Large Library of Full Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

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Title: The God Box

Subtitle: Sharing My Mother's Gift of Faith, Love, and Letting Go

Author: Mary Lou Quinlan

Narrator: Mary Lou Quinlan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-03-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

When Mary Lou Quinlans beloved mother, Mary Finlayson, dies, her family is bereft - until Mary Lou searches for her mothers "God Box", her private cache of notes to God on behalf of family, friends, and strangers. To Mary Lous amazement, she finds not one but 10 boxes stuffed with hundreds of tiny petitions that span the last 20 years of her mothers life.

Note by note, Mary Lou unearths a treasure of her mothers wishes and worries and insight. Mary asked God for everything from the right flooring for her daughters home to a cure for her own blood cancer. Her requests, penned on scraps of paper, were presented without expectation - the ultimate expression of letting go.

Follow Mary Lous emotional journey as she uncovers her mothers innermost thoughts - nostalgic, surprising, and even shocking. As she recalls life with the woman who was her best friend, Mary Lou discovers her own more empathetic, engaged self - the woman her mother had believed in all along.

Poignantly narrated, The God Box is a gift for every mother, every daughter, every person who, regardless of beliefs, trusts in the permanence of love and the power of family.

Members Reviews:

Beautiful!

Would you listen to The God Box again? Why?

I would to get inspired again to use the God Box I created after reading it the first time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The God Box?

When she would find notes her mom wrote on scraps of paper such as receipts. Helps us to remember that we can find any moment to focus on God.

Remember what's important

Good listen,2nd time listening! !

I had heard about the God box at first through a pamphlet then a coworker told of this book . appreciate to hear time and time again.

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Title: An Intimate Life

Subtitle: Sex, Love, and My Journey as a Surrogate Partner

Author: Cheryl Cohen-Greene

Narrator: Rebecca Gibel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-23-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 42 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

For the past 40 years, Cheryl Cohen Greene has worked as a surrogate partner, helping clients to confront, consider, and ultimately accept their sexuality. In this riveting memoir, Cohen Greene shares some of her most moving cases, and also reveals her own sexual coming-of-age. Beginning with a rigid Catholic upbringing in the 1950s, where she was taught to think sex and sexual desires were unnatural and wrong, Cohen Greene struggled to reconcile her sexual identity.

As the 1960s presented social upheaval and the Sexual Revolution, Cohen Greene found herself drawn to alternative sexual paths, and ultimately achieved a rich and rewarding career as a surrogate partner. Sex surrogacy as a profession was first developed by noted sex researchers Masters and Johnson in the 1960s, and since its inception has remained in the shadows. An Intimate Life offers a candid look into the personal and professional life of a surrogate partner, examining the cultural and emotional ramifications of pursuing something most people do not immediately understand.

Members Reviews:

The Tender Memoir of a Sex Surrogate

This is the book that the film adaption, The Sessions, is based on, starring Helen Hunt and John Hawkes, as her client who lives in an iron lung.

Cheryl Cohen Greene was the first well-known sex surrogate, a pioneer in the therapy field. What is a sex surrogate? Well, as Cheryl explains, unlike prostitutes, whom she has a great deal of respect for, sex surrogates are different--- they don't want your return business.

The first chapter takes you apart. Cheryl recounts her experience working as a professional sex therapist with Mark O'Brien, a man whos been confined to an iron lung for the past 30 years. Those two and their Boston accents! Her patience and tenderness with him is so moving, the actual sex just feels like a tiny part of the overall intimacy.

Cheryl's memoir goes back and forth between her clients, her childhood, family, and her real romance on the side, not to mention her battle with cancer.

While the film based on her book, 'The Sessions' focuses mostly on her relationship with O'Brien, Intimate Life delves into a grand variety of the types of clients she had everyone from 18 to 89 years old, all different situations, issues, and backgrounds.

Some chapters had me laughing, others were painful. It's a world that few people know about, and such a pleasure to read about it through Ms. Cohen-Greene's eyes.

This audiobook is an homage to her life's work as well.

Wish I could have read this 20 years ago

Would you listen to An Intimate Life again? Why?

Yes, because it is engaging and has so much educational material in it along with relatable life experiences.

What other book might you compare An Intimate Life to and why?

None that I know of.

