Plain prose plainly read is the virtue of Marc Cashman's fine rendition of Smith's full-scale biography. Smith covers every aspect of FDR and Eleanor's public and private lives, with an admiration that clarifies rather than buffers the truth of these two complex personalities and their careers. The biography is also an effective prism with which to view two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the emergence of the American military and industrial state. That tall order is served well by the stamina and conviction of Cashman's voice, which has the distinctive inflection of a period radio voice. Appropriately, one of this book's themes is the role of the media--in this case, radio--in shaping modern politics and statecraft. FDR was the first U.S. president to have the ability to address the nation live, a skill at which he excelled above all presidents.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2007
Duration: 33 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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