Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

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Title: The Shift

Subtitle: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives

Author: Theresa Brown RN

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-16

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 769 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

In a book as eye-opening as it is riveting, practicing nurse and New York Times columnist Theresa Brown invites us to experience not just a day in the life of a nurse but all the life that happens in just one day in a hospital's cancer ward. In the span of 12 hours, lives can be lost, life-altering medical treatment decisions made, and dreams fulfilled or irrevocably stolen. In Brown's skilled hands - as both a dedicated nurse and an insightful chronicler of events - we are given an unprecedented view into the individual struggles as well as the larger truths about medicine in this country. By shift's end we have witnessed something profound about hope, healing, and humanity.

Every day Theresa Brown holds patients' lives in her hands. On this day there are four: Mr. Hampton, a patient with lymphoma to whom Brown is charged with administering a powerful drug that could cure him - or kill him; Sheila, who may have been dangerously misdiagnosed; Candace, a returning patient who arrives (perhaps advisedly) with her own disinfectant wipes, cleansing rituals, and demands; and Dorothy, who, after six weeks in the hospital, may finally go home. Prioritizing and ministering to their needs takes the kind of skill, sensitivity, and, yes, humor that enable a nurse to be a patient's most ardent advocate in a medical system marked by heartbreaking dysfunction as well as miraculous success.

Members Reviews:

Appreciation

I listened to this book having absolutely no medical knowledge, except that of a patient and wife of a patient. I have always admired RNs but now value their hard work and caring ways even more. True not all nurses are like the author, but from my personal experience, the great majority are like Teresa Brown. It was interesting to hear just how a hospital nurse feels and deals with a busy day. Travia Gilbert did a fine job with the narration.

Fabulous Book

Thank you Teresa Brown. And thank you Tavia Gilbert for your wonderful narration. Having been chronically ill for the last 8 years of my life, in and out of hospital, this helps me understand my treatment from the nurses' perspective. Very eye-opening and it confirmed what I always thought; that 12 hour shifts are too much for the nurses, interns, physicians, surgeons, etc, who are very often sleep deprived. Kudos to all of you in the medical field! Thank you for what you do!

Attempting Infinity Over 12 Hours--

and not quite making it. "The Shift" is a really good listen if you're interested in the reality of an oncology nurse's day. There's a schedule that can never be adhered to because there's always something of greater import that absolutely needs to be done. There's the lack of lunch breaks and grabbing sustenance in just a few saltines. There's the odd dance between doctors and nurses. There are patient's families whose wants are to be considered almost as much as the patient's wishes.

And there is, dad blast it: the ever-ringing phone.

There's not really much in the way of questioning life, its import, the odd chances that befall us willy-nilly until the very end.

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Title: Turning the Tables

Author: Teresa Giudice, K. C. Baker

Narrator: Teresa Giudice

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-09-16

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 804 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and three-time New York Times best-selling author offers a behind-the-scenes look at life in prison, her marriage, her rise to fame, the importance of her family, and the reality TV franchise that made her a household name in her explosive and ultimately uplifting first-ever memoir.

"People think they know everything about me...but they don't. Not even close."

Teresa Giudice, star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, has seen it all, but nothing - not even Real Housewives scandals - could compare to the media firestorm that ensued after she was convicted on federal fraud charges.

The infamous, fun-loving Jersey mom of four was sentenced to 15 months in the same prison where Piper Kerman - the real-life inspiration behind Orange Is the New Black - did her time. Her tiny prison cubicle in Connecticut felt so far removed from the glamorous world portrayed on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. What was a skinny Italian to do? Keep a diary, of course...

In her very first tell-all memoir, Teresa comes clean on all things Giudice: growing up as an Italian American, meeting the love of her life and starting a family, dealing with chaos and catfights on national television, and eventually coming to terms with the reality of life in prison. Turning the Tables captures some of the most memorable moments of her prison stay, including the cringe-inducing fistfights she witnessed, the awkward conundrum of being trapped when a fellow inmate had a...guest...over, and the strength she found while confined between four concrete walls.

Even at her lowest of lows, Teresa was able to live la bella vita by staying positive and realizing her purpose. Friends, foes, and fans have speculated about Teresa's prison experience, but nothing will prepare you for the revelations she makes in this entertaining and heartwarming memoir.

