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...
Women's Work
by Elizabeth Wayland Barber • 1994
String conquered the planet, and for 20,000 years, the hands that spun it were women's.
4.31
3k+
Women's Work Summary
Women's Work 92%
String conquered the planet, and for 20,000 years, the hands that spun it were women's.
by Elizabeth Wayland Barber 1994
4.31
3k+ ratings
A History of the World in 100 Objects
by Neil MacGregor • 2010
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
4.19
9k+
A History of the World in 100 Objects Summary
A History of the World in 100 Objects 89%
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
by Neil MacGregor 2010
4.19
9k+ ratings
Cities
by Monica L. Smith • 2019
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
3.26
446
Cities Summary
Cities 89%
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
by Monica L. Smith 2019
3.26
446 ratings
Biblical Archaeology
by Eric H. Cline • 2009
Biblical archaeology set out to prove scripture. It built a science that asked better questions.
3.91
340
Biblical Archaeology Summary
Biblical Archaeology 89%
Biblical archaeology set out to prove scripture. It built a science that asked better questions.
by Eric H. Cline 2009
3.91
340 ratings
Hidden History
by Brian Haughton • 2007
Twelve ancient mysteries where the evidence outlasts every explanation archaeologists have offered.
3.71
233
Hidden History Summary
Hidden History 89%
Twelve ancient mysteries where the evidence outlasts every explanation archaeologists have offered.
by Brian Haughton 2007
3.71
233 ratings
Four Lost Cities
by Annalee Newitz • 2021
Lost cities didn't vanish; their people walked away when rulers chose monuments over working sewers.
3.78
7k+
Four Lost Cities Summary
Four Lost Cities 88%
Lost cities didn't vanish; their people walked away when rulers chose monuments over working sewers.
by Annalee Newitz 2021
3.78
7k+ ratings
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language
by David W. Anthony • 2007
English and Sanskrit share an ancestor spoken by Bronze Age herders. Horse and wheel spread it.
3.99
4k+
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language Summary
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language 88%
English and Sanskrit share an ancestor spoken by Bronze Age herders. Horse and wheel spread it.
by David W. Anthony 2007
3.99
4k+ ratings
The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe, 6500-3500 BC.
by Marija Gimbutas • 1982
Clay figurines from 7,000 years ago reveal a civilization that worshipped goddesses, not kings.
4.25
377
The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe, 6500-3500 BC. Summary
The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe, 6500-3500 BC. 88%
Clay figurines from 7,000 years ago reveal a civilization that worshipped goddesses, not kings.
by Marija Gimbutas 1982
4.25
377 ratings
The Celts
by Alice Roberts • 2015
Classical writers got the Celts wrong. They were Atlantic traders, not central European barbarians.
3.92
1k+
The Celts Summary
The Celts 88%
Classical writers got the Celts wrong. They were Atlantic traders, not central European barbarians.
by Alice Roberts 2015
3.92
1k+ ratings
River Kings
by Cat Jarman • 2021
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
4.04
4k+
River Kings Summary
River Kings 88%
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
by Cat Jarman 2021
4.04
4k+ ratings
Bleu
by Michel Pastoureau • 2000
The Virgin Mary, a French king, and denim: how blue went from barbarian to beloved.
3.99
2k+
Bleu Summary
Bleu 88%
The Virgin Mary, a French king, and denim: how blue went from barbarian to beloved.
by Michel Pastoureau 2000
3.99
2k+ ratings
The Alchemy of Us
by Ainissa Ramirez • 2020
We invented quartz clocks, steel rails, and silicon chips. Then they reinvented us.
3.90
1k+
The Alchemy of Us Summary
The Alchemy of Us 88%
We invented quartz clocks, steel rails, and silicon chips. Then they reinvented us.
by Ainissa Ramirez 2020
3.90
1k+ ratings
Did God Have a Wife? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel
by William G. Dever • 2005
Archaeology reveals ordinary Israelites worshiped Asherah as Yahweh's consort. The Bible erased her.
3.93
307
Did God Have a Wife? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel Summary
Did God Have a Wife? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel 88%
Archaeology reveals ordinary Israelites worshiped Asherah as Yahweh's consort. The Bible erased her.
by William G. Dever 2005
3.93
307 ratings
The Ancient Celts
by Barry Cunliffe • 2018
Two millennia of reinvention: the Celts as barbarians, noble savages, and nationalist ancestors.
