Audiobooks narrated by Jim Manchester

Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute, Business, and the Making of Modern 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. “SFWA Grand Master Poul Anderson was a prolific master craftsman whose works spanned the subgenres of speculative fiction and whose awards include an impressive seven Hugos. Editors Dozois and Bear present seventeen heartfelt tributes to Anderson, including biographical observations, by friends and family, and fiction by respected longtime writers.”—Publishers Weekly

Gardner Dozois, Greg Bear (Author), Angela Brazil, Barry Press, Charlie Thurston, Charlotte Anne Dore, Jim Manchester, Mark Peckham, Paul Michael Garcia, Rachel Dulude, Rebecca Mitchell, Richard Powers, Shaun Grindell, Stephen R. Thorne, Susan Boyce, Various, Various Narrators, Various Narrators (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. “Terrific…Christopher Webber’s book is a wonderfully clear series of profiles of American women and men, who changed what we mean by liberty…Makes the reader wonder at the marvelous and uncertain coincidence of people, words, and the moment that it takes to make things happen…Good history, good reading.”—Sam Waterston, Academy Award–nominated actor

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. “Must reading.”—Jack Olsen, Edgar Award–winning true-crime writer

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

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Reckless: The Racehorse Who Became a Marine Corps Hero

From the racetracks of Seoul to the battlegrounds of the Korean War, Reckless was a horse whose strength, tenacity, and relentless spirit made her a hero among a regiment of US Marines fighting for their lives on the front lines. Her Korean name was Ah-Chim-Hai, meaning Flame-of-the-Morning. A four-year-old chestnut-colored Mongolian racehorse with a white blaze down her face and three white stockings, she once amazed the crowds in Seoul with her remarkable speed. But the star racer was soon sold to an American marine and trained to carry heavy loads of artillery shells up and down steep hills under a barrage of bullets and bombs. The marines renamed her Reckless. Reckless soon proved fearless under fire, boldly trekking alone through the fiery gauntlet, exposed to explosions and shrapnel. For months, her drive and determination kept the marines’ guns blazing, while inspiring them with her singular charm. During one day of battle alone, she made fifty-one trips up and down a crucial hill, covering at least twenty-five miles in the heat of combat. On some of her uphill treks, Reckless shielded human reinforcements. The Chinese, soon discovering the unique bravery of this magnificent animal, made a special effort to kill her. But Reckless never slowed. As months passed and the enemy grew bolder, the men came to appreciate her not just as a horse but as a weapon and, eventually, as a fellow marine. In Reckless, Tom Clavin, national bestselling coauthor of Halsey’s Typhoon, tells the unlikely story of a racehorse who truly became a war hero, beloved by the US Marine Corps and decorated for bravery. A moving reminder of the unbreakable bond between people and animals, Reckless is a powerful tale of courage, survival, and even love in the face of overwhelming odds. “Tom Clavin’s Reckless reads like a wonderful and inspiring combination of Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit and Unbroken. The star of this book might be a Mongolian mare, but she was an American war hero, and her amazing story deserves to be told, which Clavin so ably does. This would make a hell of a movie.”—Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Quest

Tom Clavin (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak

Denali’s Howl is the white-knuckle account of one of the most deadly climbing disasters of all time. In 1967, twelve young men attempted to climb Alaska’s Mount McKinley—known to the locals as Denali—one of the most popular and deadly mountaineering destinations in the world. Only five survived. Journalist Andy Hall, son of the park superintendent at the time, investigates the tragedy. He spent years tracking down survivors, lost documents, and recordings of radio communications. In Denali’s Howl, Hall reveals the full story of an expedition facing conditions conclusively established here for the first time: at an elevation of nearly twenty thousand feet, these young men endured an “arctic superblizzard,” with howling winds of up to three hundred miles an hour and wind chill that freezes flesh solid in minutes. All this was without the high-tech gear and equipment climbers use today. As well as the story of the men caught inside the storm, Denali’s Howl is the story of those caught outside it trying to save them—Hall’s father among them. The book gives readers a detailed look at the culture of climbing then and now and raises uncomfortable questions about each player in this tragedy. Was enough done to rescue the climbers, or were their fates sealed when they ascended into the path of this unprecedented storm? “A haunting, meticulously researched account of twelve men’s encounter with the awesome fury of nature.”—Amanda Padoan, author of Buried in the Sky ***Please contact Member Services for additional documents***

