Davina Porter narrates this story of the transformation of young Rose, daughter of an established but impoverished family in Martinique, into Josephine, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. Porter seems to savor the French place and people's names that are richly sprinkled throughout. She presents Josephine in sympathetic tones, first as a young innocent badly neglected and mistreated by her first husband, who has little regard for this gauche and provincial wife. Porter's presentation reflects the maturing of Rose through divorce, imprisonment during the French Revolution, and remarkable recovery to position and wealth. Porter never falters in maintaining a sense of engagement and interest in her story, particularly in her primary character.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 15 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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