Listen to Popular Titles Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

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Title: Tom Thumb

Subtitle: The Remarkable True Story of a Man in Miniature

Author: George Sullivan

Narrator: Barry Press

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

When Charles S. Stratton was born in 1838, he seemed perfect in every way. But then he stopped growing. At age four, though a happy and mischievous child, he was just over two feet tall and weighed 15 pounds - the exact size he had been as a seven-month-old baby. It was then that P. T. Barnum persuaded Charleys family to allow him to exhibit their son in his museum and tour him around the world as a curiosity. Tom Thumb, as Barnum dubbed him, was a natural performer. He became enormously popular and wealthy, more so than any other performer before him, in large part due to the marketing genius of Barnum.

In this spirited biography - the first on its subject - George Sullivan recounts the fascinating adventures of the real Tom Thumb, and also raises challenging questions about what constitutes exploitation - both in the 19th century and today.

Members Reviews:

A triumph over "short"comings

This biographical account of Charles Stratton (A.k.a Tom Thumb) is both fascinating and informative. It begins with his birth and goes a little bit beyond his death. It includes details about his relationship with P.T. Barnum, how he obtained fame and how that fame changed his life. In short, it's a story about how something normally seen as an obstacle (his short stature) turned into a blessing.

For me, the best thing about this book were the included photos and illustrations, and I think that they would be a big draw to the kids. It's a natural human tendency, to be fascinated by those who are different. Many photos are of Tom Thumb himself and they showcase his unusual size, his demeanor, his showmanship. The wedding photos were especially fascinating because the entire wedding party consisted of little people and the contrast to the normal-height official marrying them was startling. There are also photos of the other "freaks" in P.T Barnum's show as well.

The book also includes a brief explanation of dwarfism in general and what may cause it.

All in all, a worthy book for everyone but particularly for kids who are small in stature. I think it shows that height is by no means an indication of how far you rise in the world.

Tom Thumb

A fascinating story about a little person, probably the most famous little person, who made a mark on the world. The book provides not only a biography of Charley but also a look at entertainment in the 19th century. Charley spent most of his life on the stage. One wonders though, what made him so successful? Was it Barnum's superb but often deceitful marketing? Was it Charley's own talents? Was it his size? Or was it a combination of all three. That would be an interesting topic for discussion. Deceit in entertainment is another topic that this book raises, but doesn't analyze.

The book is very well written and could make a fascinating read-a-loud. The pictures have clearly been carefully chosen to match the text, always a good thing in my opinion. One of my pet peeves is when the photographs don't match the text on the page. The only problem I had with the book is the picture of mermaids with their chests uncovered, however, the picture does relate to what is being discussed in the text.

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Title: My Animals and Other Family

Author: Clare Balding

Narrator: Clare Balding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-13-12

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 37 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

The unabridged, digital audiobook edition of My Animals and Other Family, Clare Baldings wildly funny and deeply moving childhood memoir, read brilliantly by the author herself.

I had spent most of my childhood thinking I was a dog, and I suspect I had aged in dog years. By the time I was ten I had discovered the pain of unbearable loss. I had felt joy and jealousy. Most important of all, I knew how to love and how to let myself be loved. All these things I learnt through animals. Horses and dogs were my family and my friends. This is their story as much as it is mine.

Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. As her father is a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals, and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers.

As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen. She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn lifes toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables and the idyllic Hampshire Downs. From the protective Candy to the pot-bellied Valkyrie and the frisky Hattie, each horse and each dog had their own character and their own special part to play.

My Animals and Other Family is a funny, brave, tender story of self-discovery.

Members Reviews:

Lovely, brings you to tears and makes you laugh out loud

I binge listened to this whilst cleaning and cooking, it is relaxing and not too hard to follow and Clare Balding really brings her stories to life with vivid descriptions of the animals and people who have shaped her life. I would definitely recommend this book.

