Narrator Rebecca Lowman introduces listeners to Gertrude Legendre, a Southern woman of privilege with a yearning for adventure. Even though she was married and the mother of two young children, she joined the OSS, the precursor to the CIA. Her job gave her access to highly classified information, but it wasn't enough. Gertie, as she was known, was constantly scheming to get herself closer to the German front. Lowman creates an effective wheedling tone for Gertie when she's trying to get her way and also conveys the insouciance she possessed even after her capture. She was a prisoner and a prize for the Germans until she escaped. Lowman's intuitive performance gives voice to this enigmatic woman who fashioned a life most of her listeners would never have chosen.
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593148594
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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