Audiobooks by Jonathan Clements

Wu: The Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced and Murdered Her Way to Become a Living God

Empress Wu Zetian (624-705 AD) was the only woman to be the sovereign ruler of imperial China. A teenage concubine of the Tang Emperor Taizong, she seduced his son while the emperor lay dying. Recalled from a nunnery as part of an intricate court power-game, she caused the deaths of two lady rivals, before securing her enthronement as the Emperor Gaozong's consort. She ruled in the name of her husband and two eldest sons, presiding over the pinnacle of the Silk Road, before proclaiming herself the founder of a new dynasty. Worshipped as the Sage Mother of Mankind and reviled as the Treacherous Fox, she was deposed aged 79, after angry courtiers murdered her two young lovers. The subject of countless books, plays, and films, Empress Wu remains a feminist icon and a bugbear of Chinese conservatism. Jonathan Clements weighs the evidence of her life and legacy: so charismatic that she could rise from nothing to the height of medieval power, so hated that her own children left her tombstone blank.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Kathleen Li (Narrator)

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The First Emperor of China

The First Emperor In 1974, Chinese peasants made the discovery of the century . . . Thousands of terracotta soldiers guarding the tomb of a tyrant. Ying Zheng was born to rule the world, claiming descent from gods, crowned king while still a child. He was the product of a heartless, brutal regime devoted to domination, groomed from an early age to become the First Emperor of China after a century of scheming by his ancestors. He faked a foreign threat to justify an invasion. He ruled a nation under twenty-four-hour surveillance. He ordered his interrogators to torture suspects. He boiled his critics alive. He buried dissenting scholars. He declared war on death itself. Jonathan Clements uses modern archaeology and ancient texts to outline the First Emperor's career and the grand schemes that followed unification: the Great Wall that guarded his frontiers and the famous Terracotta Army that watches over his tomb. This revised edition includes updates from a further decade of publications, archaeology and fictional adaptations, plus the author's encounter with Yang Zhifa, the man who discovered the Terracotta Army.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Kathleen Li (Narrator)

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A Brief History of Japan: Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising

This fascinating history tells the story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion. First revealed to Westerners in the chronicles of Marco Polo, Japan was a legendary faraway land defended by a fearsome Kamikaze storm and ruled by a divine sovereign. It was the terminus of the Silk Road, the furthest end of the known world, a fertile source of inspiration for European artists, and an enduring symbol of the mysterious East. In recent times, it has become a powerhouse of global industry, a nexus of popular culture, and a harbinger of post-industrial decline. With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Julian Elfer (Narrator)

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A Brief History of China: Dynasty, Revolution and Transformation: From the Middle Kingdom to the Peo

A Brief History of China tells of the development of a rich and complex civilization where the use of paper, writing, money, and gunpowder were widespread in ancient times and where silk, ceramics, tea, metal implements, and other products were produced and exported around the globe. It examines the special conditions that allowed a single culture to unify an entire continent spanning 10 billion square kilometers under the rule of a single man-and the unbelievably rich artistic, literary and architectural heritage that Chinese culture has bequeathed to the world. Equally fascinating is the story of China's decline in the nineteenth and early twentieth century-as Europeans and Americans took center stage-and its modern resurgence as an economic powerhouse in recent years. In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in Chinese society-from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, to the Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even brings listeners through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Julian Elfer (Narrator)

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From Here to Financial Happiness: Enrich Your Life in Just 77 Days

From Here to Financial Happiness is the day-by-day guide for anyone dreaming of a better life. Whether you're dealing with debt, uncertain about retirement, or simply want to get a grip on your finances, this book can put you on the road to happiness with a simple eleven-week journey. Just five to ten minutes a day to think about money, your habits, your goals, and your dreams. What steps can you take today to get your finances on track? What bad habits, bad investments, and misconceptions should you let go of? The next eleven weeks will be a revelation: Some days you'll learn about finance, other days you'll learn about yourself. Many days, you will be given a concrete list of things to do-right at that moment-to start steering your financial situation onto the right path. Learn how to stack the financial odds in your favor. Amass savings for retirement, the children's college, or that next financial emergency. Change your perspective on money and its role in your life. Get your financial house in order-and keep it that way. A better life is possible. You do have the power to change things for the better. From Here to Financial Happiness is your personal roadmap to financial freedom.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Roger Clark (Narrator)

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The Little Book Of MAIN STREET MONEY: 21 Simple Truths That Help Real People Make Real Money

In The Little Book of Main Street Money, Clements brings us back to basics, with common sense suggestions for intelligent money management. Chock-full of financial guidance that will stand up in any market, the book also reflects a financial philosophy that Clements has developed over a lifetime of watching Wall Street and writing about money - and that is even more important in the current volatile market. From the big picture (home, retirement, financial happiness) to the micro (taxes, inflation, investment costs), he offers clear-cut advice for taking control of your financial life, detailing the strategies needed to thrive in today's tough economic times. The 21 truths outlined throughout this book are a guiding light for everyone, young and old, whether starting out or soon retiring. Each chapter reads like a Clements column - clear, pithy, and feisty. From the obvious to the counterintuitive, the truths will bolster your returns, cut your costs, and give you financial peace of mind. Collectively, the 21 truths show you how to think about your entire financial life-not just stocks and bonds, but your home, your debts, your financial promises to your children, your income-earning ability, and so much more. They will help you not only survive today's treacherous financial terrain, but also prepare you for success tomorrow. Renowned for his spirited writing and shrewd investment guidance, Clements is the sane voice investors need to stay grounded in the midst of so much financial insanity.

Jonathan Clements (Author), Sean Pratt (Narrator)

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Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor Adventures 2.3 Brave New Town

Jonathan Clements (Author), Paul McGann, Sheridan Smith (Narrator)

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Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor Adventures 1.4 Immortal Beloved

Jonathan Clements (Author), Paul McGann, Sheridan Smith (Narrator)

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UNIT 1.2 Snake Head

Jonathan Clements (Author), Nicholas Deal, Siri O'Neal (Narrator)

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