In the words of the American lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, "There's always one you can't forget." Narrator James Langton bears listeners on the waves of memory with a lightness in his polished British voice that belies the sadness of a love affair never meant to last. Brinkley-Rogers recalls his profound relationship with an older woman named Yukiko while stationed in Japan in 1959 at the age of 19. Langton gives Yukiko a lilting, sweet voice with the subtly clipped tones of someone whose first language is not English. Even the raw parts of the story are told with an earnestness that speaks to the goodness of the world, and the listener can't help but fall into the tale. This is a work that is profoundly human and lovingly rendered.
Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508230625
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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