This confusing and confounding mélange of brief essays by famous Californians attempts to tell the stories of everyday people who were thrust into a prominence that created a particular Western ethos familiar to many Americans. Those featured include the Dohenys, who were influential in business and politics, and the Warners, who helped create the movie industry, as well as reporters and chroniclers of their time. The large cast performs earnestly and professionally, but with so many narrator voices and so many narrative sources, the work lacks an explanatory framework for the listener. The author, who is the daughter of Jules Stein, who founded the famous MCA Talent Agency, examines her father's transformation from a dentist to a Hollywood giant, but, sadly, confusion reigns throughout the production.
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2016
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780451481917
Publisher: Random House 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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