The Education of Henry Adams Audiobook

" This started out fascinating -- son of a famous political family growing up in mid-19th Century New England. Henry Adams has the insider's view of the who's who of America at the time, and his family, social, educational, and professional life is a series of name dropping. Adams has a quirky sense of humor, but about a third of the way in the journal turned increasingly tedious and sometimes downright boring. It's never a good thing when the book seems it will never end. But end it did, and I do not look back. "

" I am having a lot of trouble plowing through this one. I've been reading it for almost nine weeks (I know because it's due back at the library after 2 renewals!) and though it is not wholly unenjoyable, it is slow going. The problem is that Adams simply did not write this book for future generations. He writes assuming you have every idea of what he is talking about. I have only a fair grasp of history and have very very very often had to look up people and events that he has mentioned. The name-dropping is incredible. He mentions so many people and places only in passing, almost as an inside joke, "wink wink" type of a thing, I get really frustrated and put the book down and walk away from it for a week at a time. I think the worst part is actually the thing the publishers have done to combat this effect. My edition (not the one pictured here) has a cast of characters, a list of important people mentioned in the book and why they were important. But the frustrating part is that probably only 1/16th of the people Adams casually drops into conversation are listed. And there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to WHO is listed. People who are written about for 20 pages are not annotated, while someone mentioned only briefly has a prominent entry. My research into the book itself has told me that Adams did not write this weighty tome for the public, but meant it only for family and friends after his death. So perhaps my beef is not actually with Adams at all, but with the publishers for not providing enough background information. All that said, there are some passages that are beautifully descriptive and wonderfully written, particularly about his childhood in Boston and Quincy and what life was like here in the mid-1800s. And I always think it's cool when I can get up from my chair, hop on the subway, and check out a particular building or street for myself. Another plus: It made me want to go back and listen to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill! In summary: Read if you're really interested, but bring a good encyclopedia along for the journey. "

" Adams' sense, in 1899, that we were moving from a universe to a multiverse was prophetic. A harsh self-critic, he ends each chapter with the denouement, as yet I was not educated. An excellent autobiography. "

" First 2/3rds of book was fantastic. Last 3rd was extremely difficult to read. I may pick this up again and try to re-read the last part when I have more time to study. I read this for a book club and don't think it worked well in a book club setting. First part yet, but last part, definitely no (unless you want to run some of your members off). "

" While acknowledging that this book is Important, I respectfully submit that it won't stay that way for much longer. The most interesting aspect of the book - its commitment to something like psychic catastrophism - is also, from a formal perspective, what makes it a tedious read, and the sheer volume of petty political sniping (about slights and missteps that occurred in, like, 1872) is enough to make one almost embarrassed for the aging Adams. Add to that the author's by now pretty untenable conviction that in 1900 THE ENTIRE FABRIC OF HUMAN EXISTENCE WAS PERMANENTLY TRANSFORMED, supported by a very confused version of physics and biology, and you get a book many times the worse for historical perspective - as Adams, to his credit, probably would've predicted. "

" Henry Adams was definitely a genius, and frankly, so much of what I read went over my head. I needed a political and world history companion to completely follow along with the reading. I do love the Adams family. But with this fourth generation, of which he was apart, I am impressed and disappointed at the same time. I couldn't help but feel that he was insincere in his "education"- his character seemed lukewarm, spoiled, and arrogant, with a false sense of humility or sincerity in seeking knowledge. I gave it 3 stars because the guy is so dang smart, has intriguing things to say and as a history, its interesting, but I think if I hung out with the dude I'd seriously wanna punch him in the face. "

" This book is considered a classic of American historical nonfiction. To this I simply ask "why"? With the exception of some historical name-dropping, "The Education of Henry Adams" is simply a soap box for Adams to complain about receiving a lack of education in his life experiences, and him trying to come up with a scientific theory that can track and predict the course of human history. This latter part takes the book from being a little confusing to downright tiresome. "

" Pretty good - some of it can get a bit obtuse, so you have to read carefully, but a fascinating look through the eyes of someone who was so close to the big history makers of the 19th century "

" I have never been so surprised to love a book. I picked it off of a college reading list (not my college). "

" Wonderfully snide. My favorite - "The young man read us what he said was poetry. Whatever it was, it was certainly not prose." "

" Read it to your child. It could put them to sleep. "

" This is a long, hard read. But there are valuable lessons to be learned if you can make it through. "

" Long winded... boring... pompous Mother and I had to read it for a history class. At the end, Mother asked "Did he ever DO anything?" I could only shrug. "

" Very tedious and I didn't find it very interesting at all. Was happy when I finally finished it. "

" I read this for a college course in "Great Autobiographies." A good read. Ends powerfully. "

" Do you despise academia? Do you love learning? This is the book for you. Inspiring, humane, and acidic all in one big dose. "

" I have only read book 1 of this two-volume set but so far I found it very good. He had observations about politicians that I think are absolutely accurate. "

" Struggled in vain to complete at least one chapter for book club. "

" Incisive thoughts from a man who partook of practically every privilege of modern civilization. This autobiography hails from a bygone era, but it remains timeless. "

" I liked the fact that he encouraged women to be capable. Maybe he didn't become a president, but his life was still interesting.<br/><br/>He seemed to have been a nice person. Although there were parts that were a bit classicist. Maybe he wouldn't take different points of view well. "

" Read it to your child. It could put them to sleep. "

" Henry Adams is such a weird guy. "

" To confess I did not get very far into this book. Adams did not want this book published. How very right he was, too. I marked it read so I don't have to think about it and as a warning. "

" Struggled in vain to complete at least one chapter for book club. "

" As I read this book, I could never find an answer to one central question: Why do I care? "