With a calm, even feel, actor/director and German native Sam Peter Jackson presents this detailed and intense insider's history of a newly minted post-WWII country that was often caught between Russian political purges and American Cold War pressures. This account is told from a fresh non-Western point of view, and Jackson's tone reflects the defiant pride in the author's persistent use of superlatives that somehow give the "largest" economy in East Europe, the "highest" rate of employment of women, and the "most" ruthless police state in the world the same sounding weight. Nevertheless, even though the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and East and West Germany reunited a year later, East Germany's economic, political, and cultural confrontations and accomplishments should not be forgotten.
Pub Date: 2023
Duration: 16 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668632802
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Historian Tracy Borman's research and narration offer a riveting account of the battle for succession following the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Borman narrates her careful investigation of the events leading to the end of the Tudor dynasty and the rise of the Stuarts. Borman sounds like a favorite professor. Her voice is well modulated, and her pace makes the history easy to follow--no matter how little the listener knows of the period. Elizabeth's unwillingness to name a successor caused concern for Britain's future. The accepted version suggests that on her deathbed she named James as her chosen heir. But Borman's research uncovers evidence that this never happened. In fascinating detail, Borman lays out the facts found in official letters, revisionist hearsay, and intelligent speculation.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668157800
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This audiobook recounts the extraordinary true story of a small group of women imprisoned in Ravensbrück, the Nazis' only all-female concentration camp during WWII. The powerful account traces their harrowing ordeal with relentless brutality, including starvation, forced labor, inhumane medical experiments, and extreme overcrowding. Narrator Lisa Flanagan delivers a performance so overwhelming that it will bring tears to the eyes of listeners. But as well as she chronicles the women's lives in Ravensbrück, Flanagan adeptly shifts gears when explaining their continued efforts after the war to document Nazi atrocities to ensure their sacrifices would not be forgotten. No matter the topic, Flanagan's exceptional range of inflection and emotions comes through. This audiobook is a poignant reminder of their resilience, courage, and fighting spirit.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217078790
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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