James Donovan’s BLOOD OF HEROES is a better listen for those who want to celebrate the Alamo than those who want to gain a dispassionate understanding of its place in history. Donovan underscores his strengths as a writer—a flair for detail and story—with his own narration, which skillfully conveys the drama of the event. With a youthful, slightly gravelly voice, he is superbly cast to narrate: One can imagine him as one of the young volunteers who manned the doomed fort. His occasional verbal miscues—like saying “calvary” for “cavalry”—almost become part of the character. And his fluent Spanish accent when rendering Spanish names and phrases enhances the audio experience.
Pub Date: May 15, 2012
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611134032
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
More than 35 hours long, this comprehensive biography of Random House founder Bennett Cerf is equal to a workweek for many listeners. Cerf nurtured a roster of the 20th century's most consequential authors and was nationally known as a television panelist. His story is a fascinating panorama of American arts and society over 50 years, scrupulously researched but overburdened and slow. Listeners who've never heard of William Styron or Dorothy Kilgallen or the Famous Writers School will be fully educated here. Narrator Lisa Flanagan keeps a steady, unfussy pace that carries her listeners over the longueurs. But hers is a channel swim rather than a leisurely stroll through Central Park. This paunchy biography needed a stronger editorial hand.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 35 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217346448
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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