Over the summer, my boy and I listened to Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World by Scott McCormick. This Audible Original contains four entertaining stories about rivals whose feuds changed the way we live in the world today. All four stories were different, and it’s likely that you’ll learn something from this book.
The four stories in this book were as follows:
- Cope vs. Marsh – these two rivals tried to become the most celebrated paleontologists in the land. They weren’t afraid to play dirty either. In their rush to be the best, some of their discoveries introduced confusion into the scientific world. But they did discover dinosaurs.
- Queen Elizabeth vs. Mary Queen of Scots – their rivalry determined the fate of England. If Mary Queen of Scots (who sounded like a Valley Girl in this audiobook) had one, the country would have become Catholic, and history would have changed.
- Adidas vs. Puma – This shoe rivalry split a town and created the sports industry we know of today. In this book we find out why Adidas has a three-stripe logo, how it got its name, and other interesting tidbits that you never knew you wanted to know about the shoe industry.
- Hamilton vs. Burr – You may know that Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr. In this story, you’ll learn all you wanted to know about duels (probably), some interesting political facts, and that Burr probably wasn’t the bad guy we think he is.
Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World was entertaining and well-acted. There were sound effects that added to the drama and comedy. This book might not be too exciting for younger kids, but it is entertaining for upper Middle Grade/Lower YA listeners. Even though its intended audience is younger, there’s enough interesting facts to make this entertaining for adults too.
If you’re an Audible member, I wouldn’t waste a credit on this book, unless you get an amazingly sweet deal on credits. The book is less than $5 (at least for Audible members). This is a book I’d recommend for listening to in the car with your kids.