Documentary filmmaker Peter Firstbrook takes on not just the story of President Obama's family and ancestors in Kenya, but the history of the African nation itself. Firstbrook narrates his own work with a gentle British accent that's easy to listen to, even when he’s reading records and other dry information. He provides fresh interviews with Obama relatives and others in Kenya, and covers the tragic aspects of Barack Obama, Sr.’s, life and other family stories well. His take on Kenyans' reactions to the American president is also interesting. However, Firstbrook's scope is too wide to meet the title's focus, and listeners may want to hear more on current life in Kenya.
Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2011
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307750457
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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