Narrator Jill Tanner has the daunting task of reciting a great deal of history. Alison Weir writes in a "Rule Britannia" style of prose, so there's little dialogue or dramatic description for Tanner to perform. Tanner should be complimented for providing nearly 19 hours of even, clear reading, but Weir's sprawling history of the life and times of this significant figure does not easily lend itself to audio format. Readers hoping to get a sense of Eleanor as a person will not be satisfied, but they will come away with a deep knowledge of the events that shaped her life.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 18 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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