After being diagnosed with cancer and beginning treatment, novelist Alice Hoffman found she was not able to find the type of guidebook offering the balm for the soul that she was seeking—so she set off to write her own guide to dealing with trauma. Narrator Xe Sands provides a heartfelt reading with vocal variation that at times incorporates just a bit of roughness in her voice to convey the strong emotions that are an integral part of dealing with life-and-death situations such as serious disease and loss. Tender, reflective, and approachable, Sands sounds like she’s speaking with a close friend or relative. For Hoffman's most personal work, Sands's personable tone complements the message of compassion.
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2013
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9781622312405
Publisher: HighBridge 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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