This intellectual, original audiobook utilizes the literary technique introduced by Gertrude Stein whereby one's partner writes a supposed autobiography of the person they love. Here, gay writer and critic Lin tells the story of her Vietnamese American spouse and the key moments of her life. In a steady, self-possessed voice, Rebecca Lam relates the stories of Lan Thao's early life and also recounts reminiscences of later years, including Lan Thao's responses to 9/11, cancer, the pandemic, and racial slights. Lam reads this presumptive autobiography in a cool, detached manner, which tends to remove the listener from the scene at hand but still highlights the beauty of the prose. This audiobook defies traditional genres and focuses attention on issues of both national and sexual identity.
Pub Date: Dec. 23, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798349162084
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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