Laurie Woolever narrates her memoir about her life in the food industry and her addiction struggles. She gives insights into working with two of the biggest names in the industry, Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain, receiving abuse at the hands of one and compassion at the hands of the other. All the while, she admits to her less than stellar personal choices, especially when it comes to alcohol and marijuana abuse. Her narration is impactful and raw but seeks no pity. Her admissions of infidelity and initial ambivalence about motherhood are brutally honest, and listeners will root for her to sort out her life even as they cringe at her human frailty. Throughout, she pays homage to the glory of food as few people can.
Pub Date: March 11, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063327641
Publisher: Harper 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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