Narrator James Chen enhances the humor and tenderness of this character-driven literary story. Eighteen-year-old Zheng Xue Li, known as Shelley, is sent from China to the U.S. to live with his supposedly rich uncle, Ted. Upon arriving in San Francisco, Shelley discovers that Ted is actually a poor cousin whom he can stay with for only two weeks. Shelley tackles school, work, and housing challenges with unrelenting optimism and faith in the Chinese groove--an unspoken commitment among compatriots to take care of one another. Chen portrays Shelley with a distinct voice, accented by his native Chinese heritage and infused with a satirical tone. Though some subplots are a bit far-fetched, Chen's embodiment of Shelley's buoyancy and naïveté compels listeners to keep rooting for him.
Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593683682
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Franklin wrote award-winning books, and her dedication to Australia’s unsung wild outback remains a lasting legacy.
This biographical novel celebrates a talented and mysterious Australian novelist. Under the name Miles Franklin, Stella Miles Franklin wrote the esteemed early-20th-century novel My Brilliant Career. Holly Lucas narrates with style, nicely shifting tone and tempo when switching between female and male characters and deftly capturing the plucky Aussie. Franklin went on to use other pen names, including Brent of Bin Bin, as well as work for the suffrage movement in Chicago, serve as a cook in Serbia during WWI, and do undercover work as a servant in London. She left a sizeable sum to fund what is now Australia’s most prestigious literary award.
Franklin wrote award-winning books, and her dedication to Australia’s unsung wild outback remains a lasting legacy.Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 13 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9798889662235
Publisher: Europa Editions
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2026
In this fascinating coming-of-age portrait, Thomas Black Bull's journey from the child, Bear's Brother, to the fearsome rodeo rider, Killer Tom Black, is painted with compassion and insight. Forced to learn the White Man's ways, Tom reaches adulthood consumed by rage. Read with great vigor by Norman Dietz, the recording bursts with the energy of rodeo circuit and transports the listener to the southwest. The accurate portrayal of Tom's Ute ancestry and way of life, the sorrow and frustration of losing his heritage, and his angry retaliation at the world make this an excellent listening choice for adults and teenagers. It would also be a wonderful addition to high school units on the Native American experience.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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