"The world will see a new Teresa. A different Teresa. Well, actually, the Teresa I always was."

Members Reviews:

Horrible narration

I enjoyed the book .. But holy cow the way she read the book was like listening to a 1st grader learning to read. Didn't she get any coaching?? Buy the written book instead of her reading it !!! I'm baffled at this narration !!!

Oh my, horrible narration!

This was actually painful to listen to! I'm a huge fan of Audible, with more than 200 books in my Audible library, so I am familiar with the wide variety of styles among narrators, and I generally enjoy that diversity. This narrator puts so many unnecessary pauses in every sentence - she pauses, awkwardly, every 2-5 words. And the enunciation - holy cow - what a mess! Don't waste a credit. Buy the written version instead. I wish I had.

Worst Narration in Audible History

Would you try another book from Teresa Giudice and K. C. Baker and/or Teresa Giudice?

No

Would you ever listen to anything by Teresa Giudice and K. C. Baker again?

No

How did the narrator detract from the book?

It sounded robotic or like a 5-year-old learning how to read. I don't understand who would approve the release of such a horrible narration.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

Any additional comments?

I'm a HUGE Housewives fan and couldn't stand listening to this.

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Title: The Road to Little Dribbling

Subtitle: Adventures of an American in Britain

Author: Bill Bryson

Narrator: Nathan Osgood

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-19-16

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1137 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The hilarious and loving sequel to a hilarious and loving classic of travel writing: Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson's valentine to his adopted country of England.

In 1995, Bill Bryson got into his car and took a weeks-long farewell motoring trip about England before moving his family back to the United States. The book about that trip, Notes from a Small Island, is uproarious and endlessly endearing, one of the most acute and affectionate portrayals of England in all its glorious eccentricity ever written. Two decades later, he set out again to rediscover that country, and the result is The Road to Little Dribbling. Nothing is funnier than Bill Bryson on the road; prepare for the total joy and multiple episodes of unseemly laughter.

Editorial Reviews:

"We have a tradition in this country of literary teddy bears - John Betjeman and Alan Bennett among them - whose cutting critiques of the absurdities and hypocrisies of the British people are carried out with such wit and good humour that they become national treasures. Bill Bryson is American but is now firmly established in the British teddy bear pantheon." (Jake Kerridge,

Sunday Express)

Critic Reviews:

"Fans should expect to chuckle, snort, snigger, grunt, laugh out loud and shake with recognition...a clotted cream and homemade jam scone of a treat." (

Sunday Times)

"Nathan Osgood does a fine job channeling the slightly grouchy but nevertheless charming author. Osgood is outraged, droll, tolerant, or positively gushing when the text demands it." (

AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

No Bryson?? Alas, another disappointed fan

Bryson without Bryson's voice doesn't work for me. As others have already detailed, his unique voice is essential in conveying the tone of his work. As a long-time fan, I just clicked on "Buy" as soon at this book was released without listening to a sample or paying attention to the narrator. That's my fault for "assuming". This one is being returned for credit. If reissued with Bill Bryson narrating I'll most likely purchase anew. Sorry Bill. I really tried but it just doesn't play properly without your narration.

Bryson should narrate! No question about it!

I've just started listening, and this reader is okay. But Bill is great at narrating his own work, and I was fully expecting that I'd hear his voice. I never expected for a moment to hear someone else. We need another version with a Bryson narration.

Classic Bill Bryson, but would be better if author narrated

This narrator has a much edgier/sarcastic tone than the author, which makes the funny bits not as funny . His voice is somewhat unpleasantly gravelly. I was able to listen, but wish the author did the narration.

Too much snark, not enough heart

Would you listen to The Road to Little Dribbling again? Why?

I had to tap out with two hours remaining. Bryson's travel narratives have always included a level of snark, but he overspiced the soup this time, I'm afraid. I get enough of the "grumpy old Boomer" act from my parents, thanks.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

A bit more of the heart and humor found in A Walk in the Woods and In a Sunburned Country. Also, the completely unnecessary and transphobic swipe at Caitlyn Jenner should never have made it through editing.

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Title: A Thousand Naked Strangers

Subtitle: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back

Author: Kevin Hazzard

Narrator: George Newbern

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-05-16

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 534 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

A former paramedic's visceral, poignant, and mordantly funny account of a decade spent on Atlanta's mean streets saving lives and connecting with the drama and occasional beauty that lies inside catastrophe.

