This social history of Renaissance Italy focuses on Florence and the gritty world from which so much fine art arose. It contains much of interest, though it can sometimes be sensationalistic or unconvincing. Arthur Morey conveys an intelligent affability throughout, focusing the listener's attention on the text rather than his performance. His pronunciation of the frequent Italian is accurate, if not graceful. His skill in pacing and in matching voice to sense is impressive. At times, his pauses or emphases help clarify difficult sentences. Overall, his nuanced, clear reading is actually somewhat superior to the book being read, and makes the experience of it more pleasant than it might otherwise have been.
Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2014
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780804191135
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Swinton’s magnetic performance of this 10th anniversary edition adds meaningfully to the legacy of Laing’s...
Tilda Swinton is a joy to listen to in this homage to loneliness and paean for intimacy. Laing’s landmark work of unconventional art history proves to be as relevant as it was in 2016, if not more so, in an increasingly atomized, post-pandemic world where many, if not most, social interactions happen through our phones. Loneliness, in Laing’s eyes, is not a singular experience, and certainly not a moral failing, but a fact of human nature. Swinton’s clean, polished tone is subtly compassionate to the very real, relatable sufferings of the profiled urbanite artists. This account of our saddest human state is full of rich, hopeful detail.
Swinton’s magnetic performance of this 10th anniversary edition adds meaningfully to the legacy of Laing’s magnum opus.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250442710
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
Kutchinsky shares an honest exploration of the highs and lows of her family’s story.
British journalist Kutchinsky narrates her family’s history—from the late-19th-century arrival of her Russian Jewish great-great-grandparents to East London’s slums up through the early 21st century, when their successful jewelry dynasty, under her father’s leadership, collapsed. Her extensive journalistic skills took her on a 13-year odyssey as she researched the family’s story and carefully separated myth from reality to understand her father’s obsession with creating and marketing a gold- and diamond-studded egg and how it destroyed a business and shattered a family. Her British accent gives a unique sound to her story.
Kutchinsky shares an honest exploration of the highs and lows of her family’s story.Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 16 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668120897
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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