Discover the New Releases Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs Top 100

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Title: Where the Blind Horse Sings

Subtitle: Love and Healing at an Animal Sanctuary

Author: Kathy Stevens

Narrator: Amy Rubinate

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-13-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

More than anything else, this is a book about love. In this deeply moving account, you will hear about Rambo, a sheep who informs the staff when another animal is in trouble; and Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with humans; Dino, an old toothless pony who survived a fire; and many more. Alongside these horses, roosters, pigs, sheep, rabbits, cows, and other animals is a staff of loving humans for whom every animal life, even that of a frog rushed to the vet for emergency surgery, has merit. Reading this book can profoundly - and joyously - change your life.

Editorial Reviews:

After giving up a successful career as a teacher, Kathy Stevens bought a run-down old farm to create the Catskills Animal Sanctuary, a safe haven for abused and unwanted animals. Amy Rubinate's warm performance creates the perfect complement to Stevens' anecdotes of a guardian sheep, aquaphobic duck, titular blind horse, and many more. It is heartening to hear the tales of such charming animals being saved by someone as caring as Stevens, and Where the Blind Horse Sings is a moving collection of stories that shows the rehabilitative power of love.

Members Reviews:

What story?

I'm sure there is a delightful heartwarming story in here somewhere. And I know animal cruelty is an important issue but the constant long rants are like those too long too frequent television commercials. They distract from the story. And I paid money for a story. The narrator's voice is soft and sexy, more suited to a romance than a rant on animal cruelty. I wasted my money. I did not finish the book.

Beautiful!

Just finished listening to this book on Audible. It's a 'must' for anyone who has a heart for the animals & it's a classic read. Gentle, loving, compassionate, caring, giving, real & Kathy introduces you to some of the individual, unique rescued creatures that make Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) their haven & home & a little insight into what it takes to make it tick. I have great admiration for this woman, (along with her staff, volunteers & the Board.) A wonderful introduction to how the lives of animal creatures & us humans are interwoven & the most frank challenge at the end to ask what 'you' will do to stand in the gap and advocate on 'their' behalf.

Highly recommended & really looking forward to reading Kathy's next book.

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Title: Should I Not Return

Author: Jeffrey Babcock

Narrator: Jeffrey T. Babcock

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-22-13

Publisher: Jeff Babcock Productions.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Should I Not Return is the story of a young east coast climber, who joins his brother in Alaska to climb Mount McKinley. What set their climb apart from those before it, and even those afterward, was a disaster of such magnitude that it became know as North America's worst mountaineering tragedy. Prior to July of 1967 only four men had ever perished on Denali, and then, in one fell swoop, Denali - like Melville's, Great White Whale, Moby Dick - indiscriminately took the lives of seven men.

The brothers survive one danger after another: a terrible train accident, a near drowning in the McKinley River, an encounter with a large grizzly, a 60 foot plunge into a gaping crevasse, swept away by a massive avalanche, and finally a climactic escape from the terror of 100 mph winds while descending from the summit. Should I Not Return is a one of a kind cliffhanger packed with danger, survival under the worst conditions, and heroism on the Last Frontier s most treasured trophy - the icy slopes of Denali, North America s tallest mountain - Mount McKinley.

Members Reviews:

Amazing Story. It made my hikes truly stupendous.

Where does Should I Not Return rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

It was one of the best audible books i have downloaded to date!! The authors voice captures each character in a deep and personal way.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It turned a simple hour hike into a three hour hike when i first started listening. I finished the rest at my house later the next day. I didnt want to put it down.

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Title: Narrow Margins

Author: Marie Browne

Narrator: Lucy Scott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-25-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Narrow Margins is the true story of one family's journey from the financial crash of the Rover car company to an alternative and better lifestyle. Faced with the loss of everything - the house, the cars, and more importantly, their rather lazy and indolent lifestyle - Marie Browne and her family took on the challenge of a whole new way of life.

Strapped for cash, the family buy a decrepit 70ft barge called Happy Go Lucky which had been run as a floating hotel. Outdated and in need of a complete refurbishment, Happy becomes their floating home. First they need to learn the ropes and many pitfalls beset their adventures. As they come to terms with living on a narrow boat, listeners gain a fascinating insight into life in the slow lane.

