The bestselling author of wildly imaginative novels like THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE here muses "in real time" about his sport and hobby, long-distance running. While Murakami writes that he worked over the text, it seems starkly unself-conscious (or poorly translated)—as when he talks about shining his running shoes. And yet this lack of guardedness as presented in Ray Porter's forthright and relaxed voice gives the book rare bite. Murakami isn't pushing his running, or his prose. "It doesn't matter what field you're talking about, beating somebody else just doesn't do it for me." If Murakami had a point to make, or if Porter had tried harder—had embellished the text or reached for an accent—this recording would fail. Instead it succeeds brilliantly. No secrets here, just the companionship of a dazzling intellect.
Pub Date: July 29, 2008
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
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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