Narrator Gerard Doyle performs this work as if he has an intimate knowledge of its content, leaving little doubt that he and the author are of like mind. Almost a hundred years after the infamous assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, British author Tim Butcher recounts his journey across modern-day Bosnia and Serbia on the trail of the triggerman, Gavrilo Princip, who fired the shot that started WWI. Doyle presents the many interesting facts the author discovers in his travels. He has lengthy conversations with Princip's relatives and discovers new writings about the events before and after the shooting. Doyle gives each interviewee a unique voice, which adds to the authenticity of the work. Listeners will be interested to hear that Princip was shocked that his actions started the chain reaction that would bring the world into a grim, deadly conflict.
Pub Date: June 12, 2014
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
GENERAL HISTORY | WORLD | MILITARY | HISTORY
A story of survival through unthinkable tragedy that the wistful little girl in the portrait could never have imagined.
Narrator Jenn Lee brings a storyteller’s flair to this true saga of the Renoir portrait La Petite Irène, painted in 1880 and stolen by the Nazis during WWII. Irène Cahen d’Anvers was the daughter of a wealthy Jewish banking family who were targeted and destroyed during the occupation of Paris. But Irène survived by changing her religion and remarrying, eventually recovering the painting. The survival story of the portrait is equally dramatic and full of twists and turns in the world of underground art dealings. Lee’s talent for French is evident in her pronunciation of names, locales, and expressions, adding a vivid sense of place and atmosphere.
A story of survival through unthinkable tragedy that the wistful little girl in the portrait could never have imagined.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 51 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668659656
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
A troubled history haunted by discord, imperialist blunders, and heartbreaking might-have-beens.
A steady voice is required for tracking the past century and a quarter of turmoil in the Middle East. With restraint and composure, British narrator Leighton Pugh unravels a knot of ancient rivalries and long-lasting violence that defies all efforts at peacemaking. Montefiore’s narrative is excellent—succinct, accessible, and providing insight into character and motive. With the awful fatefulness of Greek tragedy, Pugh’s narration follows the sequence of events that led to the creation of borders that served foreign interests but ignored historical boundaries. Sadder still are the decisions not made and the solutions that might have worked.
A troubled history haunted by discord, imperialist blunders, and heartbreaking might-have-beens.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 20 hrs, 10 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217340194
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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