In the aftermath of 9/11, Kevin Hazzard felt that something was missing from his life - his days were too safe, too routine. A failed salesman turned local reporter, he wanted to test himself, see how he might respond to pressure and danger. He signed up for emergency medical training and became, at age 26, a newly minted EMT running calls in the worst sections of Atlanta. His life entered a different realm - one of blood, violence, and amazing grace.

Thoroughly intimidated at first and frequently terrified, he experienced on a nightly basis the adrenaline rush of walking into chaos. But in his downtime, Kevin reflected on how people's facades drop away when catastrophe strikes. As his hours on the job piled up, he realized he was beginning to see into the truth of things. There is no pretense five beats into a chest compression or in an alley next to a crack den or on a dimly lit highway where cars have collided. Eventually, what had at first seemed impossible happened: Kevin acquired mastery. And in the process he was able to discern the professional differences between his freewheeling peers, what marked each - as he termed them - as a "tourist", "true believer", or "killer".

Combining indelible scenes that remind us of life's fragile beauty with laugh-out-loud moments that keep us smiling through the worst, A Thousand Naked Strangers is an absorbing listen about one man's journey of self-discovery - a trip that also teaches us about ourselves.

Members Reviews:

fun and honest

not a lot of medical details or explanations... but a ton of hilarious, disgusting and disturbing stories of what medics encounter. not appropriate for all ages btw, I was hoping to share with my preteen son but profanity and violence nixed that idea. . the author did great giving us all the juicy bits with only relevant details of his life in addition to his work experiences. I recommend for anyone considering a career in patient care to listen as a reality check of the highs and lows to expect. enjoyed!

A Wild Ride You Won't Forget!

I simply loved this book, and if life hadn't impinged upon me, I would have listened straight through. Really, it was too darn short to even consider an uninterrupted listen as it would have been over much too soon!

What was it I particularly enjoyed about this book? I so appreciated the author's total honesty about all aspects of his story--how he came to be an EMT/Paramedic, the difference between EMS and Paramedics, the training, the terrifying first weeks (months?) on the job, the "partner" problems, the evolution of Marty, the incompetence that was rampant, the burnout, and of course, the patients. I believe another reviewer described the book as "raw and unfiltered", and for me, that says it all.

George Newbern is becoming one of my very favorite narrators. He totally nailed it here!

In summary, I was engrossed during every moment of Kevin Hazzard's tale of his EMS/paramedic experience.

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Title: The Las Vegas Madam

Subtitle: The Escorts, the Clients, the Truth

Author: Jami Rodman

Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-15

Publisher: Maktub Press and Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 465 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The Las Vegas Madam: The Escorts, the Clients, the Truth takes you inside the life of a call girl as she spirals into a world of glamour and secrets and expose.

When a scandalous news story splashed across mainstream media about an elite escort agency in Las Vegas, people were shocked to learn there was a tiny mastermind behind the company: a small town girl from Oregon named Jami Rodman who went by the pseudonym Haley Heston.

Meet the secret society of high-end escorts and the men who hire them.

Discover the highly lucrative business of sex as Rodman reveals the hidden websites and layers of complex networking to satisfy man's endless desire for sex.

Timed with the 2007 collapse, Vegas cultivated a new, unprecedented class of call girls...ones with brains, beauty and savvy. Together with her agency, they cleaned up the soiled reputation of prostitution in Las Vegas.

Weathering competition from desperate, violent, and successful pimps and madams, hosting swanky parties, and serving clients in cities that spanned the globe, her agency ruled the oldest profession for several years until one of her star escorts, Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton, canceled on a jealous and disgruntled client...he wrote an email at 2 AM to the online Smoking Gun. Haley Heston, the Las Vegas Madam, was outed.

The Las Vegas Madam is a provocative memoir of one girl's journey into prostitution and how quickly a fast-paced life built a wedge between her and the very thing she was seeking to begin with love, friendship and meaning.

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Title: Guts 'N Gunships

Subtitle: What It Was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam

Author: Mark Garrison

Narrator: Eric Martin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-09-15

Publisher: Mark V Garrison

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 460 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

In the summer of 1967, Mark Garrison had dropped out of college at Southern Illinois University just before entering his third year. He had run out of money and had to work for a while. These were the days before the lottery and the draft soon came calling. In order to somewhat control his own future, he enlisted in the US Army's helicopter flight school program. Little did he know that this adventure would be the most profound experience of his life.

