Narrator Saskia Maarleveld is the perfect guide to the author's contemplation of both significant and smaller moments in her life. In these personal essays, Young is lyrical, quirky, self-effacing, and amusing. Maarleveld's narration is clear, deliberate, and droll. Topics range from a conversation with a psychic stranger on a plane to a young American with a rare bone disorder and to holding Paul McCartney's hand while hiking in the hills. Several essays focus intently on the body--an eating disorder, daily yoga, indecision about removing a faint mustache, her father accidentally taking her contact lenses before piloting a small plane, and the experience of chiropractic manipulation. (The doctor periodically asks, "Can you tolerate this?") Harmony of text and voice comes into perfect focus with Maarleveld's New Zealand accent and Young's descriptions of her hometown landscape in Te Kuiti, New Zealand.
Pub Date: July 3, 2018
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525626183
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Karen Chilton's fluid alto is a good fit for this biography of Thomas Jefferson. The authors are more or less successful in their attempt to present the third president in the context of his times. What we are presented with is a very human being--possessing great intellect, filled with flaws and contradictions, and still immensely fascinating nearly three centuries after his birth. Chilton's pacing and inflection are never off. She narrates with a calm demeanor, competently affecting various accents for quotes and ably giving subtle expression to the narrative. It all adds up to an enjoyable listening experience.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2016
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781501909993
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This rags-to-riches memoir recounts the business life of Sam Wyly as he made his way from IBM salesman in the early 1960s to the owner of Sterling Software and Michael's stores, as well as a chain of restaurants, among other companies. Along the way, Wyly tells of his investment strategies, his business partners, his successes, and his failures. Phil Gigante reads this business story with a steady voice that lulls listeners instead of exciting them. In addition to the occasional odd pronunciation, Gigante's voice is barely modulated, and he fails to engage emotionally. Nonetheless, this title offers an interesting view of how to invest in your business, making it grow while weathering an ever-changing economy.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2008
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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