Listening to San Francisco investor J.D. Vance narrate his own memoir makes one think that HILLBILLY ELEGY is the answer to his wife's question: "Why won't you tell me about your family?" At first the straight man with facts and figures, Vance eases into a multigenerational saga set in eastern Ohio and Kentucky, the story of so many Americans, even those who aren't "hillbillies." There's young love, escape from a troubled home to new troubles, the push and pull of family ties, and the hope that education and a loving grandmother bring. Vance is sincere in his love for his family and honest about the problems that befall himself and his family. In this memoir, Vance introduces listeners to a community seldom considered, but all around us. M.P.P. 2017 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: June 28, 2016
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062477521
Publisher: Harper 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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