McMurtry fondly, if not originally, evokes the post-Civil War West in this loosely organized story told by spunky Nellie Courtright. Brought to life by actress Annie Potts, Nellie tells how she and her brother seek their fortune on their own after the suicide of their father. With all the appeal of a tall tale, the story intersperses a quirky cast of fictional characters with such historical figures as Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickok, the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and Billy the Kid. Potts flawlessly narrates as though recounting her personal experience, using an understated Western accent that balances McMurtry’s characteristic humor and exaggeration. This is an enjoyable example of an audiobook improving on its print version.
Pub Date: June 5, 2006
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780743565264
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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