Beginning in 1992 and spanning the years of the Bosnian War, this affecting audio memoir is unified by a central figure: the stray cat who became a guardian angel to Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and her Bosnian Muslim family amid the horror, deprivation, and dehumanization of war. Dubbed "Maci" (Bosnian for "cat"), the titular feline is a reminder that hope, however small, can be vital. Narrator Leila Buck delivers the bulk of Sabic-El-Rayess's account in a youthful, evenly paced American accent interspersed with a lilting Bosnian accent for certain names, phrases, and characters. While Sabic-El-Rayess's resilience may evoke recognition in listeners who have survived traumas of their own, Buck's narration provides emotional immediacy for teens who might not otherwise grasp how real and how recent the Bosnian War truly was.
(Memoir. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Lipica Shah's stirring narration of this YA biography showcases Emma Goldman's unshakable commitment to improving the lives of the oppressed. In 1885, Goldman immigrated to the U.S. from czarist Russia and became an ardent anarchist. A prolific writer and inspirational speaker, she gave hundreds of well-attended speeches each year. When quoting Goldman, Shah exudes the intensity of her quest to elevate America's working class. When quoting from any of the thousands of period newspaper articles about Goldman, Shah mimics their predominantly disapproving tone. Goldman was even imprisoned because of her progressive positions on government, workers' rights, sex, and birth control. Never deterred, Goldman was once considered the most dangerous woman in America.
(Biography. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250415134
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners will be entranced by the melodic and articulate voice of narrator Angel Pean as she recounts the miserable upbringing, rewarding career, and personal relationships of Lorena Hickok, who was known by many as "Hick." This audiobook reveals not only Hick's ambition for excellence in her writing and journalism career but also the love and admiration she shared with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After they met, Roosevelt continued to lean on and confide in Hick throughout her husband's path to Washington and, eventually, the White House. It became a romance like no other, especially in the 1930s and '40s, when FDR made major decisions that changed the trajectory of the U.S. forever. Pean delivers a true narrative of an accomplished and passionate individual.
(Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217069750
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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