Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, author Les Standiford expounds upon the rise and fall of the Greatest Show on Earth--otherwise known as the circus. Narrator B.J. Harrison's inviting voice will charm listeners as he captures Standiford's enthusiasm for his subject. Circuses fell on hard times and harder times, which led to their demise, principally due to the successful efforts of animal rights activists. Nonetheless, there is something quite American about their stories, which are replete with the varied personalities of Barnum, Bailey, and Ringling and tales of their intense entrepreneurial rivalries. It's all here--tragedy and triumph, as well as revealing data on just how profitable these enterprises were in their heyday. Enjoy Harrison's beautifully enunciated excursion through this history lesson.
Pub Date: June 15, 2021
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549135873
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tales of the rescued don’t diminish the sorrow for the millions lost.
Jim Meskimen’s authoritative voice and evenhandedness carry a narrative with many highs and lows and steeped in tragic irony. As Nazi attacks on Jews worsened in the 1930s, a group of poker-playing friends in Manila, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, conceived a plan to repatriate German Jews to the Philippines. Hundreds of people were subsequently saved, but antisemitism bothin the U.S. and the Philippines blocked a full effort. Most effectively, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the Pacific theater and subsequent independence of the Philippines—and on the careers of two men at the table, one of whom almost became a U.S. president, and one of whom did.
Tales of the rescued don’t diminish the sorrow for the millions lost.Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228966093
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
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