Candace Thaxton's almost wistful narration sets an appropriately nostalgic tone for this beautiful, perceptive memoir. From a young age, Meredith May and her brother were emotionally rejected by their divorced, mentally ill mother and treated coldly by their grandmother. Thaxton infuses Meredith's drug-addled mother with almost hysterical insecurity and her grandmother with a harsh indifference to the children's abuse. The guiding, loving adult in their young lives was Meredith's grandfather, an eccentric and thoughtful man who raised bees and harvested their honey in an old bus. Thaxton portrays Grandpa's sensible life lessons with gentle kindness. May's insightful writing--she became a successful newspaper reporter--reveals respect and affection not only for her grandpa but also for the lessons to be learned from bees.
Pub Date: April 2, 2019
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488205958
Publisher: Harlequin 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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