Narrator Mike Chamberlain gives a staid performance of this memoir about writer Peter Heller's introduction to surfing in his 40s, an undertaking that eventually led him to devote a full year to his quest to become an adept surfer. Heller meets a lot of colorful characters when he and his girlfriend, Kim, take off in a converted van to spend a year along the Pacific Coast in California and Mexico. Chamberlain gives each character an accent or slight change in tone. But the focus is always on the story itself, which explores Heller's journey while also delving into the history of surfing, environmental issues, the nature of obsession, and finding meaning in life.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2016
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 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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