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

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Title: Moon River and Me

Author: Andy Williams

Narrator: Andy Williams

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-13-09

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Before being declared a national treasure by President Ronald Reagan, Williams would chart 18 gold and three platinum albums, headline at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for more than 20 years, and host an enormously popular weekly television variety show whose Christmas specials still occupy a tender spot in every baby boomer's heart.

Williams knew everybody who was anybody during his seven remarkable decades in show business (including Judy Garland, John Huston, Jack Lemmon, John Lennon, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Barbra Streisand, among others) and was a close friend of Bobby Kennedy for many years. He shares memories of them all in Moon River and Me. His millions of fans guarantee a huge audience for the autobiography of the plush baritone who - at the age of 81 - still draws thousands of fans to his Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri.

Members Reviews:

very good book I enjoyed the book tremendously lea

what about the man that I never realized happened to him in his lifetime I would recommend this book highly to anyone is very interesting read I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did it will make you laugh cry and smile thank you for giving us this book

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Title: Papa Hemingway

Author: A. E. Hotchner

Narrator: Robert Stack

Format: Abridged

Length: 1 hr and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-06-09

Publisher: Audio Holdings, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 29 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

For 14 years, Hotchner and Hemingway shared their thoughts and as Hemingway reminisced about his childhood, recalled the Paris literary scene of the 20s, and recounted the real events that lay behind his fiction, Hotchner took it all down.

His notes provide the material for this utterly profound and truthfully compassionate best-selling memoir about Ernest Hemingway.

Critic Reviews:

"Brilliant.... Hotchner deserves to be compared not only to Capote, but to Boswell." (The New York Times)

"Remarkable...makes Hemingway live for us as nothing else has done." (The Wall Street Journal)

Members Reviews:

Drastically abridged

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Ironically, no--and I love the book. I've read "Papa Hemingway" at least twice over the years and loved it. But it begs to be read in its entirety, and not in this drastically pared edition.

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

It's a great story--truly one of the best of its kind (personal memoir) of that generation. However, so much of the richness of Hemingway's extraordinary life is lost in this slashed telling.

How could the performance have been better?

Robert Stack did lots of good work in his day--in movies, TV, and radio. But that's the problem, his performance sounds dated and staccato.

Could you see Papa Hemingway being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes, George Clooney as Hemingway--but wait a few years. Aaron Paul as Hotchner--he's ready now.

Any additional comments?

Dear Audible,

Please redo this one.

Sincerely,

A big fan of "Papa Hemingway."

Great stories, but a little bit of s letdown.

I read Hemingway in love first. I felt a lot of repetition because of that.

Also I admire Robert Stack very much but it was difficult to hear some of the story because of the unique quality of his voice.

Incredible Read

If you could sum up Papa Hemingway in three words, what would they be?

It is difficult for some to understand the genius behind his writings and why once he lost his ability to write ... he felt his life was over. Sad story .. but great read.

Rich literary history, narration

amazing insight into Hemingway's late life, but narration wasn't optimal. Stack's voice was superb, production was just ok

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Title: The Life and Music of George Gershwin

Author: Ean Wood

Narrator: Sheridan Morley

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-21-09

Publisher: The Copyright Group

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

This fresh account is further livened by a splendid reading from Sheridan Morley who contributes to this entertaining and informed account of one of America's greatest composers.

Members Reviews:

Good overview of major works

Fast paced telling of George Gershwin's life and music. Well written and informative. Narration well done.

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Title: Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis (33 1/3 Series)

Author: Warren Zanes

Narrator: Jay Snyder

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-20-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 10 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

In this book, Zanes explores his own love affair with the record. He digs deep into the album's Memphis roots and talks to several of the key characters who were involved in its creation; many of whom were - like Zanes - outsiders drawn to the American South and mesmerized by its hold over the imagination.

Editorial Reviews:

Warren Zanes, himself a musician, says off the bat that his entry into Continuum's 33 1/3 series is "not a book about a record", but "a book about an experience with a record." Zanes describes the effect of Dust Springfield's Dusty in Memphis, its complex view on love's mysteries and contradictions. Toward this goal he analyzes the album, and interviews some of the key players in its creation, like Jerry Wexler, one of the producers. Jay Snyder's authoritative, flowing voice, pushes along this audiobook that'll have you running back to the source material, an album that instantly puts the listener into an environment, perhaps of their own memory or the smoky world of pop R&B hits like "Son of a Preacher Man".

Members Reviews:

A personal look at an excellent album

Warren Zanes gives us a personal look at his history with this acclaimed Dusty Springfield album, as well as the details of its creation. Dusty in Memphis is sort of an improbable classic, made by a singer whose personal problems were overcome by the strength of the material and by the collaborators she chose, such as soul music producer extarordinaire Jerry Wexler. Northerner Zanes details his fascination with the mysteries of the exotic South, a fascination shared by British soul singer Springfield, who traveled to Memphis to try to capture the spirit of soul music at its source.