Wonderful read, great narration

Great books transport you to places you have never been to or could go to. This is such a book. I traveled to England and to another time and a place where horses and to lives built around them. Great story, engaging storytelling. Highly recommend it.

Amazing

Where does My Animals and Other Family rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

One of the best books I have listen too,

What does Clare Balding bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I loved the way claire read the book, It was like we where there, truly brilliant

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

When the queen was at the breakfast table,

Brillian

This is a lovely book to listen to as Claire Balding's voice is so easy on the ears. She tells her stories so calmly and really pulls you in. My only problem with this book is that I wished it was longer. I could listen to Claire's voice all day and I wanted to know more about her and her family. Excellent listen.

fabulous

I was expecting a lot from this book, and it certainly delivered - thoroughly enjoyable, laugh out loud funny in places and very involving - really really good and I highly recommend.

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Title: Eminent Victorians

Subtitle: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon

Author: Lytton Strachey

Narrator: Robert Bethune

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-14-12

Publisher: Freshwater Seas

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

When Lytton Strachey published Emininent Victorians, he took the general perception of the Victorian age among English-speaking readers and turned it upside-down. Four of the most eminent and idealized heroic figures of the Victorian age came under his witty and unsparing gaze and emerged, astonishingly enough, as human beings.

His study of one of the most revered prelates in England, Cardinal Manning, reveals a profound and courageous religious mind combined with the conniving and ruthless soul of a born politician. His dissection of the life of Florence Nightingale shows her both as the Lady of the Lamp and as a woman of steely backbone and adamantine determination, who not only cared for wounded and sick soldiers with complete dedication and solicitude, but who wreaked holy hell on any bureaucrat or governmental office that tried to get in her way.

When Strachey is finished with Dr. Arnold, we understand him as a revolutionary reformer of English education and as a first-rate prig. And when Strachey finishes leading us through the life of General George Gordon, we come away having known him both as a man of extraordinary courage and as a near-lunatic.

Fascinating, witty, insightful and provoking, these four biographical studies single-handedly revived the art of biography in the English language.

Critic Reviews:

"Mr. Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians has had, I suppose, the most instant success that any book of account has won in this generation. Some of Mr. Strachey's incidental portraits are of astonishing brilliancy, notably that of Mr. Gladstone, and the book is sure of long life. This it will owe to its felicity of style and its finish and delicacy of moulding, no less than to its cynical wit and its perfectly serious and critical intention." (The Nation, upon the original publication of the book)

"A brilliant and extraordinarily witty book. Mr. Strachey's method of presenting his characters is both masterly and subtle. His purpose is to penetrate into the most hidden depths of his sitters' characters. There is something almost uncanny in the author's detachment." (The Times, London, upon the original publication of the book)

"A brilliant book has recently appeared which illustrates in very vigorous and striking fashion the interval which seems to divide the 20th century from the 19th. Mr. Lytton Strachey's book has attained a celebrity quite remarkable for literary work produced in times of war. There is no doubt as to its literary merits." (Daily Telegraph, upon the original publication of the book)

Members Reviews:

Please listen to the sample before you buy this!

What disappointed you about Eminent Victorians?

I'm a veteran Audible listener, with over 300 books under by belt, and I have to say that this has been the only one for which I have been tempted to ask for a refund. The narrator is excruciating to listen to. He has the most affected, odd and irritating accent and manner I have ever heard. I kept thinking I had heard this voice somewhere else, and it finally dawned on me that is was Mr. Burns on The Simpsons. He variably mispronounces frequently occurring words like "schism" and has the singular pronunciation of the words "England" and "English", pronouncing the "E" as in "egg".

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Title: I'm Not Really Here

Subtitle: A Life of Two Halves

Author: Paul Lake

Narrator: Paul Lake

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-02-12

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

Paul Lake was Manchester born, a City fan from birth. His footballing talent was spotted at a young age and, in 1983, he signed coveted schoolboy forms for City. Only a short time later he was handed the team captaincy. An international career soon beckoned and, after turning out for the England under-21 and B teams, he received a call-up to the England training camp for Italia '90. Despite missing out on a place in the final squad, he suitably impressed the management, with Bobby Robson earmarking him as an England captain in the making. As a rising star Paul became a target for top clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool, but he always stayed loyal to his beloved club, deeming Maine Road the spiritual home at which his destiny lay.

