Narrator Scott Brick gives a smooth, even reading of this atypical biography of Theodore Roosevelt, in which the focus is on Roosevelt's penchant for collecting animal specimens for science. The audiobook begins with a young Roosevelt bringing home the head of a dead seal and finishes with his expedition to Africa, a time span in which he killed and preserved many rare specimens for the Smithsonian. Brick doesn't embellish the detailed descriptions of taxidermy. Nor does he vocally exaggerate the hunting stories or attempt character voices. At the same time, his effortless pacing keeps the extensive historical details from becoming too dry. He simply gives a clean, unaffected account of the facts about Roosevelt's considerable contributions to scientific knowledge.
Pub Date: April 12, 2016
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780147526632
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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