When Elizabeth Cohen finds herself single and raising her toddler alone in upstate New York while at the same time caring for her father who has been stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, she does what any former reporter would do. She writes about it. Bernadette Dunne’s voice is pleasant and articulate, but it doesn’t match the despair in this memoir of loss. Surprisingly, the voice Dunne performs the best is that of Cohen’s father. She captures his confusion and gruffness, convincingly portraying his age and infirmity. In contrast, the way she performs the baby talk of toddler Ava is mostly annoying. What’s most unsettling about this performance is the even, placid tone Dunne maintains throughout Cohen’s depiction of her grief and rage at being left by her husband just as her gentle father’s mind is abandoning her as well. R.F. 2005 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 9 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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