But then, In September 1990, disaster struck. Paul ruptured his cruciate ligament and sustained the worst possible injury that a footballer can suffer. And so began his nightmare. Neglected, ignored and misunderstood by his club after a succession of failed operations, Paul's career began to fall apart. Watching from the side-lines as similarly injured players regained their fitness; he spiralled into a prolonged bout of severe depression. With an enforced retirement from the game he adored, the death of his father, and the collapse of his marriage, Paul was left a broken man.

Set against a turning point in English football, I'm Not Really Here is the powerful story of love and loss and the cruel, irreparable damage of injury; of determination, spirit and resilience, and of unfulfilled potential and broken dreams.

Members Reviews:

amazing

story of MANCHESTER and MAN CITY pre premier league the era I supoorted them, my youth so i can relate to some things

family struggles and success, life

riches and life goes on...

Once a Blue...

Insightful and absorbing account by a true City hero. Some great memories but also a moving account of the years of frustration recovering from injuries. As fans we don't realise what players had to go through. This book is right up there with Tyler Hamilton's as one of the best sports biographies I have listened to. Very well read too.

Heartfelt, interesting, tragic & funny.

What a superb & very heartfelt account of Pauls life & tragic injury.

Brilliantly narrated too. I would highly recommend a listen!

Diane Clarkson

A must read for any Man City fan!

5* - A must read for any Manchester City fannew or old. Will not disappoint.

A lake with view

Would you consider the audio edition of I'm Not Really Here to be better than the print version?

Hearing the author adds an additional dimension to the book

What was one of the most memorable moments of I'm Not Really Here?

Hearing the author explain how he came to terms with being able to play football

Which character as performed by Paul Lake was your favourite?

Himself

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

Hearing the author explain how he came to terms with being able to play football

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Title: Sinbad's Guide to Life

Subtitle: Because I Know Everything

Author: Sinbad

Narrator: Sinbad

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-12

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

A hilarious guide to life from a man who has "lived large and fallen hard - lost every job I ever had, messed up everybody I've ever dated, been kicked out of every institution I've ever been in" - and still survived; offering observations on courage ("Lots of guys brag they'd fight off anything to save their woman. Yeah, right - there is no sense in both of us dying"), discipline ("If you've got to get whupped, your father is the man. Mothers don't stop until you're bleeding to death"), money ("Before computers, checks were great... local ones took 14 days to clear"), men and women ("If there were no women in the world, men would be naked, driving trucks, living in dirt"), underwear ("Women, do not buy your men bikini underpants"), love ("If you can get a car with no money down, you can get a boyfriend or girlfriend"), marriage ("There is no compromise, you either go to the basketball game or you go to a movie you hate"), divorce ("there are no Betty Ford clinics for strung-out lovers. You have to go cold turkey"), dieting ("I would be hanging out at McDonald's, tapping on the window: 'Don't throw out those fries!'"), parenting ("When they caught Jeffrey Dahmer, his mom was protective: 'He always had a healthy appetite...'"), technology, and much more.

Members Reviews:

Just what we all need!

Sinbad has always been larger than life yet as close as a brother. Thanks again for another brilliant performance my man!

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Title: Cronkite

Author: Douglas Brinkley

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Abridged

Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-29-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 109 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

Audie Award Nominee, Biography and Memoir, 2013

For decades, Walter Cronkite was known as "the most trusted man in America". Yet this very public figure was a remarkably private man. Drawing on unprecedented access to Cronkite's private papers as well as interviews with his family and friends, Douglas Brinkley now brings this American icon into focus as never before.

