Narrator David Colacci approaches this opinionated, engrossing audiobook with a practiced voice that lets its numerous stories tell themselves without fanfare. He adroitly captures the author's shifts in tone--from professorial to chatty, for example--and keeps the listener's attention on this broad-brush look at the cultural history of the Cold War. The narration moves the intertwining topics forward, not an easy task in a kaleidoscopic work that ranges from the Beat poets to CIA shenanigans and to analyses of art and philosophy, music and the media. Menand is especially good on matters relating to literature, political thought, and modern art (especially abstract expressionism). It should be noted that architecture and sculpture are given little attention. That said, this audiobook is a monumental work.
Pub Date: 2021
Duration: 35 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250792365
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Historian Tracy Borman's research and narration offer a riveting account of the battle for succession following the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Borman narrates her careful investigation of the events leading to the end of the Tudor dynasty and the rise of the Stuarts. Borman sounds like a favorite professor. Her voice is well modulated, and her pace makes the history easy to follow--no matter how little the listener knows of the period. Elizabeth's unwillingness to name a successor caused concern for Britain's future. The accepted version suggests that on her deathbed she named James as her chosen heir. But Borman's research uncovers evidence that this never happened. In fascinating detail, Borman lays out the facts found in official letters, revisionist hearsay, and intelligent speculation.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668157800
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This audiobook recounts the extraordinary true story of a small group of women imprisoned in Ravensbrück, the Nazis' only all-female concentration camp during WWII. The powerful account traces their harrowing ordeal with relentless brutality, including starvation, forced labor, inhumane medical experiments, and extreme overcrowding. Narrator Lisa Flanagan delivers a performance so overwhelming that it will bring tears to the eyes of listeners. But as well as she chronicles the women's lives in Ravensbrück, Flanagan adeptly shifts gears when explaining their continued efforts after the war to document Nazi atrocities to ensure their sacrifices would not be forgotten. No matter the topic, Flanagan's exceptional range of inflection and emotions comes through. This audiobook is a poignant reminder of their resilience, courage, and fighting spirit.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217078790
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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