by Andrei Cherny ; read by Jonathan Davis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2008
The Americans, French, British, and Soviets shared joint stewardship of post-WWII Germany, but Stalin wanted all of Europe to himself. The Cold War had started by late 1945, and the Russian blockade of West Berlin in 1948 found a world unprepared to retaliate. As with many military histories, the author didn't write this to be entertaining, and narrator Jonathan Davis can do little to make it so. Placing unnaturally long pauses after every period gives the impression of disinterest or fatigue on his part, and the annoying silences prevent him from establishing a smooth listening experience. The audiobook's strength comes from the abundant details about Germany's reconstruction, including the Berlin Airlift, which secretly dropped candy on German kids' heads on approaches to landings.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2008
Duration: 24 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Carol Matthau ; read by Carol Matthau ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Jeff Jarvis ; read by Jeff Jarvis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 20, 2026
The Gilded Age race to invent automated typesetting was packed with colorful characters and grim reversals of fortune.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
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Energy more than artistry propels this rich and thoroughly engrossing history of automated printing and its impact on modern media. Author Jarvis isn’t the smoothest of narrators, but his enthusiastic delivery heightens the narrative. And what he delivers sounds very much like a gold rush tale. Setting type remained the final, seemingly impossible step in automating the printing process, and many failures preceded the successful Linotype, which remained the standard for decades thereafter. Mark Twain’s losses after he invested in a competitor are lamentable, but they’re merely tangential to the far more interesting stories of those who succeeded.
The Gilded Age race to invent automated typesetting was packed with colorful characters and grim reversals of fortune.Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798216477341
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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