The creation of the Federal Reserve is a story that needs a businesslike narrator, and Robertson Dean, with his confident baritone, is well suited to the role. Not that this audio is plodding: Lowenstein is one of the country's best financial journalists, and his lucid story of the central bank's founding includes a surprising amount of drama and intrigue. There is no dialogue, however, so Dean has little opportunity to vary his voice as he represents the major characters, including Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, as well as the lesser-known financiers who created the Fed just before WWI. As a result, the listener may find it a challenge to recall all of the characters.
Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2015
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780698411159
Publisher: Penguin 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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