Karen White’s strong reading of the 2008 winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction takes the listener back to the world in which African-American slave (and half sister of Jefferson’s wife) Sally Hemings had a 38-year relationship with Thomas Jefferson. Remarkable detail paints a vivid scenario of a time in which such affairs were common—but never publicly acknowledged. White’s thoughtful narration takes the listener through the beginning of the Hemings family to an understanding of American and world politics and moral standards of the day as they impacted the lives and choices of the black and white members of the clan. The story is told with virtually no dialogue; White uses an accent only with sporadic French phrases. Surprising and thought provoking, this extensive history is instructive for all Americans. J.J.B. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2008
Duration: 31 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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