Jeff Goldblum delivers a unique performance of this intriguing tale about a special house. Whether you like or dislike the result will depend on how you react to Goldblum's idiosyncratic approach. First, the plot, written by a former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic: It's an imaginative and engaging account of Europe's modern history as revealed by a gorgeous Prague mansion, built just after WWI and serially occupied by Czech bankers, Nazi leaders, Russian soldiers, and American diplomats. Goldblum's performance sounds improvisational, alternately swooping and lingering as if he's trying out different approaches line by line. His pronunciation of foreign words is labored. And the pitch of his voice often changes mid-sentence. This is Goldblum the quirky, talented actor on display, not Goldblum the narrator.
Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781984827043
Publisher: Random House 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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