Mark Bramhall narrates this globe-trotting work of historical fiction, which focuses on the events leading to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The characters are diverse in background, education, and country. Yet Bramhall manages to capture each regional accent as though he were a native. When FDR speaks in the novel, listeners will be convinced they are listening to newsreels. While the facts are heavy and this audiobook could have easily been a work of nonfiction, it's Bramhall who taps into the emotional resonance of the three main characters and those who surround them. History buffs will love this audiobook, not only because it is so engaging, but also because the people in their lives who are not history buffs will end up being hooked too.
Pub Date: June 2, 2020
Duration: 19 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593167274
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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