Colin O'Brady may be physically and mentally superhuman. He holds speed records for astonishing feats--climbing the highest peaks in all 50 U.S. states and completing the Explorers Grand Slam of climbing the highest mountain on each continent, plus reaching the North and South Pole. In this memoir, he recounts being the first to traverse Antarctica alone and unsupported. Sadly, O'Brady's narration is a little over-the-top, blunting the impact of his amazing story. Notes of melodrama constantly creep in, bringing to mind the motivational talks he gives to children. It's also a pity that he makes his wife, Jenna, sound more like an inspirational cipher than a real person. Still, O'Brady's sincerity is never in doubt, and the image of him dancing on the ice to Paul Simon's "Graceland" is sure to generate a smile.
Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508299516
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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