The author narrates this work in a slow, warm, mellifluous tone that, were this a scientific treatise on the native bees of the British Isles, would be sleep inducing at best. But listeners will quickly discern that this is a love story that begins with bees in the backyard and spreads to a wide array of native fauna and flora. One does not have to be a trained naturalist to appreciate the author's point about the critical need for preserving native species, especially pollinators, which are at the heart of our ecosystem. Her lyrical prose translates well to audio and comes across as more of a freestyle tone poem than a chronicle of her growing awareness of the natural world around her.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
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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