The daughter of an unmarried Jewish courtesan, Sarah Bernhardt (18441923), and the daughter of Italian troubadours, Eleonora Duse (18581924), became the most famous actresses of their day. Amanda Carlin's performance offers a treasure trove of anecdotes revealing the not-so-secret feud between them. Bernhardt was as flamboyant offstage as she was mesmerizing on it. She kept a pet alligator, was sexually uninhibited, and was reputed to sleep in a coffin. Duse was her polar opposite. Her acting was natural and understated, a revolutionary approach for nineteenth-century audiences used to highly stylized acting. Critics began to call Bernhardt's acting dated. Carlin's spot-on portrayal of these women who stole each other's lovers, wooed each other's playwrights, and stole roles from each other makes for highly entertaining listening.
Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2018
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781508261407
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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