Simon Prebble’s glorious voice is perfect as that of Stevens, the quintessential British butler—or so Stevens himself might dare to hope. With heartbreaking earnestness, Stevens embarks on a motoring trip to win back a former colleague, Miss Kenton. Along the way, Stevens recalls his past professional experiences with Miss Kenton as well as episodes that formed his own dedication to his employment and his blind devotion to his former employer. Prebble navigates the shifts in time skillfully and deftly captures the subtleties that reveal Stevens’s complex character. At times it seems like a full cast is narrating since Prebble acquires an American accent on demand, as well as regional British accents. This audiobook may inspire multiple listens.
Pub Date: June 29, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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