Audiobooks narrated by Jim Manchester

Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute,Business, and the Making ofModern Evangelicalism

"In the history of the Moody Bible Institute, founded in 1886 by shoe salesman turned revivalist Dwight Lyman Moody, Timothy Gloege finds an answer to why Christian ethics seem to go hand in hand with free-market capitalism. Taking the story back to the origins of modern fundamentalism as it arose within the social and cultural context of the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, Gloege reveals longstanding connections between Chicago evangelicals and business and shows that the marriage between modern business and the so-called 'old-time religion' developed symbiotically, forever altering the American religious landscape. By 1920, a shifting coalition of businessmen, midlevel bureaucrats, and ministers had forged a remarkably resilient form of conservative evangelicalism that deviated in key respects from traditional Protestantism and that embraced modern consumer-oriented ideas and strategies. At the bottom was evangelicalism's thoroughgoing individualism, demonstrated prominently in the privilege it gave to a personal relationship with God as the essence of an authentic faith. This individualism aligned with key developments within capitalism and facilitated a remarkable confluence of business and religious ideas resistant to the influence of Darwinian science's basic orientation toward aggregated populations conditioned by nature or nurture. For these evangelicals, to challenge capitalism was to challenge the foundations of evangelical orthodoxy. Guaranteed pure from both liberal theology and populist literalism, this was a new form of old-time religion not simply compatible with modern consumer capitalism but uniquely dependent on it."

Timothy E. W. Gloege (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds

"Poul Anderson was one of the seminal figures of twentieth-century science fiction. Named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1997, he produced an enormous body of standalone novels and series fiction and was equally at home in the fields of heroic fantasy and hard SF. He was a meticulous craftsman and a gifted storyteller, and the impact of his finest work continues, undiminished, to this day. Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson's Worlds is a rousing, all-original anthology that stands both as a significant achievement in its own right and as a heartfelt tribute to a remarkable writer—and equally remarkable man. A nicely balanced mixture of fiction and reminiscence, Multiverse contains more than a dozen stories and novellas by some of today's finest writers, along with moving reflections by, among others, Anderson's wife, Karen; his daughter, Astrid Anderson Bear; and his son-in-law, novelist and coeditor Greg Bear. Bear's introduction, 'My Friend Poul,' is particularly illuminating and insightful. The fictional contributions comprise a kaleidoscopic array of imaginative responses to Anderson's many and varied fictional worlds. A few of the highlights include Nancy Kress' 'Outmoded Things' and Terry Brooks' 'The Fey of Cloudmoor,' stories inspired by the Hugo Award–winning 'The Queen of Air and Darkness'; a pair of truly wonderful Time Patrol stories, 'A Slip in Time' by S. M. Stirling and 'Christmas in Gondwanaland' by Robert Silverberg; Raymond E. Feist's Dominic Flandry adventure, 'A Candle'; and a pair of very different homages to the classic fantasy novel, Three Hearts and Three Lions: 'The Man Who Came Late' by Harry Turtledove and 'Three Lilies and Three Leopards (And a Participation Ribbon in Science)' by Tad Williams. These stories, together with singular contributions by such significant figures as Larry Niven, Gregory Benford, and Eric Flint, add up to a memorable, highly personal anthology that lives up to the standards set by the late—and indisputably great—Poul Anderson."

Gardner Dozois, Greg Bear (Author), Angela Brazil, Barry Press, Charlie Thurston, Charlotte Anne Dore, Jim Manchester, Mark Peckham, Rachel Dulude, Rebecca Mitchell, Richard Powers, Shaun Grindell, Stephen R. Thorne, Susan Boyce (Narrator)

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Give Me Liberty: Speakers and Speeches That Have Shaped America

