Although the current controversies surrounding the Supreme Court may seem like a new phenomenon, this captivating audiobook dispels that notion and highlights how the Court has frequently been a political lightning rod. Brian Troxell sounds like your favorite history professor as he uses emotion, intensity, varied voices, and inflection to bring to life the many personalities central to President Franklin Roosevelt's efforts to transform the Court into an institution more attuned to his views. Troxell accomplishes this by creating distinct timbres for the book's many historical figures, thereby allowing listeners to feel as though they are eavesdropping upon every meeting, including those that would generate instant headlines if they came to light in today's world of nonstop news and revelations.
Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668632895
Publisher: Hachette 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
More than 35 hours long, this comprehensive biography of Random House founder Bennett Cerf is equal to a workweek for many listeners. Cerf nurtured a roster of the 20th century's most consequential authors and was nationally known as a television panelist. His story is a fascinating panorama of American arts and society over 50 years, scrupulously researched but overburdened and slow. Listeners who've never heard of William Styron or Dorothy Kilgallen or the Famous Writers School will be fully educated here. Narrator Lisa Flanagan keeps a steady, unfussy pace that carries her listeners over the longueurs. But hers is a channel swim rather than a leisurely stroll through Central Park. This paunchy biography needed a stronger editorial hand.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 35 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217346448
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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