Get Best Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

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Title: Fredric March

Subtitle: A Consummate Actor

Author: Charles Tranberg

Narrator: Robert Armin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-14

Publisher: BearManor Media

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

Fredric March (1897-1975) was one of the most dynamic and versatile actors of his time. On the screen, he created memorable performances in such classic films as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Death Takes a Holiday, Les Miserables, A Star Is Born, Nothing Sacred, One Foot in Heaven, The Adventures of Mark Twain, The Best Years of Our Lives, Death of a Salesman, and Inherit the Wind.

Along the way, he was nominated five times for an Academy Award and won the coveted statuette twice. He had an equally distinguished career as a stage actor - appearing in such acclaimed Broadway productions as The Skin of Our Teeth and Long Day's Journey Into Night - winning two Tony Awards - including the very first presented to an actor. Despite this great record of success, Fredric March isn't as well remembered today as some of his peers (Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, James Stewart) because unlike them, he never developed a recognizable screen persona that followed him from film to film.

He was always characterizing - always hiding his own personality behind that of the character he was portraying. He was the consummate actor who richly deserves to be rediscovered.

Members Reviews:

Easy and interesting read

Easy and interesting read. I'm now enjoying watching and re-watching March films and remembering what was going on in his life at the time he was filming.

Great Actor

I like Fredric March, He worked with a alot of leading ladies and was looking for a book on him.

Pretty good read

I enjoyed the book enormously. But, did nobody proofread? "The Skin of Their Teeth"!!! But, I liked it a lot

order up

good read

Terrific!

Fredric March could play any part extremely well, starring alongside the greatest leading ladies, Norma Shearer, Carole Lombard, Myrna Loy, and so many others, including the diva herself, Joan Crawford. His long career is showcased beautifully by author Charles Tranberg and it's wonderful to see Fredric March finally given his due. If you love classic films and the stars who made them great, this book is for you. I enjoyed it so much!

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Title: Queen Bee of Tuscany

Subtitle: The Redoubtable Janet Ross

Author: Ben Downing

Narrator: Julian Elfer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

Ben Downings Queen Bee of Tuscany brings an extraordinary Victorian back to life. Born into a distinguished intellectual family and raised among luminaries such as Dickens and Thackeray, Janet Ross married at 18 and went to live in Egypt. There, for the next six years, she wrote for the London Times, hobnobbed with the developer of the Suez Canal, and humiliated pashas in horse races. In 1867 she moved to Florence, Italy, where she spent the remaining 60 years of her life writing a series of books and hosting a colorful miscellany of friends and neighbors, from Mark Twain to Bernard Berenson, at Poggio Gherardo, her house in the hills above the city. Eventually she became the acknowledged doyenne of the Anglo-Florentine colony, as it was known. Yet she was also immersed in the rural life of Tuscany: An avid agriculturalist, she closely supervised the farms on her estate and the sharecroppers who worked them, often pitching in on grape and olive harvests. Spirited, erudite, and supremely well-connected, Ross was one of the most dynamic women of her day. Her life offers a fascinating window on fascinating times, from the Risorgimento to the rise of fascism.

Encompassing all this rich history, Queen Bee of Tuscany is a panoramic portrait of an age, a family, and our evolving love affair with Tuscany.

Members Reviews:

Disappointingly boring

What disappointed you about Queen Bee of Tuscany?

After an interesting start this began to read like a cross between a Who's Who of early Bloomsbury and somebody's PH.D thesis. Also the narrator rather is disconcertingly bad at pronunciation, which is quite off-putting.

Has Queen Bee of Tuscany put you off other books in this genre?

No

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Title: The River and I

Author: John Neihardt

Narrator: Robin Neihardt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-22-14

Publisher: Skyyrim Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

In 1908, the brilliant poet and writer John G. Neihardt traveled by canoe down the then-untamed Missouri River for 56 days. His account, rousing and elegantly reflective, showcases the long ago, fascinating world through which the mighty river passed. The River and I is at once a classic adventure tale, an enduring homage to the Old West, and a tale of an abiding love for a relentless river and those affected by it.

Members Reviews:

The River and I

If you could sum up The River and I in three words, what would they be?

Alice Niehardt Thompson

What was one of the most memorable moments of The River and I?

Too many to count.

Which character as performed by Robin Neihardt was your favorite?

I liked them all.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The life and times of a visionary.

Any additional comments?

John Niehardt's daughter and grand daughters were a part of my equestrian youth in Columbia, MO. I read this book to get a glimpse of the great man who was their father, grandfather. Thank you.

