Emma Brockes's memoir is given authenticity by her British accent as she recounts her story. To learn more about her late mother, Brockes travels from Britain to South Africa. There she discovers her mother's siblings and a history of scandalous family events, which her mother escaped. Skillfully, Brockes weaves the story of a family’s dysfunction with the political atmosphere of South Africa during her visits. The nation’s tensions add to the atmosphere of violence that Emma's mother fled. Although a gun figures into the drama, it functions merely as an intriguing title for this memoir and is given no emphasis during its brief appearance.
Pub Date: May 16, 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101620304
Publisher: Penguin 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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