With a panoramic narrative, a colorful cast of characters, and a gifted narrator, this is popular history at its best.
Narrator George Newbern makes every word count in this compelling, richly satisfying history. Author Ahamed won a Pulitzer Prize for Lords of Finance (2009), which focused on the men behind the 1929 stock market crash. The equally catastrophic 1873 crash hit both more broadly and more sporadically: It affected Austria but not France or Great Britain, halted transcontinental railway building in the western U.S., and overthrew the sultan in Istanbul. What a story. And what a cast of characters—President Grant, Cornelius Vanderbilt, assorted Rothschilds. Newbern, an accomplished voice actor, resists any urge to embellish as he faithfully and expertly delivers the author’s fluent prose.
With a panoramic narrative, a colorful cast of characters, and a gifted narrator, this is popular history at its best.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 40 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336623
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: today
Karen Chilton's fluid alto is a good fit for this biography of Thomas Jefferson. The authors are more or less successful in their attempt to present the third president in the context of his times. What we are presented with is a very human being--possessing great intellect, filled with flaws and contradictions, and still immensely fascinating nearly three centuries after his birth. Chilton's pacing and inflection are never off. She narrates with a calm demeanor, competently affecting various accents for quotes and ably giving subtle expression to the narrative. It all adds up to an enjoyable listening experience.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2016
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781501909993
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
It's hard to imagine that the horror of 9/11 took place within a window of a mere 102 minutes, but indeed it was so. Be prepared for harrowing and heroic accounts gleaned from every possible source--phone messages, police and fire department communications, personal accounts, even the media--delineating the details at Ground Zero. Reader Ron McLarty handles the job with strong characterizations and the intensity the material demands. Listeners will find it hard to turn away from the nightmare but will find redemption in some of the stories of self-sacrifice that saved many lives. D.J.B. 2006 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
