Anytime an author sets out to write a definitive biography, expect many layers to be peeled back from the subject’s life. Ben Bradlee, Jr., does that admirably in this exhaustive book about one of baseball’s greatest hitters. Narrator Dave Mallow keeps a steady pace while maintaining a consistent tone for the listener. The author aims to paint a picture of Williams’s life off the field, since “The Kid’s" on-the-field accolades are well documented. Mallow resists the temptation to imitate voices for the women in Williams’s world, but he brings to life the angry quotes and commentary that capture the ballplayer’s bitterness toward many people, especially sportswriters. In the end, the listener is left with a well-told story about an imperfect man.
Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2013
Duration: 35 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478925170
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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