3.92
1k+
The Ancient Celts Summary
The Ancient Celts 88%
Two millennia of reinvention: the Celts as barbarians, noble savages, and nationalist ancestors.
by Barry Cunliffe 2018
3.92
1k+ ratings
Nefertiti Lived Here
by Mary Chubb • 1954
A Bloomsbury secretary joined an Egyptian dig and moved into the house where Nefertiti lived.
4.19
172
Nefertiti Lived Here Summary
Nefertiti Lived Here 88%
A Bloomsbury secretary joined an Egyptian dig and moved into the house where Nefertiti lived.
by Mary Chubb 1954
4.19
172 ratings
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings
by Amanda H. Podany • 2022
Before empires had kings, they had barley counters and scribes. Their ledgers are our history.
4.39
861
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings Summary
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings 88%
Before empires had kings, they had barley counters and scribes. Their ledgers are our history.
by Amanda H. Podany 2022
4.39
861 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 88%
Why books once faced the wall and wore chains: the bookshelf as a history of engineering.
by Henry Petroski 1999
3.75
1k+ ratings
The Lost Art of Dress
by Linda Przybyszewski • 2014
Before fast fashion, women educators taught America that art and thrift, not wealth, made style.
3.87
1k+
The Lost Art of Dress Summary
The Lost Art of Dress 88%
Before fast fashion, women educators taught America that art and thrift, not wealth, made style.
by Linda Przybyszewski 2014
3.87
1k+ ratings
The Sea and Civilization
by Lincoln Paine • 2013
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
3.89
700
The Sea and Civilization Summary
The Sea and Civilization 88%
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
by Lincoln Paine 2013
3.89
700 ratings
Decoding the Heavens
by Jo Marchant • 2009
Sponge divers pulled a 2,000-year-old computer from the sea. Decoding its gears took a century.
4.10
566
Decoding the Heavens Summary
Decoding the Heavens 88%
Sponge divers pulled a 2,000-year-old computer from the sea. Decoding its gears took a century.
by Jo Marchant 2009
4.10
566 ratings
Fibershed
by Rebecca Burgess • 2019
Your closet is an emissions machine. A 150-mile wardrobe turns it into a carbon sink.
4.07
421
Fibershed Summary
Fibershed 88%
Your closet is an emissions machine. A 150-mile wardrobe turns it into a carbon sink.
by Rebecca Burgess 2019
4.07
421 ratings
Concrete Planet
by Robert Courland • 2011
Concrete is older than the wheel, built Rome, and now silently corrodes the modern world.
3.89
218
Concrete Planet Summary
Concrete Planet 88%
Concrete is older than the wheel, built Rome, and now silently corrodes the modern world.
by Robert Courland 2011
3.89
218 ratings
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
by Pietra Rivoli • 2005
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
3.69
3k+
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy Summary
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy 88%
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
by Pietra Rivoli 2005
3.69
3k+ ratings
Forbidden Archeology
by Michael A. Cremo • 1993
Modern human fossils appear in Miocene strata. For over a century, science has looked away.
4.05
1k+
Forbidden Archeology Summary
Forbidden Archeology 87%
Modern human fossils appear in Miocene strata. For over a century, science has looked away.
by Michael A. Cremo 1993
4.05
1k+ ratings
At Home
by Bill Bryson • 2010
Every room in your house conceals a history of bloodshed, invention, and empire.
3.99
99k+
At Home Summary
At Home 87%
Every room in your house conceals a history of bloodshed, invention, and empire.
by Bill Bryson 2010
3.99
99k+ ratings
The Evolution of Useful Things
by Henry Petroski • 1994
Annoyance, not function, gave us forks, zippers, paper clips. The real driver of everyday design.
3.52
1k+
The Evolution of Useful Things Summary
The Evolution of Useful Things 87%
Annoyance, not function, gave us forks, zippers, paper clips. The real driver of everyday design.
by Henry Petroski 1994
3.52
1k+ ratings
1177 B.C.
by Eric H. Cline • 2014
The Bronze Age had trade routes and diplomacy. A cascade of disasters brought it down.
