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

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Title: Pulp Icons

Subtitle: Erle Stanley Gardner and His Pulp Magazine Characters

Author: Jeffrey Marks

Narrator: James C. Lewis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-19-13

Publisher: Author

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

This is the only in-depth look at the over 600 pulp short stories and novelettes published by famed mystery author Erle Stanley Gardner, who would go on to write the highly successful Perry Mason series. Gardner broke into the pulp magazine market in the 1920s and wrote continuously for them until the pulps folded during the second World War.

Members Reviews:

A fascinating look into one an amazing writer

Where does Pulp Icons rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

A short listen but a must and warning it will result into looking for more books to read.

What other book might you compare Pulp Icons to and why?

The Blood "N" Thunder Guide To Pulp Fiction

What about James C. Lewiss performance did you like?

Spoken clearly nice tone for the material

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Intrigued to find more books written by Erle Stanley Gardner

Any additional comments?

A must have in any Pulp collectors library

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Title: Interview: Marie Howe Poet and Teacher

Author: Peter Menkin

Narrator: Christy Lynn

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-19-13

Publisher: Peter Menkin

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 2 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

This interview with Marie Howe, American poet and teacher, is the first of a series of three different interviews with American poets. Note some poems by Marie from her new book The Kingdom of Ordinary Time, are included in the Addendum to the interview - by permission of the poet, and of W.W. Norton publisher. Marie writes poetry of religious and spiritual kind, and other works most lovely and engaged in what one critic called the metaphysical.

Members Reviews:

Do not buy

This does not feature Marie Howe in interview. It is not worth listening too. Completely misrepresented. I wanted to give it minus stars but I couldn't.

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Title: The Art of Youth

Subtitle: Crane, Carrington, Gershwin, and the Nature of First Acts

Author: Nicholas Delbanco

Narrator: Jeff Crawford

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-19-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The Art of Youth is a moving inquiry into the nature of artistic prodigies who did their major work at an early age. Renowned novelist Nicholas Delbanco gives us a triptych of indelible portraits: the American writer Stephen Crane (immortalized by The Red Badge of Courage); British artist Dora Carrington (called "the most neglected serious painter of her time"); and the legendary composer George Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess).

All three lived colorful, productive lives before dying early, at an average age of thirty-five. In this learned and elegant audiobook, Delbanco discovers what it is we mourn in authors who pass away so young, and muses on his own life - one marked by both early success and longevity.

Members Reviews:

Not my type of book

Could not get into it

Ultimate Pay Off MIssing

This book is like a chocolate covered cherry where they forgot the cherry. Selecting three disparate artists, Stephen Crane, Dora Carrington and George Gershwin (and the author himself),he attempts to draw universal conclusions from the premature deaths of creative geniuses. Crane and Gershwin I was quite familiar with and the biographical portions provided nothing more than what one would learn in school or from a cursory internet search. Carrington, a painter, seemed worthy of consideration more for her association with the Bloomsbury Group and writer Lytton Strachey. The connection between the manifestation of early creative prowess and early death was never made. Crane succumbed to tuberculosis, not an uncommon end in his day. Gershwin had a fast growing brain tumor that was not diagnosed until the die was already cast. Carrington's suicide had more to do with her inability to cope with her friend Strachey's death than the dark side of creative impulse. The author's inclusion of himself was no more than a tribute to his ego. The writing was rather dull and dry and I discovered no new insights. Had Crane antibiotics, Gershwin an MRI and Carrington some good counseling, their creative lives would, most likely, have been extended. This is an okay book and I enjoyed revisiting Gershwin. But like the aforementioned candy, the payoff was missing.

Self-Indulgence Disguised as an Artistic Analysis of Three Distinct Visionaries

Author Nicholas Delbanco attempts to take the reader on a journey into the lives of three very distinctive artistic figures including author Stephen Crane and composer George Gershwin to do... something. Truth be told, I can't quite figure out what Delbanco is trying to achieve in The Art of Youth aside from picking three artists that died very young. If there was supposed to be some artistic lamentation over their dying early and the 27-Club just wasn't Delbanco's thing then I certainly didn't get it. In short there is no payoff, no grand thesis that intertwines the three narratives that seem little more than a Wikipedia article.

On top of that, Delbanco spends the last two chapters of the book committing the cardinal sin of historical writing and that's talking about yourself beyond the introduction and author's notes section. The alleged climax and conclusion of the book was about himself and his life's experiences...