Marie Browne is a gently harassed mother of three who, for the past 15 years, has been desperately trying to escape the Customer Service Industry. Apart from her husband and kids, the best things in her life are real ale; barbecues; ugly mad dogs that nobody else wants and cream-covered designer coffees. She also has an obsession with shoes, but her husband is threatening to get her help for that.

Members Reviews:

I can't say I enjoyed this book

though there was nothing "wrong" with it either - just sort of ... there. Her family and friends never really came alive to me, so the tales of school and custody, etc. didn't mean much, while the more slapstick elements of mishaps onboard sometimes struck me as "guess you had to be there" being highly visual (or olfactory in the case of the septic troubles). The story was well written, and filled time, but I doubt I'd be interested in the planned sequel about their new boat. Narration was good, so probably better heard than read.

lazy day boat book

Rather uninteresting, yet endearing. Excellent narration, the story itself is rather un-spicy. The book gets better late middle through the end, and ends abruptly. The narration goes overboard with uninteresting boating foibles, and unfortunately the protagonist is presented as a incompetent ninny for much of the book. (Surprising due to the author being female.)

Loved it!

If you could sum up Narrow Margins in three words, what would they be?

Captivating funny, colourful.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Narrow Margins?

Getting stuck on the mud banks!

What about Lucy Scotts performance did you like?

Easy going , interesting.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Immerse yourself in the journey, follow the ups and downs of a fascinating family life.

Any additional comments?

I just loved this book, having had many holidays on the canals and waterways with family and animals, I felt every moment, it brought back many happy memories and I understood every emotion they went through . More please!!

fabulous

I loved every minute of this heartwarming, funny and honest account of life afloat. Me and my husband are considering living on a narrowboat, this wonderful book has done nothing to dampen our spirits or change our minds!

boat of my dreams

Absolutely fan. Loved it!!!! Can't think of a better way to spend my time than listening to this book

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Title: Laughing in the Hills

Author: Bill Barich

Narrator: Kevin Foley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-21-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

This wonderful 1980 horse racing classic never loses its luster or charm. Author Bill Barich explores the day-to-day internal world of horse racing - from the backside to the backstretch. This entertaining story of the lives and tribulations of various racetrack personalities is sure to extract every human emotion.

The author's summer adventure after a family tragedy finds him living the life many diehard racing enthusiasts wish they could. Barich's adventure discovers more than he could ever imagine about something much bigger than racing - life itself.

Members Reviews:

Great insight into daily life at a horse track

This book came highly recommended and did not disappoint.

I walked away learning a lot and surprisingly it turns out I mirror the author's betting approach; numbers, and hunches, and luck, o my!

I had a bit of trouble with the analogies/parallels the author used comparing "ancient" Italian political maneuvering with the machinations and possibilities at the track. Had the author been reading books about plumbing instead of Italian-history back at his motel, would he have compared the track to sweating copper pipe and installing toilet seals? Sometimes when you read a great book and you bump into unneeded "cerebral" stuff a reader feels like the author is trying to prove to an ivy league crowd that he/she was paying attention during European History classes. Me? I'd have preferred a bit more great track stories that this ink took up.

Laughing in the Hills or Is this Horse Sense?

Ever gone to a horse race at a second tier track? Kinda like an Indian Casino as opposed to Nevada style. Where do losers go to win? Read some of Bukowski's take on racetracks. Read Bukowski for the polarity. Read Barich for the portrait of a funky cool world that allowed Bukowski to riff his jazz. LITHills worked for me. The character is honest and observant or am I another hoodwinked sucker? NO!

This book is a great insight into one of our precious and fragile sub-cultures that almost all of us will never experience. May we all have a own story to tell before we check out. May our story be at least as cool. Take it to the 7th Generation, Oh Yeah!

Over and Out, BBHX

A Masterpiece

Probably the most intelligent, well written book ever published on horse racing. To call it a "sports book" or even a racing book really misses the mark, for it certainly transcends that topic-while it includes gritty and and closely observed descriptions of track life, Barich ultimately portrays racing as a kind of metaphor for life. His unique insights and voice as a writer elevate this gem into the stratosphere of contemporary literature.

