TWILIGHT AT MONTICELLO is a breath of fresh air in the vast collection of Jeffersonian biographies. Crawford utilizes newly revealed personal letters and documents from the Library of Congress to create a notable picture of Jefferson's life after the presidency. Narrator James Boles convincingly presents the bleak drudgery of life at Monticello: endless weather reports, laborious plans for gardens, and growing debts. Unfortunately, Boles fails to vary his plodding delivery, even through the highlights of Jefferson's last 17 years of life: his triumph in founding the University of Virginia, his architectural endeavors, and his inspiring friendship with John Adams. Crawford's overarching theme is the great visionary's human imperfections, especially the discrepancies between his personal life and his celebrated idealism.
Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2008
Duration: 11 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Michener tells the real stories behind the man and his books. The recording is read with skill and consistency although the reader does little to enhance the robust, larger-than-life incidents related in the book. Due to the first-person narrative format, there is no opportunity for the narrator to change his voice. This makes some chapters monotonous as they go on and on in the typical Michener style. The listener may also become confused because the stories are not told chronologically. This is not a great choice for the audio format, but Michener fans may stick with it to the end.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a quest for a sense of inner contentment and self-worth, Gloria Steinem brings the reader on a journey of investigation and discovery. Steinem reads the text herself in a straightforward and friendly, but not intimate, presentation which is so easy to listen to it invites repetition--thus ensuring the painless relearning of the lessons of the book. It's difficult to tell from the reading that this audiobook is abridged; each section can stand alone. Nonetheless, the listener wished the book were unabridged. Steinem left me wanting to learn more.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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