Discover the Best Sellers Audiobooks in Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

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Title: Billy

Author: Pamela Stephenson

Narrator: Pamela Stephenson

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-10-06

Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

He's a comedy legend whose effortlessly wicked whimsy has enthralled audiences all over the world. His manic humor needs no introduction. But who is Billy Connolly? Where did he come from? Where does he get his material? What motivates him? What drives him crazy? And what is it like to live with him?

With insight and objectivity, Pamela Stephenson, a psychologist and Billy's wife of 10 years, takes us through his heartbreaking, hilarious life. She reveals the real Billy: from his troubled, desperately poor childhood in Glasgow's docklands to his days in radical theatres, his sold-out shows on the comedy circuit, his starring role opposite Dame Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown, and ultimately his emergence as a household name in the U.K. and the darling of Hollywood's "A" list.

Filled with riotous anecdotes from Billy's shows, personal stories, poignancy and triumph, this is the biography his adoring public has been waiting for: gritty, moving, redemptive, yet hugely entertaining.

Critic Reviews:

"A triumph of the will, an Angela's Ashes with punch lines." (Publishers Weekly)

"There's simply no one like Billy Connolly, and Stephenson's meticulous account of his artistic journey is all the more poignant as a story told by his companion." (AudioFile)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: What's It All About?

Author: Cilla Black

Narrator: Cilla Black

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-28-06

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

What's It All About? is Cilla's own story, told for the first time ever. It is the story of a woman who has worked ceaselessly to stay at the top for forty years despite setbacks and personal tragedy; a life of incredible highs and terrible lows. In this deeply personal autobiography she tells her unique story in intimate and vivid detail for the very first time. This is the real Cilla Black.

Critic Reviews:

"In What's It All About? Cilla tells her unique story in intimate and vivid detail for the very first time." (Radio Times)

"Cilla's autobiography leaves nothing out. This is a readable, likeable account of the life of a national treasure." OK magazine

"Just when we were starting to tire of insignificant celeb memoirs, along comes the amazing life story of a genuine legend. For once a wonderful life has been turned into a wonderful book." (Heat magazine)

Members Reviews:

great book by the person how lived it

THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU, HOPE THE FAMILY ALL SO HAVE SOME GOOD MEMORIES TO HOLD ONTO. WE ARE SENDING LOVE AND THANKS

Happy,Sad & then back to happy.

If you're a lover of Autobiographies this one is one to listen to. Read by Cilia herself it's really very good. Tony.

Loved reading cilla blacks autobiography

If you could sum up What's It All About? in three words, what would they be?

Entertainer, husband, boys

What other book might you compare What's It All About? to, and why?

Not sure

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Talking about being an entertainer and having a family

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When she lost her baby

Great book and great insight into Cilla's life

WONDERFUL. Loved it, such an easy listen from start to finish! Cilla has faced many challenges in her personal life, but has kept going to ensure she never let anyone down.

cilla black

like this story of cilla. was nice to read how she made it famous

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Title: Ned Sherrin

Subtitle: The Autobiography

Author: Ned Sherrin

Narrator: Ned Sherrin

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-28-06

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

In this hilarious, frank, and affecting autobiography Ned Sherrin looks back on his life and career with inimitable wit and a good deal of wisdom. In his long, successful, and event-filled career Ned Sherrin has been an innovative satirist (That Was The Week That Was), novelist, anthologist, film producer (including Up Pompeii), celebrated theatre director (Side by Side by Sondheim, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell) and BBC Radio 4 host (Loose Ends).

His autobiography offers fascinating insights into the worlds of British film, radio, TV, and theatre from the 1960s to the present day. From fainting in front of a high court judge, to matchmaking Princess Margaret and Starsky from Starsky and Hutch, he never forgets a good story, and is always happiest when the joke is on him. Famed for his charm and his keen ear for a fine anecdote, Ned Sherrin brings both talents to his autobiography, which is sure to delight and engage his many fans.

©2005 Ned Sherrin; (P)2005 Time Warner AudioBooks

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Title: The Family Comes of Age

Subtitle: An Unabridged Selection from With Ossie and Ruby

Author: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Narrator: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-13-06

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are legendary stars of the American stage, television, and film, cherished not merely for their gifts as actors but also for their lifelong commitment to human rights, family values, and community. Now, in a joint memoir that celebrates half a century of successful marriage, they look back on the extraordinary careers that earned each a Presidential Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. With Ossie and Ruby overflows with consummate storytelling skill, but it's much more than a wonderfully engaging self-portrait. For as they reminisce in alternating chapters, Ossie and Ruby offer a vivid picture of the 20th-century African-American experience, both in the rural South and the urban North.

