Blair Braverman is a self-proclaimed tough girl--able to drive a dogsled team, shear sheep, and survive a blizzard. Despite being from California, she longed for the Arctic and being a polar explorer. Braverman's performance is engaging, honest, and thoughtful as she recounts her quest to fulfill her dreams. Her voice glows with affection for an elderly shopkeeper in northern Norway. More chilling than the weather, though, is the abuse that Braverman faces as a woman in a man's world. Her suppressed feelings translate into an understated, slightly flat inflection when she describes regular sexual assaults by her boyfriend, Dan, who spins his actions as love. At the time, Braverman believes her experiences are no different from those of other women, and her true coming-of-age is rejecting that notion.
Pub Date: July 5, 2016
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062642851
Publisher: Harper 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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