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Karen

Retired Russian Linguist in USN. Actor. Listen to at least 7 Audiobooks each month. Charter Audible member. Non-Fiction and History are my favorite categories. I should review more than I do!

Apex, NC, United States | Member Since 2001

532
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 46 reviews
  • 97 ratings
  • 0 titles in library
  • 36 purchased in 2013
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10

  • The Gunslinger: The Dark Tower I

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Stephen King
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5646)
    Performance
    (2163)
    Story
    (2197)

    Eerie, dreamlike, set in a world that is weirdly related to our own, The Gunslinger introduces Roland Deschain of Gilead, of In-World that was, as he pursues his enigmatic antagonist to the mountains that separate the desert from the Western Sea in the first volume of The Dark Tower series. Roland, the last gunslinger, is a solitary figure, perhaps accursed, who with a strange single-mindedness traverses an exhausted, almost timeless landscape of good and evil.

    Karen says: "Not a King fan...BUT"
    "Not a King fan...BUT"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This saga is astounding, compelling, moving and fun! Though the story drifts into occasional tedium, and what King story doesn't, the quest for the rider in black draws you in with its clever interplay of similar (though markedly different) worlds, well-drawn characters and King's ability to spring the unexpected on the reader in an acceptable manner. I have listened to all the volumes and rate this one the best and can't wait for the next installment due soon. The narration is masterful. Don't miss this one! I rate this 5 stars (only the third I have given in over 200 Audible titles).

    11 of 11 people found this review helpful
  • In the Name of Love: And Other True Cases

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Ann Rule
    • Narrated By Laural Merlington
    Overall
    (8)
    Performance
    (8)
    Story
    (8)

    Jerry Harris was a self-made California millionaire who, at age forty-four, had it all: booming businesses, yachts, a mansion, a beautiful wife, and a voice to rival Elvis. No one who knew this well-liked, generous man could make sense of his sudden disappearance one autumn night. On a final phone call to his brother from his Mercedes, Jerry breathed a muffled oath - then the line went dead. For Jerry's wife, Susan, it was just the beginning of an unwavering, eight-year search for the truth behind her husband's vanishing.

    Karen says: "Not her best - but, nonetheless, she Rule's"
    "Not her best - but, nonetheless, she Rule's"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The book length section of this title, "In The Name of Love", is an interesting case but Ms. Rule stretches it thin to make it a book length section of this collection. There are several chapters that could have been edited out...and should have been. This is the first time I've had this complaint about one of her collections, and I've read or listened to them all. Still, a sub par effort by this genre's acknowledged queen is still better than most other writers.

    The other cases in this collection are more interesting and the writing and editing much tighter.

    Laura Merlington does her usual excellent job of reading throughout...although I wish she would use a dictionary for correct pronunciation of words, although she only misses a few in this volume. Altogether, she is a good fit for Ms. Rule's prose.

    Is this Anne Rule's best collection? No. Is it worth the listen? Absolutely.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Dead Run: The Murder of a Lawman and the Greatest Manhunt of the Modern American West

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 34 mins)
    • By Dan Schultz
    • Narrated By Arthur Morey
    Overall
    (11)
    Performance
    (10)
    Story
    (10)

    On a sunny May morning in 1998 in Cortez, Colorado, three desperados in a stolen truck opened fire on the town cop, shooting him 20 times; then they blasted their way past dozens of police cars and disappeared into 10,000 square miles of the harshest wilderness terrain on the North American continent. Self-trained survivalists, the outlaws eluded the most sophisticated law enforcement technology on the planet and a pursuit force that represented more than 75 local, state, and federal police agencies with dozens of SWAT teams, U.S. Army Special Forces....

    Karen says: "Sounds like fiction...but it's not! Great Listen!"
    "Sounds like fiction...but it's not! Great Listen!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    If you didn't know that this is an actual crime going in, you might think that this was a novel! It has everything: real bad guys, questionable lawmen, good guys in white hats, innocent bystanders, and more! I hesitate to give any details because it might taint your enjoyment. This is a very nice listen. It's compelling and fast paced with the characters fleshed out. This well written and performed audiobook draws you in from the start and doesn't let go. Do yourself a favor and schedule some serious listening time to this title - you won't regret it.

    The performance is very well done. Arthur Morey matches the narration to the scenes with excellent style. Well done!

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • The Mummy at the Dining Room Table: Eminent Therapists Reveal Their Most Unusual Cases and What They Teach Us About Human Behavior

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By Jeffrey Kottler, Jon Carlson
    • Narrated By Robert Feifar
    Overall
    (3)
    Performance
    (3)
    Story
    (2)

    A wife pretends to hang herself in the basement so she can time how long it will be before her husband comes to rescue her...a woman whose dead aunt was made into a mummy so the family could better grieve her passing and on occasion dine with her at family gatherings...a man wants his nose cut off to escape an annoying smell that haunts him...a teenage boy would only come to therapy if he could bring his pet snake. These and other fascinating and revealing stories are told by some of the most famous therapists in the world.

