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  • Cultural Amnesia

  • Notes in the Margin of My Time
  • By: Clive James
  • Narrated by: Clive James
  • Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (71 ratings)

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Cultural Amnesia

By: Clive James
Narrated by: Clive James
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Publisher's Summary

Abridged for audio. Read by the author, Clive James.

With fascinating essays on towering figures from Anna Akhmatova to Stefan Zweig, via Charles de Gaulle, Hitler, Thomas Mann and Wittgenstein, Cultural Amnesia is one of the crowning achievements in Clive James's illustrious career as a critic.

A comprehensive survey of modern culture, Cultural Amnesia is Clive James' unique take on the places and the faces that shaped the twentieth-century. From Anna Akhmatova to Stefan Zweig, via Charles de Gaulle, Hitler, Thomas Mann and Wittgenstein, this varied and unfailingly absorbing book is both story and history, both public memoir and personal record – and provides an essential field-guide to the vast movements of taste, intellect, politics and delusion that helped to prepare the times we live in now.

©2008 Clive James (P)2008 Macmillan Digital Audio

Critic Reviews

"Clever, and funny....a wonderful book for a long afternoon in a left-bank cafe, or a transatlantic plane ride." (The Observer)

"On virtually every page, there is an arresting sentence, witty or profound." (Mail on Sunday)

"It's clever, contentious and funny (like its author). His scope is impressive." (Guardian)

What listeners say about Cultural Amnesia

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely excellent

Listening to the actual voice of Clive James read this excellent book is indeed wonderful. Thoroughly enjoyable. I have learned a lot from this great Australian intellectual who was not afraid to admit his own mistakes. It is a pity that more contemporary writers do not have the depth of understanding or knowledge that James had. A great loss to Western Civilisation.

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Clive you are a island of Humanism in a sea of extreme intolerance and cruelty

An Island I keep washing up on, when adrift in that dark sea, that Clive thankful did not live to see.

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Clive James Unexpurgated

Listening to Clive James reading his own works reminds us what a rich history there is of authors and artists we don’t know. Now, I must rush off to try to embrace some of their works thanks to Mr James’ titillating insights.

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Clever Clive

Clive's wit and style is captivating. never a dull moment with this book. highly recommended

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tedious and difficult to wade through

a difficult book to wade through. It have been improved with a different voice actor but I doubt it

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