Author Savala Nolan uses her voice to full effect in her narration of this collection of essays about Black womanhood and the complicated realities of living in a racialized body. Her narration, like her prose, has heft. Her voice is full of life, inviting yet firm. She often pauses at the end of meaningful passages, allowing their full impact to sink in. The essays themselves are emotionally compelling and full of critical insight. Nolan explores the complexities of mixed-race identity, Black motherhood, interracial friendships, sexism in popular culture, and the lives of the Black women enslaved by her white ancestors. Her narration is so natural that it often seems like she's speaking directly to the listener, looking them in the eye as if to say: "Pay attention."
Pub Date: July 13, 2021
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797129273
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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