In this sequel to RED AZALEA, Anchee Min further illustrates that she's an extraordinary survivor. Life in Mao's China was bleak, and her home life was seldom better. She prevailed by claiming she spoke fluent English (she didn't) and being accepted by an American college. Narrator Angela Lin sublimely captures each character with distinction, proffering a vast range of accents and personalities. Listening to her is like watching a play; transitions are subtle but perfect. Unsurprisingly, Min herself is her best creation; when she utters that her life in the Chinese labor camps trained her for the hard physical work she put in to being a do-it-yourself landlord in America, listeners will have no difficulty believing her. Min's charming observations of life in the U.S. enhance the memoir.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2013
Duration: 15 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470365394
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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