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  • Wisdom of the Ancients

  • Life Lessons from Our Distant Past
  • By: Neil Oliver
  • Narrated by: Neil Oliver
  • Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (228 ratings)

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Wisdom of the Ancients

By: Neil Oliver
Narrated by: Neil Oliver
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the best-selling author of The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places comes this inspiring and beautifully written meditation on the wisdom inherited from our ancestors.

For all we have gained in the modern world, simple peace of mind is hard to find. In a time that is increasingly fraught with complexity and conflict, we are told that our well-being relies on remaining as present as possible. But what if the key to being present lies in the past?

In Wisdom of the Ancients, Neil Oliver takes us back in time to grab hold of the ideas buried in forgotten cultures and early civilisations. From Laetoli footprints in Tanzania to Keralan rituals, stone circles and cave paintings, Oliver takes us on a global journey through antiquity. A master storyteller, drawing on immense knowledge of our ancient past, he distils this wisdom into 12 messages that have endured the test of time and invites us to consider how these might apply to our lives today. The result is powerful and inspirational, moving and profound.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Neil Oliver (P)2020 Penguin Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about Wisdom of the Ancients

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Wisdom Indeed!

I never thought I'd enjoy an archaeological book, however Neil made a fantastic guide for this, his experience and experts lights up the wisdom given. I loved it .

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Captivating

Neil Oliver muses on the story of mankind, reaching back across the ages and bringing the subject to life with his deeply thoughtful and often poetic analysis of ancient history, our ancestors, their landscape, way of life and the very things that made them human in a way that connects us to those early pioneers. A sheer joy to listen to.

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A good listen and well read.

Good book and worth the time if you enjoy history. It flows a good pace and is easy to follow.

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7 people found this helpful

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Thought provoking

Sweeping review of global human behaviours over thousands of years. Most of the content was new to me.
A very thought-provoking book. Neil Oliver’s narration was very clear.
Enjoyed the book very much.

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Sublime

What a wonderful book, buy it, you cannot be disappointed by any aspect of it. Neil Oliver see the world with amazing insight and the soul of a poet.

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2 people found this helpful

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The idea that we've list more than we knew

If you finish this book and don't feel a sense of guilt for loss of so much, then I feel sorry for you. I still have a feeling that I missed so much of my life by wondering what's next. I should have been remembering what I have. coo, makes you think eh?

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Poignant, pristine rawness of human nature

What better way to journey through the pristine rawness of our human nature than to follow the path laid down by this immensely talented collector and teller of our species stories. Looking forward to many more readings.

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6 people found this helpful

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Interesting and soothing

Such a fountain of knowledge. Really makes you think of the world and times gone by, and that human emotions remain the same. Poetry to listen to.
Well worth it, good audio book for long lockdown walks !

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3 people found this helpful

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Beautiful!

Narrated with serene beauty, if we just took in half the messages within this book, our modern world would be a much better place!

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3 people found this helpful

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Neil Oliver at his best again.

Really enjoyed the flow and the mesermerising images this book created. A relisten soon, wonderful

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