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    How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous
    How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous
    How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous
    Audiobook4 hours

    How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous

    Written by Georgia Bragg and Kevin O'Malley

    Narrated by L.J. Ganser

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Over the course of history, famous people made mistakes that were so monumental they could never escape them, no matter how brilliant their successes! Ferdinand Magellan is credited as the first man to sail around the world . . . but he only actually made it halfway. His terrible treatment of everyone he met cut his life journey short. Queen Isabella of Spain is remembered for financing Columbus's expeditions--and for creating the Spanish Inquisition. J. Bruce Ismay commissioned the unsinkable marvel of the sea, the "Titanic"--and then jumped the line of women and children to escape death on a lifeboat. Readers will be fascinated well past the final curtain and will empathize with the flawed humanity of these achievers. Famous successful "failures" include: Marco Polo - Queen Isabella of Spain - King Montezuma II - Anne Boleyn - Ferdinand Magellan - Isaac Newton - Benedict Arnold - George Armstrong Custer - Vincent Van Gogh - Susan B. Anthony - Thomas Alva Edison - J. Bruce Ismay - Amelia M. Earhart - Joseph Jefferson Jackson ("Shoeless Joe")
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJul 18, 2014
    ISBN9781490632551
    How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous
    Author

    Georgia Bragg

    GEORGIA BRAGG is the author of How They Croaked as well as Matisse on the Loose, a middle-grade novel. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and two cats. www.georgiabragg.com

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    Reviews for How They Choked

    4/5

    39 ratings9 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Readers age 10 and older will find failure of many types in this sarcastic, irreverent, and humorous book. Failing to plan, like Amelia Earhart, and living in a society that fails women, such as Susan B. Anthony did, are both featured in this collection of 14 biographies. Many stories feature the positive attributes of the historical figures while minimizing the negative. This author does the reverse and provides cautionary tales. While some suggestions are made to avoid the same errors as the featured figures, it is ultimately up to the reader to decide what was in the individuals ability to control or not. It would be helpful if the audiobook included chapter titles on the jacket.
    • 3/5
      These books are varied and interesting reading. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      After loving How They Croaked, I was excited to read How They Choked, about epic failures among the world's elite. The chapters, however, ran a bit long without necessarily adding anything to the narrative. While this is definitely not as interesting or squirm-in-your-seat-can't-look-away as How They Croaked, it's a worthwhile addition to the young adult non-fiction genre.
    • 4/5
      Presents a humorous look at the flaws and foibles of some of the most famous personalities of history, including such figures as Marco Polo, George Armstrong Custer, Thomas Edison, and Amelia Earhart.
    • 3/5
      Audiobook*"Nobody's perfect, get used to it" warns the narrator (LJ Ganser) and neither is this YA history book.A somewhat humorous attempt at highlighting "famous" peoples failures throughout history. This audiobook was narrated very well by LJ Ganser and the overall structure and writing are well done too. But...Reminds me of "Don't Know Much About History" (which I didn't like) with a gallows humor twist. I can see why they think this type of narrative might be fun or interesting but I can't help but reject the negative point of view provided here. I also don't enjoy the use of "matter of fact" where it seems conjecture is really used. Not that much of history isn't conjecture but I want to know why they've come to those conclusions.Maybe it's just my taste, but I can't recommend this book, even for the young audience it's aimed at. Attempts at dumbing down history for the sake of entertainment/engagement, seem to me, to dumb down the reader as well.
    • 5/5
      Our whole family (husband, wife, children ages 12 and 10) enjoyed listening to HOW THEY CHOKED in the car. I really enjoyed hearing the real facts and stories behind the historical people of which I only knew the main points. The theme of the book is how famous and infamous people choked or failed on their way to infamy or fame. Some of the stories that really stood out for me were: (1) how Amelia Earhart was really a reckless flyer who only cared for fame and who failed to take proper flight precautions or trained herself in technology, all of which led to her demise (2) how Magellan was a cruel and despotic captain who never really circumnavigated the globe, and (3) how Isaac Newton's sad childhood and obsession with alchemy derailed one of the finest minds of a generation.My one quibble with the book is that it seems like the author was trying to fit the stories into a "failure" or "choked" theme, even when the stories did not really reflect failure (like Susan B Anthony, who though she did not live to see women's suffrage, worked her whole life for it and never truly failed).A very lively and fun listen. The side bar information at the end of each chapter was harder to listen to (than presumably to read) as many times they were just lists of information.
    • 5/5
      This book reminds us that failure is always an option, and exposes the humorous side of it all. In turns scathing, sympathetic, and inspiring, depending on the nature of the failure, the dry wit of the author's writing and the narrator's own wry delivery combine to create an audiobook that will remain with the reader. By the end, readers will be looking at history in new ways, and perhaps also looking at the failures in their own lives in an entirely different light as well.
    • 4/5
      4.25 StarsA collection of mini-biographies of famous historical figures and their "failures." This book is more appropriate for tweens and teens, but even adults will find this book entertaining. The cover art is great! There was one or two tidbits that were new and interesting to me (as an adult reader). If you liked How They Croaked, you will enjoy this one too. This nonfiction work is organized in a very similar manner with all the extra sections and lists; however, the number of historical figures discussed overall is less than the previous book. Recommended for older children and fans of quirky history.Audiobook edition - The narrator performed well and kept my attention (it's one of the few audiobooks I have successfully finished from beginning to end; I read much faster than the average narrator). There was no droning on in a monotone voice! A very good audiobook aimed to keep the attention of children, but you do miss out on the illustrations.LT Early Reviewers
    • 4/5
      Readers age 10 and older will find failure of many types in this sarcastic, irreverent, and humorous book. Failing to plan, like Amelia Earhart, and living in a society that fails women, such as Susan B. Anthony did, are both featured in this collection of 14 biographies. Many stories feature the positive attributes of the historical figures while minimizing the negative. This author does the reverse and provides cautionary tales. While some suggestions are made to avoid the same errors as the featured figures, it is ultimately up to the reader to decide what was in the individuals ability to control or not. It would be helpful if the audiobook included chapter titles on the jacket.