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Title: Dr. Samuel Johnson

Subtitle: In His Own Words

Author: Samuel Johnson

Narrator: Deaver Brown

Format: Unabridged

Length: 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-13-13

Publisher: Simply Media

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Dr. Johnson was the great wit of his age and all ages. He is as widely quoted today as in his time. He had the most pity and appropriate comments of any man of any age. All contained herein.

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Title: It's So Hard to Type with a Gun in My Mouth

Author: Steve Bluestein

Narrator: Eric Fox

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-05-13

Publisher: Steve Bluestein

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

It's So Hard To Type With A Gun In My Mouth is a collection of essays and short stories from TV writer/playwright, and comedian, Steve Bluestein. If you love to laugh...you will love this audiobook. Here is what one listener had to say: "I actually finished listening to your audiobook a couple of weeks ago and (naively) thought it would be easy to tell you what the experience was like for me."

Members Reviews:

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL LISTEN

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

This is a delightful listen. I know Steve personally and he is one of the nicest guys on the planet. His ability to find humor in his story is a great talent. An extra star to Eric Fox for his exceptional narration. He really enhances this book with his accents. The production is flawless.

This will depress you!!

Would you try another book from Steve Bluestein and/or Eric Fox?

I don't think so.

What was most disappointing about Steve Bluesteins story?

This was therapy for Steve Bluestein. If you don't suffer from depression, you could by the time you reach the end of this book. Also, about 3/4 of the way through this book he keeps repeating what he said before, sometimes more than once.

What about Eric Foxs performance did you like?

He was good, which is probably why I listened to the end.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

NO!!

Any additional comments?

It started off funny, There were some funny parts through out the book but it was mostly therapy because his mother was rotten to him. Also he spent a great deal of time name dropping, maybe it had something to do with his insecurity problems. Even worse is that he had to go into detail about everyone of his friends who died.

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Title: My Father Is a Book

Subtitle: A Memoir of Bernard Malamud

Author: Janna Malamud Smith

Narrator: Teri Clark Linden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-27-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Bernard Malamud - the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of such acclaimed works as The Fixer, The Natural, and The Assistant, peer to Philip Roth and Saul Bellow, and an enduring literary influence - was a very private man. In this candid, loving, and beautifully written memoir, Malamud's daughter explores her renowned father's life and literary legacy, drawing from her own memories as well as from her father's letters and journals. An indispensable companion to Bernard Malamud's fiction, My Father Is a Book offers unique insight into the relationship between an author's life and art.

Members Reviews:

...and so much more

In this intelligent, sensitive memoir, Janna Malamud Smith makes a valiant attempt to reveal to us, and I believe to herself, the man who transformed an impovershed and tragic childhood, as well as deep insecurities and persistent demons into some of the greatest American fiction of the twentieth century. Bernard Malamud (The Fixer, The Magic Barrel, The Assistant) seems to have been a difficult man for the world to know, but no more so than he was for his adoring daughter, Janna. At times, Smith seems a bit tentative in her efforts, but for me this only gives more substance and poignancy to the story she shares with us, and serves to better emphasize the complexity of her relationship with her father, and his with the world. In an interview, Janna explains the 20 years she took before writing this memoir, saying, "I needed that privacy to figure out who I was. I needed to learn how to write before I wrote about him. I needed some distance." It was time well-spent, for while the movement of this book is generally forward, Janna skillfully, touchingly takes us back-and-forth in time to shed fresh light on old shadows. There are no epiphanies or shocking revelations to report (well, perhaps one or two, depending on your definition), just the analyses and personal ruminations on a very interesting, sad, successful, troubled and ultimately unforgettable man and artist. Janna is a practicing psychotherapist, and earlier wrote a book titled, "Private Matters: In Defense of the Personal Life," which may seem to contradict her decision to write this exceedingly personal memoir. She explains by saying, "Writing a memoir, you're still in control." And yet, courageously, she seems not to have left much private, for which we should all be grateful. Janna also stated the importance of writing this book while her mother was still living, explaining, "I needed her to tell me where I was wrong." As is true of any family's story, there is so much in this book that could only have happened to them, but as in the great fiction her father wrote, the themes are universal, and therefore of great value to us all.

The Unknown Side of Bernard Malamud

Bernard Malamud is considered one of the greatest American Jewish writers as is evidenced by his having received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature as well as other awards for his masterpiece, THE FIXER.

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Title: A Man Like Curtis

Author: Sue Clark Productions

Narrator: Lenny Kravitz

Format: Original Recording

Length: 1 hr and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-15-13

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 4 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Lenny Kravitz, a lifelong fan of Curtis Mayfield, celebrates his life and musical achievements in this four-part series.

