Ironic and acerbic as only Kurt Vonnegut can be, these dark essays will offer comfort to those who recognize and see through the political smokescreen of feel-good-ness pervasive in our overweight, undereducated society. Others will scream, "Foul!" or "Love it or leave it!" Vonnegut likens the Bush administration (and Americans in general) to addicts, addicted to power and addicted to oil, willing to do terrible things in order to get its fix. Norman Dietz does a reading that channels the 82-year-old Vonnegut. He GETS all the sarcasm, never misses a salvo, and brings clarity and wit to each of Vonnegut's assertions and anecdotes. Whether listeners agree or disagree with the commentary, Dietz's narration hits with just the right combination of distance and concern.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 2 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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