Marion Winik met Tony Heubach in New Orleans during the debauched celebrations of Mardi Gras 1982. She was a self-described "crazy romantic poetess" and he a "gay ice-skater," but their chemistry was instantaneous and explosive, if complicated. In 1986, they were married--despite the skepticism of friends and family--and made a home in Austin, Texas, raising two sons. By 1994, Tony was dead of AIDS, a heartbreaking ordeal that closes this memoir, originally published in 1996. For the book's 30th anniversary, the author has recorded its first audiobook edition. Winik (THE BIG BOOK OF THE DEAD) brings immediacy to the tale, modulating her voice as she moves from antic descriptions of the couple's drug-fueled escapades to the lyricism of a hushed, candlelit deathbed scene. A unique love story, brought to life in an animated retelling.
Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217290604
Publisher: Random House 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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