In this riveting audiobook listeners learn about a 1929 settlement on a deserted Galapagos island. This true-life account of couples seeking a new Eden illustrates why utopian dreams turn into nightmares. As one islander put it while describing their fruitful, lush, island, "It could be so beautiful on earth if humans weren't animals." Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell introduces Friedrich Ritter, a German doctor and bullying philosopher, and his lover and acolyte, Dore. Other settlers follow. Narrating diaries, letters, and publications, Campbell acquaints listeners with their motivations, triumphs, relationships, and, ultimately, their calamitous end. Campbell's voice is clear, and she maintains an emotional aloofness when describing people and events. Listeners are left to draw their own conclusions concerning what went wrong.
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217065172
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A beautifully narrated history.
Narrator Leon Nixon takes a storyteller’s approach to this audiobook about one of pop music's most recognizable albums. More than 40 years ago, musician Paul Simon was deeply moved by a cassette tape of music with no identifying labels. The search for the artists on that tape, who were performing an African genre known as township jive, eventually led to the creation of Simon’s seminal album Graceland. The audiobook tracks Simon’s creative process, his journey to assemble the artists, and the complicated political structures that made the album controversial, and inspired a conversation that still continues. What's not debatable is the lasting legacy of Simon's work. Nixon conveys this story with a natural, compelling quality that's consistently engrossing.
A beautifully narrated history.Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 11 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668143322
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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