Brinkley traces Cronkite's story from his roots in Missouri and Texas through the Great Depression, during which he began his career, to World War II, when he gained notice reporting with Allied troops from North Africa, D-Day, and the Battle of the Bulge. In 1950, Edward R. Murrow recruited him to work for CBS, where he covered presidential elections, the space program, Vietnam, and the first televised broadcasts of the Olympic Games. Cronkite was also witness to many of the most profound moments in modern American history, including the Kennedy assassination, Apollos 11 and 13, Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the Iran hostage crisis.

Epic, intimate, and masterfully written, Cronkite is the much-anticipated biography of an extraordinary American life, told by one of our most brilliant and respected historians.

Members Reviews:

One of the Giants

This was my first Audible book, and it was a terrific way to start. Like any good biographer, Brinkley provides a sense of history, culture, and setting as he tells Cronkite's story. To me, the most interesting aspects of the book involved Cronkite's role in creating what would become the standard format for the evening news, political convention coverage, and special bulletins (including the iconic moment when Cronkite confirms the news of the JFK assassination). The jostling for ratings between the networks, the forging of news standards (e.g. what kind of delivery, scripted or unscripted, is most appropriate for television news?), inside battles between Cronkite and other famous egos at CBS News, all provide rich material in this biography. They made it up as they went along with this new, unfolding technology....figuring out what worked and what didn't as television journalism evolved...and Cronkite was in the midst of virtually all of those decisions and developments.

Cronkite the man

Douglas Brinkley did a good job of presenting the facts of the father of T.V. news broadcasting. Brinkley pointed out both the good and bad facts about the man. He gives us a glimpse into the life of Walter and Betsy's family. The book covers Cronkite from birth to death. I had recently read "Cronkite's War" about his work for UP in World War II and some of that is covered in this book. Most of the book is about the pioneering work to start up T. V. news broad casting. It is amazing how much of modern history Cronkite reported on and all the famous people he worked with, reported on or knew. I was unaware that Nixon went after Cronkite the same as he did the Washington Post and its people, turning the IRS loose on them as well as creating problems and paperwork regarding all federal license etc. I was interested in the comments he made about Christiane Amanpour and her ability as a reporter. She is one of my favorite reporters so glad I chose well. The book was read by the master narrator George Guidall. If you wish to learn the history of news reporting this is an excellent way to do so and learn about 20th century history.

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Title: Cleared for Take-Off

Author: Dirk Bogarde

Narrator: Dirk Bogarde

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

On his many reconnaissance missions in Europe and the Far East, the young Bogarde experienced the terror of enemy attack and the horror of its aftermath, together with the intense camaraderie and bitter humour of the battlefield. He also had, like countless others, a feeling of utter hopelessness at the war's end, when, as suddenly as the fighting had stopped, these youthful, but hardened comrades-in-arms were dispersed to find their feet in a traumatised world.

Less than a year after demob no one could have been more astonished to find himself starring in his third feature film with car and chauffeur and a five-storey house in Chester Row. He had somehow 'arrived' in the movies.

Members Reviews:

Not his best book

Having greatly enjoyed A Postillion Struck by Lightning I was eager to read this earlier book. It's OK, but not as good. It dots all over the place in time even within a chapter. Some parts are very entertaining and the author is very frank about his life, but the lack of chronological progression makes it less engaging and confusing at times. It opens with some of his experiences during the Second World War thereafter flitting back and forth from his childhood to his move to France.

The author narrates his own words and does it very well.

Absolute magic

Not just a great actor, a great writer as well. Hearing him read the story himself is just the icing on the cake. I absolutely adore this, as I have adored his other autobiographical works. His wonderfully languid delivery is wonderful to listen to. The stories themselves are fascinating and his wry humour is perfect. Absolute magic.

