Say the word “spies” and most people think of computers and satellites. Not so during WWII, when the U.S. created the Office of Special Services (OSS), a group of agents who helped prepare the Allies for their most important missions, including the landing at Normandy. These men--and often women--overcame great obstacles, and their generally untold stories not only are fascinating, they were critical for success in the war. The OSS’s actions also set the stage for all the spies and operatives who would follow them. Christopher Lane’s reading gives proper due to these agents, who did everything from acts of sabotage to seducing military leaders in order to learn secret codes. He clearly relishes these tales, and his interest and enthusiasm for Patrick K. O’Donnell’s superb book shine through at every turn.
Pub Date: 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone 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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