Start free trial
EnglishEnglish
EspañolSpanish
简体中文Chinese
繁體中文Chinese (Traditional)
FrançaisFrench
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
PortuguêsPortuguese
ItalianoItalian
한국어Korean
РусскийRussian
NederlandsDutch
العربيةArabic
PolskiPolish
हिन्दीHindi
Tiếng ViệtVietnamese
SvenskaSwedish
ΕλληνικάGreek
TürkçeTurkish
ไทยThai
ČeštinaCzech
RomânăRomanian
MagyarHungarian
УкраїнськаUkrainian
IndonesiaIndonesian
DanskDanish
SuomiFinnish
БългарскиBulgarian
עבריתHebrew
NorskNorwegian
HrvatskiCroatian
CatalàCatalan
SlovenčinaSlovak
LietuviųLithuanian
SlovenščinaSlovenian
СрпскиSerbian
EestiEstonian
LatviešuLatvian
فارسیPersian
മലയാളംMalayalam
தமிழ்Tamil
اردوUrdu
SoBrief
Searching...
Silencing the Past
by Michel-Rolph Trouillot • 1995
Why the Haitian Revolution was erased from history while it was still happening.
4.35
3k+
Silencing the Past Summary
Silencing the Past 91%
Why the Haitian Revolution was erased from history while it was still happening.
by Michel-Rolph Trouillot 1995
4.35
3k+ ratings
The Deadline
by Jill Lepore • 2023
The dead still run the country. A historian shows how, from the Constitution to the smartphone.
4.31
621
The Deadline Summary
The Deadline 90%
The dead still run the country. A historian shows how, from the Constitution to the smartphone.
by Jill Lepore 2023
4.31
621 ratings
A History of Histories
by J.W. Burrow • 2007
From Greek inquiry to the modern archive: 2,500 years of historians bending the past to their age.
3.78
456
A History of Histories Summary
A History of Histories 90%
From Greek inquiry to the modern archive: 2,500 years of historians bending the past to their age.
by J.W. Burrow 2007
3.78
456 ratings
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies
by Natasha Tidd • 2023
A forged document, a faked war, an imaginary country: the lies that changed history.
3.60
2k+
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies Summary
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies 90%
A forged document, a faked war, an imaginary country: the lies that changed history.
by Natasha Tidd 2023
3.60
2k+ ratings
Dangerous Games
by Margaret MacMillan • 2008
History is never neutral. Nations and leaders weaponize it daily, and the patterns are predictable.
3.64
2k+
Dangerous Games Summary
Dangerous Games 90%
History is never neutral. Nations and leaders weaponize it daily, and the patterns are predictable.
by Margaret MacMillan 2008
3.64
2k+ ratings
Lies My Teacher Told Me
by James W. Loewen • 1995
History textbooks don't just teach the past. They teach you not to ask certain questions.
3.97
75k+
Lies My Teacher Told Me Summary
Lies My Teacher Told Me 89%
History textbooks don't just teach the past. They teach you not to ask certain questions.
by James W. Loewen 1995
3.97
75k+ ratings
The Great Agnostic
by Susan Jacoby • 2013
The man who drew thousands to hear him speak: why America forgot Robert Ingersoll.
4.04
720
The Great Agnostic Summary
The Great Agnostic 89%
The man who drew thousands to hear him speak: why America forgot Robert Ingersoll.
by Susan Jacoby 2013
4.04
720 ratings
Invention and Innovation
by Vaclav Smil • 2023
Moore's Law is an outlier. Everywhere else, innovation crawls, stumbles, or backfires.
3.84
1k+
Invention and Innovation Summary
Invention and Innovation 89%
Moore's Law is an outlier. Everywhere else, innovation crawls, stumbles, or backfires.
by Vaclav Smil 2023
3.84
1k+ ratings
Plato
by Plato
Jesus didn't exist. Early Christians worshiped a heavenly myth; the Gospels are Hebrew rewrites.
