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Title: The Pelee Project

Subtitle: One Woman's Escape From Urban Madness

Author: Jane Christmas

Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-25-14

Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Back in 2000, Jane Christmas was, like millions of others, an exhausted single working mother with a punishing agenda of work, domestic, and parenting duties. Weekdays were an urban triathlon, weekends evaporated into mile-long to-do lists. Jane found herself drained, living beyond her means emotionally, physically, and financially. She dreamed of a simpler life, but, like everyone else, worried about the consequences of disconnecting from the frenetic working world.

A highway accident changed all that. After walking away from a crash that should have killed her, she did the unthinkable and booked a three-month leave of absence from her job, put her home up for sale, and moved with her 10-year-old daughter to Pelee Island, a remote community of 180 in the middle of Lake Erie. Does the absence of a pedal-to-the-metal schedule freak her out, or does it transform her from den mother to Zen mother?

Jane published a 15-part series about her sabbatical in the National Post, and her adventure caused an immediate and huge buzz. Readers were captivated by someone who had the nerve to put the brakes on life. The Pelee Project is Jane's full memoir of her hilarious faux pas, anecdotes, and epiphanies on the island, all told in that refreshingly honest voice that attracted so many to her columns.

The Pelee Project is an inspiring tale of personal transformation and self-discovery.

Members Reviews:

worth a listen, bit preachy & boring at times

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I think the second half of the book needs editing, it is, at times, boring and repetitive which lets down the interesting content of developing self-awareness, honesty and personal change.

Would you recommend The Pelee Project to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book as it challenges the notion that we have to be swept along in the generally fast pace of modern everyday life. Jane chooses to make a radical change to her life and challenges herself, in the face of family and friends who did not always appreciate or understand her decisions. Her honesty and soul searching is refreshing and enlightening.

Which character as performed by Elizabeth Wiley was your favourite?

Elizabeth is principally narrating Janes' story which I found very easy to listen to, you really feel it is the voice of Jane.

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

Yes, I would.

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Title: Hey You - Super Fun Time!

Author: Olama Rocketship

Narrator: Amanda Young

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-07-14

Publisher: Where Fudge Is Made Literature

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

A new collection from Olama Rocketship is cause for celebration! Her exploration of Southeast Asia has provided inspiration for countless funny moments captured in this series of short stories. Whether she is accidentally frightening tourists at the "Fish Foot Spa", or searching the Cambodian countryside for a pajama party, no one can make food poisoning quite as funny as Olama. Not surprisingly, there is a lot of food poisoning. Compared by one New Yorker (not The New Yorker) to Tina Fey and David Sedaris, Rocketship has become one of our best-loved authors.

Rocketship's essays on living in SE Asia are some of the funniest she's ever written. If you've ever wanted to jump on a plane and try out a new life, these stories will show you just how "magical" that life could be.

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Title: French Hats in Iran

Author: Heydar Radjavi

Narrator: Heydar Radjavi

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-17-14

Publisher: Mage Publishers

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

All memoirs bring the past into the present, but only a few manage to illuminate both simultaneously. French Hats in Iran, a quietly insightful masterpiece of remembrance, belongs in that select group.

Heydar Radjavi's evocations of growing up in Tabriz in the 1930s and 1940s describe a traditionalist Iran grappling with modernity, a process as fraught with contradictions and stresses then as it is in Iran today.

In a series of mini-tales, we meet a rich cast of characters: the elderly father who works in the Tabriz bazaar and runs his household according to unbending religious precepts; the resourceful mother who finds ways to enjoy such forbidden frivolities as music; the female playmate who marries at the age of nine; the teacher whose personal journey takes him from strictest piety to political radicalism; and many more.

Finding a path through all the complexities is Radjavi himself - a wide-eyed little boy in some episodes, an adventurous teenager in others, and finally a young man preparing to enter a fast-changing world. The tone is always light, the memories wonderfully vivid, and the underlying theme of tension between old and new truly timeless.

