Virginia | Member Since 2005
"Very Good Novel--"
American Dervish was an interesting, eye-opening novel. I enjoyed it very much.
This purchase was one of my many "bargains" that I pick up when Audible offers audiobooks cheap! And I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to it. It has a very good story and is narrated beautifully by the author. I truly enjoyed learning about the Pakistani culture and traditions (or the somewhat Americanized versions). It had some sad parts, but nothing tragic and unsettling. Definitely worth a listen--
"Beautifully Written!!"
I loved this book, but it is not for everyone. It is a beautifully written novel, but is not really story-driven. The story is there, but it is not the story that kept me interested. I adored the wonderful, descriptive narrative--it's the kind you like to lose yourself in.
This is a book best listened to free of distractions. I had trouble staying with all the detail while I was driving. I did much better when I listened while I was walking laps in the gym. The narrator did a wonderful job, and it was just a very pleasant and enjoyable eleven hours spent in another time and place.
"Great Book!!"
With 8,000+ reviews out there, do we really need another? I'll keep it short and sweet--
I had no desire to read this book, but was going to see Walter Isaacson at the Book Festival last year, so I broke down and listened to it. I loved it!! It is very well written for a big-fat biography. And Dylan Baker did an excellent job narrating.
I didn't admire Steve Jobs as a person, but certainly admired what he accomplished. And I found the whole story of the beginning of Apple, and the computer industry in general, fascinating. If you're on the fence about this one, go for it--I think you will be pleasantly surprised!
"Surprised Me!!"
I do enjoy celebrity memoirs, but I usually start them with lower expectations. And I am often pleasantly surprised. This book was one of those surprises!
The Longest Way Home by Andrew McCarthy is not an autobiography of his life so far--the sub-title describes this story perfectly. That may be why I enjoyed it so much--I'm not a fan of gossipy, tell-all books. But this story is beautifully written and narrated by Andrew.
I was truly surprised to learn that Andrew traveled extensively and has been writing travel articles for major newspapers and magazines, and is or was an editor of National Geographic Traveler. His love of travel shines through in this book, and I'm glad I invested a credit and my time, and listened to his story.
"Love John Grisham--"
I know John Grisham is well known for his legal thrillers, but I seem to enjoy his non-legal novels just as much, if not more!
I purchased Playing for Pizza after enjoying Calico Joe very much last year. And I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as well. No mystery, no suspense--just a nicely plotted little novel about a side of a sport we never see on TV--the human side. The narrator was excellent as well.
I would totally recommend almost any John Grisham novel, but I hope people will pick up and enjoy some of his off-genre books as well--
"Short But Sweet!!"
I thoroughly enjoyed this little book--the story was simple, but very well written. And the narration was excellent. It's a short one, but well worth the listen!
"Beautiful Narration!!"
After listening to this novel, I decided Eduardo Ballerini could read the telephone book (do they even publish them anymore??) and make it sound wonderful. I subsequently bought several other books simply based on the fact that they are read by him!!
But the story is wonderful as well--it kind of strayed off in a direction I wasn't too crazy about, but certainly understood why in the whole scheme of the story. Other than my feelings about that, the story was beautifully written, the plot moved right along, and it all wrapped up neat and tidy at the end. It was a more-than-thoroughly-enjoyable way to spend my time!
"An Improvement on the Classic!"
This is truly an excellent book to listen to--even if classic literature is not your favorite genre. It is not what I normally listen to, but this version was certainly enjoyable due to the fabulous narration by Jake Gyllenhaal. I am glad this was resurrected and re-recorded to coincide with a new version of the movie opening in theaters this month. Certainly worth any time and credit spent!
"Really Enjoyed!!"
This turned out to be an excellent audiobook--it surprised me! It has a story that progresses nicely throughout, and I learned quite a bit about some of the battles in the Pacific during WWII (educating through an entertaining novel--I can do that!). I had to chuckle--at one point I couldn't get the picture of the old "Battleship" game out of my head when the author was describing fleet positioning, sonar detection and strategies to figure out who and where enemy vessels were :)
This was a very good novel, and the narrator was excellent. It was an all-around win--I'm sure others will enjoy as much as I did!
"I have a new favorite author!!"
I really enjoyed this book--and highly recommend! It was well written, had a great, suspenseful story, and had the perfect narrator. I loved the way the story kept switching from character to character for the different perspective--I know this is something I have complained about in other books, but this author did it very clearly and seamlessly, and it kept the plot moving right along. I was thoroughly entertained, and that's why I love to read--
This is the second audiobook I have listened to from this author--the first being Suspect (which I loved!)--and I can't wait to see what else he has to offer!!
"Very Interesting!!"
I really enjoyed this book and was very glad I listened to it. It is not Tony Danza's memoir--it is the story of his one-year experience teaching in Philadelphia's largest high school.
It is written with humor, and narrated very well by Tony. It was a tougher-than-expected experience for him, and a real eye-opener. Good for him--and thanks for sharing with the rest of us!!