British journalist Toby Young should have been the best person to read his own gossipy, occasionally bitter, but mostly hilarious memoir of his time at Vanity Fair. Given the personal nature of the book--he hobnobbed with movie stars, screwed up assignments, fell in love, and generally drank too much--and his melodious BBC delivery, this production should have worked. But Young shows poor judgment by ascribing grating voices to every character. He does a passable American accent, but everyone is improbably gruff, whining, or buffoonish--even the celebrities, whom he is utterly unable to imitate. This is still a funny work, but a straight-up delivery would have allowed listeners to laugh without cringing.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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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