David Marantz's staccato delivery works well for this American counterpart to John Keegan's classic of European war history, THE FACE OF BATTLE. Looking at the American soldier in battle at Bunker Hill (1775,) Gettysburg (1863,) and Iwo Jima (1945,) we see war not as the generals present it in memoirs but as the common "grunt" experienced it. Drawing on numerous diaries and personal accounts, the author goes into great detail describing the equipment, unit organization, tactics, wounds, and overall experience of being a soldier in each of these engagements. This may seem to be a bit much, but Marantz ably keeps the listener's attention with a narration that is quite expressive. He makes the production seem more like a conversation, albeit one-way, directed at the individual listener, than a performance to a large audience. M.T.F.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audible, Inc./ Brilliance
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Addis delivers a satisfying performance that will keep listeners engaged in this commendable history.
Matt Addis narrates Bayliss’ detailed but straightforward history of Sparta, from prehistory to the destruction of the Spartan hegemony in the 360s B.C.E., both ably and amiably. His resonant voice is likeable, if sometimes scratchy. And his manner is so thoroughly friendly that the program seems like history as narrated by a kindly uncle—but an astute one. His understanding and interpretation of the text are precise, and his tones and emphases are correct and helpful. Addis’ pacing is slightly slow, with notable pauses between text blocks, but given the complicated interurban politics of the ancient Greek city-states, moderate pacing is helpful rather than distracting.
Addis delivers a satisfying performance that will keep listeners engaged in this commendable history.Pub Date: May 19, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9798899749254
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
Kristin Atherton is the absolute right choice to narrate this riveting and complex history of the rise of global terrorism. The research provided here is ambitious, providing a clear-eyed, deeply considered history of the nature of terrorist acts, the motivations for which were hard for news broadcasts of the 1970s to fully capture. Atherton's narration never wavers as Burke covers the well-known events of airplane hijackings, the Munich Olympic attacks, and the Beirut bombings of 1983, "the bloodiest year." The result is an insightful history that gives context to events that may have seemed disparate to casual observers. Atherton maintains a comprehensive, consistent voice throughout this long, gripping audiobook.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 25 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217018796
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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