John McDonough's sometimes fruity, sometimes gruff, always friendly voice is expertly effective for this short biography, part of the Eminent Lives series. The reason McDonough come through so well is hard to pin down, but this reviewer tends toward the friendliness theory--the listener feels liked by McDonough. As for Pulitzer Prize winner Morris, he usually writes big, fat books, such as DUTCH, about Ronald Reagan, and THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT. But he is a music aficionado, too. He calls Beethoven "universal" because he is universally recognized and his music is treasured still. Beethoven was a short, cantankerous, disheveled, loveless, driven genius. His story is an intensely human one.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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