    Karen says: "Revealing, Sad, Funny...altogether Fascinating"
    "Revealing, Sad, Funny...altogether Fascinating"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The personal accounts of patients' psychological challenges recounted here are truly unique and fascinating. What sets this apart from other POV accounts of psychology is that we see the illness from both patient and therapist perspectives. This allows the listener/reader to better understand the illness and treatment.

    The illnesses recounted and the patients' telling of how these came about and progressed is something not often presented in other works of this particular sub-genre with such clarity and grace.

    Well researched and written, this title is worth listening to. You'll find yourself drawn into the cases and finding an understanding and sympathy for these patients. There is a lot of humour to be found here, but it is never presented at the expense of the patient. Kudos to the authors for that!

    The performance leaves something to be desired...a bit to light, for my taste...but not enough to keep you from listening.

    This is not a title that may jump up and grab your attention, but it's certainly a nice surprise if you do!

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Who's on Worst?: The Lousiest Players, Biggest Cheaters, Saddest Goats and Other Antiheroes in Baseball History

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs)
    • By Filip Bondy
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    Overall
    (4)
    Performance
    (4)
    Story
    (4)

    Libraries and Internet sites are filled to groaning with debates about who the best ballplayers of all time were - but how many times can you argue about Mantle vs. Mays? Since baseball is a game of failure, it's much more fun to dive into the fray and explore baseball's worst: Who was the lousiest pitcher of all-time? The biggest goat? The most despicable owner? The greatest cheater? Filip Bondy wields formidable research, advanced sabermetrics and his considerable wit to provide this indispensable guide.

    Karen says: "Baseball losers that will make anyone chuckle!"
    "Baseball losers that will make anyone chuckle!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Scott Brick's reading makes this title shine! The best audiobook reader adds humor and pathos to these charming, sad and funny stories of baseball's biggest losers, unlucky players and cheats.

    This book is well researched and structured with a humorous take on players, coaches and owners who have had the misfortune, hubris or just plain bad luck to be considered the worst in baseball history.

    Scott Brick's reading adds another dimension to the title, as usual. I'll get a title just because he is the narrator - he's that good.

    If you like baseball...and even if you don't...this is a great, fun and easy listen. WELL WORTH THE CREDIT!

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • LBJ: The Mastermind of the JFK Assassination

    • UNABRIDGED (27 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Phillip F. Nelson
    • Narrated By Fred Sanders
    Overall
    (5)
    Performance
    (5)
    Story
    (5)

    The case against Lyndon B. Johnson and his role in Kennedy's assassination has never been sounder. LBJ aims to prove that Vice President Johnson played an active role in the assassination of President Kennedy and that he began planning his takeover of the U.S. presidency even before being named the vice presidential nominee in 1960. Nelson's careful and meticulous research has led him to uncover secrets from one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in our country's history.

    Karen says: "LBJ plotted to kill JFK? Makes you think..."
    "LBJ plotted to kill JFK? Makes you think..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    If you're an assassination conspiracy fan you won't want to miss this audiobook by Phillip F. Nelson. The author has obviously put years into researching his premise and builds a very convincing structure of a conspiracy that puts LBJ at the forefront of the assassination of JFK. I've read every (and I mean every!) publication on this topic and this title ranks at the top of the pile when it comes to research and writing. It makes you truly consider LBJ as a primary conspirator. It could benefit from some editing - perhaps the abridged version is actually a better listen - because it is a long audiobook and there are some tedious expositional sections. Still, it is WELL WORTH THE LISTEN if you enjoy this topic. There are certainly many out there that don't reach this level of documentation and writing.

    The narration is average - no great contribution. Fred Sanders gives a journeyman performance with too many mispronunciations (my pet peeve) for comfort. But, it's not a bad listen...just average. The writing is good enough to carry the performance.

    If you like this subject go ahead and use the credit.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Damned Yankees: Chaos, Confusion, and Crazyness in the Steinbrenner Era

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 42 mins)
    • By Bill Madden, Moss Klein
    • Narrated By Kyle Munley
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    New York Daily News reporter Madden and Klein, of the Newark Star-Ledger, who have covered the Yankees for years, here join forces on a history that may send fans to their handkerchiefs and opponents into laughter. The authors chiefly discuss the period 1977 to 1989, when principal team owner George Steinbrenner converted a stable, conservative, successful franchise into a club characterized by "chaos, confusion, and craziness'' to the point that some top players refuse to sign with the team.

