Listeners will find themselves in the middle of a trial as this audiobook begins. The court struggle over the fate of Franz Kafka's manuscripts and papers involved the German and Israeli governments. It becomes a springboard for author Benjamin Balint to consider Kafka's life and faith. Narrator Gregg Rizzo's deep, clear yet soft-spoken voice emphasizes the people involved as he juggles the story of the friendship between Kafka and Max Brod and the recent legal actions. Are there hints of Zionist thought in the universal stories Kafka wrote? Who gets to manage a cultural asset? Balint asks these questions, giving listeners something to think about as he outlines the life of the great writer.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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