Two hundred years ago in America, regulating humors was the accepted treatment for illness, and cleanliness was not necessarily considered a virtue. As now famous Americans attended to business, incognito killers attended to theirs. In 1793 a yellow fever epidemic broke out in Philadelphia. Tensions abounded--between caregivers and the ill, between doctors of varying opinion, and between doctors and other experts of the time. Jim Murphy is a master at making this tension palpable, both in the actuality of daily life and in the fearful minds of Philadelphians. Pat Bottino is a fine narrator of this award-winning book. He brings an urgency that makes the listener crave the next event. Will it bring insight or a missed opportunity?
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 4 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Vega’s performance conveys strength and pride befitting this ode to the island and its people.
Jenyvette Vega narrates these poems, which chronicle Puerto Rico's struggle for self-determination. She shifts seamlessly between Spanish and English as listeners learn about the history of the flag and what it represents to the Puerto Rican people, as well as about key events in Puerto Rican history and the Puerto Rican diaspora. Vega reads at a gentle pace appropriate for young listeners. A preface provides background on Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States, and an included PDF details the history of the people and events portrayed in the poems.
Vega’s performance conveys strength and pride befitting this ode to the island and its people. (Picture book/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 33 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063577176
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
Chock-full of historical trivia—but the sheer quantity and the accompanying sound effects prove to be disorienting.
This audiobook collects a huge array of random historical anecdotes. Jaunty music opens the recording before Australian narrator Rebecca Ho presents the widely varying historical curiosities, with subjects ranging from royals to festivals to apparel and much more. The anecdotes are organized under eight broader sections, such as Culture, Exploration, and Food, but they’re not presented in any particular order. Paired with the narration is a bevy of continuous, distracting sound effects—goofy music, raucous laughter, whinnying horses, and buzzing flies, to name just a few.
Chock-full of historical trivia—but the sheer quantity and the accompanying sound effects prove to be disorienting. (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250462596
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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