Language impacts the world in so many ways, and in this audiobook listeners will discover how a secret language known as Rotwelsch led author Martin Puchner to discover his sordid family history. In audio, a book about language can be more powerful than its printed version, but will succeed only when, as here, the narrator delivers the words with a casual confidence that lends credibility to every word. Whether speaking Yiddish, Rotwelsch, or another language, Qarie Marshall reads flawlessly. The audiobook, complex yet never boring, raises troubling issues, including the Nazi allegiance of close family members. Marshall's delivery reflects the work well. His style is direct, yet he excels in those moments that reveal Puchner's emotional turmoil, such as when he discovers family secrets best left hidden.
Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2020
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781662040283
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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