Schaap's audiobook is well conceived and well made--and its text is perfect for the medium. The biography of Jesse Owens is given enough time to flesh out his character and put a man behind all his achievements, but the story centers on Owens's record-breaking performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Schaap writes clearly, using short words and short sentences. Michael Kramer's no-nonsense delivery greatly enhances the production. Schaap wrote CINDERELLA MAN and has a flair for dramatic moments. Indeed, TRIUMPH seems written with a movie in mind; its last scene is a historical speculation on whether Hitler saluted Owens after the black American won his fourth gold medal.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2007
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kidd helps make the author’s words vivid and relevant for listeners.
Epplin’s second book lays out the parallel stories of two basketball players—Moses Malone and Julius “Dr. J” Erving. The biographical portraits paint a picture of two different men whose careers converged when they were both on the 1983 champion Philadelphia 76ers team. Terrence Kidd narrates with the perfect amount of emotion, offering slight accents or different vocal inflections when players and coaches are quoted. Between Epplin’s solid research and fine writing and Kidd’s invested narration, it’s a wonderful audiobook for anyone who wants to glean what 1970s and early '80s basketball was like.
Kidd helps make the author’s words vivid and relevant for listeners.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 21 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668653852
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
Klosterman's keenness for the controversial pastime is on full display in this insightful audiobook.
Culture critic Klosterman narrates his latest audiobook, deconstructing the history and appeal of football. Klosterman's no voice pro, and this production is unpolished. But what he lacks in professional veneer he makes up for with intimate enthusiasm for his subject. Klosterman reflects deeply on his lifelong fandom, especially on how the sport has survived for so long in the public consciousness, yet faces a crossroads as public media consumption shifts drastically and awareness of traumatic brain injuries expand. The result is a rough, bare-bones listening experience, but Klosterman remains a good storyteller in any format.
Klosterman's keenness for the controversial pastime is on full display in this insightful audiobook.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217282166
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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