In 1789, one of the first things President George Washington did was travel from the first capital in New York City to Massachusetts and to the Carolinas to take the pulse of a people who'd endured a long, contentious revolution. With a cheerful, engaging delivery and a healthy supply of historical facts and personal anecdotes, author and narrator Nathaniel Philbrick follows Washington's path, visiting roadside taverns and historic homes where Washington did actually sleep. With a critical ear and an empathetic tone, Philbrick examines the day's thorniest questions--states' rights, a national treasury, and, toughest of all, slavery. Washington accomplished a tremendous amount but was never able to convince the country or even himself to abolish the "institution." That burden remains with our nation to this day.
Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593417898
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
More than 35 hours long, this comprehensive biography of Random House founder Bennett Cerf is equal to a workweek for many listeners. Cerf nurtured a roster of the 20th century's most consequential authors and was nationally known as a television panelist. His story is a fascinating panorama of American arts and society over 50 years, scrupulously researched but overburdened and slow. Listeners who've never heard of William Styron or Dorothy Kilgallen or the Famous Writers School will be fully educated here. Narrator Lisa Flanagan keeps a steady, unfussy pace that carries her listeners over the longueurs. But hers is a channel swim rather than a leisurely stroll through Central Park. This paunchy biography needed a stronger editorial hand.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 35 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217346448
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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