Ali Wentworth’s performance of her own memoir is at its best when she sounds spontaneous, down-to-earth, and endearing. Told as a series of loosely connected anecdotes that shuttle back and forth in sequence, Wentworth offers flashes of the honest, quirky confidante. One can’t help but like her as she jauntily shares scenes that range from the mundane to the fascinating. However, the listener can’t escape the fact that Wentworth’s life has been far from typical, what with her mother serving as a White House social secretary and the author’s own boarding school upbringing. Some scenes get stuck at the surface while others try too hard for laughs. Overall, though, the segments when Wentworth is enjoying herself make this a worthy listen.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062111906
Publisher: Harper 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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