Did Rebecca Gibel do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I didn't enjoy her male voices but it was clear when she was transfering from Cheryl to anyone else.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but I couldn't afford that much time in one sitting. I enjoy hearing it in segments too.

Any additional comments?

This book has opened me up to create yet a broader dialogue with my friends and clients about our so long buried conversations about our basic sexual human needs.

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Title: From A to Bee

Author: James Dearsley

Narrator: Daniel Philpott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-06-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

James Dearsleys wife thought he had lost his mind when he announced his intention to become a beekeeper. But like many interested in the self-sufficient lifestyle, he loved gardening and growing vegetables on his allotment and the old romantic in him had idealistic notions of teaching his little boy where honey came from, so he set himself what seemed a reasonable goal: to get, in a years time, just one jar of honey.

Also known as 'The Surrey Beekeeper', Dearsley started the Beginner Beekeeper's page on Facebook - now the biggest online community of beekeepers - and has also released a beekeeping DVD.

Members Reviews:

motivation for someone just starting out!

Abook I could relate to on many levels. I found myself laughing along with some of the same experiences I had faced.

Good job

Enjoyed the book very much all the best I'll be looking for the next book

very good for a new beekeeper

listened to this more than 5 times narrated very well. love this book endless fun

Just right for a novice beekeeper

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

I guess if they were into Bees. Then yes, as I identified with everything that he mentioned . . and his fears.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N/A

Have you listened to any of Daniel Philpotts other performances? How does this one compare?

no others

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Wont spoil story, but at the end. This is my first year of bee keeping and this is my wish.

Any additional comments?

For someone that is just getting into beekeeping or thinking about it as there are many moments that I can relate to.

Down to earth, realistic and fully anecdotal years review.

Listened over handsfree in my van daily on way to work...

only criticism could be that it lacked a little extra detail and suggestion of what would be done to resolve such as the subsessor queen, remove old for new or leave both to risk swarm in spring?

Overall, now waiting for a review of year 2.... thank you!! :)

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Title: You Changed My Life

Subtitle: A Memoir

Author: Abdel Sellou

Narrator: Ray Chase

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-12

Publisher: Oasis Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

My gift? Insensitivity. I was a human fortress inside - Superman and his colleagues were nothing. I was convinced that the world counted on real, and rare, superheroes...and that I was one of them.

The highest-grossing non-English-language film of all time, The Intouchables reveals the life of a charismatic con man, Abdel Sellou (played by the award-winning actor Omar Sy), whose friendship with a disabled French aristocrat, Phillippe Pozzo di Borgo, inspired the record-breaking hit movie. You Changed My Life is Abdel Sellou's memoir of growing up on the streets of Paris as a cheeky young Algerian immigrant, honing his talents as a petty thief and scam artist before meeting the man who would forever change his life, as Abdel would change his.

In 1992, Count Phillippe Pozzo di Borgo, on the heels of his wife's diagnosis with a terminal illness, suffered a paragliding accident that left him a quadriplegic. Forty-two years old, trapped inside his luxurious Paris town house, he was an outcast for the first time in his life. Abdel, an unemployed Algerian immigrant who had been an outcast for his entire existence, would become Phillipe's unlikely caretaker. Quick-thinking, unsentimental, and more than a little wild, Abdel surprises both himself and his employer by developing an unswerving loyalty - and orchestrating more than a few adventures - that help restore Phillipe's appetite for life.

The story of Abdel's friendship with Phillipe has already touched the hearts of millions. Now his personal story of transformation from a kid who cares for no one to the person he is today will affect many more.

Members Reviews:

A great read!

Funny, moving, educational, and inspiring. Highly recommend seeing the film first, which enriched the experience for me. I'd love to read more from Abdel, as he's s gifted storyteller.

A testament to friendship and a life of learning.

Ray Chase is a masterful storyteller. Fantastic voice.

Abdel, he doesn't just exist, he knows how to live. He is neither good nor bad, is true to himself and others, and doesn't mince his words. His story shows how greatness can be inspired if someone believes in you.

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Title: Have Mother, Will Travel

Subtitle: A Mother and Daughter Discover Themselves, Each Other, and the World

Author: Claire Fontaine, Mia Fontaine

Narrator: Claire Fontaine, Mia Fontaine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-17-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 34 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

A mother, a daughter, and a life-changing adventure around the world....

