by Alexander Stubb ; Read by Nicholas Guy Smith ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 13, 2026
Smith’s somewhat dispassionate delivery matches the text well.
Nicholas Guy Smith gives a professional performance of this memoir from the former prime minister and current president of Finland. Smith’s British accent gives an authoritative quality to the narration, and it is easy to follow and to understand. Stubb details his life and his rise to political prominence, not only in his native Finland but also in the Western Alliance and the European Union. Stubb has lots of ideas about how the world works and how it should run, including the opinion that Russia, specifically Putin, is the root of all evil.
Smith’s somewhat dispassionate delivery matches the text well.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217346561
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
by William F. Buckley Jr. ; Read by Walter Lawrence ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Buckley offers a reasonable proposal for a national service program without jail or criminal penalties. Narrator Lawrence reads with a slow and careful announcer's voice; one wishes Buckley were reading this one himself. Books on Tape does its usual quality job with formatting, packaging and tape-turning instructions. The reader repeats the last sentence at such times, so you're sure you haven't missed anything. Popular nonfiction collections will appreciate Gratitude, and the topic is likely to prove timely in the years ahead.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Jonathan Kozol ; Read by Jack Winston ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Kozol’s shocking exposé of inequities in the funding of our public schools contrasts white suburban schools with those serving black and Hispanic populations. Interviews with students, teachers, and school administrators add eloquent testimony to Kozol’s disturbing presentation of facts. Narration by Jack Winston is clear and brisk, but the pace is unrelenting, with little pause for transition between scenes or chapters. Winston’s cool, detached voice contrasts with Kozol’s impasssioned and outraged message. The sheer repetition and magnitude of Kozol’s damning evidence is numbing; the narration gives no relief. Powerful medicine, most easily taken in small doses. Music signalling tape changes is jarringly inappropriate.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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