An essayist for the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW recently questioned whether all books are suited for audio, and this book further tempts that question. Cassandra Campbell's experience shines during her excellent reading as she deftly pronounces a myriad of Russian and Eastern European names and locations. The narrative presents fascinating new aspects of the devastation wreaked upon Eastern Europe as the Communists gained power, much gleaned from newly available archival material and interviews. Campbell's delivery especially expresses the intimacy of the personal interviews. However, the audiobook does not include the tremendous array of helpful supplemental materials, including maps, photos, footnotes, and bibliography. Putting that aside, this inspired narration gives the listener a view of the brutality and methodology of the totalitarian regimes that crushed Eastern Europe after WWII.
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2012
Duration: 26 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307938831
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A well-read explanation that will keep listeners engaged.
In a pleasing voice, Gordon Rothman narrates this account of how the current war in Ukraine started. Kinzer, a former foreign correspondent, goes back to the CIA’s clandestine war against the USSR, particularly its operations in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, to trace the origins of the conflict. “Ukraine is magnetically attractive to anyone looking for ways to keep Russia down or to bring it down,” Kinzer writes. He concludes that, although Russia was wrong to invade Ukraine in 2022, it was not unprovoked. Rothman’s delivery is clear, and his pace is easy to follow. Some of his pronunciations of Russian and Ukrainian names are anglicized.
A well-read explanation that will keep listeners engaged.Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250451781
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2026
A story of survival through unthinkable tragedy that the wistful little girl in the portrait could never have imagined.
Narrator Jenn Lee brings a storyteller’s flair to this true saga of the Renoir portrait La Petite Irène, painted in 1880 and stolen by the Nazis during WWII. Irène Cahen d’Anvers was the daughter of a wealthy Jewish banking family who were targeted and destroyed during the occupation of Paris. But Irène survived by changing her religion and remarrying, eventually recovering the painting. The survival story of the portrait is equally dramatic and full of twists and turns in the world of underground art dealings. Lee’s talent for French is evident in her pronunciation of names, locales, and expressions, adding a vivid sense of place and atmosphere.
A story of survival through unthinkable tragedy that the wistful little girl in the portrait could never have imagined.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668659656
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
