In this authorized biography of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, the baseball player shares the story of his twenty-two-year career, as well as details of his sometimes-difficult life off the field. Michael Boatman's narration is as smooth and graceful as one of the center fielder's famous basket catches. Boatman is clearly at home with baseball terminology, and he adds dramatic emphasis in all the right places. When reading quotes from Mays, Boatman imitates the ballplayer's high-pitched voice, and he occasionally uses a Southern drawl or New York accent where appropriate. At 10 hours, the biography is meaty despite having been abridged, and the production includes an entertaining bonus interview with Mays himself.
Pub Date: 2010
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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