Oh, what fun! An audiobook biography of Edward Gorey, whom most people know through his drawings, especially those used in the opening credits of PBS's "Masterpiece Mystery." Those works are famously dark, spare, black and white, and evidence of a mind that moved in a different direction from most people's. As an artist, he's whimsical, but many times his work crushes those with whom we sympathize. Narrator Adam Sims uses his deep, deliberate voice to create a dark atmosphere supportive of Gorey's vision. In some ways he succeeds, but overall his narration is scratchy and slow. Sims certainly pronounces every word and tries to keep listeners moving through what was a complicated life. Too often, though, his voice loses distinction, his tone gets too low, and he doesn't have the range to enliven the author's words.
Pub Date: Dec. 18, 2018
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549123474
Publisher: Hachette 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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