Narrating in a warm and soothing voice, historian and former Canadian politician Michael Ignatieff offers a series of essays ruminating on the age-old search for consolation. Beginning his quest with Job, a man whose comfortable, faithful life is upended in a wager between God and Satan, Ignatieff spends some time with biblical subjects, referring to the Hebrew prophets as the "originators of consolation" and examining the psalms and Saint Paul's letters. Ignatieff moves on to classical figures such as Cicero and Marcus Aurelius, coming at last to more modern times of political upheaval, chaos, and war. Where the text is particularly dense, his melodious tones and unhurried pace can become a bit soporific, but overall his narration makes a difficult topic pleasantly approachable.
Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250807267
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A riveting exploration of what literature can achieve in a time of rising tyranny and fear.
Greg Marston brings an authoritative tone to his narration of this chronicle of 12 critical years in the lives of the world's greatest fantasy authors. Tolkien and Lewis shared a friendship between the wars, which inspired the creation of both Middle-Earth and Narnia. Scarred by their experiences in WWI, they faced the gathering political storms of Europe and the rise of authoritarianism with deep alarm. Drawing on their love of classical and Norse mythology and combined with their strong Christian faith, they determined to create new tales of heroism to inspire a generation to confront evil. Marston manages to smooth a text studded with references into a coherent whole.
A riveting exploration of what literature can achieve in a time of rising tyranny and fear.Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781400247899
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kuin's study of the ancient Greek cynic who made philosophy a performance art is comfortably supported by Cassandra Campbell's easygoing performance, which carries the listener through the text's occasional repetition and lack of focus. While Campbell's pleasant voice and manner don't always match up with Diogenes' persona as a transgressive maverick, that doesn't undermine her capacity to understand and convey the book's ideas about Diogenes and his later influence, even when they're obscure or challenging. Unfortunately, in contrast with her careful pronunciation of Greek terms, a handful of prominent mispronunciations suggests a lack of editorial support. Overall, Campbell's amiable, discerning performance ably presents this often-insightful study of a philosophic original.
Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668656402
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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