Fans of the celebrated musician Rickie Lee Jones will be delighted to hear her narrate her autobiography, which is focused on family memories and making music. Jones is as giving with her delivery as she is with her story. She reaches back through the years--all the way back to her mother's childhood--in a revealing, raspy voice laced with a country twang. Listeners will sink into this experience, which is punctuated by Jones singing short songs between chapters. She doesn't flinch when recounting the harsh years experienced by her mother and uncles as orphans during the Great Depression. While some listeners may find aspects of the gritty realism distressing, Jones's easy and fluid delivery has the flair of an expert storyteller's.
Pub Date: April 13, 2021
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797129969
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A memoir that doesn’t break any records but is elevated by Hall’s authenticity.
Sara Hall has had an impressively long career as an elite distance runner. She has juggled being a professional athlete with raising four daughters with her husband, who is also a former professional runner. Her easygoing and conversational performance both understates and emphasizes her ambition and integrity. Hall’s evangelical Christian faith is central to her story; at times, she’s had to push back against those who believed she should put her husband’s needs and career before her own. A long-distance run can generate a multitude of emotions. Hall tracks those feelings as she recounts her disappointment about never making an Olympic team, her constant battles with injuries, and her joy at breaking American records, achieving personal bests, and creating a family.
A memoir that doesn’t break any records but is elevated by Hall’s authenticity.Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 39 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250445605
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
Thanks to Hodge’s most enjoyable narration, this is a tasty treat.
British actress Patricia Hodge’s narration of Berry’s reflections is high-toned, crisp, and professional. Berry, now 91, offers her first book about gardening after dozens of cookbooks. Berry is a familiar face to BBC and PBS viewers, and here she enthusiastically shares the meaning gardening has for her. In this lightly sketched family memoir, she details the plants she loves to grow and identifies the people who have inspired her. Hodge's performance is particularly keen when Berry discusses being named a Dame of the British Empire and focuses on her charitable efforts, which include opening her personal gardens for events and tours.
Thanks to Hodge’s most enjoyable narration, this is a tasty treat.Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 5 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217303137
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
