British historian Mike Dash assures us that this look at the beginnings of the American Mafia is not a fanciful imagining of what might have happened. Every conversation, every piece of information comes from interviews, news articles, court transcripts, and police records. Lloyd James offers an unemotional, intelligent narration of this lively book. Dash's main focus, Joe Morello—born with a disfigured hand that earned him the nickname "The Clutch Hand"—is the Italian immigrant who built "the first family of organized crime in the United States." Following Morello's life, from his involvement in Sicilian "protection" organizations in the 1890s to his American counterfeiting operation in the early decades of the twentieth century, James's narration remains calm and balanced, even during descriptions of brutal torture and murder. New historical information, well written and well read.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2009
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Through no fault of the narrator, the audiobook as a whole isn’t that compelling.
This investigation into the rise and fall of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) is detailed but less than thrilling. The author, a sociologist and journalist, thoroughly describes ELF’s targeted acts of arson, which began in the mid-’90s. ELF members' motivations to save Western forests from the death spiral of logging andgeneralconsumption of the natural world are well explored. Dan John Miller’s voice is arresting, and his pacing keeps the audio moving briskly. But the ELF members’ backstories aren't interesting or memorable, and their eventual capture by law enforcement isn’t dramatic. More salient is hearing how the group’s arson attacks led the Department of Justice to begin prosecuting any act of environmental protest as terrorism. Wolfe narrates the epilogue with heartfelt dejection, cataloging current environmental catastrophes that ELF members were so impassioned to prevent.
Through no fault of the narrator, the audiobook as a whole isn’t that compelling.Pub Date: June 23, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217338771
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.
Eddy called his family every night to say he was leaving work. Then one night in 1987, he never made it home. Through the following decades, his daughter struggled to deal with a loss that fundamentally altered her life’s direction. Vivienne Leheny’s narration is raw, showcasing the author’s ongoing frustration at the unanswered questions that loom large in the story. Her portrayal of the author as a forlorn teenager turned anxious and angry young woman is spot on. Leheny sounds quietly thoughtful when delivering the facts of the case and appropriately outraged at the lack of care taken by the Baltimore police to preserve evidence or pursue meaningful justice.
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 59 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488237249
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
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