Their best-selling memoir, Come Back, moved and inspired with the story of Mia Fontaine's harrowing drug addiction and her mother, Claire's, desperate and ultimately successful attempts to save her. Now it's a decade later and Claire and Mia each face a defining moment in her life, and a mother-daughter relationship that has frayed around the edges.

At 51, Claire's shed her identity as Mia's savior but realizes that, oops, she forgot to plan for life after motherhood; Mia, 25 and eager to step outside her role as recovery's poster child, finds adult life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Determined to transform themselves and their relationship once again, the pair sets off on a five-month around-the-world adventure.

What awaits them is an extraordinary, often hilarious journey through 20 cities and 12 countries - one that includes mishaps, mayhem, and unexpected joys, from a passport-eating elephant to a calamitous camel ride around the Pyramids - and finally making peace with their tumultuous past in the lavender fields of France, where they live for the last four months of the trip. Seeing how self-possessed and community-minded twentysomethings are in other countries broadens Mia's perspective, helping her grow, and grow up. Claire uses the trip to examine her broken relationship with her own mother, a Holocaust survivor, and to create a vision for her second act. Watching her mom assess half a century of life, Mia comes to know her as Claire has always known Mia - as all mothers know their daughters - better than anyone else, and often better than themselves.

Wiser for what they've learned from women in other cultures, and from each other, they return with a deepened sense of who they are and where they want to go - and with each embracing the mature friendship they've discovered and the profound love they share.

Alternating between Claire and Mia's compelling and distinct voices, Have Mother, Will Travel is a testament to the power and beauty of the mother-daughter relationship, one that illuminates possibilities for our own lives.

Members Reviews:

A must-listen for mom's and daughters

Would you listen to Have Mother, Will Travel again? Why?

I identified with both the mother and the daughter, as I am a fairly new mom of a daughter. sometimes I laughed, thinking 'I'm like that' and sometimes I sat with this deep realisation that I should treasure and invest in my relationship with my mom, while she is alive.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Have Mother, Will Travel?

When both mother and daughter muster the courage to share vulnerabilities with each other.

A must read for mom's of adult daughters!

Would you listen to Have Mother, Will Travel again? Why?

I have gotten so much from the first time, not sure I will need to.

What did you like best about this story?

It describes life after motherhood so well, also validates so much!

Which character as performed by Claire Fontaine and Mia Fontaine was your favorite?

Related all to well to Claire, but enjoyed Mia's take on her mom and life.

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

It is laugh out loud funny.

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Title: The Oath

Subtitle: The Remarkable Story of a Surgeon's Life Under Fire in Chechnya

Author: Khassan Baiev

Narrator: Robert O' Keefe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

This unflinching account of one remarkable physicians experiences during the conflict between Russia and its breakaway republic, Chechnya, is an instant classic of war literature. Weaving the history of the Chechnya conflict and the heritage of his own family into the visceral narrative, Dr. Baiev tells a tale that is shocking, heroic, and impossible to forget.

©2003 Khassan Baiev (P)2003 Recorded Books

Members Reviews:

excellent rendition of historical and personal exp

extremely well-written and captivating Narrative of a Physicians personal experiences in the backdrop of the historical events concerning the cultural chechnya family life during wartime and political crisis.

An eye-opening look at events I knew little about.

What made the experience of listening to The Oath the most enjoyable?

The descriptions of what happened at different points of the memoir.

What other book might you compare The Oath to and why?

I can think of no comparison to make.

Which character as performed by Robert O' Keefe was your favorite?

Doctor Baiev.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was.

Any additional comments?

A must-have for people who want to learn more about Chechnya.

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Title: Blood on the Risers

Subtitle: An Airborne Soldier's Thirty-Five Months in Vietnam

Author: John Leppelman

Narrator: Scott Sowers

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-12

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

From Dak To to the Tet Offensive, John Leppelman saw it all. In three tours of duty, he made combat jumps, spent months of fruitless effort looking for the enemy, watched as his buddies died because of lousy leadership and lousy weapons. He saw the war as few others did, and lives to tell about the valor and sacrifice that outlived the dead.

Members Reviews:

I bought this book for my 33 year old son ...