"'Give me liberty,' demanded Patrick Henry, 'or give me death!' Henry's words continue to echo in American history, and that quote, and the speech it comes from, remains one of the two or three known to almost every American. The other speeches that have become part of our American collective consciousness all have one theme in common: liberty. These feats of oration seem to trace the evolution of America's definition of liberty and whom it applies to. But what exactly is liberty? It is a term open to a broad range of opinion, and questions about freedom arise daily in the news and in everyday life. Perhaps uniquely among the nations of the world, the United States traces its origins to groups and individuals who specifically wanted to create something new. Webber's insightful Give Me Liberty looks at these great speeches and provides the historical context, focusing attention on particular individuals who summed up the issues of their own day in words that have never been forgotten. Webber gleans lessons from the past centuries that will allow us to continue to strive for the ideals of liberty in the twenty-first century. Sure to become a classic of American oratorical history, Give Me Liberty reveals the enduring power of America's quest for a freer and more just society and the context of the speeches and speakers—from Daniel Webster and Patrick Henry to Martin Luther King Jr. and Ronald Reagan—that gave voice to the struggle."

Christopher L. Webber (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets

"In 1991 Nancy Dillard Lyon, daughter of a powerful Dallas real estate tycoon, was murdered, poisoned with arsenic. Nancy's brother became convinced her adulterous husband, Richard, was responsible. And so Richard was arrested, tried, and convicted—and sentenced to life in prison. But did the evidence support this conviction? Mystery novelist A. W. Gray made his nonfiction debut with this provocative true-crime account of sex, incest, infidelity, drugs, and murder—one that raises doubts about the justice that was served in this case."

A. W. Gray (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The Changing Face of American Society: 1945–2000

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling book aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, this volume explores far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. The Changing Face of American Society chronicles societal changes in the United States during the second half of the twentieth century, including the women's movement, civil rights gains, technological innovations, and advances in medicine. This book summarizes the important themes that took place between the years 1945 and 2000 and what they mean to us now."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The United States in World War II: 1941–1945

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. The United States in World War II provides background on American sentiments prior to US involvement in the war. The authors contend that it may have played out differently if some countries, including the US, had been prepared and/or willing to become involved sooner. Fascist ideology is defined."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The United States in the Cold War: 1945–1989

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. The United States in the Cold War examines the history of the United States from 1945 to 1989. Beginning with the effects of World War II, the narrative follows the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the rise and fall of Communism."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The United States Enters the World Stage: From the Alaska Purchase through World War I, 1867–1919

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. The United States Enters the World Stage covers the years 1867 through 1919. This book gives detailed accounts of America's emergence as a world power from the Alaska Purchase through World War I."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The Middle Road: American Politics, 1945–2000

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. In The Middle Road, the terms democrat, republican, liberal, and conservative are defined. Readers learn how these philosophies dominated and shifted during the years covered in this volume."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Progressivism, the Great Depression, and the New Deal: 1901–1941

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Progressivism, the Great Depression, and the New Deal emphasizes economic trends and the role of the government in regard to the economy from the beginning of the twentieth century to America's entry into World War II. The authors discuss the boom of the 1920s, the crash of 1929, the ensuing Depression, and the country's response. Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'hundred days' and programs such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA) are examined in detail. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes in the Drama of American History series explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes, and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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A Century of Immigration: 1820–1924

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. A Century of Immigration reviews the century of 1820 through 1920, in which there were two waves of immigration to the United States. This book discusses the varied motivations and nationalities of these new Americans, as well as the effects of mass immigration on the country as a whole, and the rise of antiforeign sentiments among more recent immigrants."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Indians, Cowboys, and Farmers and the Battle for the Great Plains: 1865–1910

"History is dramatic—and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation. Indians, Cowboys, and Farmers discusses the settling of the area between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains and the conflicting interests of the different groups involved—the Indians, cowboys, farmers, sheepherders, and railroad barons. The authors discuss the effect of the American policy of westward expansion on the Indian population, the rise and fall of the “Cattle Kingdom,” and the importance of cross-country transportation."

Christopher Collier, James Lincoln Collier (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Jim Manchester