Garrison flew hundreds of missions for the 119th AHC, stationed in the Central Highlands at Camp Holloway in Pleiku, Vietnam. He was awarded 25 Air Medals, four campaign Bronze Stars, and The Distinguished Flying Cross, among numerous other awards. His narrative takes you through the whole process, from basic training, flight school, flying combat in Vietnam, and his return to the United States. His description includes many incidents in combat flight, including being hit by rocket propelled grenades and being on fire in the air, over hundreds if not thousands of enemy troops. But this is not all. He elaborates on the daily lives, emotions, and nuances of the pilots and what they considered their mission to be.

Guts 'N Gunships is a must listen if you are to have a realistic understanding of what flying helicopters in Vietnam combat was all about.

Members Reviews:

Fascinating

This is a memoir of a helicopter pilot from the Vietnam War. Garrison tells what it takes to be a helicopter pilot in combat. Garrison covers the time from his enlistment, boot camp, helicopter school to his combat missions in Vietnam. The author goes into detail about combat action and also includes wartime humor, and the loss of friends.

The book is well written. I noted that the author flew hundreds of mission for the 119th AHC, stationed in the Central Highlands at Camp Holloway in Pleiku, Vietnam. He was awarded twenty-five air medals, four campaign medals, four Bonze Stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross among the list of medals. Garrisons extensive combat experience comes through in the book. I found it interesting that after his war service ended Garrison decided to become a chiropractor. Seems he was following in his fathers footsteps. Eric Martin does a good job narrating the book.

Outstanding Book!

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

As a Huey and later, Black Hawk crew chief in the '80s and '90s, I had heard plenty of stories about "Slicks" and "Gunships", from guys who were there. I had not heard specifics of their missions and how they operated. Of course, I wouldn't because these guys were humble and didn't bring attention to themselves. This book opened my eyes to the reality of the Helicopter's mission in Vietnam and the brave men who crewed them.

Vietnam was so highly politicized, many forget the incredible skill and bravery of the U.S. fighting man who, in most cases, served not because they wanted a military career, but because of a sense of duty. These men were cut from the same cloth as the incredible warriors who fought in WWI, WWII, Korea and the wars of today. I'd love to see a resurgence of books about the Vietnam war without all the political nonsense we've been forced to swallow for the last 40+ years!

This book was well written. The story was gripping, terrifying, funny and at times, sad.

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Title: The Final Frontiersman

Subtitle: Heimo Korth and His Family, Alone in Alaska's Arctic Wilderness

Author: James Campbell

Narrator: Dan Woren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-11-15

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 647 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The inspiration for The Last Alaskans - the eight-part documentary series on Animal Planet.

Hundreds of hardy people have tried to carve a living in the Alaskan bush, but few have succeeded as consistently as Heimo Korth. Originally from Wisconsin, Heimo traveled to the Arctic wilderness in his feverous 20s. Now, more than four decades later, Heimo lives with his wife approximately 200 miles from civilization - a sustainable, nomadic life bounded by the migrating caribou, the dangers of swollen rivers, and the very exigencies of daily existence.

In The Final Frontiersman, Heimo's cousin, James Campbell, chronicles the Korth family's amazing experience, their adventures, and the tragedy that continues to shape their lives. With a deft voice and in spectacular, at times unimaginable detail, Campbell invites us into Heimo's heartland and home. The Korths wait patiently for a small plane to deliver their provisions, listen to distant chatter on the radio, and go sledding at 44 degrees below zero - all the while cultivating the hard-learned survival skills that stand between them and a terrible fate. Awe inspiring and memorable, The Final Frontiersman is like a rustic version of the American dream and reveals for the first time a life most of us have never imagined: amid encroaching environmental pressures, apart from the herd, and alone in a stunning wilderness that - for now - remains the final frontier.

Members Reviews:

Freedom.

