Theater director Kenny Leon's natural performance of his memoir is especially touching as he recounts a life filled with love, gratitude, and deep reflection. Leon takes listeners back to growing up in Florida with his Grandma Mamie, his lodestar, and his artistic, conservative mother, Annie Ruth. He also describes times of personal doubt as an actor/director with the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, his initial meeting and work with renowned playwright August Wilson, and his success as a Tony Award winner. His narration allows for an honest but never maudlin evaluation of his mistakes as he ponders his life's purpose. The best advice his Grandma gave him? "The only limits are the ones you set yourself. You have all you need in you right now." Inspiring listening.
Pub Date: June 5, 2018
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478994831
Publisher: Hachette 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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