Upon first hearing Robertson Dean’s deep voice, listeners may be surprised to hear a man narrating this account of the women who were often more competent at ruling than were Genghis Khan’s male heirs. The surprise is lessened when one remembers that the book’s author is also male. Dean’s tone as he narrates is consistently even, but it is not devoid of empathy for the queens who did much to build up and sustain the empire only to be betrayed by their male relatives and ultimately forgotten by history. Dean’s steady delivery also makes the disturbing scenes of physical violence more bearable to listen to. This is an enlightening biography.
Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2010
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307705471
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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