3.74
13k+
1177 B.C. Summary
1177 B.C. 87%
The Bronze Age had trade routes and diplomacy. A cascade of disasters brought it down.
by Eric H. Cline 2014
3.74
13k+ ratings
Women in the Valley of the Kings
by Kathleen Sheppard • 2024
Egyptology's famous men dug up tombs. The women who built the field got erased.
3.50
2k+
Women in the Valley of the Kings Summary
Women in the Valley of the Kings 87%
Egyptology's famous men dug up tombs. The women who built the field got erased.
by Kathleen Sheppard 2024
3.50
2k+ ratings
Culture
by Martin Puchner • 2023
Borrowing, theft, lucky accidents: four millennia of cultural history. Purity was never the point.
3.92
924
Culture Summary
Culture 87%
Borrowing, theft, lucky accidents: four millennia of cultural history. Purity was never the point.
by Martin Puchner 2023
3.92
924 ratings
Clothing Poverty
by Andrew Brooks • 2015
The fashion industry's hidden second-hand trade fuels the inequality cheap clothes thrive on.
3.75
173
Clothing Poverty Summary
Clothing Poverty 87%
The fashion industry's hidden second-hand trade fuels the inequality cheap clothes thrive on.
by Andrew Brooks 2015
3.75
173 ratings
They Came Before Columbus
by Ivan Van Sertima • 2003
Africans built ships, crossed the Atlantic, and left stone faces in Mexico before Columbus was born.
4.46
3k+
They Came Before Columbus Summary
They Came Before Columbus 87%
Africans built ships, crossed the Atlantic, and left stone faces in Mexico before Columbus was born.
by Ivan Van Sertima 2003
4.46
3k+ ratings
When Clothes Become Fashion
by Ingrid Loschek • 2009
Clothing stays clothing until it's copied. Fashion runs on imitation, not originality.
4.04
26
When Clothes Become Fashion Summary
When Clothes Become Fashion 87%
Clothing stays clothing until it's copied. Fashion runs on imitation, not originality.
by Ingrid Loschek 2009
4.04
26 ratings
Magicians of the Gods
by Graham Hancock • 2015
A comet erased a lost civilization 12,800 years ago; the evidence is sealed in megaliths worldwide.
4.17
7k+
Magicians of the Gods Summary
Magicians of the Gods 87%
A comet erased a lost civilization 12,800 years ago; the evidence is sealed in megaliths worldwide.
by Graham Hancock 2015
4.17
7k+ ratings
In Search of the Phoenicians
by Josephine Quinn • 2017
The Phoenicians never called themselves that; Greeks, Romans, and modern nations invented them.
3.67
150
In Search of the Phoenicians Summary
In Search of the Phoenicians 87%
The Phoenicians never called themselves that; Greeks, Romans, and modern nations invented them.
by Josephine Quinn 2017
3.67
150 ratings
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean
by Carolina López-Ruiz • 2021
Phoenicia stitched the ancient Mediterranean together. Greece took the credit and erased the debt.
4.05
19
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean Summary
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean 87%
Phoenicia stitched the ancient Mediterranean together. Greece took the credit and erased the debt.
by Carolina López-Ruiz 2021
4.05
19 ratings
The Psychology of Clothes
by John Carl Flügel • 1930
You wear clothes to be seen, not hidden. The other reasons are stories you tell yourself.
3.58
79
The Psychology of Clothes Summary
The Psychology of Clothes 87%
You wear clothes to be seen, not hidden. The other reasons are stories you tell yourself.
by John Carl Flügel 1930
3.58
79 ratings
Going to Church in Medieval England
by Nicholas Orme • 2021
9,500 buildings held medieval England together: the parish church, from birth to burial.
4.19
295
Going to Church in Medieval England Summary
Going to Church in Medieval England 87%
9,500 buildings held medieval England together: the parish church, from birth to burial.
by Nicholas Orme 2021
4.19
295 ratings
Laundry Love
by Patric Richardson • 2021
Wash everything on warm, skip the dry cleaner: the method that makes laundry a pleasure.
