by S.M. Plokhy ; read by Henry Strozier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2010
The Yalta Conference of 1945 allowed the Allied leaders—Stalin, Churchill, and FDR—to determine the fate of postwar Europe. The history delves into the political intrigues of the three men, all acting in their own spherical interests. The significant consequences resulted in a new division of Europe that allowed Germany to remain intact and later form a democratic government, unlike the ruinous Versailles Treaty following WWI. Narrator Henry Strozier’s sonorous voice emphasizes and inflects his words but never deviates to create characterizations for any of the famous characters. Many listeners prefer his straight-from-the-page treatment of nonfiction, and he does it well. Listeners can expect an extensive work intended for avid students of war and history.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2010
Duration: 22 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Ben Macintyre ; read by Ben Macintyre ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2026
Macintyre’s latest is one of his best.
Awards & Accolades
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If there’s a branch of history devoted to espionage, Macintyre is its unchallenged dean. As narrator, Macintyre is conversational, confiding, unaffected, and companionable. He sounds like he’s been through it all. His popular narratives, among them A Spy Among Friends (2014) and Operation Mincemeat (2010), excel in precision of detail and adherence to fact, which is indeed often stranger than fiction. What novelist would conceive of a master spy with erectile dysfunction? This true history of a British spy roping in a Soviet spy in revolutionary Tehran is a primer in spycraft and agent management and offers an entirely new perspective on the Islamic Revolution and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Macintyre’s latest is one of his best.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
Duration: 17 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217406906
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
by Sally Hayden ; read by Aoife McMahon ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2026
A brilliant piece of work that proves love can survive war.
Awards & Accolades
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Journalists are trained to look for and deliver facts, and Irish reporter Hayden did that, but she also did something more: She looked for love amid war. Narrator Aoife McMahon, with her delightful Irish accent, brings us the stories Hayden found while reporting the news. She explores war's impact on people and their relationships. She tells stories of the courageous soldier in Ukraine who confesses discomfort during his home visits and queer people in Ghana, where their love could have deadly consequences. From battle-scarred countries the world over, including Uganda, Iraq, and Rwanda, McMahon relates these stories with a beautiful dignity. They reveal terror and horror but also unexpected love, compassion, and survival.
A brilliant piece of work that proves love can survive war.Pub Date: June 16, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 41 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797198644
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
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