Andy Hall (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow

In this short, easy-to-read fable, bestselling author Mark Miller reveals five habits that underlie leadership character and that determine a leader’s success—and he teaches leaders how to develop these habits. Like Miller’s previous books, this one follows the life, learning, and influence of Debbie Bruster. Here she finds herself mentoring Blake Brown, the son of her former mentor. Rather than answer Blake’s questions about leadership directly, Debbie introduces him to other leaders, each of whom shares a unique perspective on what really makes a leader successful. As Blake puts the pieces together, he discovers his problem is not one of skills but of character—that leadership is more about the heart of the leader than the head or hands. In fact, Miller summarized these traits with the acronym HEART: Hunger for Wisdom, Expect the Best, Accept Responsibility, Respond with Courage, and Think Others First. With the help of his new friends and mentors, Blake is able to build a plan to transform his heart. The good news is that leadership is not just the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions of aspiring leaders around the world. This book is the road map they need to get their lives and careers on track. “The most important leadership tool you have is not your education, your experience, or your know-how. It’s your heart. In this book, Mark provides a clear prescription for using yours to become the kind of leader people want to follow.”—Michael Hyatt, New York Times bestselling author

Mark Miller (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

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Two Birds in a Tree: Timeless Indian Wisdom for Business Leaders

Looking back to the ancient knowledge of the Indian scripture, the Upanishads, Ram Nidumolu finds the core philosophy of sustainable leadership that’s needed today. In this remarkable book, he uses a powerful parable from these scriptures to create a business vision that our world desperately needs. “There are two birds, two sweet friends, who dwell in the selfsame tree,” says the Upanishads. The first bird, dwelling on the lower part of the tree, lives “in sorrow and anxiety.” Unable to see beyond the branches, it hops around compulsively indulging its appetites, eating every fruit, sweet and sour. The other bird, higher up, can see the whole tree and the wider world—this perspective puts it in touch with its innate sense of being, the quality of existence that it shares in common with all other living beings and the natural world. Content, it “looks on in compassionate silence” at the other bird. Ram Nidumolu’s provocative book on business leadership uses this allegory from Indian scripture to highlight why many businesses are distrusted by the public and contribute to social ills like environmental destruction, wealth inequality, and climate change: they mimic the bird on the lower branch. But can business, compassion, and stewardship really coexist? Ram’s surprising insight is to hearken back to the earliest Indian philosophical texts to reclaim their lessons for acting in accordance with our connection to Being. He outlines a four-part framework for what he calls “being-centered leadership” and offers examples of this kind of leadership in action, from companies such as Harley Davidson, Timberland, Puma, Pepsi, and many others. It is time, he writes, to “look up from our rickety perch on the lower branch of a storm-tossed tree and begin the journey to the higher branch.” “This book provides a timely—and eloquent—reminder that business does not operate in a moral vacuum and that tomorrow’s business leaders will need to be driven by a deeper sense of purpose. After reading it, no one can doubt that business can—and should—become a giver and not a taker in a system that gives it life in the first place.”—Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever

Ram Nidumolu (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. “Although many history books for children aim only at an objective presentation of the facts, the Colliers have opted for interpretational history…by focusing on broad themes, the Colliers are able to show cause and effect over several decades and to make the sweep of time ‘bite-sized’ and intelligible.”—School Library Journal on A Century of Immigration

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

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The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow

In this short, easy-to-read fable, bestselling author Mark Miller reveals five habits that underlie leadership character and that determine a leader's success—and he teaches leaders how to develop these habits. Like Miller's previous books, this one follows the life, learning, and influence of Debbie Bruster. Here she finds herself mentoring Blake Brown, the son of her former mentor. Rather than answer Blake's questions about leadership directly, Debbie introduces him to other leaders, each of whom shares a unique perspective on what really makes a leader successful. As Blake puts the pieces together, he discovers his problem is not one of skills but of character—that leadership is more about the heart of the leader than the head or hands. In fact, Miller summarized these traits with the acronym HEART: Hunger for Wisdom, Expect the Best, Accept Responsibility, Respond with Courage, and Think Others First. With the help of his new friends and mentors, Blake is able to build a plan to transform his heart. The good news is that leadership is not just the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions of aspiring leaders around the world. This book is the road map they need to get their lives and careers on track.

Mark Miller (Author), Jim Manchester (Narrator)

Audiobook

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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Audiobooks Narrated by Jim Manchester