Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World

Rivals #1

by Scott McCormick, Prentice Onayemi (Narrator), Samantha Turret (Narrator)

"Each volume of four 30-minute histories will dig into the petty name-calling and grumbling grudges that led to many of the world's greatest advancements, all delivered with a cheeky sense of humor."

Did you know that most of our dinosaur fossils were discovered because two grown men absolutely hated each other? It’s true!

Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World is a riotous audio exclusive, like if Monty Python taught your history class. Each volume of four 30-minute histories will dig into the petty name-calling and grumbling grudges that led to many of the world’s greatest advancements, all delivered with a cheeky sense of humor.

Choose sides: Cope or Marsh, the jerks who discovered so many dinosaurs; Hamilton or Burr, whose rivalry fueled American politics; Queen Elizabeth or Mary Queen of Scots, who fought to rule England; Adidas or Puma, whose rivalry changed the world of sports and fashion.

Kidnappings, rock fights, duels, and explosions, Rivals! shows world leaders at their absolute best and their worst, often at the same time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, History, Humor, Historical, Biography, Comedy

5 pages, Audible Audio

First published March 12, 2019

About the author

Scott McCormick is the author of more Scott McCormick bios than any other Scott McCormick who ever Scott McCormicked. Look it up if you don’t believe me. He also writes the Mr. Pants graphic novels and the hilarious Audible Originals The Dragon Squisher, Spies! Sneak, Snoops, and Saboteurs Who Shaped the World, Mutually Assured Detention, and the number-one bestseller Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World. But who are we kidding? The real money is in writing bios. You take that advice to the bank. Tell ‘em Scott McCormick sent you. And if they ask you which Scott McCormick, you tell ‘em the Scott-McCormick-bio-writing Scott McCormick of the North Carolina Scott McCormicks. They’ll know who you mean.

Reviews

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and informative! I could've done less with all the audio effects, but other than that, I learned some things I didn't know. I mean, who knew Hamilton was kind of a jerk?

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this ages ago and am just now listening to it. The book contains four short stories that are really interesting. Some of the humor and sound effects hit the mark and others are a miss. This book references several books that it used for background and I have added Burr to my tbr list. I rate the book 3.5* and round up.

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second listen; still equally funny and interesting. I've decided any time I need to feel like a well-adjusted, successful adult, this is my go-to.
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Hands-down one of the best Audible Originals I've listened to yet.

Four hilarious and mind-boggling stories about two petty paleontologists, Adidas vs. Puma, ridiculous royalty, and of course the long-standing dual between Burr and Hamilton. So glad I grabbed this one from July's picks! It manages to rivet adult listeners while also executing age-appropriate humor and story-telling techniques for kids.

I'd rate this a PG.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun trivia! I didn't know Adidas and Puma were started by two brothers!

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars / 0 Steam Fans

This was a super fun history lesson that is perfect for the young reader but also relatable and humorous for the adult listener/reader.

This specific video review will be included in the July 2019 wrap-up.

For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook narrated by several actors 2h 55mins 24

My second Audible selection for July was entertaining and informative and reminded me that I need a Monty Python marathon real soon. If you're not a historical buff, this would still keep you riveted especially chapters 3(Elizabeth I versus Mary, Queen of Scots)and 4(Alexander Hamilton versus Aaron Burr).


Goodreads review 29/07/19

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids and I listened to this together. It was a super fun and funny look at a few historical rivals. However, one star is deducted for unnecessary and sometimes shocking profanity. One time everyone in the car gasped! Boo for a children’s book!

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little audiobook! My most important takeaways from this book are: 1. I have been pronouncing Adidas “AH-dee-dahs”, the right way all along, 2. I am still Team Mary, Queen of Scots, and 3. Who knew Alexander Hamilton was such a jerk? I sure didn’t.

[Queen Cronut · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun way to learn history. If Horrible Histories and Mental Floss had a baby, this audiobook would be the result. I really enjoyed the full cast narration and the epic sound effects.

What to expect from this audiobook:
- JERSEY!
- Mary to marry a merry prince
- the proper way to pronounce "Adidas"
- an interesting perspective on Aaron Burr (especially after hearing so much about the Hamilton musical)

Although it's brief, it manages to cover a lot of information chockful of humor with nuggets of little known trivia. Very entertaining and interesting.

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I like the history behind this but the sound effects got annoying.

[Faith · Rating 1 out of 5]

The audio was juvenile, embarrassing and unbearable. I think listening to it will actually lower your IQ.

