In an era in which people don’t read to the bottom of a blog post, it’s refreshing to revel in the detailed fourth volume of Robert Caro's extraordinary biographical project. This volume covers that brief time (1958 to early 1964) when the paths of two extraordinary American politicians—Johnson and John F. Kennedy—crossed. It begins with Johnson's thoughts about running for president and ends a few months after Kennedy's death. Grover Gardner, part Mike Wallace and part your favorite uncle, offers a perfectly consistent performance throughout the 32 hours of this audiobook. Gardner conveys Johnson's agony in the despised exile of his vice presidency, his occasional corruption, and his extraordinary capacity for exercising power in pressing for the Civil Rights Act. In his warm, avuncular baritone, Gardner makes an enigmatic man almost comprehensible.
Pub Date: May 1, 2012
Duration: 33 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781455890538
Publisher: Brilliance 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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