Napa

By: James Conaway

Narrated by: John Morgan

James Conaway's remarkable bestseller delves into the heart of California's lush and verdant Napa Valley, also known as America's Eden. Long the source of succulent grapes and singular wines, this region is also the setting for the remarkable true saga of the personalities behind the winemaking empires. This is the story of Gallos and Mondavis, of fortunes made and lost, of dynasties and destinies.

In this delightful, full-bodied social history, James Conaway charts the rise of a new aristocracy and, in so doing, chronicles the collective ripening of the American dream. More than a wine audiobook, Napa is a must-listen for anyone interested in our country's obsession with money, land, power, and prestige.

©2002 James Conaway (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Narrator John Morgan remains animated and engaged. He doesn't create character voices, but listeners will find scant need for them to identify the sources of quotes. His pace suits the enjoyable stories of locals struggling to survive and migrant laborers seeking a better life. The Spanish, French, and Italian vocabulary of enology taxes him a little but doesn’t spoil his excellent performance." ( AudioFile)

Starts off strong then fizzles

Would you try another book from James Conaway and/or John Morgan?

John Morgan needs to do better with pronunciation

Would you recommend Napa to your friends? Why or why not?

No. It's a long dull look into the nuances of county zoning, local politics, and policy; I had been hoping for more discussion of the wines, winemakers, and wineries.

Would you be willing to try another one of John Morgan’s performances?

Maybe for a simpler topic.

Did Napa inspire you to do anything?

No

Cringe-worthy narration

If you’re going to read a story about an iconic place, for the love of god, learn how to pronounce the names of the towns, the family names and the specific terms related to wine. As someone in the wine business who lives in CA, I find the mispronunciations so egregious, it kind of ruins the book. I’m only an hour in and I’m not sure I can finish listening.

Very interesting story of the progress of Napa

I am getting ready to visit Napa again and wanted to become more familiar with the history of Napa, including the cast of characters. I wasn't disappointed. By the way, I think John Morgan is probably the best narrator I have listened to, after listening to numerous books. Sorry Mr. Brick, I have a new favorite.

History of the people and issues that built Napa

Would you consider the audio edition of Napa to be better than the print version?

If audio works for your commute or your walk, this one is very well done.
James Conaway tells the story of the people and issues that built Napa.
John Morgan delivers the story with perfection!

Which scene was your favorite?

Tensions between growers and developers, owners and politicians, and locals are all told in vivid detail. Consider the debate about how many grapes are needed to name a wine from Napa ... 75%. Interested tensions in development and preservation of vinyards.
Brings the issues and successes of the area to life.

Classic piece of literature

John Morgan reads Conaway's novel beautifully. This piece of America's wine history captivates so visually, you feel as if you are in the California vineyards with the original vintners.