Historian Robert Dallek, no Donald Trump fan, looks back at twentieth-century chief executives to see if he can make sense of how we ended up with Donald Trump's presidency. Narrator Rick Adamson captures the author's conversational tone as he paints vivid portraits of everyone from Teddy Roosevelt, with his "insatiable need for attention," to Ronald Reagan, who was uninterested in ideas that didn't fit his rigid preconceptions. Though he mentions later presidents, Dallek argues it's too early to understand their respective legacies. Adamson's genial style turns abrupt when referring to Trump, and Dallek suggests that his legacy is likely to be dismal. This is a fascinating look at what each president brought to that role, and what their successes and failures say about those choices.
Pub Date: May 26, 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063017467
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
More than 35 hours long, this comprehensive biography of Random House founder Bennett Cerf is equal to a workweek for many listeners. Cerf nurtured a roster of the 20th century's most consequential authors and was nationally known as a television panelist. His story is a fascinating panorama of American arts and society over 50 years, scrupulously researched but overburdened and slow. Listeners who've never heard of William Styron or Dorothy Kilgallen or the Famous Writers School will be fully educated here. Narrator Lisa Flanagan keeps a steady, unfussy pace that carries her listeners over the longueurs. But hers is a channel swim rather than a leisurely stroll through Central Park. This paunchy biography needed a stronger editorial hand.
Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 35 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217346448
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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