4.38
12k+
Plato Summary
Plato 89%
Jesus didn't exist. Early Christians worshiped a heavenly myth; the Gospels are Hebrew rewrites.
by Plato
4.38
12k+ ratings
Civilization on Trial
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1948
Civilizations rise to fall, religions to climb. The rubble is the mechanism, not the failure.
3.83
152
Civilization on Trial Summary
Civilization on Trial 89%
Civilizations rise to fall, religions to climb. The rubble is the mechanism, not the failure.
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1948
3.83
152 ratings
The Age of Choice
by Sophia Rosenfeld • 2025
Choice became freedom only recently. The history reveals why more options leave us less free.
3.57
182
The Age of Choice Summary
The Age of Choice 89%
Choice became freedom only recently. The history reveals why more options leave us less free.
by Sophia Rosenfeld 2025
3.57
182 ratings
The Age of American Unreason
by Susan Jacoby • 2008
Suspicion of ideas predates the American republic. The forces feeding it have never been louder.
3.85
3k+
The Age of American Unreason Summary
The Age of American Unreason 89%
Suspicion of ideas predates the American republic. The forces feeding it have never been louder.
by Susan Jacoby 2008
3.85
3k+ ratings
The True and Only Heaven
by Christopher Lasch • 1991
Progress is exhausted; the only usable past belongs to those who doubted it.
4.36
382
The True and Only Heaven Summary
The True and Only Heaven 89%
Progress is exhausted; the only usable past belongs to those who doubted it.
by Christopher Lasch 1991
4.36
382 ratings
The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere
by Jürgen Habermas • 1962
Democracy was born in coffee houses and strangled by the mass media that followed.
3.87
2k+
The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere Summary
The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere 89%
Democracy was born in coffee houses and strangled by the mass media that followed.
by Jürgen Habermas 1962
3.87
2k+ ratings
Science Fiction
by David Seed • 2011
How space voyages, aliens, and time travel turned science fiction into the literature of ideas.
3.31
554
Science Fiction Summary
Science Fiction 89%
How space voyages, aliens, and time travel turned science fiction into the literature of ideas.
by David Seed 2011
3.31
554 ratings
Main Currents Of Marxism
by Leszek Kołakowski • 2005
Marxism's own contradictions made authoritarianism inevitable, not an aberration.
4.25
455
Main Currents Of Marxism Summary
Main Currents Of Marxism 89%
Marxism's own contradictions made authoritarianism inevitable, not an aberration.
by Leszek Kołakowski 2005
4.25
455 ratings
The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism
by Bertrand Russell • 1920
Russell expected a workers' paradise. He found a religion enforced by secret police.
3.99
411
The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism Summary
The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism 89%
Russell expected a workers' paradise. He found a religion enforced by secret police.
by Bertrand Russell 1920
3.99
411 ratings
You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train
by Howard Zinn • 1994
Shipyards, bombers, protest lines: a historian argues that sitting still picks a side.
4.34
4k+
You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train Summary
You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train 89%
Shipyards, bombers, protest lines: a historian argues that sitting still picks a side.
by Howard Zinn 1994
4.34
4k+ ratings
Jesus, Interrupted
by Bart D. Ehrman • 2009
Thousands of manuscript variants and nineteen false bylines: what actually built the New Testament.
3.99
11k+
Jesus, Interrupted Summary
Jesus, Interrupted 89%
Thousands of manuscript variants and nineteen false bylines: what actually built the New Testament.
by Bart D. Ehrman 2009
3.99
11k+ ratings
Wars and Capital (Semiotext
by Éric Alliez • 2016
Capitalism is a war system that uses markets, not an economic system that uses war.
3.93
29
Wars and Capital (Semiotext Summary
Wars and Capital (Semiotext 89%
Capitalism is a war system that uses markets, not an economic system that uses war.
by Éric Alliez 2016
3.93
29 ratings
A Renegade History of the United States
by Thaddeus Russell • 2010
America's founders feared pleasure. Its drunkards, prostitutes, and gangsters made freedom real.
