A gripping, gorgeous story from start to finish is brought to life by narrator Almarie Guerra. Like author Jaquira Díaz, Guerra was born in Puerto Rico and is bilingual. In a smooth, engaging voice that isn't overly theatrical, she brings a balance of spirit and restraint to her delivery of Díaz's electric memoir. The listener follows Díaz from her childhood in the projects in Puerto Rico to her adolescence in Miami Beach and observes her, by turns, loving but fraught relationships with her family members and friends, her time in juvenile detention, her stint in the Navy, and her political awakening. Díaz's mother, eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia, is a force who deeply influences the narrative. The author writes lyrical prose, and while it's slightly disappointing that she doesn't read it herself, Guerra deftly navigates both its high drama and quieter moments.
Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781684576586
Publisher: HighBridge 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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