Whether listeners are Franzen devotees or new to his work, they’ll find this audio collection of recent essays and speeches appealing for its sound as well as its sentiments. Franzen is an affable narrator who offers a simultaneously passionate and practical performance. Scott Shepherd sounds equally relaxed and appealing as he provides vocal variety that complements the collection's range of topics. FARTHER AWAY features musings inspired by both the natural and the technological worlds and reflections on personal growth as well as loss. Both narrators capture moments that ring so true they may inspire audible gasps. Occasionally, the pacing, especially at closings, is rushed, but the overall effect is moving and thought-provoking.
Pub Date: April 24, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427221490
Publisher: Macmillan 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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