Apollo's Angels

Was sad when it ended

I thought this was one of the best non-fiction books I've ever listened to. I don't know what book some of the other reviewers listened to who gave mediocre reviews but I don't think they really listened all the way through. Although a little slow in the beginning, I began to get the rhythm of the read about 1/4 of the way through and then was captivated. I'll go back and re-listen to the first 1/4 since I didn't really appreciate it then. What an amazing feat, Ms. Homans has accomplished. I have to admit complete ignorance about ballet but she changed my mind by pure education. Before I listened to the book, I had no idea that an art form that was the pure fabrication of the ultimate decadent aristocracy of the French became the standard cultural icon of the totalitarian Stalinist State. How could this happen? Ms. Homans makes the transition so understandable and rational that when I finished that section, I had to stop, take a deep breath and think about what the author had done and then she did it again with the United States. The book made me go to youtube and find every ballet clip that I could click on. Plus, the reader was great.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Great - except

The book is fascinating and well-written. The narrator reads well, except for her inability to pronounce proper names and foreign phrases. Her many errors are jarring.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

a great book poorly read

how sad that the reading was not edited, 'The mispronounciations of especially names made listening a sort of puzzle game.,Maybe a bit over researched but on a scale of 1 to 10 a 7

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

A good history of ballet

Would you listen to another book narrated by Kirsten Potter?

Possibly; I know she's very prolific. I have to say, though, that although her voice is pleasing and her pacing good, I was very surprised at the amount of mis-pronounced words in her narration of this book. Clearly no one did any research to prepare for the constant stream of words and names in French, Russian, Italian, and other languages that appear throughout this book. It was very distracting.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great book but...

If you could sum up Apollo's Angels in three words, what would they be?

Thorough. Compelling. Long.

What other book might you compare Apollo's Angels to and why?

It's unique. I can't compare it to another book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Kirsten Potter’s performances?

NO!! Her cringe-worthy pronunciation gaffes were too distracting!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It is so dense with information you need time to digest.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Better than you think!

Would you listen to Apollo's Angels again? Why?

Yes. The history of Europe told in this book was a surprise. I'd like to review it all!! And recently we had the privilege of hearing and seeing the author tell her story in person. She made the book come alive in her demonstration of steps and reasons why and how they progressed with time.

What did you like best about this story?

This story was not about just ballet. It was a surprise saga of the progress and influence made on theatrical performance starting at square one! I found the social impact of "The Dance" in early European times fascinating, learning about royal and male dominance and social implication of dance in the early periods, how marriages between the French and Italian monarchy influenced theater, opera and dance. It was more or less personal stories of the players involved. MUCH more interesting than I ever imagined!

What about Kirsten Potter’s performance did you like?

She sounded like she had written the book herself.

Any additional comments?

This book was on a list of books to be read for a Writer's Conference we attended and I put off reading it, thinking I wasn't interested. Then, when I finally downloaded and listened to the book, I was totally fascinated, as was my husband! There is much more to this saga than you'd think!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

How a bad narrator can kill a book...

Jennifer Homans history of ballet is outstanding! Beautifully written and well documented ...
Alas, who pick that narrator…?
Kristen Potter is appalling! she systematically butcher the pronunciation of every single foreign names, which the book is full of since the history of ballet starts mostly in France and Italy. It’s a real pity and such a disservice that that wonderful book.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

From the middle ages to the present

A remarkably interesting, well written and well told book. Invest! The author has an extremely good writing style and can make you feel and understand the spirit of ballet history. What a surprise!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Tortured, ephemeral, fascinating

A rigorous scholarly work which also manages to capture the unique ethos and pathos of ballet. It tells the story of an art form which constantly struggled to define itself, reaching a few moments of shining transcendence, more often caught awkwardly between eras and philosophies. Born in the courts of King Louis XIV, ballet is at heart noble, courtly, and idealistic, yet it was often reformed for new generations amidst a political and artistic mileu that was anything but. The author perfectly illustrates the singular beauty of ballet, its history, and its artists for her audience- tortured, ephemeral, fascinating.

Very awesome book!

Highlights the history and progression of ballet from the roots to the modern age. It separates the history by culture, which honestly I might have to consider is the best way to clarify it, and it also isn't ashamed to go into detail and invite you to learn about the art. This book is very much worth the read!