New Reviews: History

Johnny Heller and Jo Anna Perrin's narration of this collection of essays is a mixed bag for the listener. Looking at the American Civil War as an event with worldwide influences, the authors say the Federal triumph in the United States' conflict affected British and French colonial designs in the New World, which led to the eventual abolition of slavery in Spanish New World... Read More

In a somber, authoritative voice, narrator Arthur Morey reveals what Founding Fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams might think of today's American society. This audiobook, written by historian Joseph Ellis, focuses on the modern practice of twisting the Constitution to suit various political agendas. The Founding Fathers were men who were... Read More

Grover Gardner capably narrates Chamberlin's account of how the Cold War was much hotter than we in the West appreciate. Although there was a tense and uneasy peace in Europe during this period, Chamberlin documents the hot and bloody events that occurred on a line running from the Middle East through Central Asia to Southeast Asia. For the period of the Cold War, more than 90... Read More

Did you know that Henry VIII; Francis I of France; Charles the V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire; and Suleiman the Magnificent were born within 10 years of one another and that their lives intertwined? Julian Elfer's melodic voice is perfect as narrator of this sweeping history of sixteenth-century Europe. Elfer's unemotional narration flows steadily through political... Read More

Robin Miles narrates this history of the desegregation of education in America, which is largely a story of girls and young women whom history has pretty much ignored. Miles's portrayal of Lucille Bluford illustrates her persistence and dedication as she applied 11 times to the graduate journalism program at the University of Missouri and then sued them, only to be told that... Read More

Narrator Tom Perkins gives this rich and dense audiobook about the Gulf of Mexico a well-paced narration. He captures the tone (serious and pointed), the voice (informed), and the argument (the Gulf needs attending) with aplomb. Author Davis brings a broad brush to this panoramic work, which explores the meaning of the Gulf Coast's history. The well-documented environmental... Read More

Author and narrator Mary Beard takes the listener on an worldwide tour of human and divine representation in art throughout history. Beard's style is reminiscent of a classroom lecture or the audio track of a documentary. Her command of her subject is obvious in her authoritative but casual approach. While her narration is sometimes marked by the slight hoarseness of a dry... Read More

Narrator Clare Corbett meets the challenges of this nonfiction account of the Gilded Age phenomenon of American women marrying into British nobility. More than the story of a handful of cross-Atlantic relationships, the audiobook explores the salient differences between American and British culture in terms of women's issues, class systems, and finances. Corbett clearly... Read More

A talented narrator combined with fascinating material makes for enjoyable listening. While Scott Brick probably could make a dictionary sound interesting, his voice exactly suits this work about the key role the French navy played in the American Revolution. He narrates with an even tone but varies his pace and adds touches of excitement in key passages, especially battle... Read More

The sinking of the USS INDIANAPOLIS during WWII and the survival of its 300-plus crew members in shark-infested water are so compelling that no false drama in the narration is needed. John Bedford Lloyd wisely lets the story carry the listener along. His tone is even but not without emotion, and the survivors' stories are harrowing and compelling. The author focuses on more... Read More

Jeff Goldblum delivers a unique performance of this intriguing tale about a special house. Whether you like or dislike the result will depend on how you react to Goldblum's idiosyncratic approach. First, the plot, written by a former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic: It's an imaginative and engaging account of Europe's modern history as revealed by a gorgeous Prague... Read More

To write a good history, the author must be scholarly and a good storyteller. In this case, the author is both, and that makes this work on presidential leadership eminently suited to audio. The four men profiled--Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson--differed greatly in what shaped their leadership styles. The audio publisher chose to use... Read More

Digging with fine tools under the hot desert sun may not appeal to most of us, but listening to a history of the great archeological discoveries proves to be highly engaging, and even somewhat refreshing in a vicarious way. Kevin Scollin is an accomplished narrator who melds his narration to the text, rather than bending it to his own particular style. The chapters are brief,... Read More

