This audiobook opens with a necessary heaviness. Smith relives the moment she lost her mother, and the weight of her grief is so real, so palpable, that it can be difficult to hear. But this memoir is more of a celebration of life as it unfolds, and Smith re-creates her childhood experiences and the people in them with grace and precision. While her writing has a poet's flowing and clear style, her performance can be somewhat halting and stilted. Thankfully, this self-conscious feeling diminishes somewhat as the narration progresses, but it can lead to a disappointingly distant effect. Her delivery of dialogue shines, however, and her contemplative moments are wonderfully explored.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781490675954
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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