In this memoir, filmmaker John Waters (PINK FLAMINGOS) discusses people he admires and proves himself a preeminent provocateur. But it’s not all shock value. He’s an eloquent writer who can turn a witty phrase almost as deftly as one of the book’s subjects, Tennessee Williams, and do so with convincing style. This goes for his narration as well. Waters comes off as insightful—if not excessively camp—but his flamboyance is infectious. He minces but doesn’t mince words. Although some may take umbrage at his choices of talismans—Manson family murderer Leslie Van Houten, for instance—Waters, who once venerated the murderous cult for being “the filthiest people alive,” has to be admired for his ironic sensibilities. His embrace of everything politically incorrect is actually refreshing in the current climate. J.S.H. 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2010
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 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
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