John Lithgow’s appealing and insightful memoir begins with an evocative tune that hints of the pleasures that lie ahead. The story of Lithgow’s peripatetic childhood and early acting career is full of human interest, hard-won truths, laugh-out-loud asides, and just enough gossip to satisfy without being prurient. The author narrates with all the skill and charm that one expects of the talented actor, wielding his vocal tool kit beautifully. He offers helpful pacing that matches the action, a smile in his voice when the anecdote is funny and severity when it’s painful, and enough differentiation in voices that conversations remain clear. He’s also a pro with subtle tonal variation. There is not a flat note anywhere. A.C.S. 2012 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2011
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062099730
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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