Narrator Edoardo Ballerini's skill at portraying many accents enhances this look at traveling the world by train from 1986 to 2017. Severgnini shares his experiences and impressions of the places he visits, fellow travelers, and diverse trains. Ballerini gamely delivers Severgnini's condescending remarks about fellow passengers and bias against some of the places visits, particularly the U.S. Current events and history add interest, but the humor doesn't work despite Ballerini's lively delivery. It's odd to hear of Severgnini holding a bobblehead Donald Trump in Europe, which elicits little conversation. Listeners will benefit from descriptions of luxury and modest trains and how train travel has changed through the years. Pertinent quotes from books and music regarding the glory--and mystery--of traveling by train are also entertaining.
Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781984846907
Publisher: Penguin 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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