Listen to this if you want to hear what should be one of the best reviewed memoirs of 2020. Tran’s story is an American immigration story, and so much more. His delivery is crisp and engaging, and maintains just the slightest element of whimsy. The memoir traces the Tran family’s remarkable journey from Vietnam to America. It also tells the author’s own journey from punk misfit to college-bound scholar. Each chapter is tied to a classic work of literature, and this conceit works well. Sometimes authors who narrate their work end up being too low-key or, worse, overexuberant. Tran succumbs to neither pitfall. If you’re a fan of memoirs and a fan of literature, this is a must- listen. J.P.S. 2020 Best Audiobook, 2021 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: April 21, 2020
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250261236
Publisher: Macmillan 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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