At age 47, Simon Armitage spent three weeks hiking Great Britain's Pennine Way, a trail starting in Derbyshire and crossing into Scotland. He took help from strangers and gave poetry readings each night. Like his journey, Armitage's account rambles, going into asides that let listeners into his thoughts as he walked. Side trips include the reuse of stones from Hadrian's Wall and how Beatles songs relate to his walk. Listeners will also be able to experience his senses of things like the odor of creosote from a freshly fortified utility pole. Usually, he's good at setting the stage, describing a village's barns and trains. Still, there is an occasional monotony to his voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781782110330
Publisher: Canongate
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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