If the suffering of American POWs at the hands of their Vietnamese captors was unimaginable, this audiobook goes some way to make that experience vivid for listeners. Joe Barrett’s narration is matter-of-fact and mostly unadorned, save for some subtle Asian accents. But the anguish of the POWs comes through in his voice, and many of the descriptions of torture are hard to listen to. This book is much more than a chronicle of misery, however. Author Townley weaves a remarkably detailed account of “the Alcatraz 11,” the most famous inmates who endured as many as eight years in the prison nicknamed Hanoi Hilton, and the role played by the women who wouldn’t let their country forget them.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2014
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
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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