This memoir is a marvelous listening experience of particular interest to Baby Boomers, whose childhood and adolescence coincided with the evolution of the California sound of rock music as epitomized by the Beach Boys. Mike Love was a founding member of the group and cowriter (with Brian Wilson) of many of their hit tunes. While his narration reflects his advancing years, no one else could have provided his authenticity. His delivery is steady, thoughtful, sincere, and occasionally emotional as well. His mellow tone, while quite slow and deliberate, is reminiscent of the idealized laid-back California lifestyle the Beach Boys sang about. Intrigues, facts, and dysfunctional aspects of the Wilson brothers and their cousins, the Loves, as they changed their family history and American music are entertainingly presented.
Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780735288836
Publisher: Penguin 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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