Any person feeling the tiring burden of our civilization, this account of retiring to the NE bush of Alaska is truly releaving.

life in the Alaskan bush

well written and compelling. this is a great, realistic exploration of the Alaskan explorer. weekday makes them want to be out there, how do they survive, and what is it like? it almost makes me want to see if I could do it. almost. I think so many things want to romanticize it, but is s very honest and realistic look. it also had a light look at the politocs and realities of it, which I also think is great. not too much to be peachy, but enough to at least begin to understand the debate.

Heart of Alaska

The most incredible adventurous book I have ever read. It really sparks a dream in me to head for Alaska. Real. Raw. Interesting. I did not like that it ended so quickly!!!!

Impressive life story!

I first heard of heimo and Edna by watching a one hour program on YouTube made by vice a couple of years ago, and recently I took my time to watch the last alaskans to view more of their life. Being a hunter and outdoorsy person I've always found those kind of stories inspiring!

And now 2 days after I started on this book, I'm must say that I'm even more impressed by heimo and his family's life and his dedication to the bush!

The story was well told and the narrator did a great job telling it, nothing to complain about there at all!

I wish them both a long and happy life out there in the wilderness! (yes, they still live out there as far as I know)

Great story!

This book needs to be a movie! loved it ! An epic adventure for an epic time!

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Title: Lights and Sirens

Subtitle: The Education of a Paramedic

Author: Kevin Grange

Narrator: Sean Runnette

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-20-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 178 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Nine months of tying tourniquets and pushing new medications, of IVs, chest compressions, and defibrillator shocks - that was Kevin Grange's initiation into emergency medicine when, at age 36, he enrolled in the "Harvard of paramedic schools": UCLA's Daniel Freeman paramedic program, long considered one of the best and most intense paramedic training programs in the world.

Few jobs can match the stress, trauma, and drama that a paramedic calls a typical day at the office, and few educational settings can match the pressure and competitiveness of paramedic school. Blending months of classroom instruction with ER rotations and a grueling field internship with the Los Angeles Fire Department, UCLA's paramedic program is like a mix of boot camp and med school. It would turn out to be the hardest thing Grange had ever done, but also the most transformational and inspiring.

An in-depth look at the trials and tragedies that paramedic students experience daily, Lights and Sirens is ultimately about the best part of humanity - people working together to help save a human life.

Members Reviews:

if your looking into EMS as a career DO READ!!!i

very good book, if your looking into EMS as a career this is a great look and heads up as what to look forward to highly recommended.

I listened to it straight through

as much as I could at least. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who wants their life saved at any point.

Enjoyed the journey through Paramedic school

As a former Paramedic student i found this book very enjoyable. Wish I listened to it before Paramedic school as it would give you an idea to the intensity of the program.

Amazing book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written, and very accurate to live in paramedic school. The only thing that could be improved on was the narrator's pronunciation of medical terms, but this wasn't enough to decrease my enjoyment of the subject very much. I definitely recommend this if you are currently in, will be in, or have been in medic school any time recently or soon.

Worthy read

I expected true stories about parametric encounters with patients. I ended up enjoying the trials of professional and personal growth of students in emergency medicine. Detailed and well portrayed. Medically accurate as I relived my own critical care nursing education.

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Title: Dispatches from Pluto

Subtitle: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta

Author: Richard Grant

Narrator: Shaun Grindell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-13-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 344 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Richard Grant and his girlfriend were living in a shoebox apartment in New York City when they decided on a whim to buy an old plantation house in the Mississippi Delta. Dispatches from Pluto is their journey of discovery into this strange and wonderful American place.

On a remote, isolated strip of land, three miles beyond the tiny community of Pluto, Richard and his girlfriend, Mariah, embark on a new life. They learn to hunt, grow their own food, and fend off alligators, snakes, and varmints galore. They befriend an array of unforgettable local characters - blues legend T-Model Ford, cookbook maven Martha Foose, catfish farmers, eccentric millionaires, and the actor Morgan Freeman. Grant brings an adept, empathetic eye to the fascinating people he meets, capturing the rich, extraordinary culture of the Delta while tracking its utterly bizarre and criminal extremes.

Critic Reviews:

"The result is an honest, engaging account of life in one of America's most beguiling, bewildering cultural outposts. This book is a revelation." (Alan Huffman, author of Mississippi in Africa)

Members Reviews:

Loved this

I am from the Delta and returned to the South at nearly 60, so I felt lucky to get this intelligent and constructive take on its deep flaws and equally deep virtues of the region.

