The author's kind voice, lacking polish but always understandable, is essential to the enormous appeal of this thoughtful memoir. With his conversational delivery full of warmth and equanimity, the Philadelphia journalist charts how he decided to move back to the tiny town of his youth after seeing how that community responded to his younger sister's grave illness. Dreher's complicated feelings toward Ruthie and a variety of townspeople serve as a backdrop for the author's exploration of two issues: the oppression of small town life as compared to the lifelines it provides and the search for an identity that expresses one's intellectual inclinations but includes loving relationships with those are not so inclined. It's a memorable and easy-to-hear lesson on learning what's true in important relationships.
Pub Date: April 16, 2013
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781619691797
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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