Showing results by author "History Hour" in All Categories

Albert Einstein was an outstanding physician and mathematician of the 20th century. He was a pure genius who created a formula that would build a bomb capable of killing thousands at a time. Albert learned to play the violin. He could play a few notes on the piano or the violin, and then he would jot down notes on some theory. Einstein won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922.

This audiobook includes biographies on the following men: Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments... There are a lot more to the story than just the light bulb, and there is a lot more to the invention of the light bulb than just Thomas Edison. One thing is for sure that he is still remembered as one of the greatest inventors of all time, and perhaps the greatest that America has ever produced.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, nominally survived as pharaoh by her son Caesarion. She was also a diplomat, naval commander, polyglot, and medical author. As a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder, Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.

Was Don Juan an unconquerable womanizer and a philanderer whose life choices were driven by his loins, not his mind? A rich man of noble blood, indeed. But also, a scoundrel of the highest order. Still, not every story sees him as such. Some say he is more victim than culprit, others that there is nothing wrong with enjoying life, provided doing so harms no one and nobody is induced to do something they would rather not. Our challenge is to find out exactly what kind of man Don Juan really was. The answer might surprise us.

Benjamin Franklin was not only a son, husband, brother, and scientist; he was also very popular and highly respected in the American colonies, England, and France. Franklin was highly intelligent and a very generous and compassionate human being, who often woke up early and would ask himself what good he could accomplish that day.

Ludwig van Beethoven, a genius composer, one of the most recognized and influential of all composers. Ludwig van Beethoven is a crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Classical music. Beethoven displayed his musical talents at an early age and was taught by his father Johann van Beethoven and by composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe.

Has Ivan Chetvyorty been a wicked and ruthless leader? Has his nation suffered as he pursued his own corrupted agendas? Surely, though, none comes close to the violent, lascivious, vengeful reign of Ivan Chetvyorty Vasilyevich, born to the Rurik Dynasty in the Grand Duchy of Muscovy. Indeed, this man’s period in power was one of the longest in Russian history, lasting more than half a century.

There are many tales of his military might and strong character, there are those who see Ernesto “Che” Guevara as a hero and the greatest socialist mind of his time, but there are those who see him as a ruthless military leader who executed people without trials and who violated several human rights. Very few men have been subject to as much mysticism and admiration as Ernesto Guevara. His image has been used as the symbol for revolution, freedom, and rebellion in every corner of the world.

Was Giacomo Casanova one of the most prolific lovers in history? Casanova’s description of himself suggests a hero, a lover, a charmer, an intellectual genius, and a man of intense creativity who was able to turn every adversity into a triumph. Yet equally one modern perspective views as an amoral misogynist, a rapist, and sexual predator driven by his selfish desires, a chancer who got lucky more times than he deserved.

There is a lot more to the story than just the light bulb, and there is a lot more to the invention of the light bulb than just Thomas Edison. One thing is for sure - he is still remembered as one of the greatest inventors of all time and perhaps the greatest that America has ever produced. In truth, Edison was a man who invented a lot of things while bringing about incredible advancements in many other things. With the stock ticker, the telegraph, the light bulb, and the motion picture, he may not have invented them, but he improved on them beyond any recognition.

Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors and, in a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace, introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding.

Why should anyone who is not interested in aviation or history be interested in the Wright brothers? What do their life and struggle have to add to the lives of the common person out there? Do world changers possibly have more in common with us than many of us realize? As you will listen to in this book, the Wright brothers encountered many challenges within their lives. The buzzwords of the business world today all encompass what the Wright brothers possessed in great abundance.

Was Joan of Arc accused because she was a woman? Then why did so many fierce and battle-hardened male warriors line up their troops behind her? Yet, not even one of her soldiers, be they longbowmen, cavalry riders, knights, artillerymen, and nobles, ran from the command of a woman. Instead, they marveled at her as she mounted the ladders to a heavily defended castle, right along with the men, shot arrows, thrust spears, and galloped on her great white steed along with the best of them. She was wounded twice and yet did not shirk from battle.

As you begin to listen to this audiobook, you will undoubtedly feel that Queen Marie Antoinette and King Louise XVI led spoiled lives. You will be right in what you think; but you will also find out that with their parents arranging their marriages at a very young age, neither of them was ever able to experience the feelings of young love. You will see what horrors and terrors that Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, their children, and Louis’ sister had to suffer through for four years before their deaths.

Mark Twain Samuel Clemens the greatest humorist America has produced. Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain, whatever name you want to call him, was a complex individual who was moody and had a dark side but never showed it to his audience because he needed their buy-in for him to make money...You can get the most complete information about this great author by listening to his autobiography. So you can understand the life, thoughts, and ideas of a great writer. Listen to Mark Twain biography right now!

A brilliant showman, genuinely interested in human psychology, and Houdini’s life and work reflect these many interested, and he must have known the cachet being born in America would give his act. More than a little daredevil, Houdini performed feats never matched by any other person. Phineas Taylor Barnum’s name has been associated with circus sideshows and freaks and jokes for more than a century, but the truth is that he was a great man and a visionary who shaped the country he loved so much.

Patton’s life was a patchwork of a hard-driving leadership style, a colorful and sarcastic personality, and a series of dire political missteps. His image is often contradictory. On one hand, he was a hot spark who could often fly off the handle and say and do things that were injurious to himself and others. On the other hand, he was a gifted orator whose capacity to inspire his troops was second to none. Reconciling those elements of his being can sometimes be a tricky proposition.

Nikola Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments. Hear more about Tesla in this audiobook.

Fidel Castro ruled the country of Cuba for almost 60 years, and he changed the political structure of the country to a one-party socialist state. He ruled firstly as a Prime Minister before converting it to the title of President and Commander-in-Chief of Cuba. Castro’s political journey started on a rebellious note as he participated in the revolt against right-wing administrations in Colombia and the Dominican Republic. He later rose to become the leader of the communist revolution.

Phineas Taylor Barnum was a successful small business owner, entrepreneur, newspaper editor, museum owner, sideshow operator, touring promoter for opera singers, theatrical producer, circus owner, congressman, mayor, and philanthropist. He had an influence on virtually every aspect of American life and it cannot be underestimated. Phineas Taylor Barnum’s name has been associated with circus sideshows and freaks and jokes for more than a century, but the truth is that he was a great man and a visionary who shaped the country he loved so much.