This memoir about a midlife lesbian writer and her aging mother is narrated with skill and nuance by the author. As Elissa Altman grew up in New York City in the 1970s in the shadow of her magnetic and narcissistic mother, Rita, the two developed a volatile codependent relationship. Rita sought validation in extreme ways, including an obsession with makeup and clothes, and Altman faced Rita's vexation when she didn't fit those ultrafeminine standards. Decades later, Rita suffers an accident that leaves her bedridden, and Altman must reckon with the realities of an aging parent whom she loves and resents in equal measure. Mental and physical illness and family drama are brought to life with great sensory detail, and Altman's narration is utterly compelling.
Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2019
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781984890320
Publisher: Random House 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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