Curtis was a prolific songwriter whose career was cut short following a tragic accident in 1990. He died in 1999, aged only 57. His songs influenced millions and he was an inspiration to musicians including Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

Episode 1, People Get Ready, concentrates on Curtis' early musical influences: his gospel beginnings, the songs he wrote for Jerry Butler, and his early Impressions' hits; while Episode 2, Move On Up, looks at Curtis' protest songs, chart success and his 'blaxploitation' movie theme Superfly. The third episode, Keep On Keeping On, takes us up to his appearance at the 1983 Glastonbury Festival; and the final episode, New World Order, covers the tragic circumstances preceding his death and celebrates his enduring legacy.

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Title: The Story of J. M. Barrie

Author: Denis Mackail

Narrator: Gildart Jackson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 36 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-26-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The authorized biography of Sir James Barrie, Bart, O. M. (18601937), playwright and novelist. Best known as the author of Peter Pan, Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, educated at Edinburgh University, and initially worked as a journalist in England. His early books comprised novels and stories about Scottish provincial life, but from about 1900 his plays were international successes, especially Quality Street, The admirable Crichton, and, later, Dear Brutus. Mackail, who in his own childhood had known Barrie as a family friend, provides a respectful survey of Barries life and career, eschewing detailed analysis of the works in favour of historical description.

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Title: Now All Roads Lead to France

Subtitle: A Life of Edward Thomas

Author: Matthew Hollis

Narrator: Joanne Giaquinta

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-27-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Edward Thomas was perhaps the most beguiling and influential of the First World War poets. Now All Roads Lead to France is an account of his final five years, centered on his extraordinary friendship with Robert Frost and Thomass fateful decision to fight in the war. The book evokes an astonishingly creative moment in English literature: a generation that included W. B. Yeats, Ezra Pound, and Rupert Brooke.

These larger-than-life characters surround Thomas, who is tormented by his work and his marriage. Ultimately the decision to fight in the war costs Thomas his life, and it is the roads taken - and those not taken - that are at the heart of this remarkable book.

Members Reviews:

Brilliantly written book, timely topic (for 2014)

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

The poetry loses something in the transfer to audiobook format; visual line breaks are important. That said, I completed the book weeks earlier than I would have by reading only.

What other book might you compare Now All Roads Lead to France to and why?

None I can think of

What does Joanne Giaquinta bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I am grateful that audible secured a reader and produced this version of a book that has sold in only small numbers. The narration was good, but the narrator's inability to articulate such words as "certain" and "Britain" was a little distracting.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

From my review of the kindle version on Amazon: With his account of the final years of Edward Thomas's life, Hollis takes readers on a tour of the literary world, and, to a lesser extent, the world at large, at a time that everything must have seemed in turmoil to those who lived through it. Literary revolutions. Social revolutions. Wars fought by machines as much as they were fought by people. With Hollis's book (and bibliography) as a starting point, even someone who knows the era quite well could take a fresh look. Of especial interest is the effect Thomas had on other writers, most notably Robert Frost (and Frost on Thomas).If still unsure, search for Robert Macfarlane's review of the book in The (Manchester) Guardian; the review does Hollis justice far better than I could hope to.

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Title: Martha Graham in Love and War

Subtitle: The Life in the Work

Author: Mark Franko

Narrator: Gary Telles

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Often called the Picasso, Stravinsky, or Frank Lloyd Wright of the dance world, Martha Graham revolutionized ballet stages across the globe. Using newly discovered archival sources, award-winning choreographer and dance historian Mark Franko reframes Graham's most famous creations, those from the World War II era, by restoring their rich historical and personal context. Graham matured as an artist during the global crisis of fascism, the conflict of World War II, and the post-war period that ushered in the Cold War. Franko focuses on four of her most powerful works, American Document (1938), Appalachian Spring (1944), Night Journey (1948), and Voyage (1953), tracing their connections to Graham's intense feelings of anti-fascism and her fascination with psychoanalysis.

Moreover, Franko explores Graham's intense personal and professional bond with dancer and choreographer Erick Hawkins. The author traces the impact of their constantly changing feelings about each other and about their work, and how Graham wove together strands of love, passion, politics, and myth to create a unique and iconically American school of choreography and dance.

Members Reviews:

Not for a Kindle

While I am certainly interested in the subject, the writing is very dense with too many words I didn't want to stop and look up. The best part is the endnotes. With a Kindle it becomes a nuisance to go back to the text although tapping on the reference number gets you there instantly.

Content has less to do with the dances and mostly about theories used to revision them.