Robertson Dean's resonant voice makes for a lively rendering of Anthony DePalma's fascinating cultural history of Cuba and its people. Starting before the Communist Revolution of 1959, when Fidel Castro overthrew the U.S.-supported Batista regime, Dean helps to flesh out Cuba's long history as a Caribbean power: from a Spanish colony relying on African slaves to a nascent republic, a military dictatorship, and finally a Soviet-backed satellite state. Dean's narration turns what could be a dry litany of facts into a riveting tale. But it is in the stories of contemporary Cubans that Dean's narration really shines. Their everyday struggles, triumphs, and tragedies make for a riveting audiobook on par with any sweeping work of fiction.
Pub Date: May 26, 2020
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593166536
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Geoffrey C. Ward's audiobook version of the current Ken Burns documentary series recounts the history of the Revolution as a story, and Robert Petkoff delivers it as such. He matches its narrative flow with a polished performance that draws the listener compulsively and pleasurably along. Never calling attention to himself, he narrates the text deftly with a subtle but perceptible mirroring of both sense and feeling. Petkoff's performance is like a dish that the more you have of it, the more you want. Six sidebar essays by other authors are split between narrators Beth Hicks and Fred Sanders. While they're not up to Petkoff's level of fluidity--Sanders' performance is somewhat stiff--both are able and professional enough. Overall, an engaging, illuminating retelling of America's founding story.
Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 22 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217165483
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Never underestimate the value of a pleasing voice, especially when the subject is history--in particular, a topic as obtuse as the English Civil War. Mark Meadows's light British accent is an enhancement and a defining feature of this well-told narrative, a sequel of sorts to Oxford scholar Jonathan Healey's THE BLAZING WORLD. That narrative surveyed the entire revolutionary 17th century in Britain. This one focuses on a few momentous months when King Charles I and his Parliament split irrevocably, and England spiraled into civil war. As a case study in government deadlock and division, these events draw numerous parallels to contemporary scenarios. As an audiobook experience, Meadows delivers a lucid, arresting analysis of the how and why of England's most tragic era.
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217165612
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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