Five Stars

Good

Good view into the day to day racing world!

This book gives a very well written view into the day to day world of horse racing, only from behind the scenes with the common folks and common horses. It is one mans' summer adventure after a family tragedy to live the racing from betting to finding out all the Sport of Kings offered. The thoughts of the author as he went from day to day in this world was educational, calming, and realistic - including non-exciting. If you're looking for action, read "Seabisquit" or other more fast paced books about this area. If you're looking for the deep thoughts about the people, places, and things, you've found a winner.

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Title: The Cost of Hope

Author: Amanda Bennett

Narrator: Amanda Bennett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-17-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

From Pulitzer Prize winner Amanda Bennett comes a moving, eye-opening, and beautifully written memoir - a love story of two unusual people, their complex marriage and deep devotion, and finally, Bennetts quest to save her husbands life.

When Wall Street Journal reporter Amanda Bennett meets the eccentric, infuriating, yet somehow irresistible Terence Bryan Foley while on assignment in China, the last thing she expects is to marry him. They are so different - classic and bohemian, bow ties and batik, quirky and sensible. But Terence is persistent.

"You are going to be somebody," he tells her. "Youre going to need somebody to take care of you."

Though initially as combative as their courtship, their marriage brings with it stormy passion, deep love and respect, two beloved children, and a life together over two decades. Then comes illness, and the fight to win a longer life for Terence.

The Cost of Hope chronicles the extraordinary measures Amanda and Terence take to preserve not only Terences life but also the life of their family. After his death, Bennett uses her skills as a veteran investigative reporter to determine the cost of their mission of hope. What she discovers raises important questions many people face, and vital issues about the intricacies of Americas healthcare system.

Rich in humor, insight, and candor, The Cost of Hope is an unforgettable memoir, an inspiring personal story that sheds light on one of the most important turning points in life.

Members Reviews:

BABY BOOMERS DIE TOO

At every stage of our lives, Baby Boomers have changed the status quo. I guess we'll change dying too, I'm just not sure how. Will we opt for more miracle cures that don't cure? More redundant CAT scans? More dying in hospitals? Or will we accept that everyone dies and one more Thanksgiving won't make a difference in the long run. I guess I won't be around to find out.

Loved the book

As a health care professional this story really made me think -having just lost my father and having to fight to have him die without excessive testing and invasive procedures was difficult . For anyone not in health care it's near impossible .

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Title: Kid Rex

Subtitle: The Inspiring True Account of a Life Salvaged from Despair, Anorexia and Dark Days in New York City

Author: Laura Moisin

Narrator: Arielle DeLisle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

After knowing friends with anorexia and being baffled by their behavior, Laura Moisin suddenly found herself prone to the same disease - not eating at all and going weeks at a time consuming nothing but water and the occasional black coffee. Deceiving therapists by misleading them with symptoms of depression, her anorexia is prolonged, and her health deteriorates rapidly.

Recognizing that she has a serious disorder, she quickly finds a therapist working at her university and openly confesses that shes an anorexic seeking treatment. Her therapist looks at her doubtfully and says, shockingly, "No, I dont think youre an anorexic.

Already swirling in a state of confusion, the attacks on New Yorks World Trade Center - an event the author witnessed first-hand from her apartment - only accelerate her path to further self-destruction.

Without preaching, this memoir offers a reassuring first-hand voice for the many who suffer silently, and provides strength for family and friends to help heal destructive behaviors.

Members Reviews:

Kid Brat: Uninspiring vapid delusional tirades....

Can I give this negative stars?

I've read many books from this genre. This one made me angry, and as I continued to listen I felt less and less empathetic for the author. I hate to be so negative, but the only good thing about this book was when I was finished with it. In hind-sight I should have cut my losses and saved myself the time.

It was only personally interesting in that what evoked as I continued through the chapters was anorexia schadenfreude. This author has so many character flaws and delusional selfish views in her pretentious little bubble of a polished world, I was honestly happy when she got kicked out of NYU, and then got hit by a car. Awful, right? Who thinks that way? I'm honestly a very nice person. I swear.