    Karen says: "Entertaining look at the Steinbrenner Era"
    "Entertaining look at the Steinbrenner Era"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    There are plenty of books out there that detail Steinbrenner's time with the New York Yankees and this audiobook falls in the TOP TEN. Most of the information in this book has been told elsewhere, but not usually this well. Madden & Klein have gathered all the stories into this book with some additional detail not found elsewhere. The writing is top-notch and while the narration isn't great, it's good enough that it doesn't distract. Well worth using a credit on this title or spending the dollars if you're out of credits. If you're a baseball fan, this is well worth a listen!

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Gil Hodges: The Brooklyn Bums, the Miracle Mets, and the Extraordinary Life of a Baseball Legend

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 18 mins)
    • By Tom Clavin, Danny Peary
    • Narrated By Kris Koscheski
    Overall
    (2)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    Due to his achievements as a player and manager, as well as his sterling character, Gil Hodges deserves to be in the Hall of Fame more than any other player. A towering figure during the Golden Era of the 1950s, Hodges was the Brooklyn Dodgers’ powerful first baseman who, alongside Jackie Robinson, helped drive his team to six pennants and a thrilling World Series victory in 1955. Fans never booed the beloved home run hitter from Indiana who married a Brooklyn girl and settled in their borough, and they famously prayed for him when he slumped.

    Karen says: "Remember the "Boys of Summer"
    "Remember the "Boys of Summer"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Although never a big Dodgers fan I have always appreciated the history of the team, it's players, managers and fans. Gil Hodges was the soul of the team during his time there and this biography captures the flavor of the times along with the story of Gil's life. Anyone with any interest in the history of the game and its meaning to American culture will find this book entertaining and informative. It is jammed with hitherto unknown nuggets of information about Mr. Hodges, his teammates and baseball in general. The narrator mispronounces a lot of words (my pet peeve - how hard is it to look up a word in the dictionary?) and does a horrible job imitating accents, but the story and pace are excellent. A FOUR BAGGER for baseball afficionados!

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero

    • UNABRIDGED (20 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Leigh Montville
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    Overall
    (81)
    Performance
    (12)
    Story
    (14)

    He was one of the greatest figures of his generation, and arguably the greatest baseball hitter of all time. But what made Ted Williams a legend, and a lightning rod for controversy in life and in death? New York Times best-selling author Leigh Montville delivers an intimate, riveting account of this extraordinary life.

    Joseph says: "Very revealing"
    "Ted Williams ... at last!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Mr. Montville gives us the Ted Williams we baseball (particularly Red Sox nation) fans have been yearning for - unvarnished, revealing, insightful writing and the usual excellent narration by the peerless Scott Brick make this audiobook a "must-have" for your library. Even if baseball isn't a prime interest, this book offers a fascinating look at one of America's most perplexing personalities. I don't use the word "fascinating" lightly, this title will grip you and draw you in. If you are on the fence about purchasing this, it's ok to get off of it and click the button, you won't regret it!

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Life

    • UNABRIDGED (23 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Keith Richards, James Fox
    • Narrated By Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2126)
    Performance
    (985)
    Story
    (977)

    Now at last Keith Richards pauses to tell his story in the most anticipated autobiography in decades. And what a story! Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records in a coldwater flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, building a sound and a band out of music they loved. Finding fame and success as a bad-boy band, only to find themselves challenged by authorities everywhere....

    Jesse says: "Ins and outs"
    "Beyond Satisfaction"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This book is a breath of fresh air! A no-nonsense, self aware, critical and often hilarious look at Keith Richards' life and times with, and without, The Rolling Stones. An added plus for musicians is his analysis and description of his, and those he admired, playing styles, techniques and open chord theory.

    This is truly an outstanding autobiography that has to rank as one of the finest ever written.

    I can't recommend this strongly enough. Get it, Listen, and Rock On!

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Tell Me What You See: Remote Viewing Cases from the World’s Premier Psychic Spy

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Ed Dames, Joel Harry Newman
    • Narrated By Stephen Bowlby
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (25)
    Performance
    (12)
    Story
    (12)

    Decorated army officer Major Ed Dames tells the shocking true story of his time asoperations and training officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency's top-secret Psychic Intelligence Unit. Together with his PSI Spyteam, Dames used the practice of remote viewing to uncover accurate and verifiable military intelligence by going where no intel operatives on the ground could go - into the very mind of the enemy.

    eric says: "I liked it"
    "Interesting, but...spend your credit elsewhere"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The information is a rehash of other Remote Viewing books better told elsewhere. This title has some value but you need to overlook the massive ego. If you were to take the issues at face value Dames personally saved the world from the Soviet communist threat (Really? I thought there were a few others involved), was a "water-walker" (hmm, but still a major when he retired), had the ear of the president (his words) though he says he never communicated with any president (again, his words...maybe he just forgot), and the list goes on. Frankly, he does a disservice to his colleagues and the military in general because we only needed hin, and his analysis, to solve any world problem. Read McMoneagle or Morehouse for more objective and in-depth discussion of RV.

    3 of 6 people found this review helpful

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