This somewhat plodding biography uses detailed anecdotes to flesh out actress Mary Martin's enigmatic and capricious personality. Bernadette Dunne's narration is soft, understated, and controlled. Both Martin's marriages are examined at some length. Her marriage to the crass Ben Hagman produced son Larry Hagman, who played television's J.R. Ewing on "Dallas". Insights are provided for Martin's lack of great success in films and her very great success in both Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway vehicles. Her roles in the Broadway and television versions of the musical PETER PAN are mined for many behind-the-scenes insights. Dunne's narration reflects an entirely different period and style in American musical theater. Those who remember that time will enjoy returning; students of that era will be enlightened.
Pub Date: July 12, 2016
Duration: 17 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781504759298
Publisher: Blackstone 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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