O'Donnell is arguably at the forefront of contemporary historians of America's special forces, and this well-written account of the mostly unknown Civil War irregulars is superbly read by Fred Sanders. The history shows how effective both sides' irregulars were and how their actions and legacy were an inspiration for the formation of American Special Operations in WWII. The author focuses on the Federal Jessie Scouts and Confederate Mosby's Rangers in Northern Virginia but also on both sides' secret services. The audiobook ends with U.S. covert operations in French-occupied Mexico after the Civil War. The stories are all amazing and needed to be told. Sanders's deep, authoritative voice is a good match to the text. His delivery is somewhat staccato, but his enunciation is deliberate and clear.
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668119983
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kristin Atherton is the absolute right choice to narrate this riveting and complex history of the rise of global terrorism. The research provided here is ambitious, providing a clear-eyed, deeply considered history of the nature of terrorist acts, the motivations for which were hard for news broadcasts of the 1970s to fully capture. Atherton's narration never wavers as Burke covers the well-known events of airplane hijackings, the Munich Olympic attacks, and the Beirut bombings of 1983, "the bloodiest year." The result is an insightful history that gives context to events that may have seemed disparate to casual observers. Atherton maintains a comprehensive, consistent voice throughout this long, gripping audiobook.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 25 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217018796
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tim Campbell's sonorous voice is a splendid match for Wellerstein's account of the decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. Wellerstein, a scholar of the history of nuclear weapons and the creator of the website NUKEMAP, delves deep into American nuclear policy. His conclusion is that President Harry S. Truman was almost entirely out of the decision loop. After the bombings, Truman made sure that American nuclear policy was firmly under the control of the president. While somewhat staccato, Campbell's delivery is never hurried or hard to follow. His voice has a slight gravelly quality, but is quite winsome and appropriately expressive throughout. Campbell's narration quickly draws the listener into this history.
Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063379459
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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