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Title: Sign of Life

Subtitle: A Story of Family, Tragedy, Music, and Healing

Author: Hilary Williams, M. B. Roberts

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins, Robin Miles

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-17-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

Just after noon on a spring day in 2006, aspiring singer-songwriter Hilary Williams and her sister Holly - the granddaughters of country legend Hank Williams and daughters of country music star Hank Williams, Jr. - were driving through Mississippi down a rural stretch of Route 61 on their way to their grandfathers funeral. Suddenly, the front wheel of the truck became caught in one of the many deep ruts and gravel lining the road, causing the vehicle and its passengers to flip over several times, crushing steel and breaking fragile bones as it crashed. Holly was lucky. She only suffered a broken wrist and cuts and bruises. But when the Jaws of Life finally pried Hilary's shattered body free of the wreckage, she was in shock and barely breathing.

She had suffered two broken legs, several broken ribs, a ruptured colon, and bruised lungs. Her back, collarbone, tailbone, pelvis, and right femur were fractured. Her hips were crushed. It had taken nearly 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, and she had already lost a large amount of blood. Then, as EMTs scrambled to stabilize her in the middle of a muddy Mississippi field, Hilary Williams died.

But that was only the beginning.

This is a story of struggle and pain. But more so, it is a story of second chances, of love and resolve and recovery. When she was pulled back into life, Hilarys world changed. It was the beginning of a long, courageous, and inspiring journey during which she would undergo 23 surgeries and years of therapy. Along the way, with her family at her side, Hilary has learned the meaning of strength, not only the strength to survive, but the strength to live with the legend, the talent, the burden, and the privilege of her place in country musics most famous family.

Members Reviews:

was better than I expected

I don't usually like these types of books, but this was a non stop listen!

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Title: Ammonites and Leaping Fish

Subtitle: A Life in Time

Author: Penelope Lively

Narrator: Anna Bentinck

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 03-03-14

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

This is not quite a memoir. Rather, it is the view from old age. And a view of old age itself, this place at which we arrive with a certain surprise - ambushed, or so it can seem. One of the few advantages of age is that you can report on it with a certain authority; you are a native now, and know what goes on here.

Taking in old age, the context of one's life and times, memory, reading and writing, and the identifying cargo of possessions - two ammonites, a cat, a pair of American ducks, and a leaping fish sherd, amongst others - this is an elegant, moving, and deeply enjoyable memoir by one of our most loved writers.

Members Reviews:

A book that inspires!

This relaxed book is for those who wonder how they will manage being elderly, and is what most of us probably think about all our lives, 'though we shove it to the back of our minds and try to not go there ! I enjoyed this enormously and it left me feeling charmed by Penelope Lively's attitude to life and her past as well as helping one to accept the inevitable, with a feeling of calm and indeed exilerasion for the value of memory. It is also a great book for suggestions of reading matter, from her personal library and for the reasons and inspirations she became a novelist. A must!

The narrator Anna Betinck is, the perfect voice for this book and easy to stay with from beginning to end and indeed complements this gifted novelist beautifully.

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Title: Patterns and Coincidences

Subtitle: A Sequel to "All Is But a Beginning"

Author: John G. Neihardt

Narrator: Robin Neihardt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-19-14

Publisher: Skyyrim Studios

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

This volume is a continuation of the autobiography of John G. Neihardt All Is But a Beginning, offering a final glimpse into his fascinating life. Covering the years 1901-1908, he weaves a mosaic of personal fulfillment, joy and sorrow, reflecting on the successes and failures he experienced during his "mature" years. As only he could, Neihardt shares a mingling of romantic anecdotes alive with names and faces he sought out or fought for along the way.

Writing with warmth and sensitivity, the late Poet Laureate of Nebraska tells of his early newspaper days, his struggle to write poetry, his family, his encounters with nature, his relationships with Indians, and the various people who, whether met once or often, had a profound effect on his life. Using a conversational style, the author does not present episodes in chronological order. Rather he begins to elaborate on one memorable experience, then quickly draws out, without warning, another one that occurred years later, tying them into a pattern or coincidence.

The audiobook's epilogue is written by Neihardt's daughter, Hilda Neihardt Petri. Summarizing her father's visions, daydreams, and philosophy, she movingly concludes that with his death on 3 November 1973 Neihardt's "great adventure had begun."

The late John G. Neihardt is best remembered as an authority on the traditions and customs of the Sioux Indians. Neihardt, named Poet Laureate of Nebraska in 1921 and Prairie Poet Laureate of America in 1968, was literary editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from 1926 to 1938 and poet in residence and lecturer in English at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1949 to 1965. The author of some 25 volumes of poetry, fiction, and philosophy, his works include Black Elk Speaks, Lyric and Dramatic Poems, and A Cycle of the West.