Members Reviews:

Painfully enunciated English reading by the author

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Listening to the book was barely tolerable because of the authors reading in English is not great. While his pronunciation of each word is fine it is noticeable making the pace of the reading unpleasant to listen to because it doesn't sound comfortable.

Would you be willing to try another one of Heydar Radjavis performances?

Not unless his English reading style gains a more natural, comfortable sounding pace.

What else would you have wanted to know about Heydar Radjavis life?

The stories are good but the reading takes away from the various stories and makes a listener struggle through if they can stand it

Any additional comments?

Someone other than the author should do the English narration

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Title: Can We Help It If We're Fabulous

Author: Peta Mathias

Narrator: Peta Mathias

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-14

Publisher: Penguin Books NZ

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Television presenter, author and bon vivant, Peta Mathias' life has been anything but dull. With ten topics relevant to all women - fashion, food, relationships, music, travel, beauty, work, sex, happiness and, of course, men Peta's sagacious, sexy and occasionally scurrilous audiobook will encourage and inspire listeners to reinvent, spice up, embrace and celebrate the lives they have.

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Title: Marilyn Monroe

Subtitle: My Little Secret

Author: Tony Jerris

Narrator: Lee Ann Howlett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-19-14

Publisher: Tony Jerris / David Zimmermann

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

"We're calling her Marilyn Monroe." Those were the words 12-year-old Jane Lawrence remembered when she was asked to head the up-and-coming blonde starlet's fan club at 20th Century Fox under the supervision of studio head Darryl Zanuck. Jane was no stranger to movie sets or movie stars, being that her father, Sidney Lipsitch, headed RKO's legal department. She spent many Saturday afternoons at her home with the likes of Robert Mitchum, Lucille Ball, and Ethel Merman, but helping launch the career of one of the world's most legendary sex symbols was a task beyond Jane's wildest dreams. Nearly four decades later, author Tony Jerris was introduced to Jane through a mutual friend and learned how Jane's working relationship with the actress developed into a special friendship that lasted right up until Marilyn's untimely death on August 5th, 1962.

Members Reviews:

Kept me company

I liked the conversational tone of this book, and I enjoyed the narrator a good bit. I felt like the book kept me company for a few nights.

The story wasn't that stellar. It's basically Marilyn Monroe from her young fan club president's point of view. Both orphans finding themselves in the middle of Hollywood business, they use this as a touch point of commonality and that springboards a friendship. The rest of the story is about their relationship, and sometimes seeming obsession that the younger girl had with Marilyn. Many of the passages with Marilyn really seemed to distill her essence and were often the best parts of the book.

I did get to feeling though that a lot of this book was Jane's fantasy Marilyn, and not all Marilyn - it just didn't always ring true. This isn't a comment on the 'morality' of the book, because that sort of thing doesn't bother me anyway. It just didn't always seem quite plausible.

I like the narrator's voice a lot and she was well suited for this tale. That kept me going when the story occasionally made me wrinkle up my nose - which happened more frequently as the book progressed.

I received this book free for purposes of honest review.

Interesting story of Marilyn

Great story & interesting tales of old Hollywood. Jane's bio of Marilyn's life & times makes for a great read. The narrator did a great job!

An enchanting reminisce from Marilyn's biggest fan

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

Yes I would recommend this book. It was a neat glimpse into some of the inner workings of Hollywood in the late1940's and 50's as well as an interesting reminisce from Jane Lipsitch (later legally changed to Jane Lawrence)'s unique friendship and occasional hardship with Marilyn Monroe.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Marilyn Monroe was my favorite character probably because while spending her short life trying to make the world happy she severely struggled with her own identity and happiness. I felt that she was able to retain a bit of herself and her dignity through her friendship with Jane because of a somewhat parallel past.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Jane invited Marilyn to dinner at the Lipsitch home without first telling her mother because she knew how her mother felt about Marilyn. Whether rehearsed prior to the dinner or not, Marilyn won over Mrs Lipsitch's heart.

