The writer for television's "Jane the Virgin," Rafael Agustin, narrates his own experiences as a child in this audiobook about leaving his pampered childhood in Ecuador to join his parents as they search for the American Dream in the 1990s. As young Rafa tries to learn how to reconcile his knowledge of American movies with the real America he has moved to, he learns that his legal status as an immigrant is not as secure as he previously believed. Listeners experience Agustin's real joy and exasperation as he describes learning to be an American. His pacing, emphasis, and inflection give this audiobook the poignancy and the sometimes laugh-out-loud moments it truly deserves.
Pub Date: July 12, 2022
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668604519
Publisher: Hachette 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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