This is the social history to add to military accounts of the Civil War. Levine focuses on the process by which the war to preserve the Union became a revolutionary struggle to transform American society by freeing the slaves for all time. Listeners learn how that struggle changed the fate of African-Americans in both the North and South and how slowly white Americans embraced the change. Levine takes particular joy in the insensitive, hypocritical, and self-serving statements of the Southern ruling class. Peter Jay Fernandez's deep voice and deliberate narration suit the subject. He conveys the irony Levine intends. His carefully measured pace and clear pronunciation bring the listener along.
Pub Date: 2013
Duration: 14 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781464045912
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
With his deep voice, capable of a rumble here and there, narrator David Colacci is well suited to this quintessential American story. Journalist David Philipps offers a look at our nation's wild horses and their future outlook. Their survival depends on the clarifying of myth and history and a clear-eyed examination of government policies. Though billed as a history of the mustang, in many ways, this is a story about wildness, belonging, and the right to be free. As such, Colacci's unhurried, thoughtful performance effectively balances detailed research, targeted investigation, and personal reflection, providing an engaging listen that highlights the significant challenges of modern-day conservation efforts and government policy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781681688503
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Alex Chadwick's lightly dramatic voice keeps listeners focused on a fascinating story. Soichi Sakamoto's Three-Year Swim Club in Maui hoped for glory in the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, a goal thwarted by WWII. Julie Checkoway dives into the past for accounts of swimming records, training innovations, and the swimmers themselves. These branches flow into a larger story of growing global tensions, Olympics history, and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii. It's occasionally poignant, as when a club member encounters a German P.O.W. he once met in competition. When the account turns to swim meets, Chadwick's voice sounds wonderfully like vintage radio coverage. There's athletic triumph, but the war's toll on those hopes hits home.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781619693838
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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