This book is one woman's personal story of the Holocaust. There's no attempt to examine broader social or historical issues, just stories of life as a Jewish young woman in Berlin. Ellen Archer is solid as narrator, making this first-person work sound like she's talking rather than reading, which is important, as the book is a transcription of lengthy oral interviews. The author recounts her experiences as a forced laborer in a war-related factory and her life as an "underground" (undetected) Jew amid the deportations to the concentration camps. Archer doesn't overly dramatize passages, but she does adopts an appropriate tone of gravity. For the few humorous incidents she uses a lighter tone. The author's incredible memory makes her story come to life, but the degree of detail sometimes slows down the narrative.
Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2015
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478932765
Publisher: Hachette 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
© 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.
