Frieda Hughes applies her poetic sensibilities to her memoir about taking care of a baby magpie that fell out of its nest in a storm. She names him George and recounts, through her diary entries at the time, how she raised him while negotiating rough marital seas and the final tasks of fixing up her house and garden in Wales. A poet and artist, Hughes is the daughter of renowned poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Her appealing British accent combined with her sensitivity to pacing and rhythm reflects a lifetime of reading poetry. George the magpie's interactions with the family dogs are hilarious, but his tendency to hide food and other less desirable items around the house is a bit disquieting.
Pub Date: June 6, 2023
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797159737
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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