When his train is attacked by bandits, celebrated novelist Henry James discovers that Wilky and Rob, his younger brothers presumed killed in the Civil War, are now Frank and Jesse James. Richard Liebmann-Smith asks this tantalizing question: What if Henry and his brother, noted psychologist William, were also brothers of the infamous outlaws, Frank and Jesse? Liebmann-Smith creates a world in which this is both possible and plausible, inventing credible biographies and ingeniously intermingling researched facts with plot details. While Malcolm Hillgartner's narration is intelligent, it's too subdued to capture Liebmann-Smith's droll humor. Hillgartner handles the prim stuffiness of Henry and the pragmatism of William, but his interpretations of the characters' snappy asides and sardonic wit are less successful. Even so, THE JAMES BOYS is worth a listen.
Pub Date: July 1, 2008
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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