For Ossie and Ruby, stardom and social responsibility were inseparable, so along with their theatrical stories of Broadway and Hollywood, where black actors fought to escape racial stereotypes, they offer an insider's chronicle of political commitment that drew the wrath of Senator Joe McCarthy and, later, the friendship of both Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. And, perhaps most important to them, here is the story of their private lives and the family whose love and security more than repaid the sacrifices they made.

Often funny, occasionally heartbreaking, and always clear-eyed and candid about themselves and the world they helped to shape, Ossie and Ruby have recorded a book sure to win the heart of anyone who cares about American theater, the struggle for civil rights, and the deep, inspiring values that have guided the lives of two great artists who blazed a triumphant trail.

For the first time ever, experience this archival tour de force recording.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a compelling read, effectively evoking the challenges and rewards that have attended the authors' roles as black leaders over the past 60 years." (Publishers Weekly)

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Title: Hookin' Up

Subtitle: An Unabridged Selection from With Ossie and Ruby

Author: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Narrator: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-13-06

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are legendary stars of the American stage, television, and film, cherished not merely for their gifts as actors but also for their lifelong commitment to human rights, family values, and community. Now, in a joint memoir that celebrates half a century of successful marriage, they look back on the extraordinary careers that earned each a Presidential Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. With Ossie and Ruby overflows with consummate storytelling skill, but it's much more than a wonderfully engaging self-portrait. For as they reminisce in alternating chapters, Ossie and Ruby offer a vivid picture of the 20th-century African-American experience, both in the rural South and the urban North.

For Ossie and Ruby, stardom and social responsibility were inseparable, so along with their theatrical stories of Broadway and Hollywood, where black actors fought to escape racial stereotypes, they offer an insider's chronicle of political commitment that drew the wrath of Senator Joe McCarthy and, later, the friendship of both Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. And, perhaps most important to them, here is the story of their private lives and the family whose love and security more than repaid the sacrifices they made.

Often funny, occasionally heartbreaking, and always clear-eyed and candid about themselves and the world they helped to shape, Ossie and Ruby have recorded a book sure to win the heart of anyone who cares about American theater, the struggle for civil rights, and the deep, inspiring values that have guided the lives of two great artists who blazed a triumphant trail.

For the first time ever, experience this archival tour de force recording.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a compelling read, effectively evoking the challenges and rewards that have attended the authors' roles as black leaders over the past 60 years." (Publishers Weekly)

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Title: With Ossie and Ruby

Subtitle: In This Life Together

Author: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Narrator: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-30-06

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

For Ossie and Ruby, stardom and social responsibility were inseparable, so along with their theatrical stories of Broadway and Hollywood, where black actors fought to escape racial stereotypes, they offer an insider's chronicle of political commitment that drew the wrath of Senator Joe McCarthy and, later, the friendship of both Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. And, perhaps most important to them, here is the story of their private lives and the family whose love and security more than repaid the sacrifices they made.

Often funny, occasionally heartbreaking, and always clear-eyed and candid about themselves and the world they helped to shape, Ossie and Ruby have recorded a book sure to win the heart of anyone who cares about American theater, the struggle for civil rights, and the deep, inspiring values that have guided the lives of two great artists who blazed a triumphant trail.

For the first time ever, experience this archival tour de force recording.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a compelling read, effectively evoking the challenges and rewards that have attended the authors' roles as black leaders over the past 60 years." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

It is not a love story but it is a story about love

This book was a fascinating read. It is not just a story about 2 Hollywood/Broadway icons but an in depth look at the how the surrounding culture of the day (Malcolm X, MLK, RFK, LBJ, the Vietnam War, the South, etc) affected the choices they made in life. It speaks flawlessly about the struggle for all cultures to be recognized in the business. It is not a love story but it is a story about love, commitment, honesty, work, friends, family and how all of these elements, when shared by 2 people, can lead to a lifetime of togetherness.

Five Stars

Great novel!

its like they are telling you the stories of their

Interesting book, its like they are telling you the stories of their lives

Wonderful!

I enjoy listening to this cd at least twice a month in my car, at home and at friends gatherings. This gives so many details of the daily life structure that Ossie and Ruby shared before and during marriage. There is a rich history of the lives and people they enjoyed during all of their activities, places visited, family gatherings, social events, etc. Ossie and Ruby provided us with a rich and entertain-ing historical legacy "In This Life Together"!

Easy for me to read

Ruby's writing style made it easy for me to read this book. The book gave a detailed account of these two legendary actors. I personally enjoyed reading Ruby's stories more than I did Ossie's. There were more life lessons in Ruby's stories.

Yes, it was a long book and should have been edited down to 300 pages. However my fascination with these two legends made me start reading and before I knew it I was finished.

