Narrator Michael David Axtell excels in ease, clarity, and pacing, qualities essential to audiobooks that address the active mind, rather than the edge of the seat. In Poland in the 1980s, copies of Orwell's 1984 and other forbidden books circulated hand to hand, fueling a popular uprising that by decade's end had spread across Eastern Europe. American operatives fueled this movement not with guns and explosives, but with printers' ink and photocopy machines. And lots of books. Expect no fisticuffs or chases here. English's story lacks the customary thrills and suspense of spy narratives but, skillfully presented, proves compelling and affirmative--even inspiring. Axtell is a solid and reliable no-frills narrator who knows how to hold the ear and reach the heart.
Pub Date: July 1, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217171354
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Quite interesting, if ancient history is one’s interest.
Born in Wales, Llewellyn-Jones is professor of ancient history at Cardiff University, and his narration is both heavily accented and professorial. His history of one of the world's first great metropolises is based on hard archeological evidence and is in equal parts a debunking and a rehabilitation. Much of Babylon still remains, in fact. While all those layers of grit are still being sifted and those thousands of mostly mundane cuneiform tablets translated, what Llewellyn-Jones focuses on here is primarily a line of kings and some epics. His research is thorough, scrupulous, and detailed. A particular high point is his retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Quite interesting, if ancient history is one’s interest.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 19 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798318569005
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
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