Karen Chilton gracefully narrates this fascinating account of the unlikely friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and African-American activist Pauli Murray. Chilton's blend of dignity and passion is suitable to recount their remarkable relationship, which persisted over decades despite daunting challenges and vastly different stations in life. Initially encountering each other during the Depression, when the first lady visited the work camp for unemployed women where Murray resided, they discovered their mutual respect, which developed mostly through letters in which they shared their zeal for social justice. Both vigorously championed rights for people of color and women, but Murray was radical while Roosevelt was gently persistent. Chilton breathes life into the many eloquent letters between the two women, who were both gifted at articulating their political visions with inspiration and beauty.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2016
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781501909269
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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