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Title: The Unruly Life of Woody Allen

Author: Marion Meade

Narrator: Mary Woods

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-14-05

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

After almost 40 years in the spotlight, as a comedian, author, director, amateur musician, and professional neurotic, Woody Allen is a living legend whose prolific achievements are all but unparalleled in cinematic history. To fans, his films have always represented a sort of ongoing autobiography, through which Woody bared his self-deprecating, over-analytical soul to the world. It was not until 1992, when his stormy private life turned into sensational headlines, that the cracks in the familiar persona began to appear. The lines separating art and fact, myth and reality, and public and private life became increasingly blurred.

The first book to answer all the lingering questions surrounding the "Woody-Mia Scandal", The Unruly Life of Woody Allen also investigates Woody's first two marriages and gets the inside scoop on the financing of his films. In the final analysis, it has a great deal to say about the cult of celebrity in America, how it is our own infatuation with the rich and famous that has made it possible for this supremely talented man to shrewdly manipulate both the media and the movie-going public.

Critic Reviews:

"This is the complete Woody Allen, perhaps more than you wanted to know, a portrait of a complex, unfathomable human being who holds a high place in the entertainment industry." (AudioFile)

"A psychologically nuanced, tough-minded portrait." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

too much (sordid) information

I liked this book up to the last couple of chapters when it totally bogged down in the legal battles between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. I'm not sure who gets painted worse with the ugly brush in this book. Woody certainly comes off as a guy with serious neuroses and problems, but Farrow gets her share of criticism for her near-pathologic need to adopt children. The best parts are the ones that provide insight into Allen's moviemaking. If you like his stuff, buy the book and turn it off when the courtroom junk starts.

The heart gets what it wants

An interesting look at the life of Woody Allen, a man who always manages to get what he wants, mostly through dint of hard work and talent. If that fails, Meade suggests, he's not above manipulation and blaming others. This isn't a sympathetic biography, but it isn't destructive, either: Meade acknowledges Mr. Allen's talent as a filmmaker while continually reminding readers (toward the end of the book) about his indifference to anything that gets in the way of getting him what he wants, including Soon-Yi Previn. Meade reports that whole episode in detail, although other features of his life and creative process generally get equal attention (except for his work with Diane Keaton, which gets less).

The book ends before Mr. Allen's recent hits such as MATCH POINT, so its conclusion hints that his career as a filmmaker is pretty much over because of his personal life. But Meade forgets that the American public has the historical attention span of a gnat when it comes to news and an infinite capacity for forgiving anyone who provides entertainment.

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Title: Helen Hayes

Subtitle: My Life in Three Acts

Author: Helen Hayes, Katherine Hatch

Narrator: James MacArthur

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-05

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

At the same time, she reflects more seriously, and with great honesty, on the painful parts of her life: the alcoholism of those close to her; the guilt of having not spent more time with her young children; the remorse about the fact that her success overshadowed her playwright-screenwriter husband, Charles MacArthur; the difficulty of being alone after the deaths of her daughter and husband. She tells about the pleasures and discomforts that go with being a celebrity, about her retirement in Mexico, about her sense of responsibility to support causes, to help others. And, finally, she expresses her strong views on what is wrong with the American theatre today and what has always been wrong with Hollywood. An engrossing account of a rich and productive life.

Members Reviews:

A Modest Yet Captivating Portrait Of A Great Lady

Lesser known to today's audiences, Helen Hayes was once one of the most famous stars in America and abroad. Yet her autobiography is unassuming, and even modest in it's scope. She spends no time tooting her own horn, instead she credits those who helped her reach the heights of stardom, and speaks lovingly yet honestly of her husband and the demons he faced, as well as the tragic death of her daughter.Hayes paints an intensly interesting picture of life on the Broadway stage and in Hollywood, including entertaining memories of stars such as Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford.Narrated by her son,this well done and touching biography is a must listen for those who love old Hollywood and/or a well done memoir.

Class Act

Helen Hayes takes you on a trip around her life; accidently a child actor; growing up on stage; fun theatrical stories; perfect! Really enjoyed it. And the reading was great, too. She really must have been as sweet as she always looked.

A man narrates a woman's biography

Yeah...I'm having trouble with this and I think they simply missed the boat by having a man, an excellent narrator, read a woman's biography. The story is excellent and interesting. But be prepared for Helen Hayes with a very deep voice. As much as I was finding it interesting to listen to, I had to simply stop.

It's sort of creepy.