[Tena Edlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this audio book. The stories were pretty short and interesting; they left me wanting to know more. I appreciated the list of resources at the end so I can read more someday about these topics and people. Honestly, though, I don’t think the attempts at humor were needed. They just made me roll my eyes. 🙄

[Jason Parent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well-narrated and engaging way to teach history. I had learned about 3 of the 4 rivals in school at one grade level or another, but the asides were very interesting and the entire production presented in a way that made someone burnt out by the idea of more education thrilled to be learning again. I would definitely be interested in reading others like this.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love humor. historical info. 2. great listen, listened on Audible, i really appreciate that they took a lighter side to history and made it fun. i love the sound effects!! so fun. great cover ... i want more from this man ... these narrators ... AWESOME!!

[Morgan Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good choice for a car ride with middle and high schoolers.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A humorous telling of four of history's greatest rivalries, including Elizabeth I & Mary Queen of Scots and Hamilton & Burr. Those both already being familiar, my favorite was the origin story of Adidas & Puma. Some of it was a little more lighthearted than I prefer for nonfiction, but an interesting, quick listen.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! You learn of real-life rivalries and how they affected the world. Includes rivalries I never knew about between paleontologists, Alexander Hamilton vs Aaron Burr, Addidas vs Puma and Elizabeth vs Mary, Queen of Scots. Fun and light the way it's presented....

[بدور · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable history lesson

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun production aimed at getting kids interested in history.

Often played for laughs, there is some solid reporting here. I just hope all the listeners understand that the joke quotes are just that, paraphrasing in modern language to make them funnier and more relatable.

Not a bad little listen.

[Judi Easley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rivals!
Frenemies Who Changed the World
Scott McCormick
Narrators: Prentice Onayemi, Samantha Turret, Christine Hvam, Gabriel Vaughan, Josh Hurley
Audible Original, May 2018
2 hours, 55 minutes
Historical Humor/Humorous History
Purchased from Audible
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I found the cover of this book to be totally amusing and extremely eye-catching as well as appropriate for the book. Everything on the cover relates to one of the “stories” in the book. Yes, dinosaurs and Queen Elizabeth in the same book!

This book is not available in print form. The Audible version of this book was totally enjoyable with its information and hijinks throughout. Mr. McCormick has taken opponents in history, such as Queen Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scotts, and told their stories to relate how the world was changed after each exchange. The big change from the well-detailed exchange(s) between Liz and Mary was the religion of England. Mary was Catholic. If she had won the day (and the kingdom) England would have been a Catholic country and its history would read very differently. But Liz won the day, Mary lost her head, and England remained Protestant under Elizbeth and to this day. My version of the story is rather cut-and-dried, but the one written by Scott McCormick and performed by the five narrators is anything but that. The wit and humor entertain, while the actual history educates painlessly. It’s not that the author is laughing at history, well, not too much, but more like presenting it in a humorous light.

I recommend this highly entertaining and educational Audible book for humorous historians!

[Jen Brodehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars- This was a short history Audible Original. It was easy to listen to with my son Lucas who is 10. He loved it! And it made me extra happy to learn more about Hamilton and Burr’s rivalry. Highly recommend!

[MangoLoverReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 — Free Audible selection. I found the sound effects annoying, but I did learn things. There were 4 rivalries reviewed. I found some of the ‘stories’ more interesting than others.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It was an amusing but generally historically accurate look at four instances of rivalries that affected the world in both negative and positive ways. There were rivalries I didn't even know about along with ones I did. I adored the narrators voice and his way of presenting the book.

The content was very amusing and engaging, and I was glad that it called itself out on the unfair way it presented Mary Queen of Scots, admitting it was done so with humorous intent but listed her accolades. I appreciated that we were given nuanced portrayals of each side in all four instances. No one was presented as being the "good" one or the "bad" one. They were all just flawed people who lived their lives, sometimes for good and sometimes for ill.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott McCormick has penned the history book that would make anyone love history. Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World is the rare book that lives up to the publisher’s description: The book really does read as “if Monty Python taught your history class”! The four rivalries — one between paleontological experts; one between two sneaker-making brothers; one between Queen Elizabeth and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots; and the last between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton — make for riveting reading — or should I say, listening, since I was lucky enough to hear an entire cast perform the book?

I’ll make two points: McCormick makes Hamilton a lot less likable than did Lin-Manuel Miranda did, and you’ll love every single minute of the book.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World by Scott McCormick and narrated by a variety of performers teaches history in a most satisfying way! It's informative and hilarious! If you listen just to have fun or to learn something new, it's definitely worth your time! Kids and adults will love this!
Narration is brilliant!

[Justin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty enjoyable listen. Historical info + funny Monty Python bits.

[Alyson Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this take on rivalry, so refreshing and new. I highly recommend seeing Hamilton the musical and then reading McCormick's take on the Burr - Hamilton feud.

[SheriC · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this must be intended for children, because the language is very simple and straightforward. Regardless, it was not interesting enough to keep my interest.

[ash | · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting!