If greatness lies in paradox, then our twenty-sixth president must have been our greatest. Ardent hunter and ardent conservationist, this asthmatic became a war hero, then turned around and won the Nobel Peace Prize. A snob who thought Winston Churchill a shady self-promoter, Theodore Roosevelt remained friends with his cowboy troopers for life. Rich and well connected, he was suspected of siding with big business, yet his trust-busting efforts were so vigorous that when he went to Africa, J.P. Morgan is supposed to have said, "America expects that every lion will do his duty." O'Brien's voice is clear as a bell, but the tone is not altered, except to capture the high, nasal certainty of the man himself. The imposture would be more convincing if this same voice were not used for other authority figures, including, for instance, the great jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 33 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Reader Michael Prichard delivers a convincing rendition of Archie Goodwin, the burly right hand of the portly Nero Wolfe, world-renowned gourmand and detective. Prichard preserves the 1970s setting and 1950s origins of the story, bringing listeners a well-paced narration of murder and politics--a combination of elements that usually guarantees an exciting listen. This audio entertainment is as well formed and fragrant as one of Wolfe's hothouse orchids (the stout sleuth cultivates them by the hundreds in his town house greenhouse) as Goodwin walks us through an explosive murder investigation and political wheeling and dealing in a tough yet intelligent read.
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2006
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Partners
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This collection of eight short stories contains gentle tales of fantasy and magic--not the magic of wizards and wands, but of wishing mats and enormous cats and gifts brought by the winds. In a lovely English accent, Lizza Aiken quietly narrates these stories in which magic and good fortune often come to those who deserve it. Although her pitch changes little, she registers a range of emotions--from the sadness of a girl whose necklace of raindrops has been stolen to the joy of a child who moves from a hard life and a ramshackle trailer to a happy home amid the clouds. A NECKLACE OF RAINDROPS would make a soothing choice for a family car trip after a long day.
Ages 6+Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Duration: 1 hr, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101915721
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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