Ulysses Grant is one of our more underappreciated presidents. Most people know him only as the Civil War general who defeated Lee and as a president whose tenure was marked by corruption. But this in-depth biography shows a more complex and accomplished man. He rose from obscurity to find he had a genius for battle. As president, he championed equal rights for freedmen, something no president would do for nearly a century. Stephen Hoye offers an even and engaging reading. A book this length can be daunting, but Hoye varies his tone and pacing ever so slightly to keep listeners engaged. He changes his voice slightly for direct quotations, not to impersonate the speaker but to offer a kind of oral quotation marks.
Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2012
Duration: 28 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780307701701
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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