Barbara Ehrenreich is smart, forceful, and wryly entertaining, both in her writing and her narration. Best known for her social activism, Ehrenreich gives a peek into her personal life in this memoir. And what a life it is! She grew up with alcoholic, bickering parents, maternal mean-spiritedness, and an affinity for math and science despite being a girl—but the stridency of her tone dares the listener to even think about feeling sorry for her. Despite coming from several generations of working-class atheists, Ehrenreich has a mystical experience as a teenager that she records in her diary. In middle age, she rediscovers the diary, and it sets her on a spiritual and philosophical quest. The quest may wander a bit, but Ehrenreich’s performance is so honest and appealing that it demands attention.
Pub Date: April 8, 2014
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611138085
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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