3.81
2k+
A Renegade History of the United States Summary
A Renegade History of the United States 89%
America's founders feared pleasure. Its drunkards, prostitutes, and gangsters made freedom real.
by Thaddeus Russell 2010
3.81
2k+ ratings
Dialectic of Enlightenment
by Max Horkheimer • 1947
The drive to free humanity through reason ends in mass conformity and a new mythology.
4.11
8k+
Dialectic of Enlightenment Summary
Dialectic of Enlightenment 89%
The drive to free humanity through reason ends in mass conformity and a new mythology.
by Max Horkheimer 1947
4.11
8k+ ratings
The Book on the Bookshelf
by Henry Petroski • 1999
Why books once faced the wall and wore chains: the bookshelf as a history of engineering.
3.75
1k+
The Book on the Bookshelf Summary
The Book on the Bookshelf 89%
Why books once faced the wall and wore chains: the bookshelf as a history of engineering.
by Henry Petroski 1999
3.75
1k+ ratings
Fake Heroes
by Otto English • 2023
Society manufactures heroes like studios build movie stars. Ten case studies expose the machinery.
3.92
896
Fake Heroes Summary
Fake Heroes 89%
Society manufactures heroes like studios build movie stars. Ten case studies expose the machinery.
by Otto English 2023
3.92
896 ratings
Archaeologies of the Future
by Fredric Jameson • 2005
Utopia's function is not to predict the future but to prove the present is not inevitable.
4.04
596
Archaeologies of the Future Summary
Archaeologies of the Future 89%
Utopia's function is not to predict the future but to prove the present is not inevitable.
by Fredric Jameson 2005
4.04
596 ratings
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
by Walter Benjamin • 1936
Why does a perfect copy feel less real? Benjamin's answer upends art and politics.
4.08
25k+
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction Summary
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction 89%
Why does a perfect copy feel less real? Benjamin's answer upends art and politics.
by Walter Benjamin 1936
4.08
25k+ ratings
The Case for Colonialism
by Bruce Gilley • 2023
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
4.32
191
The Case for Colonialism Summary
The Case for Colonialism 89%
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
by Bruce Gilley 2023
4.32
191 ratings
10 Books That Screwed Up the World
by Benjamin Wiker • 2008
Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.
3.43
1k+
10 Books That Screwed Up the World Summary
10 Books That Screwed Up the World 89%
Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.
by Benjamin Wiker 2008
3.43
1k+ ratings
The Closing of the American Mind
by Allan Bloom • 1988
A dogma that all truths are equal has hollowed the American mind, starting on campus.
3.76
6k+
The Closing of the American Mind Summary
The Closing of the American Mind 89%
A dogma that all truths are equal has hollowed the American mind, starting on campus.
by Allan Bloom 1988
3.76
6k+ ratings
The Fourth Turning Is Here
by Neil Howe • 2023
An 80-year cycle pushes America toward a 2030 crisis. The last two ended in total war.
3.93
3k+
The Fourth Turning Is Here Summary
The Fourth Turning Is Here 89%
An 80-year cycle pushes America toward a 2030 crisis. The last two ended in total war.
by Neil Howe 2023
3.93
3k+ ratings
Modern Times
by Paul Johnson • 1983
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
4.29
3k+
Modern Times Summary
Modern Times 89%
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
by Paul Johnson 1983
4.29
3k+ ratings
The Square and the Tower
by Niall Ferguson • 2017
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
3.65
4k+
The Square and the Tower Summary
The Square and the Tower 89%
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
by Niall Ferguson 2017
3.65
4k+ ratings
The Lessons of History
by Will Durant • 1968
What forty centuries of history reveal: cycles, geography's grip, and the unchanging human drives.
4.05
21k+
The Lessons of History Summary
The Lessons of History 89%
What forty centuries of history reveal: cycles, geography's grip, and the unchanging human drives.
by Will Durant 1968
4.05
21k+ ratings
The Perfectionists
by Simon Winchester • 2018
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
4.15
7k+
The Perfectionists Summary
The Perfectionists 89%
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
by Simon Winchester 2018
4.15
7k+ ratings
The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1994
1914 to 1991: a single age shaped by total war, ideological faith, and capitalism's serial failures.
