Adopting a no-nonsense tone, Dan Woren narrates this fascinating biography of Filipina Florence Finch (aka Loring May Ebersole, 1915-2016), the Mestiza daughter of an American soldier of the Spanish-American War. The work focuses on her resistance work under the Japanese occupation of Manila during WWII, for which she was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Woren effortlessly shifts from English narrative to Spanish or Japanese terms in the midst of this engrossing story. Steadily and unfailingly, Woren's narration follows the action in the Pacific Theater--from the Bataan Death March, Corregidor, and Manila to prisoner-of-war camps and Japanese prisons, with their associated atrocities. Throughout, Woren's performance is unemotional, rarely reflecting the brutality of events and the hopelessness of the prisoners during this little-known chapter of history.
Pub Date: July 21, 2020
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549101779
Publisher: Hachette 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 splendid narration of an engaging biography.
Rob Heaps gives a strong narration of this account of the enigmatic and controversial (to say the least) Russian mystic who will forever be intertwined with the life of the last Romanov czar. Beevor gives a detailed description of life at the Romanov court and in Russia on the eve of the revolutions and ensuing civil war. Beevor’s own views of Rasputin may seem “ambiguous” to some, but then Rasputin was a person of strong contradictions—devoutly religious and compulsively lecherous. Heaps also narrated Russia (2022), Beevor’s history of the Russian Revolution, and the two works are complementary. Heaps’ excellent performance is easy to understand and follow, although his British pronunciation of Russian words and names may grate on purists.
A splendid narration of an engaging biography.Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 13 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281848
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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