Will Schwalbe (THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB) creates a hybrid of recommended books, life advice, and memoir in this audio collection of short essays. Delivering the author's commentary on various books and their value-- to himself and to the world--narrator Jeff Harding provides good timing and appropriate energy. He deftly moves from speaking in a solidly projecting mode for Schwalbe's discussions of books to a modest yet emotionally charged tone when voicing the more intimate details of Schwalbe's life. Harding's deep pitch and throaty timbre add a roughness to the narration that, at times, can sound a bit too harsh for the content. While his voice and Schwalbe's prose don't entirely align, he's able to lighten his delivery from time to time in a way that works well.
Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2016
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780553398120
Publisher: Random House 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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