Blah, blah, NY, Manhattan, Self-contradiction, boo-hoo, blah.

Whine-fest

Would you try another book from Laura Moisin and/or Arielle DeLisle?

No

Has Kid Rex turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I have read many books relating to eating disorders. This was just a bad one.

How could the performance have been better?

Maybe the book would have been better if read. The narrator had a young whiny voice that made the litany of complaints the author was spewing all the more irritating.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Kid Rex?

Oh god, she MUST have known someone to have gotten this pushed through.

Any additional comments?

I am angry with this "author". Not for being anorexic, but for her attitude toward every single person that has tried to help her. She is very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend a wonderful college and have her own apartment. To see doctor after doctor (though she lied to them all and then got mad at them for their incompetence). She had her choice between Renfrew and Remuda Ranch but had nothing but petty, childish complaints to report. If you want to listen to a privilaged whiny girl complain about just about everything, this is the book for you. I also have a feeling that she grossly exagerated her condition. Ex. She stated that for years, she had nothing but one glass of water per day. This is not possible. She would have collapsed from dehydration at the very least.

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Title: Rebooting My Brain

Subtitle: How a Freak Aneurysm Reframed My Life

Author: Maria Ross

Narrator: Maria Ross

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-18-12

Publisher: Red Slice Press

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Rebooting My Brain is the true story of what happens when you get yanked out of your life by a crisis and have to get back on the ride all over again. With refreshing candor, Maria Ross shares how the relentless pace of her life came to a screeching halt when an undetected brain aneurysm ruptured and nearly killed her. Along her stubborn road back to health, her resulting cognitive and emotional challenges forced her sometimes kicking and screaming to reframe her life, her work and her identity. With humor and heart, Ross shares what it was like being blind for six weeks, how a TV crime drama and a brain-games website played key roles in her recovery, and why a handmade necklace helped her regain her sense of self.

Ross reveals the keys to her extraordinary comeback and how her perspective is forever changed, mostly for the better. Funny, touching and real, this book not only shares an inspirational story of transformation but enlightens readers about the surprising effects of brain injury... and explores the question,How do our brains define who we are?

Members Reviews:

Needs and editor

Is there anything you would change about this book?

She needs to get an editor, the book could be half as long and more fluid if someone had helped her avoid the constant repetition

What could Maria Ross have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Ask for help with editing

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Title: Just Add Hormones

Subtitle: An Insiders Guide to the Transsexual Experience

Author: Matt Kailey

Narrator: Josh Hurley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-19-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Matt Kailey lived as a straight woman for the first forty-two years of his life, and then he changed. With the help of a good therapist, chest surgery, and some strong doses of testosterone, Kailey began living life as the man hed always wanted to be. In Just Add Hormones, he answers all the questions youve ever had about what its like to live as a transsexual.

Members Reviews:

Matt Kailey Lays It Out: The Trans Experience

Matt Kailey answers all the questions cisgendered people might be too polite to ask--- about what it's like to change from living as a woman, to living as a man.

Just Add Hormones has behind-the-scenes details on the female to male transitioning process, with both humor and serious contemplation.

This book assumes you don't know about the process already, and explains the basics while moving into every detail. From the therapist sessions to the chest surgery, to the testosterone shots to the genitals.

Excellent

Thank you for sharing your experience and incite. very well done. Simple and clear explanations.

Well written, well informed, well performed.

The narrator has a soothing voice, and seems in touch with the material. Very well done.

Anyone who wishes to learn about the trans experience without judgement would enjoy this book. The author is honest with the listener, and clearly honest with himself. He takes into account the fact that while being trans is a personal journey that should be respected as such, it has effects on the rest of the world that need to be taken into account.

As someone who has just started seeing a trans woman, this eased a lot of my anxiety by giving me a solid base of information from every angle I can think of right now. I can now speak on the subject with more confidence as an ally, and I don't have to waste precious time on too many "trans 101" discussions with my sweetheart. :)

An Iluminating Read

What made the experience of listening to Just Add Hormones the most enjoyable?