I bought this book for my 33 year old son. After he read it he encouraged me to read it to. I'm a 59 year old woman who lives through the Vietnam era. I felt that I knew all I needed to know. But I went ahead and read the book anyway. I learned things I didn't know about the war; I knew that our soldiers had it rough but never knew that our government was part of the problem. I have read reviews where the author is criticized for his disdain for the commanding officers. How can you blame him? He's fighting and it seems that our country is not taking care of our soldiers. Anyway, read this book. It's one man's experience. It opened my eyes and I'm a little wiser now.

The (almost) Total Viet Nam Experience

I have a vast collection of books relating to the Viet Nam War. Having graduated from high school in 1971, the war was constantly in the news and on the minds of those of us of draft age. When I did enter the service the war was over, but for G.I. Bill purposes, I was still considered "Viet Nam Era." I've also studied and written about the Viet Nam War as metaphor for the American church experience, namely the fallacy of forcing an institutional mindset into a jungle guerrilla theater. Of the many Viet Nam books I've read, I'd place this one on the upper tier of first-hand experiences and I admire the author's service. His experience -- from Airborne to Riverine to LRRP -- is unique and offers an unparalleled glimpse into the total war experience. Well-written and honest, his story is related as a realistic slice of life experience, devoid of affect, hyperbolic machismo, or grandstanding.

A MUST READ for Airborne Grunts

I am an Army Airborne Vet who enjoys reading stories about the Vietnam War Era. I have read many books on the LRRP's, Seals and Spec Ops in the field, but this book is at the top of my list for MUST reads. After starting to read this book, it was hard for me to put it down. The same B.S. that goes on in an Airborne Unit with the "brass" and "higher ups" thinking they know what the heck is going on when in reality they haven't a CLUE. The book brought me back to my military days and how so many things have not changed among the officers and the enlisted men and the morale that hits rock bottom. I could really relate to the writer and thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you for your duty to this country and making it back alive. All the way, Hooah..

Excellent read some leads were great others punching their tickets for

Advancement most of the warriors were well trained and took care of each other like a brotherhood would recommend this book to anyone reading about he Vietnam war

Blood on the Risers

I have read countless books on the Vietnam War and this one holds no punches- It tells it like it was . I missed Vietnam by couple of years and I found that the author used much of the " slang" that was popular during my generation.

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Title: What It Is

Author: Sarah Burleton

Narrator: Tanya Eby

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

"I am a survivor of horrific physical and mental abuse inflicted on me by the one person in my life that was supposed to love and protect me and teach me right from wrong. I am a fighter because I did not allow my past to dictate my future and I fought for years to successfully overcome the demons left over from my childhood. I spent my entire life punishing myself for the acts of my mother. I spent years trying desperately to figure out why she was the way she was and what I could have done so wrong to make her hate me so much. My journey to overcome my childhood demons was difficult and painful; but in the end, I realized that my past is what it is and it was up to me to decide my future.

"I wrote my first book, Why Me?, in an attempt to open the world's eyes to the abuse I endured as a child. It was my hope that just one person would get something positive and inspirational out of my story and realize that there are many of 'us' out there.

"I was overwhelmed by the response to my first book; I couldn't believe that so many people got something out of my little story, and the emails I got from readers were just amazing. I realized that I needed to tell the rest of my story and show everyone what I endured to finally be able to sit back and say, 'It is what it is.' I thank you all for sharing my life with me. I pray for all of you suffering and I love you all."

Members Reviews:

In my dream

After reading a portion of this book, one night before going to bed.I awoke, the next morning,fighting to remember what appears to be a very interesting dream. It was during the latter half of the day that I realized that it wasnât a dream, instead it was âWhat It Isâ. It lingers.

Abuse

This was a very sad heartbreaking story that evolved into an amazing story of survival and self love. I just wish whomever proofread it did a better job. There were so many typos and errors that it was distracting from the story.

I couldn't put it down

This second book just like the first is for a mature audience. Some just won't understand. If you have gone through abuse you will unfortunately relate. I feel connected to Sarah in the journey she has gone through and find myself asking similar questions in my situation. I highly recommend if you've been a victim or are trying to understand part of what someone goes through.

sad to say but I can relate in so many ways.

