The Intellectual Devotional Modern Culture: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Converse Confidently with the Culturati [Hardcover]

David S. Kidder (Author), Noah D. Oppenheim (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2008

In the tradition of the instant bestsellers The Intellectual Devotional and The Intellectual Devotional: American History comes the third installment in this indispensable series. In The Intellectual Devotional: Modern Culture, the authors explore the fascinating world of contemporary culture to offer 365 daily readings that provide the essential references needed to navigate the world today.

Quench your intellectual thirst with an overview of the literature, music, film, personalities, trends, sports, and pop references that have defined the way we live. From the Slinky to Star Wars; Beatlemania to Babe Ruth; flappers to fascism—refreshing your memory and dazzling your friends has never been easier, or more fun. Whether you're a trivia genius, pop-culture buff, or avid reader, you'll be riveted by this comprehensive journey through contemporary culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

DAVID S. KIDDER is an entrepreneur with a wide range of technology and marketing expertise. Stories about Kidder and his companies have appeared in numerous publications, from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times. He lives in Westchester, New York.

NOAH D. OPPENHEIM, a senior producer of NBC’s Today show, has extensive experience in television and print journalism. His writing has appeared in Esquire and the Wall Street Journal. He lives in New York City.

From AudioFile

Using a framework borrowed from religion, the devotional, this collection of 365 short intellectual topics is intended to refresh the mind daily for a full year. Most listeners will enjoy multiple segments at a sitting because they become addictive once their richness becomes obvious. The authors draw from seven fields of knowledge--history, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, religion, fine arts, and music--and their choices are impressive for their range and depth. The two narrators, Helen Litchfield and Oliver Wyman, could not be better suited to this endeavor. As they mostly alternate entire segments, the contrast of tone and personality will keep listeners' attention stirred but not shaken. Their performances are so sturdy and appropriate that most people won't even be aware of the extraordinary talent and professionalism they embody. T.W. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; First Printing edition (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594867453
• ISBN-13: 978-1594867453
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars educational, March 2, 2009

By 

katalind (South Carolina) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Intellectual Devotional Modern Culture: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Converse Confidently with the Culturati (Hardcover)

I love this whole series of books, they give a overview on many topics and are very educational. I try to make it a point to read on at least one subject a night and it makes me feel good that I'm learning or refreshing my mind on things from the past that I learned in school. These books really do make you feel intellectual.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn a little every day... (audiobook version), October 23, 2008

By 

DWD "DWD's Reviews" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Intellectual Devotional Modern Culture: Converse Confidently about Society and the Arts (Audio CD)

(What's this?)

"The Intellectual Devotional" is designed on the same format as a religious devotional - a small bit of inspiration every day. In this case, it is designed to be a small bit of learning every day. It is not set up with specific dates (Such as Thursday, October 23), but it starts with Monday of Week 1 and works it way through the year. There are 16 CDs in this set, with an estimated length of a little more than 3 minutes for each day and a little more than 17 hours overall.

The topics vary widely. The first CD ranges from Sigmund Freud to Hal Roach (the man behind the Little Rascals). The topics are interesting and I found myself dispensing with the intended one-a-day format and listening to upwards of 20 of them as I putter around the kitchen.

The only complaint I have is that there is no index included to remind the listener of the location of interesting entries. Unlike the book version, I really can't easily go flipping through it until I find the entry I'm looking for.

Nonetheless, this one comes highly recommended by this reviewer.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Awesome bedside book, February 27, 2009

By 

Holly K. Lee (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Intellectual Devotional Modern Culture: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Converse Confidently with the Culturati (Hardcover)

If you frequent dinner parties or social situations that call for cultural conversations, this is the book for you. The book is dated, and you read a page a day. It will give you a brief history or description of something you may or may not have already known about. It will make you more knowledgeable in many aspects of modern culture.