Members Reviews:

Satisfied

Good transaction, thanks.

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Title: Meet David Sedaris: Series Four

Author: David Sedaris

Narrator: David Sedaris

Format: Original Recording

Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-22-14

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

David Sedaris's remarkable ability to uncover the hilarious absurdity teeming just below the surface of everyday life is surpassed only by his ability to make his stories even more hilarious when he reads them aloud.

This is his fourth series for Radio 4, and he reads essays and diary entries from across all seven of his books. The full listing is:

Episode 1

Members Reviews:

Very entertaining

David Sedaris is so enjoyable to listen to. I thoroughly recommend every series of this wonderfully funny show

Life is funny

Sedaris takes the mundane (and the not-so) and delivers a monologue full of wit and charm. By turns laugh out loud funny, wistfully poignant and grin-achingly good.

I've loved every series but this one has some cracking moments.

Sit back with a glass of red or a decent cuppa and enjoy.

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Title: Mozart

Author: Darren Henley

Narrator: Marin Alsop

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-04-13

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

This is a story from the Famous Composers collection.

Following on the success of The Story of Classical Music, Darren Henley and Marin Alsop combine forces again to tell, in more detail, the lives of six key composers: Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, and Shostakovich. Their colourful lives and their love of music are told against the backdrop of some of their finest works, an ideal combination.

Editorial Reviews:

Excerpted from the Audie-nominated production Famous Composers, this unique profile - combining narrative, reenactments, and musical selections - provides joyful listening and insight for all ages into the life and work of the great Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Esteemed musicologist Darren Henley, OBE, provides the text, and noted conductor Marin Alsop brings a lively, inviting tone to her narration of this short, sharp portrait of the musical prodigy who grew into the genius composer of The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Requiem, and numerous other masterpieces.

Critic Reviews:

2005 Audie Award Winner, Original Work

Members Reviews:

An introduction to the lives of 6 Great Composers with music!

This is a delightful audible book on the lives of 6 famous composers for grades 3-6. Along with a biography of the artist there are samples of the composers works to introduce young people to classical music.

The composers are:1.Vivaldi

2.Bach

3.Mozart

4.Beethoven

5.Dvorak

6.Shostakovich

Each section explains the challenges and eccentricities of the famous composer and it will keep children entertained. Marin Alsop does a wonderful job of narrating along with the occasional sound effects thrown in for good measure.

I recently took a classical music course for adults and it awoke in me a new love of classical music and I believe this book could do the same for young people.

Very Interesting!

My 10-year-old son LOVES listening to these CDs, and I have to admit that my husband and I both enjoy them as well. Many hours in the car have been pleasant because my son is engaged in listening. The accounts of each composer are tastefully done and give quite a bit of interesting detail into the composer's life and personality. We have checked them out from our library many times and my son would now like us to purchase them because he enjoys listening to them so much. I only wish they would make more as there are many more composers still to study.

Embarrassingly bad, even for a seven-year old

This is clearly a presentation intended for children, but it is not indicated what age group is being targeted. The narration assumes no sophistication on the part of the listener, nor does it attempt to broaden or encourage more focused listening skills on the part of the child. Among the musical selections played are the most un-Shostakovichian work of the composer's, the variations on "Tea for Two" and the Romance from the film Gadfly, evidently in an attempt to sweeten the presentation. A portion of the Second Piano Concerto is played, and then the child is asked if the quote of the song, "What Do We Do With A Drunken Sailor" was heard in the score. Why in the world would a child be familiar with this somewhat esoteric World War II era song? A recording of the song outside its compositional context should have been played, which would have made the concerto example more meaningful. But this opportunity was overlooked.

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Title: Shostakovich

Author: Darren Henley

Narrator: Marin Alsop

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-04-13

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

This is a story from the Famous Composers collection.

Following on the success of The Story of Classical Music, Darren Henley and Marin Alsop combine forces again to tell, in more detail, the lives of six key composers: Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, and Shostakovich. Their colourful lives and their love of music are told against the backdrop of some of their finest works, an ideal combination.

Editorial Reviews:

This excerpt from David Henley's Famous Composers collection is a worthy introduction to Dmitry Shostakovich, one of the great composers of the 20th century. Shostakovich's mother taught the young boy to play piano, and his prodigious talent allowed him entrance to a conservatory at an early age. His first symphony, written as a school assignment, would garner him international acclaim, but his struggles under Joseph Stalin's government would challenge career. Marin Alsop emphasizes the dramatic life and work of Shostakovich with a mix of wonder and shock and, when coupled with excerpts of his music, makes this an engaging listen.

