Fans of audio nonfiction have come to expect a measured, neutral tone in factual material. Usually the narrator keeps emotions under wraps. Listeners may be taken aback to discover that Richard Davidson puts plenty of feeling into his rendering of this book. Characters have all the quirks and personalities one envisions in high drama, and happily this soon comes to feel just right, like one is hearing a rousing good tale told by T.R. himself. Newsweek’s editor-at-large Thomas explores the question of why we romanticize war. While that question may never be satisfactorily answered, this is a fascinating look at some of the people whose decisions shaped our own history.
Pub Date: 2010
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
With his deep voice, capable of a rumble here and there, narrator David Colacci is well suited to this quintessential American story. Journalist David Philipps offers a look at our nation's wild horses and their future outlook. Their survival depends on the clarifying of myth and history and a clear-eyed examination of government policies. Though billed as a history of the mustang, in many ways, this is a story about wildness, belonging, and the right to be free. As such, Colacci's unhurried, thoughtful performance effectively balances detailed research, targeted investigation, and personal reflection, providing an engaging listen that highlights the significant challenges of modern-day conservation efforts and government policy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781681688503
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Alex Chadwick's lightly dramatic voice keeps listeners focused on a fascinating story. Soichi Sakamoto's Three-Year Swim Club in Maui hoped for glory in the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, a goal thwarted by WWII. Julie Checkoway dives into the past for accounts of swimming records, training innovations, and the swimmers themselves. These branches flow into a larger story of growing global tensions, Olympics history, and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii. It's occasionally poignant, as when a club member encounters a German P.O.W. he once met in competition. When the account turns to swim meets, Chadwick's voice sounds wonderfully like vintage radio coverage. There's athletic triumph, but the war's toll on those hopes hits home.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781619693838
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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