The reader was good, but here-as so very often with Audiobooks, I do wonder why neither the reader nor the director bothered to pick up a phones , call a local library and learn how to pronounce the names of the places in which they purport to live. I find it sloppy and almost insulting to both listeners and the natives of whatever area or city the mispronunciation a affect. This is so common that I feel a bit uneasy about complaining of this otherwise fine rendition. But the reader did manage to mangle almost every place name he mentioned, and I found this so irritating that it bit into my pleasure and my ability to focus on the writer's words. Audible, please tell someone to pick up a phone for place names -or a dictionary in the case of unfamiliar words-so that pronunciations are correct. Aren't these people supposed to be professionals?

Could have been better

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Living in MS I am very familiar with this area. If you are going to narrate the book you should learn to correctly pronounce the locations. It was hard for me to finish the book after hearing all of the flaws in his performance.

Would you be willing to try another one of Shaun Grindells performances?

No.

My Delta

I grew up in the Mississippi Delta. I loved this book. It captured the Delta in all its glory and anguish. Yes, it is as flawed and as beautiful as this book depicts. I am proud of my birthplace and am thrilled that Richard Grant has written this fabulous book. Enjoy!!

what culture wars?

Not for the meek or racially prejudiced or tee totallers. Honest and wonderful exploration of Delta culture. Funny and moving.

Fantastic and right on the money

I sure enjoyed this story. I've lived in the Delta all my life and have endured outsiders' misconceptions about it as long as I can remember. Mr. Grant's take on this dear, complicated place is as close to the truth as I have ever heard. Bravo!

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Title: In Order to Live

Subtitle: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom

Author: Yeonmi Park

Narrator: Eji Kim

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-29-15

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 486 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Yeonmi Park was not dreaming of freedom when she escaped from North Korea. She didn't even know what it meant to be free. All she knew was that she was running for her life, that if she and her family stayed behind they would die - from starvation, or disease, or even execution.

In Order to Live is the story of Park's struggle to survive in the darkest, most repressive country on earth; her harrowing escape to South Korea through China's underworld of smugglers and human traffickers; and her emergence as a leading human rights activist - all before her 21st birthday.

Park was born to a family of civil servants in the North Korean city of Hyesan, along the Chinese border. She grew up in a society in which the regime controls everything you do, everything you learn, where you go, what you say, even what you think. In this warped world, famine was a way of life and minor offenses, such as watching foreign videos, could prove fatal.

Park's family was relatively privileged until her father, a party member, was arrested for smuggling. After that, life in North Korea became a ceaseless battle against starvation. Escaping with her mother, Park began a long journey of unspeakable hardship and degradation through China and Mongolia, which finally yielded her freedom in South Korea. Today, Park is an influential leader of the younger generations of Korean dissidents and an internationally recognized advocate for human rights around the world.

In the end, In Order to Live is about the resilience of the human spirit and the transcendent power of love to overcome the most ghastly horrors and the most hopeless circumstances. "I had to learn how to love others," says Yeonmi Park. "And now I am willing to die for them."

Members Reviews:

Moving, insightful, inspiring

I avoided listening to Ms. Parks story for several months because I was concerned it would be too sad and depressing. While it is sad, it is more inspirational and a great gift to the reader. Facing what she and her family did, anyone should be motivated to tackle any and all obstacles in their lives with determined resolve. The book is tastefully written. It seemed like the narration would be annoying at first, but I came to love the narrators voice by the end of the first chapter. EXCELLENT!!

Outstanding

Incredible story. I wish Americans cherished freedom and liberty as much as Ms Parks and guarded against their erosion by governments.

I'm left feeling helpless regarding the people of N Korea. How can we help end this madness?

Well done Ms Parks!

A Truly Inspirational Account

In Order to Live is an emotional account of a young girl's experience of escape from the extreme poverty and political repression in North Korea. Others have criticised the choice of narrator for the audiobook, but I must disagree with them. I found the narrator's Korean accent was not too difficult to understand and enabled me to connect with the story in a way which I would not have if the narrator had been American or British. I thoroughly recommend this audiobook to anyone who is interested in a personal account of life in North Korea and the journey to freedom from it.

Wow. What a story!

Please do not shy away from this book based on the part that audible lets you listen to as a sample.