The Alps cover art

The Alps

A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi and Beyond

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The Alps

By: Stephen O'Shea
Narrated by: Robert Fass
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About this listen

For centuries the Alps have seen the march of armies, the flow of pilgrims and Crusaders, the feats of mountaineers, and the dreams of engineers - and some 14 million people live among their peaks today. In The Alps, Stephen O'Shea takes listeners up and down these majestic mountains, journeying through their 500-mile arc across France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. Along the way he explores the reality behind Hannibal and his elephants' famous crossing in 218 BCE; he reveals how the Alps have profoundly influenced culture, from Frankenstein to Heidi to The Sound of Music; and he visits the spot where Arthur Conan Doyle staged Sherlock Holmes' death scene, the bloody site of the Italians' retreat in World War I, and Hitler's notorious vacation house, the Eagle's Nest. Throughout, O'Shea records his adventures with the watchmakers, salt miners, cable-car operators, and yodelers who define the Alps today.

©2017 Stephen O’Shea (P)2017 HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books Alps Ecosystems & Habitats Europe Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Travel Writing & Commentary Italy Middle ages War

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All stars
Most relevant  
Not quite as funny nor as well-researched as a Bryson book, but trying to be, this book was written by some guy with no particular interest in mountains who apparently drove a fast car through the Alps for a few weeks. The result is mostly dull and uninteresting, with a few historical highlights.

Falls flat

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I'm not sure what this book is trying to say exactly. I was hoping for a virtual journey through the Alps with descriptions of the locations, nature, etc. Instead, it sounds to me like a fairly grumpy guy, briefly describing the locations (many with disdain) but predominantly criticising the many other travellers he encounters along the way. He seems to dislike most anyone who isn't (like him) American! I got about 4 hours in and gave up. It wasn't entertaining me on any level and the foremost emotion it evoked was anger at the authors criticism of most everyone and everything around him. All in all very disappointing and way too much negativity - even for free!

Disappointing

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