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Title: The Case of Elvis Presley and Dr. S

Author: Steven G. Carley

Narrator: John L. Saunders

Format: Unabridged

Length: 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-09-14

Publisher: SGC Production

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The Case of Elvis Presley and Dr. S documents the lives of Elvis Presley and Dr. S. Elvis addiction to prescription drugs would play a role in his divorce, in missing performances, and in his eventual death. Tobacco as one of the most addictive substances has claimed millions of lives over time. Read about the struggles of Dr. S. as he would cope with his addiction to nicotine and tobacco products.

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Title: Lay Down Your Guns

Subtitle: One Doctor's Battle for Hope and Healing in Honduras

Author: Greg Taylor

Narrator: Zilah Mendoza

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-24-14

Publisher: Greg R. Taylor

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

In Honduras' ''wild west'' mountain jungles, Amanda Madrid found her calling as a medical doctor to poor farmers.

When Amanda's father rejects her dream to be a doctor, eighteen-year-old Amanda strikes out alone and enters medical school in Tegucigalpa.

Her work as a medical officer, public health consultant, and director of an international holistic Christian ministry called Predisan could have resulted in prestigious luxury for her. Instead these experiences led Dr. Madrid to the mountains on horseback and prepared her for the biggest challenge of her life.

When illegal drug trafficking and murders lead to closing medical clinics, Dr. Madrid goes toe to toe with cartel mercenaries, the unarmed doctor in her signature red high heels against men in combat boots armed with AK-47s.

This is the story about the life of a Honduran doctor heartbroken about the many killings and bad medicine of cartels. Can the same kind of love and prayer she gives her patients also cause these violent men to lay down their guns?

Members Reviews:

Intriguing...

This book kept me captivated. It contained a lot of stories about the struggles and triumphs of the doctor. It detailed her courage her faith in God and her faith in the community. I would definitely recommend this as a good read.

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Title: Horror Stories from a Computer Tech

Author: Geekus Maximus

Narrator: Timothy McKean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-06-14

Publisher: Randall Morris

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Seven true stories about the craziest, creepiest, and funniest customers I've ever met as an in-home computer technician. Read them at your own risk....

Members Reviews:

Too short

The stories are great, but, there simply aren't enough of them to satisfy the average person.

Three dollars is too steep a price for just seven stories! No one should pay more than $1 for this "book."

lame

I thought it would have lots of fun tech support stories. not so . lame renditions of half a dozen stories I might hear in s week at work .

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Title: East Wind Melts the Ice

Subtitle: A Guide to Serenity Through the Seasons

Author: Liza Dalby

Narrator: Jane Bradley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-19-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Writing in luminous prose, Liza Dalby, acclaimed author of Geisha and The Tale of Murasaki, brings us this elegant and unique years journal a brilliant mosaic that is at once a candid memoir, a gardeners diary, and an enlightening excursion through cultures east and west. Structured according to the seasonal units of an ancient Chinese almanac, East Wind Melts the Ice is made up of 72 short chapters that can be read straight through or dipped into at random. In the essays, Dalby transports us from her Berkeley garden to the streets of Kyoto, to Imperial China, to the sea cliffs of Northern California, and to points beyond. Throughout these journeys, Dalby weaves her memories of living in Japan and becoming the first and only non-Japanese geisha, her observations on the recurring phenomena of the natural world, and meditations on the cultural aesthetics of Japan, China, and California. She illuminates everyday life as well, in stories of keeping a pet butterfly, roasting rice cakes with her children, watching whales, and pampering worms to make compost. In the manner of the Japanese personal poetic essay, this vibrant work comprises 72 windows on a life lived between cultures, and the result is a wonderfully engaging read.

Members Reviews:

A Truly Unique Journey

Would you listen to East Wind Melts the Ice again? Why?