4.29
8k+
The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991 Summary
The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991 89%
1914 to 1991: a single age shaped by total war, ideological faith, and capitalism's serial failures.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1994
4.29
8k+ ratings
The Wrath to Come
by Sarah Churchwell • 2022
Thirty million copies of a single novel taught America to love a lie. The lost cause won.
4.22
528
The Wrath to Come Summary
The Wrath to Come 89%
Thirty million copies of a single novel taught America to love a lie. The lost cause won.
by Sarah Churchwell 2022
4.22
528 ratings
The Image
by Daniel J. Boorstin • 1961
Most news is manufactured. We know it. And we still prefer the show over the real.
4.07
1k+
The Image Summary
The Image 89%
Most news is manufactured. We know it. And we still prefer the show over the real.
by Daniel J. Boorstin 1961
4.07
1k+ ratings
Girls on Film
by Alicia Malone • 2022
Landing her dream job as a TCM host was only act one of her film education.
3.82
272
Girls on Film Summary
Girls on Film 89%
Landing her dream job as a TCM host was only act one of her film education.
by Alicia Malone 2022
3.82
272 ratings
The Servile State
by Hilaire Belloc • 1912
Capitalism's true successor is not a worker's state but a legally enforced servitude already here.
3.96
659
The Servile State Summary
The Servile State 89%
Capitalism's true successor is not a worker's state but a legally enforced servitude already here.
by Hilaire Belloc 1912
3.96
659 ratings
The Gutenberg Parenthesis
by Jeff Jarvis • 2023
Before print, knowledge was conversation. Then books fenced it in. The fences are coming down.
3.83
218
The Gutenberg Parenthesis Summary
The Gutenberg Parenthesis 89%
Before print, knowledge was conversation. Then books fenced it in. The fences are coming down.
by Jeff Jarvis 2023
3.83
218 ratings
The Myth of Santa Fe
by Chris Wilson • 1997
Santa Fe's adobe charm is a twentieth-century invention, built to attract tourists and new money.
3.87
69
The Myth of Santa Fe Summary
The Myth of Santa Fe 89%
Santa Fe's adobe charm is a twentieth-century invention, built to attract tourists and new money.
by Chris Wilson 1997
3.87
69 ratings
Race Marxism
by James Lindsay • 2022
Critical race theory is Marxism rebuilt around race, and its goal is not reform but revolution.
4.23
364
Race Marxism Summary
Race Marxism 89%
Critical race theory is Marxism rebuilt around race, and its goal is not reform but revolution.
by James Lindsay 2022
4.23
364 ratings
Spoilt Rotten
by dalrymple-theodore • 2010
Sentiment now governs law, schools, and foreign aid. The cruelty that follows is no accident.
3.96
1k+
Spoilt Rotten Summary
Spoilt Rotten 89%
Sentiment now governs law, schools, and foreign aid. The cruelty that follows is no accident.
by dalrymple-theodore 2010
3.96
1k+ ratings
The Posthuman
by Rosi Braidotti • 2013
Humanism promised progress but delivered exclusion. A theory of what we become next.
3.82
949
The Posthuman Summary
The Posthuman 89%
Humanism promised progress but delivered exclusion. A theory of what we become next.
by Rosi Braidotti 2013
3.82
949 ratings
How to Change the World
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 2011
The regimes that claimed Marx fell. After 2008, his analysis of capitalism became inescapable again.
3.88
988
How to Change the World Summary
How to Change the World 88%
The regimes that claimed Marx fell. After 2008, his analysis of capitalism became inescapable again.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 2011
3.88
988 ratings
National Security Cinema
by Matthew Alford • 2017
The Pentagon secretly approved or killed your favorite movies, one script at a time.
