Hiltzik’s book is an important addition to our understanding of a significant period in recent American history. His engaging and relatively unbiased treatment of the New Deal—which took place from the inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt to the beginning of WWII—fills a gap in recent popular history. Hiltzik’s chapters on the WPA Arts Project deserve special praise. Traber Burns’s narration is clear, even, and emphatic. He makes an avalanche of events and dates easily accessible to the listener. Burns seems to draw some of his inspiration from the great radio announcers of the era. He indulges in the occasional accent—Franklin Roosevelt is irresistible—but always with a light touch.
Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2011
Duration: 19 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The readers can't compensate for the unbearably pompous prose style of this extended parable about corporate politics and strategy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Henslee’s warm, unhurried narration makes listeners feel like the next success story could be theirs.
Barbara Henslee narrates with an intimate, upbeat delivery and a sunny Southern warmth that feels like being personally recruited to the Mary Kay empire. Her voice suits the material perfectly, drawing listeners into a bygone era when women built empires through gatherings around kitchen tables and on front porches, long before they could open their own bank accounts. Henslee never oversells, just gently persuades, mirroring the company’s own quiet pitch to millions of women that economic independence and personal transformation were within reach. The balanced treatment of the realities of multilevel marketing, alongside the truly inspirational story of founder Mary Kay Ash, make this a compelling listen for anyone curious about the often mocked world of direct sales.
Henslee’s warm, unhurried narration makes listeners feel like the next success story could be theirs.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281879
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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