Craig McNamara hung the American flag upside down in his room. He demonstrated against the war in Vietnam, the war his father managed, but Robert McNamara's son is never strident. Narrator Keith Sellon-Wright continues in the precise but only slightly modulated tones the author establishes reading the introduction. There is yearning in this grown boy's voice--but never rage. Politically involved, and an admirer of Fidel Castro, Craig found his way through activism that blossomed into agriculture in general and walnuts in particular. "Craig's dream is to save the world through farming," his father said. As for the condemnation that Craig himself won't make, this listener can't help but wonder how much less suffering there might have been if the more famous and powerful of the McNamara men had planted trees instead of coffins.
Pub Date: May 10, 2022
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668604625
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Manchester’s incisive writing and Parker’s friendly narration make this a compelling package on the life of 20th century icon General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964). No student of modern times can ignore this vain, mercurial soldier whose battlefield brilliance conserved the lives of his soldiers even as they cut their opponents to ribbons. Listening to Parker, one imagines a jovial uncle delivering a slap on the back and sitting down to describe war experiences in a rich voice filled with humor and pathos. He pronounces Japanese names, New Guinea cities and American slang with effortless ease. The “you-are-there” quality grabs and holds. This is a carefully done, seamless audio presentation.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 16 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A splendid narration of an engaging biography.
Rob Heaps gives a strong narration of this account of the enigmatic and controversial (to say the least) Russian mystic who will forever be intertwined with the life of the last Romanov czar. Beevor gives a detailed description of life at the Romanov court and in Russia on the eve of the revolutions and ensuing civil war. Beevor’s own views of Rasputin may seem “ambiguous” to some, but then Rasputin was a person of strong contradictions—devoutly religious and compulsively lecherous. Heaps also narrated Russia (2022), Beevor’s history of the Russian Revolution, and the two works are complementary. Heaps’ excellent performance is easy to understand and follow, although his British pronunciation of Russian words and names may grate on purists.
A splendid narration of an engaging biography.Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281848
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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