Narrator Tom Perkins delivers this laudatory biography of Thomas Jaggar, the Harvard-trained geologist who was the spirit behind the establishment of the Hawaii Volcano Research Station at Mount Kilauea. The audiobook recounts his life--personal and professional--from his first encounter with volcanic violence in the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Pelee in the Caribbean in 1902 to his death in Hawaii in 1953 (with side trips to the Aleutian Islands and Vesuvius). Perkins provides a strong, deep voice, a focused presentation, and clear pronunciation. His pace is slow and consistent, making his narration easy to follow. It was Jaggar's fate to have worked before the understanding of tectonics transformed our view of geology. His lifetime of inquiry illuminates evolving science.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Michener tells the real stories behind the man and his books. The recording is read with skill and consistency although the reader does little to enhance the robust, larger-than-life incidents related in the book. Due to the first-person narrative format, there is no opportunity for the narrator to change his voice. This makes some chapters monotonous as they go on and on in the typical Michener style. The listener may also become confused because the stories are not told chronologically. This is not a great choice for the audio format, but Michener fans may stick with it to the end.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a quest for a sense of inner contentment and self-worth, Gloria Steinem brings the reader on a journey of investigation and discovery. Steinem reads the text herself in a straightforward and friendly, but not intimate, presentation which is so easy to listen to it invites repetition--thus ensuring the painless relearning of the lessons of the book. It's difficult to tell from the reading that this audiobook is abridged; each section can stand alone. Nonetheless, the listener wished the book were unabridged. Steinem left me wanting to learn more.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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