Narrator Arthur Morey’s gentle, raspy voice is heavy on sibilance, but he makes this personal story interesting and personal nonetheless. The title refers to the large number of WWII sea captains who came out of Mathews County, Virginia. The story focuses on one family of seamen in the Merchant Marines who had to stare down Nazi submarines off the coast of the U.S. while trying to supply our battleships. Events take listeners from a small area on the Chesapeake to Russia, Normandy’s beaches, and the Pacific theater. Morey paces himself well and allows the listener to absorb a look at the Merchant Marines that offers a different perspective than other WWII stories.
Pub Date: April 19, 2016
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780399567117
Publisher: Penguin 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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