The April 18, 1983, bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, marked the beginning of a war that continues today. Narrator Rene Ruiz employs a straightforward approach to this audiobook, using his deep, spare voice to let the words tell the story. Robert Ames, one of our most effective spies in the Middle East, was killed in the bombing. Ruiz doesn't enhance his reading with characters, and he doesn't possess a wide vocal range. Over the course of this long work, his style is a drawback because his voice doesn't rise to the level of intrigue and excitement that the book demands.
Pub Date: May 20, 2014
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804166485
Publisher: Random House Audio
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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