You'll have a hard time believing that it's not P.D. James speaking here, so precisely does June Barrie's mature voice and delivery match what the celebrated British mystery writer says about herself. Using the device of a yearlong diary as a jumping-off point, the 70-something James highlights various events in her busy life and, in turn, uses those events as a springboard to discuss milestones in her personal history or to air her views on everything from the future of the BBC to the outcome of many of England's best-known murder trials. James and Barrie are by turn witty, outspoken, cautionary, peevish, and informative. One senses a lively intellect and great strength of purpose here. A lady who lives largely amid the public, on tour and at dinners with legions of notables, she nevertheless treasures her privacy. Her irritation at noisy restaurants and intrusive cell phones is as obvious as her desire not to dwell on her husband's mental illness and early death. James, like most writers, is sensitive to others' interpretations of her work. One hopes she likes this excellent reading--and Barrie is forgiven for mispronouncing "Houston."
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
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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