In a book as personal as a family genealogy, the writing should be intimate and engaging, yet Tomlinson's style is somewhat clinical and remote. This makes it difficult for narrator David Drummond to fully engage the listener. Drummond does a solid job. His voice and diction are clear and easy on the ear. And he varies his pacing just enough to keep the material flowing. But he's never able to overcome the author's journalistic style. Thus, he's left sounding more like a news reader than a true narrator. That's a shame because the book brings history to life in a personal way that doesn't come through in audio.
Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2014
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781494574512
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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