Narrator Paul Michael is a good companion for the long haul; he helps keep this lengthy, detailed biography interesting and enjoyable. His voice is likable, and he handles pacing, the matching of tone to sense, and the intelligent shaping of sentences with an easy facility. His reading is sober without being drab and avoids theatricality, something welcome in serious nonfiction, especially at this length. Though his impersonations of Henry Kissinger are unconvincing, he makes generally adept use of chances to "do a voice." A minor failing is his pronunciation of foreign words and names. While mostly correct, they're delivered with a hesitation that makes them sound awkward. Still, his skilled reading keeps this long life story engaging.
Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2014
Duration: 41 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780553398762
Publisher: Random House 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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