Author and narrator Allie Rowbottom's family has enjoyed several generations of privilege due to an ancestor's purchase of the patent for Jell-O. Part memoir, part family history, Rowbottom's writings weave together a story that imparts how, along with benefiting from the riches gleaned from Jell-O sales, the family has suffered more than a century of pain and loss. Though the story is deeply personal, Rowbottom's performance is devoid of emotion. Even during the harrowing scenes depicting her mother's illnesses and cancer treatments Robottom gives a monotone delivery, leaving the listener feeling detached from the account. Overall, the audio production adds little to the text.
Pub Date: July 24, 2018
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478992196
Publisher: Hachette 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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