This examination of the civilization of the Native American "mound-builders" of the Mississippi region is a bit uneven: Sometimes it lacks hard information (much of the archaeological evidence was destroyed or remains buried), and sometimes it gives copious detail about what's known and how it was discovered. The combination makes for a production that can be hard to follow. George Wilson's voice is rather astringent but still expressive and likable, and his precision serves the complex material well. Some scenarios of what Cahokian life might have been like, as well as the gruesome descriptions of mass burials, are intriguing, and Wilson does them justice. Neither book nor reader is flashy, but those interested in the topic will find this brief exposition worthwhile.
Pub Date: March 26, 2010
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781449805005
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This informative and insightful audiobook history of the Mississippi River and its regions quickly and necessarily focuses on questions of protection and preservation. The Mississippi is the center of American prosperity but is difficult to control and at every point is vulnerable. Narrator Gabriel Vaughan is a steadfast guide through a tangled history of levy building and floodplain management. He is most effective when the narrative frame is the author's own history. The narrative advances southward toward the river's delta and egress, and there environmental issues are overlain with a history of racial injustice and exploitation. During sections of tough listening, what Vaughan sometimes lacks in polish he more than makes up in impact and empathy.
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696615440
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This history of American Indigenous people sounds like a well-constructed college lecture. But that's no surprise since author Kathleen DuVal is a university professor. But Carolina Hoyos's narration is far from a dry academic recitation. Rather, she comes across as a storyteller. Her voice is smooth and easy to listen to. Her pace allows listeners to absorb the author's points effectively. For most listeners, this audiobook will be a revelation. Nearly all U.S. history books give Native people short shrift. They make it seem like these people died out after encounters with white settlers. But the truth is they didn't disappear. They were written out of U.S. history. This work does a good job of writing them back into the American historical narrative.
Pub Date: April 9, 2024
Duration: 21 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593821954
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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