"Commodore" Vanderbilt presided over the birth of the American steamboat and railway industries, as well as the development of the modern corporation. His long and active life deserves all of the 571 pages Stiles gives him—and the nearly 29 hours Mark Deakins takes to read them. But be forewarned. This is an excellent biography, and the story it tells—of the building of modern America—is never less than compelling. But a steady degree of attention is necessary to follow the many business rivals and associates, competing steam and rail lines, and complicated deals and maneuvers that crowd these pages. Deakins does a first-rate job, and this is a fine production. But larger-than-life stories like these are sometimes clearer and more coherent, and more satisfying as a listening experience, in abridgment.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2009
Duration: 28 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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