Author E.J. Koh's solemn narration of this poignant story captures the language of mother-daughter relationships. Eun Ji is 15 when her parents go to South Korea for her father's job, leaving her in California with her older brother for five years. As she recounts her memories of this period, sparked by the letters that her mother wrote during their separation, Koh's fragile-sounding voice powerfully expresses Eun Ji's pain and her mother's guilt at leaving her young daughter. Koh's deliberate pace reflects the personal tragedies in the lives of family members, including the grandmother, along with Eun Ji's battle with depression. But the slowness of Koh's delivery can make the listener feel a bit dragged down, too. Overall, though, Koh's narration of this lyrical dance of language and emotion is haunting and deeply moving.
Pub Date: April 6, 2020
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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