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Review

Review by bookpagedev

A title wave of beach paperbacks Whether you’re contemplating a trip to an exotic beach, or planning to spend the warm weather months in the back yard, you’ll want to bring along that most necessary of seasonal accouterments. No, not sunscreen. We’re talking summer reading. Especially the easy-to-tote paperback variety. A hardcover sensation, John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story, literally spent years on bestseller lists. This month the 1994 title at last debuts in soft cover (Vintage, $12, 0679751521). Never mind that Clint Eastwood’s movie version has come and gone. If you haven’t read this account of life and death and murder Savannah-style, replete with its parade of beguiling eccentrics, you’re in for a mint-julep-flavored treat. Southern accents and sensibilities also abound in Rebecca Wells’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Flashing back and forth from the 1990s to the 1960s, the book explores Siddalee’s efforts to understand her seemingly incomprehensible mother, the Louisiana magnolia Viviane, and her three chums. Booted out of a Shirley Temple lookalike contest when they were just six, the girls spent their college years blazing a bourbon-splattered trail, buffered by the motto (from a Billie Holiday tune), smoke, drink, don’t think. As much a paean to sisterhood as it is a mother-daughter tale, Ya-Ya is a kind of follow-up to Wells’s much darker first novel, Little Altars Everywhere, (HarperCollins, $13, 0060976845), and is being developed for a movie by Bette Midler’s production company. Yet another girly story is recounted in Bridget Jones’s Diary (Penguin, $12.95, 014028009X). Helen Fielding’s book which originated as a column in a London newspaper is the first-person odyssey of the thirtysomething Bridget, who is obsessed with such ’90s issues as learning to program her VCR, finding Mr. Right, and, of course, weight loss (in one year she manages to lose 72 pounds . . . and to gain 74). The producers of the quirky Four Weddings and a Funeral plan a movie version of the quirky Bridget.

Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel, by first-time novelist Arthur S. Golden, may also be headed for the screen with Steven Spielberg’s involvement. For now, enjoy it in print (Vintage, $14, 0679781587), as the geisha Sayuri details her metamorphosis from peasant child she was nine when her widowed father sold her to a geisha house to her prewar rise as a leading geisha and on to her role as mistress to a power-broker. Golden spent nine years researching and writing this intricately detailed saga, which takes us on a memorable, eye-opening journey.

And last but not least, we mustn’t forget Margaret Mitchell’s monumental (and perennially best-selling) classic, Gone with the Wind (Warner Books, $7.99, 0446365386).

Hollywood journalist Pat H. Broeske is also a biographer who has chronicled the lives of Howard Hughes and Elvis Presley.

A title wave of beach paperbacks Whether you're contemplating a trip to an exotic beach, or planning to spend the warm weather months in the back yard, you'll want to bring along that most necessary of seasonal accouterments. No, not sunscreen. We're talking summer reading.…

NonfictionAudioMemoir

Manifesto

Review by Autumn Allen

British author Bernardine Evaristo narrates the audiobook of her inspirational memoir, Manifesto: On Never Giving Up (6 hours). She reads in a measured, clear voice and steady, unwavering tone that serve some parts of the book more than others. When she tells stories—episodes of her childhood in a biracial home, for example—or connects identity, politics and creativity with truths that resonate especially with creatives of color, the clarity of her narration enhances the listening experience. However, her slow pace and lack of variation in tone cause other sections to drag, especially when they’re not as relevant to the inspirational theme at the heart of the book. Some listeners may prefer to play this audiobook at an increased speed, perhaps while engaged in other activities, so as not to lose momentum.

For focused listeners seeking an audiobook for edification, not for leisure or relaxation, Manifesto is a smart choice.

Read our review of the print edition of ‘Manifesto.’

For focused listeners seeking an audiobook for edification, not for leisure or relaxation, Manifesto is a smart choice.
NonfictionAudioMemoir

I Came All This Way to Meet You

Review by Tami Orendain

Novelist Jami Attenberg invites readers to join her in reflecting on relationships, creativity and the nature of home in her first essay collection, I Came All This Way to Meet You (6.5 hours). Her vignettes intertwine stories of her growth as an author with funny and honest ruminations on a life filled with travel and art.

