Narrator Julian Elfer's pronounced British accent is at best extraneous to Michael Korda's personal memoir of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. This audiobook compresses the whole history of Hungary and the geopolitics of Central Europe into just five hours. Elfer does a serviceable job, and as the narrative picks up in its second half, he is quite effective. But at times he seems simply to be reading. Korda is a rewarding author, and this is an absorbing memoir, regardless. But one thinks of what a more seasoned performer might have done with this same material and can only sigh at the opportunity that was missed.
Pub Date: 2020
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705212066
Publisher: Tantor Media
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:
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:
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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