Transman Matt Kailey's smart, insightful, good-humored tome frankly explores his experience as an FTM transsexual. What a beautiful spirit Mr Kailey is, wonderfully conveyed by narrator Josh Hurley. A+

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

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Title: The Best Australian Trucking Stories

Author: Jim Haynes

Narrator: Jim Haynes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-12

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The trucker's job - so vital to our nation's everyday life - makes for a diverse treasure trove of stories. This first-ever collection of stories about Aussie truckers captures the humour, tragedy, and fascinating history of their world, proving once again that truth is often stranger, funnier, and more inspiring than fiction. The unlikely yarns and tales, collected by Jim Haynes, quickly transport the listener into the intriguing but often hard and lonely world of the long-distance truck driver. There are stories of endurance while crossing the Nullarbor in the early 1950s, of rescuing mates stranded in the desert and dumping wheat in protest at Parliament House, of repossessing vehicles in suburban Adelaide, and of men imprisoned during the long political battle to make the roads of Australia free to carry freight.

Steeped in larrikinism, these are salt-of-the-earth Aussie voices from the most genuine characters to ever spin a yarn. Whether you're interested in one of the most significant social revolutions to have shaped our nation, or in these never-say-die modern pioneers who astound with their resourcefulness, or whether you're just after a laugh and a bloody good story, this book is for you.

Members Reviews:

what a book

This book is a grate book and loved every bit of it thanks for the story's and would play this again

a grate book

I found so good to listing to it and I could see it in my head

Actually got disappointed that it finished.

I'm a truckee , Listened to the book while driving. Was disappointed that it ended hahaha.

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Title: A Dog Named Boo

Subtitle: How One Dog and One Woman Rescued Each Other - And the Lives They Transformed Along the Way

Author: Lisa Edwards

Narrator: Meredith Mitchell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-18-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 121 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The last thing Lisa Edwards needed was a new dog. But when she came across an abandoned litter on Halloween, her heart went out to the runt who walked into walls and couldn't steady his feet. Lisa - healing from past abuse and battling constant pain from a chronic medical condition - saw a bit of herself in little Boo. And when he snuggled, helpless, against her, she knew he was meant to be hers.

The dunce of obedience class with poor eyesight and a clumsy gait, Boo was the least likely of heroes. Yet with his unflappable spirit and boundless love, Boo has changed countless lives through his work as a therapy dog - helping a mute six-year-old boy to speak, coaxing movement from a paralyzed girl and stirring life in a 94-year-old nun with Alzheimer's. But perhaps Boo's greatest miracle is the way he transformed Lisa's life, giving her the greatest gift of all - faith in herself.

Members Reviews:

Soothing, relaxing, inspirational

What made the experience of listening to A Dog Named Boo the most enjoyable?

Realizing that dog's, being a best friend, is true. Dog's can and do fulfill and make a life complete. They require love, like all living creatures.

What did you like best about this story?

Loving does not require perfection.

What about Meredith Mitchells performance did you like?

Her narration helped the reader to understand that the story being told was sincere and filled with positive experiences.

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

Knowing that Boo was not perfect in physical ways but perfection isn't what makes the world go round. Finding good comes in all shapes and forms. Choosing Boo filled a space in her heart that needed mending.

Any additional comments?

The novel was an easy read. It's nice to read something that isn't filled with violence and angry voices. I find the need to change my usual choice of novel, proving that kindness also makes a good read.

Moving story but repetitive at times.

If you could sum up A Dog Named Boo in three words, what would they be?

A kind women loves her husband and dogs.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

A sensible and bittersweet ending.

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

In general the theme of love and and the desire to work with the dogs as intelligent beings instead of mastering them as beasts.

Any additional comments?

This could have been a great book with a bit more editing. There were times when it was repetitive and would have been improved by some of the biographical information saved for a second book. I think Lisa Edwards and her husband Laurence are to be greatly admired for being so patient with Boo. I had never heard of cerebellar hypoplasia and it is amazing how well they did by Boo in giving him what he needed. While I knew that therapy dogs were good for people, I was amazed by some of the stories she related about how effective the dogs were.

I recommend this book for people who are recovering from abusive childhoods. I also recommend this book for those who love dogs or helping people with disabilities

May be better for reading and learning to train

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I was expecting more entertainment and a whole lot less psychology of service dog.