Attenberg’s vulnerability in these essays, paired with narrator Xe Sands’ quiet, confident voice, makes listening to I Came All This Way to Meet You an intensely personal experience. Sands adds a shade of wistfulness to Attenberg’s wisdom with cool vocal tones, and elevates the author’s witty quips with a cheeky sensibility. Listeners will lean in to enjoy the full range of sentimentality and playfulness. It’s like sitting down with a clever friend to hear stories over cups of tea—nostalgic, conspiratorial and comfortable.

I Came All This Way to Meet You is a relaxing audiobook that will incline the listener toward restful reflection, encouraging them to discover inspiration in even the smallest moments of everyday life.

Read our starred review of the print edition of ‘I Came All This Way to Meet You.’

Nostalgic and conspiratorial, I Came All This Way to Meet You is a relaxing audiobook that will incline the listener toward restful reflection.
Children's & YAAudioYA Fiction

African Town

Review by Deborah Mason

In African Town (7 hours), co-authors Charles Waters and Irene Latham use a series of first-person narrative poems to tell the story of the Clotilda—the last American slave ship—and to reveal the fates of the enslaved passengers and their captors.

Each character’s perspective unfolds in a particular poetic structure that reflects their personality, and the audiobook cast members incorporate the cadence of these poems into their performances without ever sounding forced or contrived. Consequently, the listener experiences not only an epic story of terror, grief and heroism but also the unique humanity of each character, including the Clotilda—a ship that is infinitely more humane than her masters.

The accompanying downloadable PDF is packed with valuable information, including a glossary, timeline and additional information about the characters. African Town is an emotionally complex, searingly honest and extremely rewarding experience for teen and adult listeners alike.

Irene Latham and Charles Waters discuss ‘African Town,’ their novel in verse about the last group of Africans brought to America and enslaved.

African Town is an emotionally complex, searingly honest and extremely rewarding experience for listeners of all ages.
NonfictionAudioHumor

How to Be Perfect

Review by Autumn Allen

In How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question (9 hours), Michael Schur, creator of “The Good Place” and co-creator of “Parks and Recreation,” explores philosophical questions about how humans define good character and behavior and how to achieve it. The audiobook is read mostly by the author, whose well-paced, attentive narration keeps his humorous, personality-driven (albeit sometimes meandering) content clear and engaging.

Actors from “The Good Place” comprise the audiobook’s remaining cast, with Kristen Bell, D’Arcy Carden, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, Marc Evan Jackson, Jameela Jamil and even philosophy professor Todd May (who had a cameo on the show) bringing distinctive tones, attitudes and comedic gravitas to their performances.

This is a lively audio production for thoughtful readers interested in questions of goodness (“Should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?”), and it’s perfect for listening in both spurts or over a single long stretch. How to Be Perfect turns serious questions into playful thought exercises to aid in making better decisions with less angst.

With guest appearances from the cast of “The Good Place,” this is a lively audio production for thoughtful readers interested in moral dilemmas.
NonfictionAudioMemoir

All About Me!

Review by G. Robert Frazier

How can anyone take this man seriously? Answer: You can’t. Nor should you. And nor does he, for that matter. Mel Brooks—the multiple Tony, Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning comedian, writer, filmmaker and Broadway showman—has found reasons to laugh all his life and, thankfully, has shared that laughter with the public. Now he’s doing it again, this time with his memoir, All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business (15 hours).

In his raspy, unmistakable voice, Brooks reveals his enduring passion for such comedy classics as Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs and History of the World, Part I, as well as his respect for his relationships with showbiz luminaries Sid Caesar, Gene Wilder, Anne Bancroft and more. Even Brooks’ most personal memories of growing up in Brooklyn are peppered with his trademark sense of humor.

It’s easy to hear that Brooks had fun telling these stories, which clearly hold a distinct place in his heart. They’ll find a way into yours, too.

