Dan Bittner flawlessly narrates this matchless memoir, which captures writer Gary Paulsen's bittersweet life. (He calls his parents vipers.) Listeners will be shocked when, in 1944, 5-year-old Gary is taken from his mother after she dresses him in a tiny uniform to entertain soldiers in bars. Life improves when rural relatives give him love and attention, and teach him fishing, mushroom picking, cooking, and an appreciation of nature, especially animals. Bittner stirringly captures Gary's grief when his parents reclaim him and he has to use his survival skills when they deplorably neglect him. "Thought pictures" (Paulsen's words), cunning asides, and descriptions of confronting bullies, working for a carnival, and joining the military convey Paulsen's personal history. The sublime narration and satisfying conclusion contribute to a rewarding listening experience.
(Memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250779748
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners will be inspired by this principled prime minister who tackled her country’s biggest challenges with...
Aspiring leaders, take note! In her Kiwi accent, Jacinda Ardern narrates this heartfelt and sincere adaptation of her memoir A Different Kind of Power, eliciting chuckles with amusing anecdotes and tears over tragedies. Ardern recounts her modest childhood, her unlikely path to politics, and her rise to New Zealand’s highest office as a young, pregnant, unmarried woman—armed with empathy, intelligence, faith, supportive loved ones, and a desire to serve. She shepherded her country through a volcanic eruption, Covid-19, and a mass shooting. Her heartrending narration of the shooting switches to steely resolve as she works to ban assault rifles.
Listeners will be inspired by this principled prime minister who tackled her country’s biggest challenges with kindness. (Memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217342044
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Lipica Shah's stirring narration of this YA biography showcases Emma Goldman's unshakable commitment to improving the lives of the oppressed. In 1885, Goldman immigrated to the U.S. from czarist Russia and became an ardent anarchist. A prolific writer and inspirational speaker, she gave hundreds of well-attended speeches each year. When quoting Goldman, Shah exudes the intensity of her quest to elevate America's working class. When quoting from any of the thousands of period newspaper articles about Goldman, Shah mimics their predominantly disapproving tone. Goldman was even imprisoned because of her progressive positions on government, workers' rights, sex, and birth control. Never deterred, Goldman was once considered the most dangerous woman in America.
(Biography. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250415134
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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