Linda Zimmerman

I listened, got confused, listened more. The book was ok, but not as great as described. I love Jim Dale, and even he didn't mesmerize me.

Yes to this story and Yes to Marcus Samuelsson, who tells his fascinating story. His journey starts as an Ethiopian orphan adopted by Swedish parents. He learned to cook at his grandmother's side as a little boy, eventually going to cooking school, traveling and cooking around the world and finally ending up in New York where his talent was allowed to shine. There he became the youngest chef to be awarded 3 stars by the The New York Times.

Although this book is another American dream story, it is also the story of Marcus Samuelsson's love affair with food. As with the wonderful bio, "Blood, Bones & Butter," this is an engrossing book that combines all the elements of great story telling, (once again, truth is stranger than fiction) as well as making you hungry along the way. I only wish Audible would have included a set of downloadable photos to go along with the story that are in the paper book. This is a book every food lover should read or listen to.

Frank McCourt reading his Angela's Ashes is what an audio book is all about. In this case, the audio is even better than the paper version. From his narration, to dialogue, to his singing of childhood ditties, this is a mesermizing and captivating performance, as well as a terrific book. The movie was ok, the book was good, but this audio is GREAT! Probably one of the best one's I've ever listened to.

If you're a foodie, you'll be fascinated by the chef competition,. the Bocuse D'Or ...and centered around the American Team, a chef from Thomas Keller's The French Laundry. The story bogs down in parts, but the food descriptions and attention to all details revolving around the competition are worth the listen.

Like The Stand a non-stop page turner.

The intermeshing of today and late '50's early 60's details in impeccable.

He consistently stays in character and does creditable JFK and even Jackie Kennedy characterizations. Sometimes though I swore I heard him chanelling Burt Lancaster in the voice of Chaz and Jimmy Stewart. Maybe that's how he visualized them.

Too bad it couldn't be

Some books are even better listened to than just read. In this case, Brendan Fraser does a wonderful job of reading. Interesting pacing when he's reading narration and how he slips into each character. Makes you appreciate the reader's talent as well as the writer's words. I bought the book for my library after listening to the recorded version.

Which brings me to my next thought. As with some other books, (Philip Pullman's for example), Funke has included interesting quotes preceeding each chapter in the written version that emphasizes the content of what's to come in that chapter. It's a shame, that even in an unabridged reading, the producers of the audio choose to omit the quotes. I believe in hearing everything the author writes in an unabridged version.

Regardless, this is a terrific book. I found myself listening in the car in my driveway to see what would happen next.

If there would have been audio books (or just written books) of this caliber around when I was in school, I think studying history would have been so much more easier to learn and far more interesting. The details of everyday living intertwined with the events in John Adams life brought this whole time period into a new perspective for me.

One of the best audio books I've heard. Even at this length, my attention never wavered.

A lovely food memoir, well written and well read, but really not an unabridged reading. Whoever decided to omit the recipes at the end of each chapter and their description about how they pertain to the story was a fool and is truely cheating the listener of the whole book. This book will definitely make you hanker for a taste of classical French cooking. Anyone who reads about food is surely to be interested in the recipes. I would not have know about the recipes if I didn't own the book.