Anthony Doerr (ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE) sounds charming and genuine, and it’s simply a joy to spend a few hours listening to him recount his adventures in Rome and with new fatherhood. Doerr wins a writing fellowship that allows him and his family to spend a year in Rome. He struggles with writing and sleeping but is fascinated by Pliny, art, ancient architecture, parrots, clear blue skies, and all manner of things. The tone of panic in his voice comes through clearly when his wife is hospitalized and his newly learned Italian is insufficient. Doerr provides a palpable tone of wonder as his twin boys learn to crawl and walk and yank out the power cords. This is a beautiful, poetic, and almost musical production both in terms of its language and its narration. Listeners will want to get out maps and travel guides and plan their own adventures.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781442394988
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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