Friedkin's narration of his memoir is intensely and deliriously frenetic. The reading is very much like the writing--brutally individualistic and personal. With roots in early live television, the noted director of "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist" reveals little of his personal life while still being otherwise quite candid. The listener will sense an unsettling quality to his performance, which he would likely argue is consistent with an unsettled life well lived. Friedkin is very self-critical, and his highly dramatic vocal tone seems self-recriminatory throughout. Many behind-the-camera anecdotes offer a welcome education in classic films, such as the well-deserved acclaim that surrounds Welles's "Citizen Kane." This memoir is informative and entertaining, while not being sensational or especially revelatory.
Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
Duration: 19 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781480539457
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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