The hero buried beneath the chapel at the American Naval Academy was a study in contradictions. Selfless in battle, he was notably self-regarding in society. John Adams called him "leprous with vanity." Jones fought brilliantly to create a new world yet so yearned to please the aristocracy of the old one that he returned Lady Selkirk's silver plate after having risked his life to capture it on a raid on the coast of Scotland. Dan Cashman's voice is a fine, clear instrument, but his performance is marred by its ambition. The light brogue with which he italicizes Jones's own words is welcome. His attempt to affect a different accent for every character--French/Russian, man/woman, young/old--is markedly less successful. B.H.C.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2003
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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