The basis of the 2015 movie starring Will Smith, this is a sprawling account of pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu's discovery of pervasive traumatic brain injury (TBI) among professional football players and how the NFL responded to his findings. Hillary Huber's narration connects in an appealing way with the ebb and flow of the drama in the hero's journey. Along with her obvious respect for her subject and a believable portrayal of the Nigerian immigrant's accented speech, she does a good job of moderating the sinister aspects of this David and Goliath story. Medical mystery and legal battling may be the headlines, but the heart of this audio is the richly illustrated details of the hero's African culture and experiences. These influences explain why his personal honor and reverence for the truth compelled him to stand firm when corporate interests tried to crush him.
Pub Date: Nov. 24, 2015
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780147520531
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
More books have been written about baseball than any other sport, and audiobooks such as this allow the genre to flourish. Former pitcher Ron Darling, now a broadcaster, had a distinguished career, primarily with the New York Mets. Darling has met just about everyone in the sport for nearly four decades and demonstrates his knowledge and connections with the anecdotes in this entertaining memoir. Narrator Malcolm Hillgartner's relaxed delivery sounds as though he is in the broadcast booth with Darling. Like most audio sports memoirs, this book succeeds because of the narrator's engaging style. Hillgartner recognizes that even the duller moments in baseball are bolstered by the legacies of so many who have played the game, and were fortunate to have crossed paths with the author.
Pub Date: April 2, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781721342457
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Willie Mays's baseball life was a long and rich one, worthy of multiple biographies. Known as a five-tool player--he could run, field, throw, hit, and hit for power--Mays enjoyed a long career. The tag-team narration here fits wonderfully: Larry Herron speaks in a serious and deep tone that is commanding, with appropriate doses of emotion. Julian McWilliams uses a higher voice for Mays who, in fact, does have a slightly high voice. Often, when people are quoted--like President Obama--imitations are used and fit seamlessly within the story. Off- and on-the-field anecdotes are interspersed with brief pieces of advice and mini-mantras from the baseball great.
Pub Date: May 12, 2020
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250240231
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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