This short book, part of the Penguin Lives series, is an informative primer on Wilson's life from his Princeton days through his presidency. Narrator J. Paul Boehmer has a good voice, strong and resonant, but his effort here is uneven. When he focuses on the text and reads in his natural voice, Boehmer does very well. It's when he tries to be as passionate an orator as Wilson that he gets himself into trouble. Boehmer affects an accent that is neither Wilson nor himself, and it comes off sounding inauthentic. He needs to let Wilson's words speak for themselves and let the listener glean their meaning.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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