Well-written but not enough album-related info

What did you like best about Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis (33 1/3 Series)? What did you like least?

Warren Zanes is a very good writer. I loved his Tom Petty bio, his narrative is always compelling. That said, this book really serves as an essay about the mythical South rather than a true telling of the making of Dusty in Memphis. There are some cool details but they are interjected sparsely between long expositions about race, southern culture and the history of people who've profited from the work of southern black musicians.

All of those things make sense to talk about and Zanes does so beautifully. But I found myself wanting to know more about the actual album featured in the title of the book.

Miss with the Blues

Dusty was never Rusty. How could an artist with so much talent ever be overlooked in the Pantheon of great entertainers. Her life was filled with sorrow but she filled the world's music with great interpretations of classic melody.

No white woman has ever achieved the accolades showered on her by people who she emulated in the world of Soul.

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Title: Mosaic

Subtitle: Pieces of My Life So Far

Author: Amy Grant

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-29-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 33 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Now for the first time she bares her heart and soul to reveal thoughts on everything from motherhood and marriage to fame and forgiveness. Whether describing personal moments alone on a moonlit hillside or very public ones performing with the likes of Tony Bennett and James Taylor, Amy presents a captivating collection of beautiful reflections on life, love, and faith.

Rendered with the lyrical insight we see in her music, Amy reflects on the pieces of her life through the years, forming a vivid mosaic of memories rich in color, varied in texture, and united in their heartfelt design.

Members Reviews:

life lessons and love of family and friends that shapes a life

Instead of being a chronological view of Amy's life, this book is composed of vignettes from the artist's memory. Amy shares the moments of her history that have influenced her music and life.

I teared up at some of the chapters, smiled at the humor in other parts and underlined meaningful life lessons.

It's not teachy or a tell-all, rather it's a composition of the unexpected moments, hard choices, life lessons and love of family and friends that shapes a life.

One of those books that ended a bit too soon!

This book is so beautiful about certain experiences through her life and how informative ...

This book is so beautiful about certain experiences through her life and how informative those stories were to me, it really had me thinking about my life. She is wonderfully human and so humble about her mistakes, she taught me about the power of forgiveness and thank You Lord for giving us Your grace and mercy to pick up the pieces and move on with a second chance even though we constantly face persecution from others. God bless you Amy Grant, my only regret is that this book was too short to read. Hope you write another one soon.

Amy Grant is much more than a talented musician

I have read Amy Grant's "Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far" in one sitting...I could not put it down. Amy did a beautiful job expressing her true feelings...the good and the bad. Her faith is evident from to beginning to end, and there are so many inspiring passages in the book that could easily be used for devotions. It is amazing what she has accomplished since she was 15 years old. I was absolutely amazed when I read her timeline. I have seen Amy perform, and she is drop-dead gorgeous. Amy Grant is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. There were lots of tear-jerking moments in this wonderful book.

....Not at all what I expected.....

I usually love to read autobiographies due to the "tell-all" nature of them. The typical scandalous details of a someone's life exposed make for an interesting read (hey, I own up to it!). However, this book wasn't that at all. If I had read a bit more of the description I probably would have been able to figure that out. I thought the book was "cute"--skipped around and read a few stories. It ended up on my bookshelf shortly thereafter. However, about 6 months later, I randomly picked it up again. I read a few stories which lead me to really think. A couple of days later, a personal major life change occured. Luckily, this was a temporary set back But, it made for a very difficult 2 weeks. I read the book daily and started listening closely to the lyrics of Amy's music. I realized that the music has told stories for years.

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Title: John Lennon

Subtitle: The Life

Author: Philip Norman

Narrator: Graeme Malcolm

Format: Abridged

Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-28-08

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 43 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

This biography takes a fresh and penetrating look at Lennon's much-chronicled life, including the songs that have turned him, posthumously, into almost a secular saint. In three years of research, Norman has turned up an extraordinary amount of new information about even the best-known episodes of Lennon folklore. The book's numerous key informants and interviewees include Sir Paul McCartney, Sir George Martin, and Yoko Ono, who speaks with sometimes shocking candor about the inner workings of her marriage to John.

Honest and unflinching, as John himself would wish, Norman gives us the whole man in all his endless contradictions: tough and cynical, hilariously funny - but also naive, vulnerable, and insecure. He reveals how the mother who gave him away as a toddler haunted his mind and his music for the rest of his days.

