Narrator Assaf Cohen so perfectly captures the voice of an expressive kid that it's hard to remember he isn't the author of this enthralling memoir. Gulwali Passarlay, now grown, recounts the story of his journey from Afghanistan to Europe when he was 12. Starting aboard a sinking boat in the Mediterranean, we flash back to the beginning of Gulwali's adventure. The author had a happy childhood in a conservative family until the murder of his father and grandfather propelled him and his brother to flee their home and head to Greece with a “fixer.” When the brothers lose each other, Gulwali survives on his wits and the kindness of strangers. Cohen nails both the nasty and nice characters—everyone from Kurd to Englishman—and brings moving expression to Gulwali’s growing confidence amid enough terrors for a lifetime.
Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062470690
Publisher: Harper 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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