Peggie

I really enjoyed this book. While the unabridged version is long and a bit wordy at times, I can't imagine the abridged version could possibly do justice to the complexed stories and character development. If you enjoy light, airy stories that get to the point quickly, this is not the book for you. If you like to really get into the characters, enjoy a developing story and just love to sit back and listen, this is a perfect choice.

I enjoyed both the reader and the story in Grishom's novel The Confession. As an opponent of the death penalty, Grishom blames the wrong element - the penalty prescribed for heinous crimes. Certainly Grishom's novel makes one rethink their own position in regards to the death penalty.

In the end, using only Grishom's story as the argument, it is not the penalty that fails but rather the system. Regardless of the penalty, the system allows wrongful convictions especially when prosecutors, investigators and judges worry more about win records, play judge and jury themselves and use trickery to convict.

With no death penalty, these wrongfully convicted persons merely languish hidden away in prison. Grishom's character found his treatment in prison unbearable. With no death penalty bring forth an eventual time table, even less would be done to exonerate those wrongfully convicted.

Started this book once and just couldn't get into it. While I love Australian accents, one recounting military actions just didn't work for me. I think it's a pretty slow start, but about 1.5 to 2 hours in, it really becomes story rich.

We follow Jacko and Jimmy into two wars, the first with little action, the second with more action than they wanted. They become POWs and even attempt an escape.

Finally Jacko and Jimmy make it back to Australia and meet up with a former friend of Jackos. They all go into the fishing business, with some very intriguing stories both out fishing and from former experiences.

Another great novel. Well read and well written though a bit strange in some places. Mystery and intrigue - but not the ending you expected. Listened to most of this riding my bike on the Katy trail and thoroughly enjoyed the pace and characters.

The Devil in the Junior League is a laugh out loud, funny book. Well written, great character descriptions and great realism of those that are simply stuck up for little reason. Yes, there's a lot of unrealistic actions, but they only add to the humor.

This book reminds me very much in tone of the book The Help.

First listen to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This book picks up where that one leaves off. Most of the same main characters with a intermixing of new characters. A bit of mundane politics thrown in to explain the weird and intriguing behaviors of numerous characters. Much of the book is exciting and intriguing though I enjoyed the rapid action of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo more.

The book is mostly written from Mary's point of view. It shows the both the sides of privilege and the inborn beliefs in responsibilities. I found it an extremely interesting listen, well written and well narrated.

I can't believe people give this such a high review. Yes, the language is beautiful but about 80% of it is totally off the story line. It's like you have to hunt the story amongst the words. There are many wonderful books out there with fantastic prose and I just can't slog my way through this one.

I tried hard to get into the book because I don't like to waste my money, but after 3 hours I came to the conclusion that the money I spent for the book was far less than the cost of a full blown depression which might result from listening.

It's disjointed and depressing. The characters' actions make little sense. Here's a man at the top of his game who acts willy nilly and can't understand when his actions throw him in the gutter.

Best advice is to skip it. If you don't, have a therapist on stand-by.

Like some other reviewers, I felt cheated. I felt like I was hearing some good story ideas Grisham developed over time, but they somehow petered out and so he never wrote the book. The stories themselves leave you wanting to ask questions or have more development of the characters.

I also strongly suggest that Grisham stick to writing the stories and pay his normally great readers. Grisham's voice is fine, it's just the weird pausing that he uses which is distracting and detracting.

The Charm School is a bit above the usual spy thriller. The longer you listen the better it gets;. Set in Moscow, two embassy employees find out about a secret Russian operation which uses captured Americans to clone themselves into Russian operatives. Well developed and intriguing.