Sometimes truth is stranger, and scarier, than fiction; this is one of those crazy stories. In the 1950s, scientists working for the CIA conducted drug experiments on unwitting individuals as part of an unsuccessful effort to brainwash them. Sadly, the impact of this important story is blunted by James Linkin's overly aggressive tone, which becomes a bit exhausting. One might get past this problem in light of Kinzler's grave conclusions about state-sponsored torture and the roots of extraordinary rendition, but Linkin's decision to adopt a digital-sounding voice for Sidney Gottlieb is a serious mistake that really grates. Gottlieb, who headed up the drug program, may have had a stutter, but he should still sound like a real person.
Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250242396
Publisher: Macmillan 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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