Most mothers call their adult children occasionally, sometimes with requests for grandchildren. Bartók’s mom, a schizophrenic pianist who ended up homeless, phoned up to 30 times daily, with warnings for her daughter about the dangers of backpacks and pending Nazi attacks. Hillary Huber’s melodic voice and crystal-clear diction provide a strong framework for this memoir of a chaotic life. As Bartók builds her palace of remembrances, Huber’s steady and calming tones provide the mortar that binds listeners to the heartbreaking story. Drawing on her brilliant mother’s journals and the science of understanding memory, Bartók recounts agonizing years of fear and difficult decisions. Huber’s straightforward narration is punctuated with notes of pain as Bartók’s mother rants. Fascinating portrayals of Bartók’s European friends provide balance and relief. Few listeners will leave this palace dry-eyed.
Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2011
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
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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