Narrator Antonia Beamish provides a clear voice and consistent pace for Claire Wilcox's rich descriptions of her work at the Victoria and Albert Museum. As a curator of fashion there, she must deal with such challenges as raincoats with rigor mortis, shattered silks, and fugitive dyes. The various reasons for garments' existence--medical, regional, and pure self-expression--are discussed in an academic tone. However, when Beamish transitions to Wilcox's personal memories relating to textiles, one expects a more emotional delivery. An "oh, no" falls flat, and a description of childhood teasing feels dispassionate, though the listener can imagine the hurt. Happily, these moments don't diminish the overall result. Other, more poetic, parts with abstract prose work well with Beamish's tempo and beautiful timbre.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 4 hrs
Publisher: N/A
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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