The smooth-sounding Simon Vance employs an authoritative and engaging narration of Clive Irving's gossipy yet highly articulate biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Irving argues that the Queen's discomfort with significant social changes during her reign is the reason she likely believes she will be the final queen of the British monarchy. Vance applies a pleasing melding of a contemporary and a more traditional British accent. Loyalties, rivalries, and foibles of familiar and unfamiliar people are explored, and an overview of the larger history of the monarchy is included. Irving maintains that Elizabeth II is a benign enigma and, accordingly, she only occasionally becomes the focus of the text. Listeners who enjoy gossipy stories will likely enjoy an audio performance that raises the level of the work itself.
Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2021
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781645552918
Publisher: Oasis Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A personal performance of a spiritual journey.
Vance narrates a spirited discussion of his departure from Christianity and religion generally, as well as his subsequent return. His commanding performance is moving, solid, authentic, and sincere. Vance’s deep voice is enhanced by his precise enunciation and is measured and appropriate to the material. In what could be considered a sequel to his 2016 autobiography, Hillbilly Elegy, listeners hear his evolution as a human being, family man, and leader. The consistently absorbing and entertaining narration pays tribute to his mentors, friends inside and outside the military, and most emphatically his wife, Usha, who practices Hinduism.
A personal performance of a spiritual journey.Pub Date: June 16, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063575080
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
A doyenne of American literature, Godwin, now 89, adds to her distinguished body of work.
Rosemary Benson has narrated Godwin’s work before, and she conveys the contemplative and appalled tone of this brief memoir. Her performance reveals the author’s disappointment in the country’s state of political affairs during the 2024 election. Godwin sees then-candidate Trump as an emblem of corruption, and she painstakingly analyzes his debate with Kamala Harris and the idea of citizenship, quoting liberally from Brian Tangury’s blog Working-Class Scribbler. Other sections show the arc of Godwin’s long career, recalling her life in the 1960s working for the U.S. Travel Service and her ill-considered marriage.
A doyenne of American literature, Godwin, now 89, adds to her distinguished body of work.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 16 mins
DD ISBN: 9781639739004
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2026
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