Genomes and DNA might not sound like the building blocks of an interesting book, but J. Craig Venter's autobiography is surprisingly engaging. Venter was the head of Celera, the private company that won the race to sequence the human genome in 2001. Dick Hill narrates the stories of Venter's childhood with a nostalgic tone that shifts to one of irony and reflection as he recounts Venter's experiences as a medic during the war in Vietnam. Scientific asides are worked into the early narrative seamlessly, making the shift from the personal to the scientific natural throughout. Only occasionally does Venter concentrate on the scientific minutiae of his genome project. Instead, the book provides an introduction to the rivalries and politics that surround a major scientific breakthrough while, at the same time, showing the genome genius's human side.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2007
Duration: 17 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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