This history of special prosecutors--think Ken Starr, Robert Mueller, Jack Smith--is full of insider information and legal strategies that will fascinate ordinary news watchers, as well as ardent followers of Washington politics. The author, a CNN legal commentator and former U.S. attorney, uses interviews and his own impressive analytical skills to detail the histories of these high-stakes investigations and their broader implications. As narrator, his steely tone and crisp enunciation ensure clarity and communicate respect for listeners and the people whose lives he discusses. Though there's no shortage of esoterica, Honig's tight writing and impressive personality profiles keep the stories moving.
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063447332
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Always comfortable behind the mic, coauthor and CNN journalist Jake Tapper is a natural choice to narrate his pointed rebuke of the Biden administration's disastrous end. Tapper--who moderated the infamous Biden-Trump debate during the 2024 campaign--has an animated delivery style that is mostly unadorned. There's one exception, however: When reading direct quotes, he mimics Biden's increasingly raspy, feeble voice and does his best to re-create the president's verbal fumbling. It's not done mockingly or disrespectfully, and it sounds appropriate in context. The audiobook is exhaustively researched, and the evidence that Biden's inner circle covered up his deteriorating health is so voluminous that it seems repetitious. But Tapper's relentless energy keeps the narrative engaging throughout.
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217169450
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Think the federal civil service is filled with pencil-pushing drones? This collection of essays--curated by Michael Lewis and narrated by their authors--will quickly disabuse you of that notion. Casey Cep uses a journalistic tone that, nonetheless, conveys her genuine admiration for a remarkable Veterans Affairs employee who has devoted his life to honoring fallen soldiers. For a change of pace, W. Kamau Bell effectively uses the interview format with a young Black woman who is starting her career as a government lawyer. Inevitably, other authors are less successful at making the transition from print journalist to narrator. But the real star here is Lewis himself, who bookends the collection with two engaging essays delivered with the polish of a veteran podcaster.
Pub Date: March 18, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217082902
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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