WWII spycraft may be best remembered for ingenious bits of technology, but an extrememly low-tech strategy also played an important role in the Allied victory. Derek Perkins ably narrates this audiobook about Great Britain's use of homing pigeons to communicate with resistance cells and Allied agents in Belgium. Perkins's British accent adds a pleasurable air of authenticity to... Read More

Narrator Steven Crossley's clear voice and impeccable enunciation are a most suitable match to Jackson's well-written account of the Second World War in Iraq and Iran. Since World War II was, after all, worldwide, many so-called side-show theaters, such the Middle East, received little, if any, notice. Jackson's long and well-written account details what happened in this area... Read More

With a compelling blend of healthy skepticism and personal admiration, listeners follow author Merve Emre's fascinating in-depth look at the mother-daughter partnership behind the ubiquitous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality test often used in business. Fortunately for listeners, narrator Ellen Archer has been perfectly matched to this performance. She is consistently... Read More

The daughter of an unmarried Jewish courtesan, Sarah Bernhardt (18441923), and the daughter of Italian troubadours, Eleonora Duse (18581924), became the most famous actresses of their day. Amanda Carlin's performance offers a treasure trove of anecdotes revealing the not-so-secret feud between them. Bernhardt was as flamboyant offstage as she was mesmerizing on it. She kept a... Read More

Becky White narrates this book about prejudice against female pioneers in technology in the United Kingdom. After WWII, labor practices in technology there perpetuated the social stereotypes of the early twentieth century. These included the women's ceasing to work when they got married, designating specific jobs and fields as "women's work," and paying lower wages to women,... Read More

The authors take listeners on a trip down memory lane to review dubious, often dangerous, medical cures of the past. Their skeptical eyes examine teething powders that contained mercury, radium toothpaste, and lobotomies, to name a few. Hillary Huber narrates from a modern perspective--cynicism and sarcasm are ever present in her voice. Her delivery is a good fit for the... Read More

This audiobook has all the breathless excitement of a sporting event. With professional concision and eloquence, narrator Keith Sellon-Wright delivers this fast-paced audiobook with just the right cadence and style. It is first and foremost a tribute to the intrepid airmen who made the initial trans-Pacific flights from California to Hawaii. This story is packed with flight... Read More

Grover Gardner narrates this account of Sherman's March to the Sea with his usual excellence. The audiobook emphasizes the social impact of this 1864 event as much as it does the military aspects of the campaign. Listeners follow detailed accounts of the lives of several Union participants. Major General John Logan and Mother Bickerdyke serve as notable examples of certain... Read More

With dramatic timing, narrator Susie Berneis enthralls and disgusts with a thorough look at how poisons were used to beautify, maim, and kill kings, queens, mistresses, and children. This audiobook recounts stories of how this was done and who did it. Berneis's rhythm is so dramatic that listeners almost expect to hear a drumroll at the end of her delivery. Many times doctors'... Read More

Sometimes the smallest slice of history can be re-created as a rip-roaring audiobook. That's especially true if narrator John Eastman is aboard, smartly supplying dialects from all levels of British society. The eponymous ship is at the heart of the most daring escape in Australian penal history, which, considering Australia's background, is saying something. Drawn from the... Read More

Secret messages in train stations, radioactive dust sprinkled on shoes--these sound like props in a spy novel, but they're part of the genuine spycraft that forms the backdrop of this masterful tale of a real-life double agent. It doesn't hurt that narrator John Lee's voice recalls Sean Connery in the classic James Bond movies as he introduces Oleg Gordievsky, a high-ranking... Read More

While General George Washington's winter encampment at Valley Forge was the grim low point of the American Revolution, this fine audiobook history of those trying months and the pivotal battles that followed will grip listeners as no other chapter in American history can. Jeremy Bobb is a steady, highly skilled narrator who is reminiscent of David McCullough in the... Read More