Author Helen Ellis is the perfect narrator for her humorous essays. She has just the right inflections and tone for her anecdotes and words of wisdom. Hearing about the decades between the 1980s and the 2010s, listeners are quickly indoctrinated into a world of euphemisms, unusual customs, and genteel hospitality, both in Alabama, where Ellis was raised, and in New York City, where she currently lives. Whether discussing ghosts, birthdays, relationships, or clothing, Ellis draws listeners into her circle as if they were friends eager to catch up on the latest gossip. Listening to SOUTHERN LADY CODE is absolutely the best way to "read" this book.
Pub Date: April 16, 2019
Duration: 3 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781984840844
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A NEW YORK TIMES journalist documents the heart-wrenching choices she and her brother faced in caring for their mother during her last years. The lengthy but compelling narrative describes the relentless apprehension she felt about her mother’s deteriorating health and the frustrations she had with byzantine federal healthcare regulations and the shortcomings of private facilities. The dominant tone in Kate Reading’s flawless performance is resignation and persistence. While keeping the melodrama out of this very personal documentary, she captures the author’s determined efforts to arrange the best care for her mother in the midst of overworked care providers, dwindling financial resources, and her mother’s outspoken unhappiness. With a plethora of wisdom and good advice, this is an eye-opening look at end-of-life challenges and how current institutions are handling them.
Pub Date: April 26, 2011
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Rodrigo Garcia narrates his brief but powerful memoir about the passing of his parents. His father was the literary giant Gabriel García Márquez. His mother, Mercedes Barcha, was also a giant--of their family. Garcia narrates the events of the months leading up to their deaths with tactical precision that can come across as emotionless. However, his reservation allows listeners to focus on the words and feelings of his mother, brother, and the plethora of people who paid tribute to his father. Fans of García Márquez will want to listen, of course, but anyone who has lost a family member will also want to hear this audiobook.
Pub Date: July 27, 2021
Duration: 2 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063158344
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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