This audiobook should probably have been titled BABITZ AND DIDION as the author's real affection centers on writer/artist Eve Babitz, rather than writer Joan Didion. Anolik is a breezy, hip, self-indulgent, yet observant author. She often addresses the listener directly, sharing her methods and insights. As narrator, her voice takes some getting used to. But press on. Emma Roberts is the stronger performer. The stories of the two talented writers are captivating. They were exact opposites: Didion, diminutive and coolly ironic, did not want to be noticed; Babitz did. Sexually adventurous and bisexual, Babitz designed rock album covers before becoming a writer. Didion's and Babitz's lives intersected--until they didn't. Didion, who helped Babitz get published, was even editing her novel until Babitz "fired" her.
Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668112465
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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