Mel Brooks has found reasons to laugh all his life and has shared that laughter with the public. Now he’s doing it again, this time with his memoir.
FictionAudio

Olga Dies Dreaming

Review by Mari Carlson

In Xochitl Gonzalez’s novel, Olga Dies Dreaming (11.5 hours), successful wedding planner Olga navigates the world of wealthy New Yorkers while pursuing answers about her Puerto Rican heritage, her mother’s history and her own future love.

Olga attends her cousin’s wedding while in love for the first time, but the ominous reappearance of her mother’s presence clouds the possibilities laid before her. Meanwhile, Olga’s congressman brother holds big stakes in a bill that addresses Puerto Rico’s debt to the United States.

Opposing forces—Puerto Rican and American identities, wealth and poverty, religion and activism—rule the narrative. Three bilingual actors of Puerto Rican descent—Almarie Guerra, Armando Riesco and Inés del Castillo—give voice to Olga, her brother and mother, their stories unfolding through a multifaceted plot layered with political, financial and personal dramas. The narrators’ accents and code-shifting create a vibrant auditory experience. In particular, Guerra’s luscious voice conveys Olga’s transformation from fighter to a compassionate woman as she overcomes dualities and finds wholeness within herself.

Xochitl Gonzalez unpacks her striking debut, ‘Olga Dies Dreaming.’

Three bilingual actors give voice to Xochitl Gonzalez’s multifaceted novel, which is layered with political, financial and personal drama.
NonfictionAudioMemoir

Will

Review by Mari Carlson

Actor and rapper Will Smith considered himself a coward for many years. As a boy, he was scared of his abusive, perfectionist dad from whom he wished he could protect his mom. He discovered that performing, both musically and as an actor, mitigated the risk of vulnerability with the chance to gain everything. His onstage humor, charm and originality won him worldwide fame and love—but also cost him. In Will (16.5 hours), Smith tells his incredible true story of rising, falling and discovering himself.

In the same way he studies his TV and film characters, Smith analyzes himself through vivid, theatrical anecdotes and stark metaphors. Rickety basement stairs become a descent into hell, and a game of Monopoly turns into a contest between success and death. Through his clear narration, Smith becomes not just a character but also himself, and the listener can easily “get” him.

As Smith relates his story of learning how to move beyond simply surviving to thriving, his delivery is spot on, with masterful imitations of family members, friends and colleagues. Musical interludes and background music create a soundscape from which epiphanies burst brilliantly. Smith’s autobiography is a hero myth for readers seeking self-awareness.

Will Smith’s autobiography is a hero myth for readers seeking self-awareness.
NonfictionAudioHistory

The 1619 Project

Review by Deborah Mason

In 2019, the New York Times Magazine published 10 articles written by a team headed by Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones. Collectively known as the 1619 Project, these essays argue that the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Virginia in 1619 ​​was a defining event for our nation, one that has affected basically every aspect of life in the centuries since. The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story (19 hours) expands on this original work with additional essays and literary works.

The essays alone would have made compelling listening, but the pairing of historical analysis with artistic interpretation makes the audiobook especially moving. Some pieces are read with great passion, such as Hannah-Jones’ “Democracy.” Others, like Khalil Muhammed’s reading of “The Sugar Trade,” have a determined objectivity that underscores the human misery behind the historical fact. But nothing compares to the gut punches delivered by ZZ Packer’s short story “An Absolute Massacre” or Rita Dove’s poem “Youth Sunday.”

The audiobook’s variety of voices and styles allows the listener to understand American history on a profoundly human level. The result is a powerful lesson not only about what our history is but also how it feels.

Read our starred review of the print edition of ‘The 1619 Project.’

The variety of voices and styles in The 1619 Project audiobook allows the listener to understand American history on a profoundly human level.
AudioFantasy

The Eye of the World

Review by G. Robert Frazier

The success of Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of the late Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series is enticement enough to revisit his epic fantasy novels, which debuted in 1990. But even more exciting is listening to the new audiobook of book one in the series, The Eye of the World (33 hours), narrated by Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winning British actor Rosamund Pike. Pike stars in the series as Moiraine Damodred, whose quest is to find a hero to defeat the Dark One, and she brings a unique familiarity to the characters and storyline.