I certainly would listen to East Wind Melts the Ice again, and indeed have already re-listened to several of my favourite chapters. One of the joys of this book is that each of its 72 sections provides a satisfying experience lasting no longer than five or ten minutes, and yet the book adds up to more than the sum of its parts.

Every few minutes, this book reveals a fact, story or observation of note, but over the course of ten hours' material, it becomes a fascinating account not just of seasons, nature and cultures, but a deeply personal self-portrait of the author herself. Everything in this book, from its formal structure to its subject matter to its linguistic style, is several times more unexpected, imaginative and unique than almost any book, fiction or non-fiction, that I have read in the past year.

If youve listened to books by Liza Dalby before, how does this one compare?

I have never listened to any of Liza Dalby's books before, but having listened to East Wind... I feel as if I know her as well if not better than many of my neighbours, so would very much like to explore her work further.

Have you listened to any of Jane Bradleys other performances before? How does this one compare?

Jane Bradley appears to be a relatively new reader for Audible, but I will certainly be keeping an eye out for her future readings. Bradley manages quite a difficult task with ease: her vocal performance, like the book, is soothing and mellow without ever straying into blandness.

There is a sparkle and wit behind her performance of some of the book's quirkier passages, such as the description of one male sheep impregnating a whole flock on a farm belonging to the Dalby's friend.

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Title: Mission Under Fire

Author: Rex Byers, Jeff Bennington

Narrator: John Edmondson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-27-13

Publisher: Nexgate Press

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

They Came to Help. They Didn't Expect a Mission Under Fire.

Mission Under Fire is the true story of a short-term mission trip in Haiti that went terribly wrong the night 14 Americans were terrorized above a humble medical clinic in the Port-au-Prince countryside. The missionaries fought off six bandits armed with semi automatic pistols, with nothing more than knives, coke bottles, and prayer. In a miraculous fight for their lives, these brave survivors lived through hell, but have Heaven to thank for the experience.

Told by Rex Byers, one of the wounded missionaries, this story will inspire you to take stock of your life, hug your loved ones, and strengthen your faith.

Members Reviews:

God works all things together for good ...

A group of short-term missionaries to Haiti were attacked and the author shot. This is the story of their experience, but the most important part of the story is not the details of the trauma. It is the lesson they learned (or relearned): God worked a terrible ordeal for good. The missionaries continue to pray for the salvation of the gunmen who attacked them.

True story of God protecting his missionaries

This story is intense, I cried, I panicked, I even laughed nervously occasionally. This is real and raw, there's no action hero who comes in and shoots out the bad guys in one quick move. They had nothing to fight back with except for coke bottles and Prayers, and yet somehow they all lived to tell about it. A must read. God protected them, some of them got shot, but everyone lived and he placed the right people in the right places to make sure everyone survived with a deeper understanding of God's power and mercy.

Triumph over Tragedy*****

This story rivals the best fictional thrillers with the exception this is a true story. The background of the missionaries mission is throughly explained. I felt I knew the Haiti people as I was reading the book. During and after the attack, I counted no less than twenty miracles God performed on behalf of His people. Gods grace and mercy abundantly abound in the account of Mission Under Fire. The survivors resonate forgiveness and gratitude toward the attackers and God respectively. I appreciate the author sharing both his weaknesses and strengths reguarding his past and during this incredible ordeal. This novel is a must read!!! I could not put the book down. Thank You***

Mission Under Fire

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this book, IF you can enjoy something like that. I laughed and I cried reading the account of what happened while they were in Haiti. But knowing that my sister, Maggie Duncan, was also there, well, it broke my heart for all of them and what they had to endure. Not knowing what was happening around them, since the electricity was off and they couldn't see, was probably what saved their lives...besides God having a hand in everything knowing that they all had more things to do for His Kingdom on earth. The Haiti Team is to be blessed for their journey to Haiti and back. God Bless them ALL!!!

Good book

Very good and interesting book.