Narrator Nylsa Smallwood's bright, resolute voice fits the author's robust writing and the pugnacious personality of this audiobook's subject. Lucy Parsons was born a slave, but she didn't fight solely for African-American rights. Instead, she advocated for First Amendment rights for all people, espousing violence, radicalism, and socialism to stamp out the evils of industrial capitalism. She married a man who was also involved in radical politics. She reminds us that change is messy and unpopular, but it's necessary for democracy to move forward. This is Parsons's life, and a fascinating one it is. Smallwood sounds like she's reading the book rather than telling the story. Varying her tone and slowing her pace would have helped. Nonetheless, her crystal-clear diction helps to move the story along.
Pub Date: Dec. 5, 2017
Duration: 14 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478993902
Publisher: Hachette 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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