Critic Reviews:

2005 Audie Award Winner, Original Work

Members Reviews:

An introduction to the lives of 6 Great Composers with music!

This is a delightful audible book on the lives of 6 famous composers for grades 3-6. Along with a biography of the artist there are samples of the composers works to introduce young people to classical music.

The composers are:1.Vivaldi

2.Bach

3.Mozart

4.Beethoven

5.Dvorak

6.Shostakovich

Each section explains the challenges and eccentricities of the famous composer and it will keep children entertained. Marin Alsop does a wonderful job of narrating along with the occasional sound effects thrown in for good measure.

I recently took a classical music course for adults and it awoke in me a new love of classical music and I believe this book could do the same for young people.

Very Interesting!

My 10-year-old son LOVES listening to these CDs, and I have to admit that my husband and I both enjoy them as well. Many hours in the car have been pleasant because my son is engaged in listening. The accounts of each composer are tastefully done and give quite a bit of interesting detail into the composer's life and personality. We have checked them out from our library many times and my son would now like us to purchase them because he enjoys listening to them so much. I only wish they would make more as there are many more composers still to study.

Embarrassingly bad, even for a seven-year old

This is clearly a presentation intended for children, but it is not indicated what age group is being targeted. The narration assumes no sophistication on the part of the listener, nor does it attempt to broaden or encourage more focused listening skills on the part of the child. Among the musical selections played are the most un-Shostakovichian work of the composer's, the variations on "Tea for Two" and the Romance from the film Gadfly, evidently in an attempt to sweeten the presentation. A portion of the Second Piano Concerto is played, and then the child is asked if the quote of the song, "What Do We Do With A Drunken Sailor" was heard in the score. Why in the world would a child be familiar with this somewhat esoteric World War II era song? A recording of the song outside its compositional context should have been played, which would have made the concerto example more meaningful.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Dvorak

Author: Darren Henley

Narrator: Marin Alsop

Format: Unabridged

Length: 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-04-13

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Artists, Writers, & Musicians

Publisher's Summary:

This is a story from the Famous Composers collection.

Following on the success of The Story of Classical Music, Darren Henley and Marin Alsop combine forces again to tell, in more detail, the lives of six key composers: Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, and Shostakovich. Their colourful lives and their love of music are told against the backdrop of some of their finest works, an ideal combination.

Editorial Reviews:

As part of the More Famous Composers collection, Darren Henley explores the life of famous 19th century Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. A real Bohemian, Dvorak incorporated peasant folk music into his compositions. His work shaped the development of Czech national music. Marin Aslop's voice is crystal clear and provides for smooth listening while her tone feels quite conversational. Clips of stunning music liven up the short audio-biography. History and music lovers alike will enjoy the illustrative melodies and interesting life of Dvorak.

Critic Reviews:

2005 Audie Award Winner, Original Work

Members Reviews:

An introduction to the lives of 6 Great Composers with music!

This is a delightful audible book on the lives of 6 famous composers for grades 3-6. Along with a biography of the artist there are samples of the composers works to introduce young people to classical music.

The composers are:1.Vivaldi

2.Bach

3.Mozart

4.Beethoven

5.Dvorak

6.Shostakovich

Each section explains the challenges and eccentricities of the famous composer and it will keep children entertained. Marin Alsop does a wonderful job of narrating along with the occasional sound effects thrown in for good measure.

I recently took a classical music course for adults and it awoke in me a new love of classical music and I believe this book could do the same for young people.

Very Interesting!

My 10-year-old son LOVES listening to these CDs, and I have to admit that my husband and I both enjoy them as well. Many hours in the car have been pleasant because my son is engaged in listening. The accounts of each composer are tastefully done and give quite a bit of interesting detail into the composer's life and personality. We have checked them out from our library many times and my son would now like us to purchase them because he enjoys listening to them so much. I only wish they would make more as there are many more composers still to study.

Embarrassingly bad, even for a seven-year old

This is clearly a presentation intended for children, but it is not indicated what age group is being targeted. The narration assumes no sophistication on the part of the listener, nor does it attempt to broaden or encourage more focused listening skills on the part of the child. Among the musical selections played are the most un-Shostakovichian work of the composer's, the variations on "Tea for Two" and the Romance from the film Gadfly, evidently in an attempt to sweeten the presentation. A portion of the Second Piano Concerto is played, and then the child is asked if the quote of the song, "What Do We Do With A Drunken Sailor" was heard in the score. Why in the world would a child be familiar with this somewhat esoteric World War II era song? A recording of the song outside its compositional context should have been played, which would have made the concerto example more meaningful. But this opportunity was overlooked.