4.17
5k+
Laundry Love Summary
Laundry Love 87%
Wash everything on warm, skip the dry cleaner: the method that makes laundry a pleasure.
by Patric Richardson 2021
4.17
5k+ ratings
After 1177 B.C.
by Eric H. Cline • 2024
Not every civilization collapsed in 1177 B.C. Egypt barely coped; Phoenicia and Cyprus thrived.
3.77
2k+
After 1177 B.C. Summary
After 1177 B.C. 87%
Not every civilization collapsed in 1177 B.C. Egypt barely coped; Phoenicia and Cyprus thrived.
by Eric H. Cline 2024
3.77
2k+ ratings
Fingerprints of the Gods
by Graham Hancock • 1995
Maps of ice-free Antarctica. Flood myths with astronomical codes. Who left them?
4.15
16k+
Fingerprints of the Gods Summary
Fingerprints of the Gods 87%
Maps of ice-free Antarctica. Flood myths with astronomical codes. Who left them?
by Graham Hancock 1995
4.15
16k+ ratings
Twelve Caesars
by Mary Beard • 2021
Suetonius named twelve Caesars. A millennium of misidentification, satire, and reinvention followed.
3.68
2k+
Twelve Caesars Summary
Twelve Caesars 87%
Suetonius named twelve Caesars. A millennium of misidentification, satire, and reinvention followed.
by Mary Beard 2021
3.68
2k+ ratings
Shipwrecked!
by Martin W. Sandler • 2023
Seven shipwrecks froze time. How marine archaeologists learned to unlock them.
3.87
218
Shipwrecked! Summary
Shipwrecked! 87%
Seven shipwrecks froze time. How marine archaeologists learned to unlock them.
by Martin W. Sandler 2023
3.87
218 ratings
America Before
by Graham Hancock • 2019
Mainstream archaeology says the Americas were settled 13,000 years ago. The evidence says 100,000.
4.13
4k+
America Before Summary
America Before 87%
Mainstream archaeology says the Americas were settled 13,000 years ago. The evidence says 100,000.
by Graham Hancock 2019
4.13
4k+ ratings
Empires and Barbarians
by Peter Heather • 2009
How Rome's wealth created the barbarians who remade Europe.
3.97
1k+
Empires and Barbarians Summary
Empires and Barbarians 87%
How Rome's wealth created the barbarians who remade Europe.
by Peter Heather 2009
3.97
1k+ ratings
The Human Past
by Chris Scarre • 2005
Human history didn't start with writing. It started 3 million years ago with a stone tool.
3.83
281
The Human Past Summary
The Human Past 87%
Human history didn't start with writing. It started 3 million years ago with a stone tool.
by Chris Scarre 2005
3.83
281 ratings
The Greatest Invention
by Silvia Ferrara • 2019
Writing wasn't born to count grain. It began with puns, and nine ancient scripts show why.
3.44
739
The Greatest Invention Summary
The Greatest Invention 87%
Writing wasn't born to count grain. It began with puns, and nine ancient scripts show why.
by Silvia Ferrara 2019
3.44
739 ratings
How We Got to Now
by Steven Johnson • 2014
Six ordinary breakthroughs built the modern world; their biggest consequences were never planned.
4.12
16k+
How We Got to Now Summary
How We Got to Now 87%
Six ordinary breakthroughs built the modern world; their biggest consequences were never planned.
by Steven Johnson 2014
4.12
16k+ ratings
Supernatural
by Graham Hancock • 2005
Ice Age cave art, fairy faith, and alien abduction are one phenomenon. The visitors are identical.
4.22
3k+
Supernatural Summary
Supernatural 87%
Ice Age cave art, fairy faith, and alien abduction are one phenomenon. The visitors are identical.
by Graham Hancock 2005
4.22
3k+ ratings
The Pencil
by Henry Petroski • 1992
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
3.80
657
The Pencil Summary
The Pencil 87%
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
by Henry Petroski 1992
3.80
657 ratings
Stuff Matters
by Mark Miodownik • 2013
What a steel razor and a teacup reveal about civilization: the hidden science of everyday materials.
4.11
21k+
Stuff Matters Summary
Stuff Matters 87%
What a steel razor and a teacup reveal about civilization: the hidden science of everyday materials.
by Mark Miodownik 2013
4.11
21k+ 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