Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of his upcoming wedding and the the lifelong commitment of marriage, Julian Smith decided to follow the path of explorer Ewart Grogran. The Victorian made a two-year overland trek across the length of Africa in the hope of gaining the hand of his love, Gertrude. Narrator Michael Goldstrom adopts an introspective, understated tone in recounting details of Smith's relationship and doubts, and he’s engaging as he delivers the colorful Grogran's own story. Goldstrom's African accents help to bring verisimilitude to the dialogue and adventures. As the author acknowledges, the two parallel stories are, in fact, not very similar. But the journeys, both personal and physical, are intriguing, and Goldstrom does a wonderful job of presenting them to the listener.
Pub Date: July 15, 2013
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781482911862
Publisher: Blackstone 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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