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Title: Unraveling Anne

Author: Laurel Saville

Narrator: Allyson Ryan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

In 1950s Los Angeles, Anne Ford was the epitome of the California golden girl, a former beauty queen and model-turned-fashion-designer whose success and charm were legendary. So how is it possible that such a woman could die in squalor, an alcoholic street person brutally murdered in a burned-out West Hollywood building? In searching for answers to the heartbreaking trajectory of her mothers life, writer Laurel Saville plumbed the depths of Annes troubled past and her own eccentric childhood to untangle the truth of an exceptional, yet tragic, existence.

What she discovered was a woman who was beautiful, well-educated, and talented - yet tormented by internal demons and no match for the hedonistic culture of Southern California in the 1960s and 1970s.

With unflinching honesty and stirring compassion, Saville explores how what we bring forward from previous generations can shape our own lives, and how compassion and love for a difficult parent can be a persons bridge to a better life.

Members Reviews:

Choked and sputtered before it took off

It took me a bit before I could get into this story, but once I did, it was an interesting read. Your heart goes out to this girl and her brothers who had two truly deadbeat parents. I couldn't help but wonder why the grandparents didn't take them in while they were young. Living in Orange County, It was fascinating to hear about young LA, and all the artists and actors who were on the fringes of this girl's early years. This is not a book that will keep you enthralled or on the edge of your seat, but it's an interesting look into a very dysfunctional life, riddled with anecdotes and trivia of early stars and artists. The narrator did an excellent job of bringing it all to life.

Misleading title: it is a memoir of the daughter

Any additional comments?

There should be a huge warning sign on the front of the book: "this is a memoir about the daughter, NOT a biography of the mother".

On a positive side, the author can write well. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a good story. The book is all about the daughter's feelings about her mother and some of her childhood stories. I bought the book thinking that it would show why a successful woman (the mother) turned into a bum and an alcoholic. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that is not in the book. The book reads more like one of those self-absorbed blogs, describing for pages without end how grandma's kitchen looked like, how an old painting by her mother looked like, etc.

In summary, the author's life is not very interesting. She moved away from her mother when she was 12 and had a pretty normal life, so she missed most of her mother's later changes, and when she was with the mother, she was too young to understand anything anyway.

In what we can get in the middle of the daughter's rants, we find that the mother was simply a narcissistic and selfish beautiful girl who had a stunt as a model and later designing clothes. She was such a pain in the neck that her boyfriend and later her husband left her. Faced with fading beauty and the hardship of motherhood, she turned into an alcoholic and a slut, and became more egotistic and lazy than ever. As usual in these cases, her life falls apart and she becomes a bum, who is murdered by another wandering bum. It is a common story, unfortunately, but void of any originality or drama that would deserve a book.

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Title: In the Water They Can't See You Cry

Subtitle: A Memoir

Author: Amanda Beard, Rebecca Paley

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-16-12

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 34 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

At the tender age of 14, Amanda Beard walked onto the pool deck at the Atlanta Olympics carrying her teddy bear, Harold, and left with two silvers and a gold medal. She competed in three more Olympic games, winning a total of seven medals, and enjoyed a lucrative modeling career on the side. At one point, she was the most downloaded female athlete on the Internet. Yet despite her astonishing career and sex-symbol status, Amanda felt unworthy of all her success. Unaware that she was suffering from clinical depression, she hid the pain beneath a megawatt smile. With no other outlet for her feelings besides the pool, Amanda expressed her emotions through self-destructive behavior. In her late teens and 20s, she became bulimic, abused drugs and alcohol, and started cutting herself. Her low self-esteem led to toxic relationships with high-profile men in the sports world. No one, not even her own parents and friends, knew about the turmoil she was going through. Only when she met her future husband, who discovered her cutting herself, did Amanda realize she needed help.

Through her renewed faith in herself; the love of her family; and finally the birth of her baby boy, Blaise, Amanda has transformed her life. In this book, she speaks frankly about her struggles with depression, the pressures to be thin, and the unhealthy relationships she confused for love. In the Water They Can't See You Cry is a raw, compelling story of a woman who gained the strength to live as bravely out of the water as she did in it.

