The Greek philosopher Plato told us everything we know about the lost city of Atlantis, and evidently there are a lot of people still looking for it. This audiobook tells of the author's quest to find those people, which he does, but he also finds that looking for Atlantis can be addictive and engrossing. Narrator Andrew Garman has just the right voice to carry this tale along. His low, authoritative tone reflects the "just-the-facts" school of narration, but he's also able to create an atmosphere of trust with the listener. This audiobook could have devolved into a conspiracy theorist's delight, but it doesn't because of the author's approach and Garman's serious demeanor. There are times when Garman needs to vary his pitch and tone more, but overall this is a fine book.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2015
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781470384593
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This is history for the modern listener, clear, efficient, and reliable.
There’s something calming about listening to ancient history, as this well-researched audiobook amply demonstrates. Mark Elstob’s polished, quietly nuanced narration maintains distance and balance while giving full weight to the narrative’s many fine details. Elstob has narrated two of Goldsworthy’s previous audiobooks, companion histories of the long competition between Rome and Persia. He perfectly matches this prolific popular historian’s lucid and impartial narrative style and his knack for balancing a panoramic view with a close recreation of place and action. The long, contentious rivalry between Athens and Sparta turned victory over Persia into division and civil strife.
This is history for the modern listener, clear, efficient, and reliable.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 20 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549135439
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
Author/narrator William Dalrymple shares his fascination with the remarkable history of India's profound worldwide intellectual influence. His idiosyncratic and charming British speech and manner, along with his amiability and intelligence, are engaging throughout. His pacing and phrasing are natural, unaffected, and dictated by the material. He varies longish pauses--which allow the listener to absorb the sometimes complex details--with shorter sentences expressing excitement. His emphasis and shading of words, and his occasional deeply felt reactions, mirror the sense of the text and, therefore, illuminate it. The clear, unpretentious narration that takes the listener through this wide-ranging story of the spread of Indian religion, art, philosophy, mathematics, and science makes for an educational pleasure.
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781639734689
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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