A fascinating look at a man once considered a leader of the Enlightenment.
George Forster is one of the most interesting people you've never heard of. As a teenager, he joined Captain James Cook's second three-year voyage to circumnavigate the globe, and the book he wrote about it was an international bestseller. He was widely admired as a writer, scientist, and intellectual, and was later involved in the French Revolution. Wulf is clearly a fan, and Catherine Bailey expresses that enthusiasm admirably without overshadowing the text. She successfully navigates names and geographical terms from all around the world as well as book and journal titles in a variety of European languages, and illuminates sometimes very sad moments from Forster's life.
A fascinating look at a man once considered a leader of the Enlightenment.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 21 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217340224
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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