Leon Nixon brings gravitas to his narration of this historic look at what African-American athletes endured in the 1930s. His steady pace, deep pitch, solid enunciation, and just the right touch of drama blanket the audiobook. Black athletes had to deal with discrimination on home soil at a time when Adolf Hitler was rising to power on a platform of intolerance and racial superiority. The stories focusing on several individuals are interspersed with a narrative on Nazi Germany's preparations to host the 1936 Summer Olympics. Nixon never imitates anyone--he just lets the words, history, and emotions speak for themselves.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797105529
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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