Nicholas Guy Smith's British-accented narration is always lively, never sounding dry or clinical. Author Luke Harding, a GUARDIAN journalist, tells the story of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with details that emphasize the human toll of the war. Smith recounts events with just enough emotion to put listeners on the scene. He captures the weariness of people trapped in shelters, the numbing sadness of a mass grave, and the defiance of a profane Ukrainian slogan. Harding also shows the Russians from a human angle as he considers Vladimir Putin's reasoning for his war and the reactions of citizens to the crackdown on free speech. Listeners who follow the news have heard the story already, but Harding and Smith help them feel it.
Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2022
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593683811
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Mrie delivers her memoir with the same courage, grace, and resilience that define her story.
Mrie performs her memoir of growing up in Syria. As a little girl, she was taught to remain loyal to Hafez al-Assad and his regime. When the pro-democracy uprisings of the Arab Spring arrive in Syria, she attends a protest, and what she sees there makes her realize that everything her government had been telling her was a lie. Mrie’s voice conveys her passion as she describes joining the resistance and becoming a photojournalist. But as time passes, she loses friends and family members to violence, and her voice quavers as she recalls the emotional devastation of each death in vivid detail.
Mrie delivers her memoir with the same courage, grace, and resilience that define her story.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 21 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281749
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
In this searing indictment of U.S. imperialism, journalist Omar El Akkad exposes the rot at the heart of American liberalism and the ugly truth that undergirds American democracy: It's predicated on the subjugation of marginalized people around the globe. El Akkad focuses on the genocide in Gaza but also draws on his career as a journalist in the post 9/11 years and his experiences as an Arab immigrant in the U.S. and Canada. His prose is clear sighted and unflinching; his narration is fiery and direct. His voice is sometimes steely but softens when he's speaking about the people and communities he loves. El Akkad implicates all of us and asks us to take courageous action. There is incredible power in hearing this book read aloud.
Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217074075
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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