If you're expecting the same old gossip about the Kennedys, think again. Did you know that when Pope Pius XII was a cardinal, he sat on a sofa in the Kennedy house and that no one ever sat there again? Beginning with the seventeenth-century Irish struggle to defend Catholicism, the author weaves an artful blend of culture and history to introduce the eponymous Boston family--portraying the clan's men with their tragic hubris and uncontrollable hormones. Alan Sklar, whose voice is a deep-voiced delight, manipulates volume and speed to punctuate the long sentences with commas we cannot see. His familiarity with the material allows him to emphasize and minimize with precision, a covetable skill for history narrators. Passing the story through the muse in Sklar's mind doubles the enjoyment of the print version.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 29 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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