In this brief look at the first Eurasians to encounter the Americas, Freedman traces the various arguments about who was first and whose influence was felt. Starting with Columbus, he works his way back to the Chinese, the Vikings, and other possible cultures. Though this work is considered to be for the middle school student, adults too will gain new insight into this ongoing historical debate. L.J. Ganser reads the main text with a lively tone and good pacing. However, at times his voice becomes a bit overdramatic when quoting other authors. In these moments one is reminded of old-time radio announcers, with all of their intensity and zeal. This approach may work well with the younger crowd, but adults may be less impressed.
Ages 10+Pub Date: 2007
Duration: 1 hr, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780739356746
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date:
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Author and narrator James Robinson combines his documentary filmmaking skills and familiarity with audiobooks to render his experience with serious visual disability in audio. Sound effects immerse the listener in Robinson's memories, like the ticking of the school clock as impatient classmates wait while he struggles to read. Slow pacing reflects the gravity of each memory. He sometimes inserts the confused conversations of friends and family who are puzzling out images of the world as he sees it. Other times, he provides insightful descriptions of images. He shares the difficulties associated with what he calls "whale eyes," the extraordinary help of his mother, and his eventual academic and professional success. Robinson's caring outlook and advice on society, specifically the disability community, is, unsurprisingly, visionary.
(Memoir. 11-18)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217018239
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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