After WWII, Winston Churchill was greeted as the hero he was, but in the unique nature of parliamentary politics, he was ousted as prime minister when his party was thrashed in the first postwar election. He then was forced to reshape himself and his role on the world stage. That’s the focus of this biography of Churchill, which covers the 10 years from the war’s end to his retirement after a second turn as prime minister. The book is detailed, almost painfully so, at times covering his life not only day by day but hour by hour. It is a testament to Simon Prebble’s skills that the reading doesn’t bog down or become tedious. He gives the quotations from Churchill his own characterization, but most listeners won’t be well acquainted with his voice, so the change becomes little more than oral italics.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2010
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062062444
Publisher: Harper Audio
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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