Kim

I was looking for something light and entertaining to lift my spirits - I found it here. The pitfalls and foibles of the couple who go unwittingly into New York deli ownership made me laugh and kept me entertained. The characters are likeable, the anecdotes are believable, and the narrator is Bronson Pinchot (can't go wrong there). It didn't knock my socks off but I don't think that was the point. Overall an enjoyable listen.

I so thoroughly enjoyed this masterpiece that I've broken my policy of only one listen per book - I've listened to it twice and I'm predicting I'll be doing it again at some point. You know that feeling when you just want to finally get a good book that doesn't take itself too seriously but is extremely well written? One that will lighten your step and make you look forward to your drive to work? Well, this is that book. The bonus for me was learning about King Lear and his court without having read the Shakespeare original. Yes, it contains incredibly filthy language - but it's the wonderfully wicked kind and an English accent always makes dirty words sound less dirty right? The narration is to die for - simply perfect - the characters are loveable and absurd - I couldn't ask for more (pun avoided - you're welcome.)

I really enjoyed Angela's Ashes and wanted more of Frank McCourt's amazing life and family so I was excited to listen to the sequel. The narration is fantastic and there were a few touching and hilarious moments but I definitely like the first one better. You could do a lot worse than this book - if you want to know what happened to Frank then you'll have to download it and find out for yourself.

I'm assuming this is the first book for the author - it wasn't bad but maybe some more time to recover and/or gain some experience is in order before she tries again. I guess it would be OK for a younger audience or for a short trip if you're desperate for something to listen to - I've heard worse.

I made it through 4 hours of this one before pulling out my earbuds in exasperation. I couldn't take the high-society cerebral musings and endless quoting of other writers and artists. I waited for something semi-interesting to happen but it never did and the narration wasn't enough to carry it alone. Don't waste a credit on this dud.

With so many positive reviews and my newfound appreciation for the author's works, I expected the handmaid's tale to be an easy 'A'. I give it a C- overall. I thought Claire Danes did a decent job of narrating the story - her portrayal of the main character is what kept me from giving up 3/4 of the way through. The story hovered on the surface of the world changed by war and disease - society has rebuilt itself but there is no explanation of what really happened. The vague descriptions resulted in never having enough to really take hold of the reader - I felt like I was only being given half the story and the ending left many questions unanswered.

This is my 2nd selection by Margaret Atwood and so far I really enjoy the flow and style of her writing. This is a straightforward story of a girl imprisoned for murder who just might have been innocent. Great narrator - she does a good job of portraying the innocence of the main character. I enjoyed this book and will be shopping for more titles by this author.

First off, I must agree with the other reviewers who rave about Jenna Lamia's narration - I could listen to her forever - she is downright melodic in her delivery. The author did a fabulous job of marrying the scenic, rugged background of the hill folk with the life story of the main character. This book is about a young girl growing up in the Appalachia in the 1930's-40's. She experiences hardship and joy - love and loss - despair and hope - all the things that make for a rich and meaningful story. I really enjoyed this selection and will recommend it to anyone longing for a journey back in time with the added bonus of it being "G-rated" for the most part and appropriate for younger listeners. My grandmother lived a similar life and this book made me feel closer to her, even though she has passed on. Folks were just tougher back in those old days - life was hard but the rewards were so much sweeter for it - makes you realize how much we take for granted in this day and age.

It's so wonderful to find myself agreeing with the masses and loving something that the "powers that be" found worthy of such a lofty honor as a Pulitzer Prize. So many times I've taken the bait of an "award winner" only to be bitterly disappointed in the end. There's something about the old-fashioned, whimsical yet heartbreaking truths in this memoir that really touched me in a way that few books ever have. I laughed, almost cried (that would take a miracle), and just lost myself in the world of the U.S. and Ireland in the early 20th century. The tragedy, the hardships, the triumphs are expressed in a way that made me truly care about the people - that rarely happens for me and I really love when a book can take me there. There are so many things to appreciate about this book - you just need to use your credit on it and see for yourself.

David Foster Wallace is a genius and an excellent writer - I have respect for his talent, his articulate mastery of the English language and his ability to paint a picture. That said, this book was just way too much of him at once. I can see how his articles would be big hits on an individual basis but as a collection they just fall flat and I had a hard time soldiering through each anecdote and exhausting train of thought trying to get to the next subject. I was amused at times - just nothing here to LOL about (at least the 3/4 that I listened to before setting it aside). Those of you who long for seriously intelligent commentary and sophistication will probably love this - it's got class - maybe just too much for my lowbrow sense of humor and common tastes.

I really liked this one! It was my first Margaret Atwood selection and it definitely won't be the last. The story jumps around a bit but not to the point where it was confusing - it kept me guessing and trying to determine how the heck the character got into the predicament he was in. I found myself wondering what I would've done in his situation - if society collapsed and I was tasked with explaining life on earth to "newcomers"........ well, the possibilities boggle the mind. The commentary on modern technology and the implications of messing with our genetic makeup in a quest to achieve human perfection is handled beautifully in this story - everyone has that line they won't cross but everyone's line is in a different place so where do we stop? Slavery and abuse of those who cannot defend themselves is disgusting - but it is plausible that the victims actually believe the abusers are protecting them. Lots of thought-provoking, entertaining writing and a great narrator - an easy recommendation for Oryx and Crake.