A dynamic performance by Wanda McCaddon brings the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, to life in this marvelous audiobook. Whether she’s describing catastrophic events or everyday occurrences in the lives of the Carnarvons, McCaddon delivers. She captures the essence of Lady Catherine and her family and friends and infuses each of them—and there are many— with individuality as they unfold in her accomplished presentation. Listeners hear Winston Churchill’s booming voice and Lady Catherine’s subtly nuanced expressions as if they’re privy to their real-life conversations. McCaddon’s engaging portraits of the characters will have listeners waiting for the next installment in this riveting social history of a time and place we’ll never see the likes of again.
Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2013
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804148481
Publisher: Random House 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
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