Author Nancy Koehn narrates five engrossing biographical sketches of intrepid courageous leaders of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Her narration is steady and intellectually passionate but has little emotion. The leaders she selected are polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, President Abraham Lincoln, legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Nazi-resisting clergyman Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and environmental crusader Rachel Carson. Each epitomizes the qualities of leadership most appropriate for his or her time and crisis. Koehn draws listeners into these lives by including dialogue and historical context. She frequently interjects comments about leadership qualities and actions into the detailed narratives. Koehn's capable and consistent reading never waivers, much like the leaders who were forged by their times, work, and struggles.
Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2017
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508239215
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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