Listeners could be excused for believing they are experiencing a splendid piece of fiction if it weren’t for Seal's meticulous facts, figures, dates, and witnesses. Christian Gerhartsreiter came to the U.S. from Germany, a 17-year-old who had grown up in an orphanage. Over more than 30 years, the con man changed identities and worked himself up the social ladder, eventually calling himself Clark Rockefeller and passing himself off as a member of the renowned dynasty. Narrator Erik Singer perfectly captures the upper-crust accent that so successfully catapulted Gerhartsreiter to dizzying heights of financial fraud that illustrated American gullibility. Singer also portrays Gerhartsreiter’s many victims and enablers, beginning in California and moving to Manhattan and Boston. Hearing the story is more compelling than reading it, given Singer's always perfect rendering of the Rockefeller poseur. If it weren’t for a murder (maybe two), this would be a totally entertaining look at Americans’ adoration of celebrity and wealth.
Pub Date: June 2, 2011
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101483510
Publisher: Penguin 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.
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