In a youthful voice, narrator Allyson Johnson delivers this substantial biography of the great jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan. As fans know, Vaughan’s speaking voice was high pitched and childish sounding, which is how Johnson realistically presents the many Vaughan interviews. But this is also a scholarly piece of music history, and Johnson’s overall peppy narration seems too lighthearted at times. Nevertheless, it’s a worthwhile listen for any Vaughan fan or student of American jazz, offering insight into Vaughan’s remarkable innate talent and astonishingly poor life choices. As Johnson recounts the early days of Vaughan’s career and her central role in the development of bebop, listeners can envision how her naïve passion for the purity of the music interfered with her ability to make sensible business decisions.
Pub Date: July 4, 2017
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062681805
Publisher: Harper 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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