Michael Herr's DISPATCHES—based on his reporting for ESQUIRE magazine—remains one of the seminal texts in our understanding of the American experience in Vietnam. His unblinking, earnest, but absurdist treatment of a hundred landing zones, fire bases, base camps, and Saigon hangouts before and after the Tet Offensive in 1968 is full of powerful images, unforgettable characters, and haunting scenes of violence. Those unfamiliar with the original will recognize its flavor from derivative works like APOCALYPSE NOW and FULL METAL JACKET. Like many '60s classics, DISPATCHES is not long on structure. This lack of structure is no impediment for the listener. Like Homer's ILLIAD, Herr's war stories seem suited to being spoken rather than read. Ray Porter provides the perfect clear, clipped, but not overdramatic narration. Porter's occasional character voices enrich the text without distracting from it.
Pub Date: March 4, 2009
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone 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
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