Much of Gypsy Rose Lee’s life consisted of living within the mythology that her mother, Rose Horvick, created. It’s not surprising, then, that this book seems more like revisionist history than biography. Apart from a few interviews, most of its information comes from tabloids, Gypsy’s memoir, and unreliable source material. (Rose wasn’t above forging documents.) Bernadette Dunne’s matter-of-fact narration keeps things moving, but not even Dunne can keep the frequent time leaps from being confusing. By keeping her voice unemotional, Dunne recounts allegations that Mama Rose eviscerated a kitten and even may have killed a man. Abbott’s biography is focused more on stage mother-monster Rose than on Gypsy, and by the end, listeners won’t know much more about the “real” Gypsy than they learned from Sondheim’s musical.
Pub Date: Dec. 28, 2010
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780307877109
Publisher: Random House 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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