Narrator Lisa Stathoplos maintains a steady pace throughout this lengthy and interesting story of five female abstract expressionist painters who were often overshadowed by their more famous husbands and fellow artists. Stathoplos's thoughtfully placed emphasis on the many quotes taken from interviews, journals, and critical writings keeps the narrative exciting. Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler lived and painted their own way, never behaving as women of their time were expected to. Intimate and juicy details abound of their alcohol- and jazz-fueled interactions with the avant-garde painters and poets, writers and thinkers of their day. The audiobook, enlivened by this superb reading, educates and entertains on several levels--New York's post-WWII art scene, history as seen through the eyes of artists, and women's studies.
Pub Date: Feb. 19, 2019
Duration: 39 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549179198
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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