Members Reviews:

Really Bad Abridgement Job (slash job)

I always go for unabridged if available because I prefer to decide for myself which passages (if any) to skim. But the abridgements I've read in the past have at least provided decent transitions and for the most part not chopped out essential passages. Not so with this butcher job. Suddenly John leaps from one school to another without transition. The formation of his first band is left out, so you are dumped immediately in the middle of his Quarrymen period. At that point, I gave up on the audiobook and bought the real book. I was, and remain, totally puzzled how this abridgement was permitted to be sold to us. It's really, really, awful. Insensitive, thoughtless, bizarre.

Not even an attempt at an abridgement

I find it unbelievable that a major publishing house would do such a haphazard job on an audiobook. I actually called Audible to see if a part was missing, because the audiobook skips all mention of John meeting Paul McCartney and George Harrison and forming the Quarrymen, among other glaring omissions. It turns out that the narrator is just reading certain unedited chapters from the book, so you get some things in great detail, while other, sometimes more important, things are completely skipped. There is no attempt at continuity; people and events will pop up with no explanation, because they had obviously been introduced in an earlier chapter that we did not get to hear.

The really frustrating part is that if the audiobook were unabridged, or had been abridged properly, I think this would have been a really great listen. The chapter about John's early childhood contained information that I, an avid Beatles reader, had never heard, and I found it riveting. The book is well-written, and the narration is also very good. It's a shame that the publisher did not to justice to its product with its lazy, lazy abridgement.

What's there is good, but there isn't enough there

Why, oh why, does Audible provide unabridged versions of, say, a 3-volume history of the stapler yet insist on abridging books like this? The other commenters have it right: these are excerpts, not a real abridged version.

And the selections are puzzling: this version skips the entire first 3 albums, U.S. tour, etc., but gives in excruciating detail a long, Wikipedia-like history of LSD that is familiar from every 1960s documentary ever made. But John Lennon's life from 1974-1980? Missing.

The writing is good, as is the narration and the information provided.

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Title: Great Men of Genius Series

Author: Mike Daisey

Narrator: Mike Daisey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-08

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 79 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The geniuses are, in order of appearance:

Critic Reviews:

"Daisey is a master showman, combining the storytelling acumen of David Sedaris and Lewis Black's outraged humor." (Daily Californian)

"Mike Daisey's monologues brim with subtle messages that never hammer you over the head...by association, he adds himself to the titular category." (Time Out New York)

Members Reviews:

Fantastic!

This performance is funny, interesting, and unusual - a must hear!

Why?

Dear Mr. Daisy,

Why?

Why did you decide to do a mash-up of vague biographies of "men of genius" and your own memoirs?

Shouldn't you do one or the other?

I would have liked that better.

Also, you need to do a little more research on the geniuses lives. Perhaps unearth some little known fact that the average History Channel viewer (me,) wouldn't have picked up in their various TV viewings or in their travels through a public library or bookstore. (I do that, too. Travel, that is. Through libraries and bookstores.)

You do have a lot of energy in your readings and applied to your performance. For that, I give you credit but also a bit of advice; Tone it DOWN. TOO MUCH SHOUTING and then weird softer modulation IS VERY ANNOYING. (Sorta like what I just did with those caps, right?)

I have a feeling that you will find a real voice if you get your objectives clarified about what you mean to relate in your monologues. Although I might be wrong in saying you may never end up in someone else's book about men of genius, you are obviously not a dumb guy and you do have a talent for stringing words together. You just need to get them to say something coherently.

Sincerely,

Sudi

P.S. I did get a slight whiff of a Garrison Keillor type homage in your presentation. Please don't do that. He got creepier and creepier as he aged. You'll want to avoid that.

Very Entertaining!

I couldn't stop listening! Mike Daisey has a comic delivery very similar to Dane Cook -- I was laughing out loud and even went back a couple of times to hear a story or punchline again... This has become one of my all-time favorite listens!

Great to listen to while painting over photos

Im always looking for things to listen to while making art - so far this is the best. Funny, incisive, and obviously an incredible performance - love.

The author is just too ridiculous.

I couldn't get past the author/reader. He was too obnoxious.

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Title: Isak Dinesen

Subtitle: The Life of a Storyteller

Author: Judith Thurman

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 47 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Christened with the name Karen, the moody, headstrong, youngest of three sisters was nicknamed "Tanne" for much of her childhood. She was determined to become an artist. After she married Baron Blixen, she was the mistress and landowner "Tania" to those she knew and loved in her new African home. Finally, it was with the name "Isak", meaning "one who laughs", that she became known to the world as a master storyteller.

Each period of her life provided Dinesen with rich characters and horizons for her brilliant writing. Noted biographer and critic Judith Thurman draws on Isak Dinesen's letters, unpublished manuscripts, and family documents in this compelling biography.

Winner of the National Book Award, Isak Dinesen gracefully reveals the connections between a remarkable woman's literary creations and her fascinating life.

