Reynaldo Piniella gives this timely audiobook a dramatic narration. His voice is passionate, his tone slightly outraged, and his cadence quick pulsed. His approach enhances a long chronicle of wrongdoing, power grabbing, and unrepentant partisanship. While Piniella struggles with "n't" sounds, he is a persuasive narrator who overcomes some of the clichéd writing--the metaphor of the fox guarding the henhouse becomes tedious, for example. The audiobook looks at the long history of gerrymandering and its corrupt manifestations--from endless handshake deals in New York to self-interested power plays in California, Texas, and Florida. The history is rife with frustrating facts on our country's extraordinary power imbalances and includes colorful explanations on such phenomena as "packing and cracking." Overall, the audiobook is a worthwhile listen.
Pub Date: June 14, 2022
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593592465
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This history of special prosecutors--think Ken Starr, Robert Mueller, Jack Smith--is full of insider information and legal strategies that will fascinate ordinary news watchers, as well as ardent followers of Washington politics. The author, a CNN legal commentator and former U.S. attorney, uses interviews and his own impressive analytical skills to detail the histories of these high-stakes investigations and their broader implications. As narrator, his steely tone and crisp enunciation ensure clarity and communicate respect for listeners and the people whose lives he discusses. Though there's no shortage of esoterica, Honig's tight writing and impressive personality profiles keep the stories moving.
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063447332
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Always comfortable behind the mic, coauthor and CNN journalist Jake Tapper is a natural choice to narrate his pointed rebuke of the Biden administration's disastrous end. Tapper--who moderated the infamous Biden-Trump debate during the 2024 campaign--has an animated delivery style that is mostly unadorned. There's one exception, however: When reading direct quotes, he mimics Biden's increasingly raspy, feeble voice and does his best to re-create the president's verbal fumbling. It's not done mockingly or disrespectfully, and it sounds appropriate in context. The audiobook is exhaustively researched, and the evidence that Biden's inner circle covered up his deteriorating health is so voluminous that it seems repetitious. But Tapper's relentless energy keeps the narrative engaging throughout.
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217169450
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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