This was an amazing story of courage and the human will to survive the worst of all evils. I lived a similar life and have no contact with my mother to this day. I felt sad for Sarah and wanted to reach through the pages and hug her. This was a page turner and I was rooting for her all the way. So inspiring, Thank you for sharing your life with us and for never giving up on you.

Triumphant, at last!

It's amazing what can happen when a human-being decides "enough is enough" and takes steps to recover from the worst of life's nightmares. Add God to the picture and there is no turning back and no situation impossible to bear.

I stumbled across Sarah Burleton's book, Why Me, and created my own review. I could not help but follow her life story in the second book to see how things were unfolding in her life.

Throughout it all, Sarah and I have become friends and we both wish we could have met years earlier.

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Title: The Secret Life of a Fool

Subtitle: One Man's Raw Journey from Shame to Grace

Author: Andrew Palau

Narrator: Andrew Palau

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-13-12

Publisher: Oasis Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Like many of us, Andrew Palau spent his growing-up years immersed in a selfish and self-centered life, numb to God and to the letters his evangelist father wrote him. In The Secret Life of a Fool, Palau recounts his years of rebellion and reckless livingand the moment when the shame of his life collided with Gods relentless grace, changing everything. Its an unforgettably gutsy story, packed with honesty and hope for us all.

Critic Reviews:

Andrews is the story of a young man descending into a deep pit of hopelessness and despair, only to be rescued under the most ironic of circumstances. (Mike Huckabee)

"If your minefield is drugs, alcohol, or doing everything you can to run away from God, then Andrew Palau is your guide. Trust him; he knows the way out." (Dave Ramsey, host of The Dave Ramsey Show)

"This book has both guts and grace. Andrew Palau guides us through his story with such raw honestyand yet all the dark moments and detours along the way are ultimately overshadowed by one thing: the beautiful grace of God." (Matt Redman, Christian worship leader, songwriter and author)

Members Reviews:

God's relentless love for a young man

This true story of Andrew Palau was exciting from beginning to end. Andrew narrated the story himself, which made it all the more interesting. His incredible humility shone through the entire story. There were many occasions throughout the book, that his wild past life could have been made to look appealing, but then Andrew would always recognize just how self-centered those days had been. Andrew's parents were so wise to persistently love him and yet allowing him to find God on his own. God continues to stand at our hearts door and knocks, whenever we hear that voice and open the door, He will come in. Andrew told us that personal story of his own life.

Wonderfully and authentically read by the author!

What did you love best about The Secret Life of a Fool?

Vulnerable, honest, and powerful story. Andrew shares his journey to faith with the same passion and emotion that he speaks and lives. I appreciated his willingness to be incredibly real with his audience.

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Title: Borderlines

Subtitle: A Memoir

Author: Caroline Kraus

Narrator: Luci Christian Bell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-14-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

When Caroline Kraus leaves behind her sheltered, upper-middle-class home in St. Louis for San Francisco following the death of her mother, she is searching for clarity and a fresh perspective to help her escape her mother's ghost. Instead, in a dreamlike city of beatnik bookstores and coffeehouses, she meets Jane.

Bewitching and free-spirited, Jane offers Caroline the warmth, intuitive understanding, and female companionship she craves, and soon the two women are inseparable. But gradually, Caroline discovers that behind the intensity that makes the friendship so intoxicating lies a dangerous, symbiotic stranglehold. As their lives and psyches become evermore intertwined, Jane begins to reveal some disturbing qualities and pulls Caroline further into her troubled depths. And as her subtle manipulations blossom into emotional blackmail, financial ruin, alarming promiscuity, and ultimately, physical aggression, Caroline must fight to regain her sense of self, and her understanding of where Jane ends and she begins.

Mesmerizing and unforgettable, Borderlines is an extraordinary literary debut that offers an unflinching look at the potent dynamics beneath the surface of any intimate relationship, and at the darker side of friendships between women.

Members Reviews:

Sexy Thumbsucking Crazed BFFs

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

It would depend on which friend. There is a lot of heavy and very adult material in this book.My friend would have to have an interest in psychology.

Any additional comments?

I found this book both interesting and disturbing. I was amazed at how destructive a friendship with the wrong kind of person can be. Borderline Personality is a real disorder. This book addresses only a small part of said disorder.