Jimmy Webb is the well-known musician who wrote the Richard Harris song "MacArthur Park"--which includes the famous line "Someone left the cake out in the rain." This is Webb's rather circuitous and confusing memoir. Webb's own narration seems unsteady, with pronounced rough edges. While listeners will hear of muses, happiness, and drama, as well as the ordinary aspects of his life, the work is disjointed. As alternating sections place Webb in wildly disparate time sequences and locations, any sense of a continuous life progression is lost. Fans and those with an interest in music will enjoy anecdotes involving John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Glen Campbell, and the Fifth Dimension, among many other artists who represent the crazy quilt of American popular music.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
