Andrew Wincott and Thomas Judd narrate this collection of letters written by author Roald Dahl to his mother from the time he was a child in boarding school until he was well into middle age. Judd shines as the young Dahl, opening with a clipped, boyish cadence and enthusiasm that match the breathless tone of Dahl's descriptions of life at school, and various requests and inquiries. As the letters mature, so does the narration, growing more measured and deeper in tone, effectively conveying the growth of Dahl himself as well as his writing. Dahl's dry and absurd sense of humor are evident throughout, a response, as Judd and Wincott's narration makes clear, to life's occasional darkness. Entertaining and illuminating.
Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780698181632
Publisher: Penguin 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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