Narrator Philip Stevens captures everything so familiar in Dickens's style--its energy, its drollery, its period flavor. However, author Robert Douglas-Fairhurst's narrative is an insightful biographical and social analysis focused on the single year 1851, the year Dickens began writing his pivotal novel BLEAK HOUSE, the year of London's Crystal Palace and Great Exhibition. Stevens's passages from that novel are superb, and one longs to hear him perform it in its entirety. Dickens himself turns out to be a fascinating, complex, but not entirely likable personality, who indulges in some perfectly awful behavior. Stevens enlivens but redefines Douglas-Fairhurst's tone and intent, making it several degrees lighter, and less incisive.
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593551103
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Manchester’s incisive writing and Parker’s friendly narration make this a compelling package on the life of 20th century icon General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964). No student of modern times can ignore this vain, mercurial soldier whose battlefield brilliance conserved the lives of his soldiers even as they cut their opponents to ribbons. Listening to Parker, one imagines a jovial uncle delivering a slap on the back and sitting down to describe war experiences in a rich voice filled with humor and pathos. He pronounces Japanese names, New Guinea cities and American slang with effortless ease. The “you-are-there” quality grabs and holds. This is a carefully done, seamless audio presentation.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 16 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A strong argument that leaders willing to govern from the center provide the best hope for the future of American government.
American politics appears to be dominated by extremists, but Barcott makes the case that effective government lies closer to the center. He profiles 10 politicians—military veterans and a former FBI agent—who are willing to cross party lines in order to pass legislation that is good for the country and not just one party’s agenda. Barcott offers a solid narration. His tone is conversational, and he carries listeners along nicely. He occasionally drops letters at the ends of words, and he adopts a generic New York accent for some of those profiled, both of which limit the effectiveness of his delivery.
A strong argument that leaders willing to govern from the center provide the best hope for the future of American government.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 28 mins
DD ISBN: 9798260200599
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
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