Members Reviews:

Confused

Would you try another book from Judith Thurman and/or Davina Porter?

Davina Porter yes!

Would you be willing to try another book from Judith Thurman? Why or why not?

Yes, she was thorough.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Love Davina Porter's voice.

Could you see Isak Dinesen being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

no

Any additional comments?

Too much jumping here and there in her life. Would have preferred a more structured, synchronized biography. Informative but confusing.

Slight problem with the reader

Judith Thurman is brilliant. I loved the book! My only complaint is with Davina Porter. She does have a lovely voice and accent but she swallows words and phrases in every paragraph. When listening without headphones, in a car for example, this is very frustrating and annoying.

Underwhelmed

Would you try another book from Judith Thurman and/or Davina Porter?

Judith Thurman is an excellent biographer, but making Isak Dinesen into a GREAT writer was beyond her powers.

Would you ever listen to anything by Judith Thurman again?

Yes. Absolutely.

What didnt you like about Davina Porters performance?

Her somewhat breathless and portentous style is better suited to fiction.

What character would you cut from Isak Dinesen?

Karen Blixen

Any additional comments?

Can't win 'em all.

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Title: Letters to a Young Teacher

Author: Jonathan Kozol

Narrator: David Drummond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-29-07

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Letters to a Young Teacher reignites a number of the controversial issues that Kozol has powerfully addressed in recent years: the mania of high-stakes testing that turns many classrooms into test-prep factories where spontaneity and critical intelligence are no longer valued, the invasion of our public schools by predatory private corporations, and the inequalities of urban schools that are once again almost as segregated as they were a century ago.

But most of all, these letters are rich with the happiness of teaching children, the curiosity and jubilant excitement children bring into the classroom at an early age, and their ability to overcome their insecurities when they are in the hands of an adoring and hard-working teacher.

Editorial Reviews:

From his perspective of over forty years in education, Jonathan Kozol writes a series of warm letters to Francesca, a new first-grade teacher at an inner-city school in Boston. Visiting her class and answering her questions has Kozol reflecting on his experiences with motivating students, eschewing administrative control, and dealing with standardized testing. Several of the personal stories will seem familiar to Kozol fans, but this new presentation makes them live again, and it's always refreshing to hear someone speaking sense about education. David Drummond delivers the material well. At some points his voice and words are gentle, as if trying to calm the new teacher; at others his tone is passionate and tinged with anger at the insanity of current policies.

Critic Reviews:

"Encouraging...forceful...convincingly argued." (Publishers Weekly)"Remarkable....Every citizen who cares about the future of our children ought to read this." (Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar)

Members Reviews:

A must read for new teachers

This book has a lot of "real" new teacher issues. It is great for any new teacher of an urban classroom. Don't get caught up in the author's soap box.....otherwise it does provide some good suggestions for a new teacher.

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Title: Clapton

Subtitle: The Autobiography

Author: Eric Clapton

Narrator: Bill Nighy

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-26-07

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Eric was born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents. He never knew his father, and until the age of nine believed his absentee mother to be his sister. In his teens his solace was the guitar, and he soon became a cult hero in the club circuits of Britain. With the foundation of the world's first super-group, Cream, in 1966, he became a world superstar.

But the rock-star lifestyle has had a darker side. In more than 40 years at the forefront of his profession, he has twice survived near fatal addictions to drugs and alcohol, the death of his four-year-old son, the deaths of friends such as Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, the break-up of marriage, and the disintegration of relationships with a succession of beautiful women.

These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. At the age of 62, Eric is now ready to tell his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

Critic Reviews:

"Both the youthful excesses and the current calm state are narrated with an engaging tone that nudges Clapton's story ahead of other rock 'n' roll memoirs." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Clapton The Autobiography

I would have never dreamed this is how an era came to be in one man's eyes - what an interesting life he has . An excellent book that , when told by the narrator Mr. Nighy, made it feel so intimate, as if you witnessed his life with him -

I found the blues when Petty died.

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

Bill Nighy is one of my favorite actors so I enjoyed listening to this book very much, even after reading it long eyed. Among Rockographies, this one is great; intelligent, open & honest.

Who was your favorite character and why?

When I read biographies and autobiographies, at the end, I usually think, 'wow, what a jerk.' However I still love Clapton. I really got turned on by the blues and in very constructive ways so I thank him for that.

What does Bill Nighy bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I did read the book but love this actor. A good listen ....

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

If this book where a film, I'd call it, "Life in 12 bars." Oh wait, I'm too late.

Any additional comments?

Every time I enjoy a piece of media, a book, a tv series I've plowed through all at once, I am a bit sad at the end because I don't think I'd find something else as good, but life rolls on and uses new characters and different time periods. The hero has 1,000 faces. So onward.