Thirteen California women buy and share a beautiful diamond necklace, and each is transformed by the experience. The account follows the necklace, which they name "Jewelia" (for Julia Child), as it adorns brides, travels the world, is worn during sex, changes lives, and is loaned out far beyond its original owners. Sounds like fiction? No, it's a true story, enthusiastically read by Pam Ward. Her narration seems to evolve as the group of women bonds through their experiences with the necklace. From a gossipy delivery at the beginning, Ward morphs to a more empathetic tone as Jewelia becomes the centerpiece at fund-raisers and the subject of controversy. Ward’s mature-sounding voice is appropriate for the real-life middle-aged women who tell what Jewelia has meant to them.
Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2008
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
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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