While going through some personal struggles in her life, including a recurrence of breast cancer and caring for her aging parents, Carol Wall finds inspiration in the friendship she strikes up with her gardener, Giles Owita, an immigrant from Kenya who is facing his own set of difficult circumstances. Narrator Cynthia Darlow handles Carol's struggles with grace and an introspective tone, as well as a touch of a Southern accent for the Virginia resident. However, Darlow's voicing for Owita and his wife's accents is uneven, sometimes ending up sounding more Indian than Kenyan. Owita imparts valuable lessons to Carol, not only in terms of tending to her lawn but also in handling life's difficulties with dignity and acceptance.
Pub Date: March 4, 2014
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780698149649
Publisher: Penguin 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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