Members Reviews:

I applaud Amanda - but her editor's were lame

What would have made In the Water They Can't See You Cry better?

If it was told instead of chronogoligal order, but in life moments. 1. Start to swimming. 2. Parent's divorce and utter lack of ability to parent through their own suffering 3. Olympics all of them at the same time 4. College life 5. Bad bad relationships and how they sucked the life out of me.In the end this book was so difficult to get through. Probably much like Amanda's teenage/college life seemed to be. I was hoping she would find resolve, peace, clarity. 90% of the book I experienced anxiety and the last 10% seemed to be "It's all ok now, just get some therapy, sweep it under the rug, and find a good man." It would have been a much better book if there were more points of refection. Some tools learned in therapy. How to find a good therapist. bla bla bla. I'm not an editor, but this book was a very long diary entry.

How could the performance have been better?

I would have like to hear it from Amanda.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Empathy and then anger. The book seemed so flip when discussing her recovery compared to the pages and pages we had to endure with her crappy relationship.

Good Story. Don't give up!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

No, it was pretty entertaining and I enjoyed the whole story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of In the Water They Can't See You Cry?

I liked how "normal girl" she wanted to be and that swimming has always been fun to her even if there is a lot of pressure put on her throughout the years.

Did In the Water They Can't See You Cry inspire you to do anything?

Makes me want to swim again. I like the fact that she still competes and is a pro even as a mom.

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Title: All Cheeses Great and Small

Subtitle: A Life Less Blurry

Author: Alex James

Narrator: Alex James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-23-12

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

This is the story of Alex Jamess transition from a leading light of the Britpop movement in the 1990s, to gentleman farmer, artisan cheese-maker and father of five. All Cheeses Great and Small is the follow-up memoir to Alex James's first book, Bit of a Blur, the story of his excessive pop star lifestyle during the nineties. But now Alex has grown up, fallen in love and got married. He has also fallen passionately for his new home, an enormous rambling farmhouse in the Cotswolds, set in two hundred acres of beautiful British countryside. The farm represents not just a new house for Alex, but also a new career.

As he breathes new life into the old farm he chances across an unexpected calling: making cheese. His cheeses, Blue Monday, Farleigh Wallop and Little Wallop have received widespread media interest and are now sold through many outlets.

The story culminates with an account of the triumphant reformation of Blur for Glastonbury 2009.

Members Reviews:

I had never heard of this guy

I like books read by the author. This one is a pleasure. Sweet, simple and genuine.

Love listening to this book

Where does All Cheeses Great and Small rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

This is one of my favourite audiobooks.

What did you like best about this story?

Alex James has a beautiful voice and British accent. Seems as though he is always optimistic and takes joy in everything he sees and experiences.

Which scene was your favorite?

Beautiful, melodic descriptions of farm life....food, plants, animals....even piles of poop.

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

Chapter 7.....great descriptions of what music means to him.

great story

If you could sum up All Cheeses Great and Small in three words, what would they be?

fantastic farming insite

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

laugh

Any additional comments?

Showed how hard it is to be a farmer, and how valuable our food is, and how much work actually goes into producing quality food.

My wife and I added this to one our top 20 books of all time.

great story, but I'll read it insead

If you're into the City Mouse that became a Country Mouse through naiveté and mishap (which I am) this is a great one for the genre.

However, I couldn't finish listening. I really tried. Perhaps it's because I just finished a Neil Gaiman book with his lullaby English accent that made this listen so tough. Or perhaps it's because I normally listen at 1.25-1.40 and I had to turn this down to 1.0. I'm definitely going to read this with my eyes, if not with my ears.

Lives in a house, a very big house in the country!

An everyday tale of country folk, and a middle-aged pop star adapting to the rural life. James' narration is sometime difficult to follow, often taking no account of punctuation - but that does not detract from his obvious passion for his farm and all things rural. A charming, gentle tale - well worth a listen!