Listeners familiar with British historian Lucy Worsley's documentaries will recognize both her distinctive voice and her cheeky approach to illuminating history. Worsley narrates the introduction and epilogue herself, and Ruth Redman takes over the narration of the main text, an exhaustive and intimate examination of how Jane Austen's domestic circumstances influenced her writing. In a pleasant English accent, Redman details the minutiae of home life in Georgian England. Worsley argues that all of it shows up in Austen's books, from the financial struggles that forced her to move houses many times to the expectations placed upon her as an unmarried aunt. It's fascinating whether or not you're a die-hard Austen fan, and listeners will want to revisit Austen's works, equipped with new understanding.
Pub Date: July 11, 2017
Duration: 14 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427292414
Publisher: Macmillan 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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