Saskia Maarleveld brings a great deal of enthusiasm to her portrayals of women who served in the U.S. Army's Signal Corps during WWI. They broke the gender barrier while facing mortal danger from the fighting on the front lines and from the influenza pandemic behind the lines. Maarleveld voices these telephone operators whom America sent overseas to help our troops communicate, as well as other members of the American Expeditionary Forces and the allies with whom they interacted. Thus, the narration requires a variety of accents; even the "hello girls" themselves were chosen for their ability to speak French. This is a largely unknown, involving story based on the real-life women whose dedication matched that of the men beside them.
Pub Date: July 19, 2022
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063080720
Publisher: Harper 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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