Thank goodness for fabulous British narrator Simon Vance. Sophie's World works well as a brief journey through Western philosophy, told in terms of a correspondence between an unknown philosopher named Alberto and a bright, inquisitive 14-year-old named Sophie. However, about the time she starts to wonder if she's a character in someone else's novel, written for a mysterious girl named Hilde, things start to go off the rails. Here's where the great narration comes in. Simon Vance manages to pull listeners along through the dense, dull parts, if only for the pure joy of hearing his articulate voice. It's what gets us through to the next engaging bits.
Pub Date: March 20, 2007
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 1427200866
Publisher: Macmillan 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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