What would it take to leave everything behind and restart life in another country? Narrator Soneela Nankani enlivens the harrowing story of two refugee families that are forced to move to Austin, Texas, after leaving their war-torn homes. Mu Naw spent decades in a refugee camp before seeking asylum. Hasna and her family were forced from their home during the civil war in Syria in the early 2000's. Nankani brings the heartbreaking stories of these two families to life with sympathetic grace. While the names of individuals have been changed to protect their families from retribution in their home countries, Nankani expresses their humanity through their raw emotions of isolation, fear, and, eventually, acceptance of their new lives.
Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593166000
Publisher: Penguin 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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