Narrator Chris Henry Coffey brings conviction and sense of purpose to a history of government document keeping that could not be more timely. The billions spent to store and protect the unmanageable accumulation of classified documents have not prevented repeated and damaging leaks. Just as damaging has been the loss of government openness and accountability, virtues highly prized in American government before WWII. The arguments in this work can be a bit repetitive, but many of the revelations are persuasive, and Coffey maintains a brisk pace and a clear purpose. His frank, forceful delivery underscores a narrative that is exceedingly frank and critical of a flawed system badly badly in need of reform.
Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2023
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593628645
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This history of special prosecutors--think Ken Starr, Robert Mueller, Jack Smith--is full of insider information and legal strategies that will fascinate ordinary news watchers, as well as ardent followers of Washington politics. The author, a CNN legal commentator and former U.S. attorney, uses interviews and his own impressive analytical skills to detail the histories of these high-stakes investigations and their broader implications. As narrator, his steely tone and crisp enunciation ensure clarity and communicate respect for listeners and the people whose lives he discusses. Though there's no shortage of esoterica, Honig's tight writing and impressive personality profiles keep the stories moving.
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063447332
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Always comfortable behind the mic, coauthor and CNN journalist Jake Tapper is a natural choice to narrate his pointed rebuke of the Biden administration's disastrous end. Tapper--who moderated the infamous Biden-Trump debate during the 2024 campaign--has an animated delivery style that is mostly unadorned. There's one exception, however: When reading direct quotes, he mimics Biden's increasingly raspy, feeble voice and does his best to re-create the president's verbal fumbling. It's not done mockingly or disrespectfully, and it sounds appropriate in context. The audiobook is exhaustively researched, and the evidence that Biden's inner circle covered up his deteriorating health is so voluminous that it seems repetitious. But Tapper's relentless energy keeps the narrative engaging throughout.
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217169450
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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