Previously recorded by narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading for the 2004 audiobook, The Eye of the World benefits from Pike’s smooth voice and dramatic, slower-paced rendering, which extend the length of this edition by almost three hours. She gently invites the listener into Jordan’s richly detailed world before powerfully amplifying the high stakes and tension.

Through her smooth, dramatic performance, award-winning actor Rosamund Pike amplifies the new audiobook of book one in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series.
AudioFantasy

Good Omens

Review by Anna Zeitlin

Good Omens (12 hours) is the most fun you’ll have at the apocalypse. Amazon adapted the 1990 novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett into a TV series in 2019, and while fans wait for the second season, they’re rewarded with this audiobook update featuring an all-star cast, including the show’s two lead actors. David Tennant reprises his role as Crowley, a demon tasked with overseeing the end times but who is rather enjoying life on Earth. His portrayal comes off as part sardonic badass, part buffoon. Likewise, actor Michael Sheen returns as foppish and erudite Aziraphale, the angel who is happy to help Crowley thwart Armageddon despite their supposed enmity. Both actors have a long list of Shakespearean stage credits to their names, and their performances here are some of the best character work ever recorded on audiobook.

Rebecca Front, known for her BAFTA-winning role in the British comedy series “The Thick of It,” provides the perfect narration to balance the weight of the topic with the silliness of the execution. An ensemble cast rounds out the other characters.

Good Omens would make great listening for a road trip, especially for families with precocious tweens and teenagers.

An updated audiobook with an all-star cast, Good Omens is the most fun you’ll have at the apocalypse.
Audio

Act Like You Got Some Sense

Review by Maya Fleischmann

In this often hilarious and consistently stirring performance, comedian, actor and all-around celebrity Jamie Foxx dishes on his toughest role: being a father. Throughout Act Like You Got Some Sense: And Other Things My Daughters Taught Me (6 hours), Foxx brings honesty and heart to touching stories about his childhood—growing up with an absent mother and being raised by a loving and unyielding grandmother—and shows how these experiences guided him when he became a parent. Foxx’s impersonations of family members are dynamic and animated, as are his exasperated (and sometimes expletive-filled) responses to the trials and tribulations of parenthood.

In an equally candid and heartwarming foreword, Foxx’s eldest daughter, Corinne, affirms that, despite some unconventional parenting, her father always showed up for her and her sister, and always conveyed his love for his family. Throughout his rise to fame, Foxx’s continual efforts to stay grounded and live by the values instilled in him by his grandmother shine through in the raising of his daughters.

This inspiring, raucous and entertaining listening experience brims with attitude and positivity about embracing parenthood and the ups and downs of life.

In this often hilarious and consistently stirring performance, comedian, actor and all-around celebrity Jamie Foxx dishes on his toughest role: being a father.
Audio

The Boys

Review by G. Robert Frazier

Happy days are here again. Or perhaps should we say, happier days.

That’s the first impression when listening to the soft-spoken, down-home tones of Ron Howard, better known to the world as forever young Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham of “Andy Griffith” and “Happy Days,” respectively. In The Boys (13 hours), Howard takes turns with his brother, Clint, also a child actor in “Gentle Ben,” to reminisce about their memories of being icons to millions of adoring viewers in the 1960s and ’70s.

Both Howards emphasize how their parents guided their lives as child actors through encouragement and strong values, even at the expense of their own Hollywood careers. Ron’s dulcet tones are offset to a degree by Clint’s grittier voice, but somehow the pair complement each other to perfection. Their sincerity and admiration for their parents’ influence echo in every memorable, heartfelt passage.

If you didn’t know better, you’d swear you were sitting at the family dinner table as the Howard boys regaled you with stories of their early days in Hollywood.

If you didn’t know better, you’d swear you were sitting at the family dinner table as the Howard boys regaled you with stories of their early days in Hollywood.

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