Memoirs pose a special challenge for narrators. To render a work effectively, they must nearly become the author. Cindy Kay skillfully does so in this audiobook about a Korean-American daughter's examination of her mother's life and mental illness, schizophrenia. The author learned to cook dishes from her mother's childhood in order to invite the past into the present. Kay effectively captures the author's frustration with her mother's condition and her joy at connecting with her, even momentarily. For most of the audiobook, Kay narrates in her regular voice. But she adds a distinctly Asian tone and cadence to direct quotes in English from the mother. Kay's pacing exactly suits the material, using pauses to enhance episodes of personal drama.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781666514681
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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