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Title: Between You and Me

Subtitle: A Memoir

Author: Mike Wallace, Gary Paul Gates

Narrator: Mike Wallace

Format: Abridged

Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-21-05

Publisher: Hyperion AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

Over the course of his career, Wallace has interviewed all but one of the presidents of the past half-century; First Ladies including Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan; cultural figures from Frank Lloyd Wright to Johnny Carson; social revolutionaries such as Malcolm X; and performers ranging from Itzhak Perlman to Tina Turner. He has also interviewed crooks and con men. And what made it onto the television screen is only part of the story, for here Wallace offers anecdotes that reveal volumes about the true character of these celebrated people, and why they did what they did.

Wallace recounts how he first got an interview with Martin Luther King, Jr., and how their friendship developed over time; the story of the Secret Service agent who felt responsible for not saving John F. Kennedy; a poignant interview with Nancy Reagan concerning her husband's Alzheimer's. Wallace tells how he infuriated all sides with his reports from the Middle East; of his conversations with Begin and Arafat; of his interviews with the shah of Iran; and of his unflinching question to the Ayatollah Khomeini. There are moments of great levity, too: with Itzhak Perlman and Shirley MacLaine.

Wallace also turns his questioning eye on his own life and career, offering a frank and frequently surprising self-portrait. And he writes of his childhood, his professional friendships, and his battle with depression.

Mike Wallace's challenging and perceptive questions often evoked reactions from famous figures that have sometimes changed minds and, occasionally, history. Between You and Me gives listeners a behind-the-scenes looks at one of the great broadcast journalists of our time.

Members Reviews:

SoSo

I'm a big fan of Wallace and this book did hold my interest but ultimately I found it rather disappointing. The summary claims "Wallace offers anecdotes that reveal volumes about the true character of these celebrated people", but I found most of the anecdotes pretty superficial. The only one that really sticks with me is where he interviews the devastated Secret Service guy who blamed himself for JFK's death. Anyway, I suspect the audio book may have lost a lot in the abridging process.

Great book

Really good book. Love that Mike Wallace did the narration. Miss his wonderful familiar voice. The only thing I wish is that it was longer !

Wish it had been available unabridged...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Sure, if they were the age to know who Mike Wallace was, and be interested in the stories he would tell.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Between You and Me?

I liked all the stories, which were on varied topics - as you would expect. The part where he discusses his fight with serious depression, and how his doctor blew him off was poignant.

What does Mike Wallace bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

HIS stories told in HIS voice. Perfect. Since he was a reporter, we are used to hearing his voice.

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Title: Warren Beatty

Subtitle: A Private Man

Author: Suzanne Finstad

Narrator: Suzanne Finstad

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Celebrity Bios

Publisher's Summary:

Through years of groundbreaking research, lauded biographer Suzanne Finstad gained unprecedented access to Beatty's family, close friends, and film colleagues, including such luminaries in the arts and politics as Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Leslie Caron, Robert Towne, Mike Nichols, and Senators John McCain, George McGovern, and Gary Hart. Weaving hundreds of these candid interviews, photographs from private albums, personal letters, diaries, and the previously unpublished papers of the late Natalie Wood, and mentors such as directors Elia Kazan and George Stevens, playwrights Clifford Odets and William Inge, and agent Charles Feldman, Warren Beatty unveils the real Beatty, a complex, sensitive visionary torn between the "fairly puritanical, football-playing boy" from Virginia and his Hollywood playboy image.

Members Reviews:

slow, dry read

Spent 2 credits on this purchase and I'm just about finished listening. Interesting person (Beatty) but the narration is flat and makes the same points over and over again. I'm 14 hours into the book and he's just finished Bonnie & Clyde. Well researched with tons of detail but the pace is s-l-o-w.

of all people......

What did you like best about this story?

I bought this book because I had nothing interesting to read...and thought it would be fun to spend some time in Hollywood in the 1960's/1970's..boy was I ever surprised...I started noticing Warren when he was on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis...he was a standout even then...but all the negative publicity written about him in his early career put me off and I never cared much for him....and then of all people I thought I could never like was Warren but this book shows he is not just smart and a true talent but just the nicest man..i enjoyed every moment I spend with Warren...and now that I have finished the book I miss him....

A Decent Story - Badly Presented

What disappointed you about Warren Beatty?

I was excited to hear the story; Beatty is an interesting guy. The narration put me off. I kept coming back, but it was so bad I ended up deleting without finishing.

What did you like best about this story?

As I'd hoped, the story is good. Beatty led a very interesting life. He's just whack enough to keep your attention.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Suzanne Finstad?

Someone. Anyone that has a bit of acting ability and life in their voice. She wrote a good book, so I suppose she figured she could do well with the recording. But like many songwriters that think they can sing ... not a good idea. It was monotone and monotonous. Almost like a kid reciting in class ... if I didn't know she'd written it, I would have said she had never heard of Warren Beatty.

What character would you cut from Warren Beatty?

The book is well-written, and all the characters are covered properly.