Simon Vance is a master narrator, and a highly suitable choice for this lively history of a dining club composed of eighteenth-century London's most celebrated figures, including Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, David Garrick, Edward Gibbon, Joshua Reynolds--yes, all of them men. Their gatherings were a composite portrait of the arts and letters of their time, their individual histories, and the diversity of these figures' backgrounds and accents. Boswell, a landed Scot, is the most frequently quoted. A faithfully rendered Scottish accent is a feature some listeners may take pleasure in; others, not so much. Nonetheless, the narrative is rich, insightful, often quite bawdy, and performed with perfect expression, grace, and understanding.
Pub Date: March 26, 2019
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781982664343
Publisher: Blackstone 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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