Welcome to our archive of March 2007 audiobook reviews. A good
audiobook is very much like the old time radio programs (which are fun to download) because they put on a stage
performance entirely with sound. We can't get enough of them, and now they're available on both cassette and CD, and
many websites now allow you to download audiobooks (as well as e-books) for iPods and other MP3 players. Whether you like to
call it a book on tape, an audiobook, or even a podcast, we present our audiobook reviews for your enjoyment.
Set in the 1790's, Burning Bright is an off-beat look at poet
William Blake. Two young girls are drawn to the eclectic Blake,
who is working anonymously as his political interests are aflame
by the events of the era - including the French Revolution. Its
an unusal period piece that gives much for the listener to absorb
while trying to decipher what Blake has in mind. Well read by
Jill Tanner, this audio version of Tracy Chevalier's novel is
a welcome breath of fresh air.
Lost in the furor in the TV tabloids surrounding the DaVinci Code, the tomb
of Jesus, the Shroud of Turin, etc. is the purported discovery of a gospel by
Judas, presented by Pagels and King along with a discussion of the early history
of the Church. As a former altar boy, I take most of these 'discoveries' with
a very large grain of salt. They do tend to come in bunches, don't they.
Still, this book has received some critical praise and I would certainly
recommend that anyone interested in the early Church listen to this audiobook
if only to see a fresh point of view on the teachings of Christ.
Jonah Stem is a medical student in New York who stumbles into a crime scene.
A woman is being stabbed to death before his eyes. As he rushes in to save
the woman, he ends up accidentlly killing the assailant. Much like
Bernhard Goetz, Jonah is a media darling. But, of course, its a thriller
so the happy ending is a long way off. He has an affair with the
woman he saves, but she turns out to have some secrets. Twists and
turns abound, with lots of edgy moments. You'll be glad you spent the
time listening to this audiobook mystery.
Its a murder in medieval Cambridge in England. The murder of four
children have brought out the worst in the populace. They're
accusing the Jews of Cambridge, who are placed under the protection
of King Henry II. Henry sees no political solution, so he enlists
the help of his cousin, the King of Sicily, who sends his scientific
expert. No Brother Cadfael here, she's a woman! You can guess at
the problems Adelia confronts as she investigates. Its a food-for-the-mind
sort of novel that PBS snobs like me always relish. And its a ripping
good yarn, to boot!
Hal Holbrook is one of those actors that has that Southern charm so
well ingrained that you can't help but enjoy watching him perform.
I saw this one man show performed on television many years ago and
thought at the time that it was brilliant. Twain was pure entertainment
on stage, and Holbrook mimics the author with grand gestures and
superb intonation. Mark Twain was such a remarkable man, that no
single show like this could do him justice. He was a world traveller
and brought his experiences to the American people in a way they
could best absorb it - through humor. This is a splendid tribute to
America's first great author.
Be sure to visit us again next month when we'll
review more great audiobooks! Our
audiobook reviews are written by our Editor, Richard L. Trethewey.
Rainbo Electronic Reviews' audiobook reviews are published monthly. Back issues of our
reviews are available from the Rainbo Reviews Backissues Archive.
We're proud to announce that the reviews archive is now searchable by category so you can find audiobooks (or audio books) we've reviewed in the past.
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