Raised on the streets of Brooklyn in the late 1970s, Montiel followed in the footsteps of other neighborhood hooligans, committing various violent and criminal acts. In the 1980s, he fell in love with the music scene with his band, Gutterboy, while hanging out with a variety of celebrities, including Allen Ginsberg. This memoir about the different "saints" in his life ties all this together in an erratic but amusing manner. Jason Collins manages this directionless assortment of stories magnificently. He holds to a slight Brooklyn accent for Montiel but doesn't overdo it. Flawlessly, he transitions to other characters with their own vocal quirks and delivers the more emotional moments in a somber and reminiscent tone that enhances Montiel's words.
Pub Date: July 1, 2006
Duration: 5 hrs
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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