3.81
113
National Security Cinema Summary
National Security Cinema 88%
The Pentagon secretly approved or killed your favorite movies, one script at a time.
by Matthew Alford 2017
3.81
113 ratings
Latter-Day Pamphlets
by Thomas Carlyle • 1850
An 1850 diagnosis: democracy is anarchy, philanthropy coddles scoundrels, and talk rules everything.
3.89
99
Latter-Day Pamphlets Summary
Latter-Day Pamphlets 88%
An 1850 diagnosis: democracy is anarchy, philanthropy coddles scoundrels, and talk rules everything.
by Thomas Carlyle 1850
3.89
99 ratings
The Utopia of Rules
by David Graeber • 2013
Every market reform increases paperwork. The violence, stupidity, and secret appeal of bureaucracy.
4.02
7k+
The Utopia of Rules Summary
The Utopia of Rules 88%
Every market reform increases paperwork. The violence, stupidity, and secret appeal of bureaucracy.
by David Graeber 2013
4.02
7k+ ratings
Explaining Postmodernism
by Stephen R.C. Hicks • 2004
When socialism failed, the academic Left didn't abandon the project. It abandoned truth instead.
3.88
2k+
Explaining Postmodernism Summary
Explaining Postmodernism 88%
When socialism failed, the academic Left didn't abandon the project. It abandoned truth instead.
by Stephen R.C. Hicks 2004
3.88
2k+ ratings
Miracles and Wonder
by Elaine Pagels • 2025
The gospels are theology, not history, crafted to turn a shameful death into divine victory.
4.03
2k+
Miracles and Wonder Summary
Miracles and Wonder 88%
The gospels are theology, not history, crafted to turn a shameful death into divine victory.
by Elaine Pagels 2025
4.03
2k+ ratings
Home
Swipe
Library
Get App
Try Full Access for 3 Days
Listen, bookmark, and more
Compare Features Free Pro
📖 Read Summaries
Read unlimited summaries. Free users get 3 per month
🎧 Listen to Summaries
Listen to unlimited summaries in 40 languages
❤️ Unlimited Bookmarks
Free users are limited to 4
📜 Unlimited History
Free users are limited to 4
📥 Unlimited Downloads
Free users are limited to 1
Risk-Free Timeline
Today: Get Instant Access
Listen to full summaries of 26,000+ books. That's 12,000+ hours of audio!
Day 2: Trial Reminder
We'll send you a notification that your trial is ending soon.
Day 3: Your subscription begins
You'll be charged on Jul 25,
cancel anytime before.
Consume 2.8× More Books
2.8× more books Listening Reading
Our users love us
600,000+ readers
Trustpilot Rating
TrustPilot
4.6 Excellent
This site is a total game-changer. I've been flying through book summaries like never before. Highly, highly recommend.
— Dave G
Worth my money and time, and really well made. I've never seen this quality of summaries on other websites. Very helpful!
— Em
Highly recommended!! Fantastic service. Perfect for those that want a little more than a teaser but not all the intricate details of a full audio book.
— Greg M
Save 62%
Yearly
$119.88 $44.99/year/yr
$3.75/mo
Monthly
$9.99/mo
Start a 3-Day Free Trial
3 days free, then $44.99/year. Cancel anytime.
Unlock a world of fiction & nonfiction books
26,000+ books for the price of 2 books
Read any book in 10 minutes
Discover new books like Tinder
Request any book if it's not summarized
Read more books than anyone you know
#1 app for book lovers
Lifelike & immersive summaries
30-day money-back guarantee
Download summaries in EPUBs or PDFs
Cancel anytime in a few clicks
Scanner
Find a barcode to scan

We have a special gift for you
Open
38% OFF
DISCOUNT FOR YOU
$79.99
$49.99/year
only $4.16 per month
Continue
2 taps to start, super easy to cancel
Settings
General
Widget
Loading...
We have a special gift for you
Open
38% OFF
DISCOUNT FOR YOU
$79.99
$49.99/year
only $4.16 per month
Continue
2 taps to start, super easy to cancel