then offering actionable things that rational busy people can do to fight.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Excellence Wins
- A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise
- By: Horst Schulze, Dean Merrill - contributor
- Narrated by: Michael Wagner
- Length: 5 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
CEOs. Leaders without titles. Startups. Corporations. For-profits. Nonprofits. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do - you want to become the best. You want to win, every time. Horst Schulze knows how to win. In Excellence Wins, Schulze, in his absolute no-nonsense approach, shares the visionary and disruptive principles that have produced immense global successes over the course of his still-prolific 50-year career.
-
-
Challenging and Inspiring
- By Kim on 09-25-19
- Excellence Wins
- A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise
- By: Horst Schulze, Dean Merrill - contributor
- Narrated by: Michael Wagner
Excellence in Narration
Reviewed: 10-30-23
Mr. Schulze - with his soft, German accent - turns out to be nearly as excellent a narrator as he is a hotelier. There are a few mispronunciations, but these in no way detract from understanding.
Mr. Schulze expertly weaves his philosophy into a series of stories & anecdotes, each illustrating the integral parts of the practical application of the philosophy of excellence. What a pity that so few in senior management seem to understand that very often making money requires spending money.
Anyone & everyone - whether businessman or homemaker, front line sales or senior management, employee or sole-proprieter - can benefit from Schulze’s philosophy of excellence.
Highly recommended.
PS: you can likely finish the audiobook in under five hours if you do what I did & set the speed to 1.2x. Mr. Schulze’s cadence while reading is slow enough that bumping up the pace a little works well, & resulted in only one or two spots where I had to rewind a few seconds for a repeat.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Tom Clancy's Op-Center
- Tom Clancy's Op-Center #1
- By: Tom Clancy, Steve Pieczenik, Jeff Rovin
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A terrorist bomb explodes during a South Korean celebration of the anniversary of the election of its first president. Alarms are raised in Washington. No one is claiming responsibility. The first suspect is North Korea. Could it be making a power play against South Korea and unification? If so, how will the U.S. respond? Paul Hood, Director of the Op-Center, must answer these questions. The Op-Center, a largely autonomous new agency which takes on the government's toughest security problems, is only six months old, and has never been given a foreign crisis until now.
-
-
Excellent listen
- By Aaron Kynaston on 08-18-11
- Tom Clancy's Op-Center
- Tom Clancy's Op-Center #1
- By: Tom Clancy, Steve Pieczenik, Jeff Rovin
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
Nostalgic
Reviewed: 08-26-23
Written during a time before we knew of the insanity & paranoia of North Korean leadership, & when diskettes were used to store files.
The story is a plodder; adequate. It lacks the action & suspense (and high tech) of the Jack Ryan series, and the characters are absolutely ordinary.
I probably won’t pick up book two in the series, but I wasn’t bored enough by the story with this one to return it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Fletch
- By: Gregory Mcdonald
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The acidly funny first book starring the subversive sleuth in one of the most successful mystery series of all time. Fletch is an investigative reporter whose methods are a little unorthodox. Currently he's living on the beach. He's taking more than a little flak from his editor. She doesn't appreciate his style. Or the expense account items he's racking up. Or his definition of the word "deadline". Or the divorce lawyers who keep showing up at the office. So when multimillionaire Alan Stanwyk offers Fletch the job of a lifetime, which could be worth a fortune, he's intrigued.
-
-
Fletch is Literally a Psychopath
- By Kindle Customer on 02-09-21
- Fletch
- By: Gregory Mcdonald
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
Good Story Ruined by Amateurish Narrator
Reviewed: 04-03-23
For those of you wondering if the book is any different from the movie, the answer is yes, appreciably so.
McDonald writes a good (and funny) dramedy-yarn, & paints the picture of a doggedly determined news reporter with somewhat loose morals, a penchant for sarcasm, whose ethics - outside of his journalistic integrity - are situational.
Unfortunately, Dan John Miller’s amateurish narration darn near ruins it.
If I had it to do over again, I’d probably read the actual book. Miller’s narration is near unbearable.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!