As the classical pianist Glenn Gould wrote when he reviewed the album Classical Barbra, “I’m a Streisand freak and make no bones about it.” And the saAs the classical pianist Glenn Gould wrote when he reviewed the album Classical Barbra, “I’m a Streisand freak and make no bones about it.” And the same could be said for me.
There are audiobooks and then there is this audiobook. Barbra Streisand delivers nothing less than absolute perfection here. From her childhood in Brooklyn, to performing on Broadway in the hit Funny Girl, to politics and food and Marlon Brando, this book covers a LOT of ground. Streisand is a perfectionist in all she does and this autobiography is the brilliant result.
There are clips of her songs throughout the audiobook and she tells the story behind the genesis and writing of each one of them. She has journals as well as personal archives which she consulted and the detail in this book is extraordinary. She faced workplace adversity literally throughout her entire long career and she really broke many barriers for women both in Hollywood and in the recording industry.
She was only 19 years old when she appeared in the musical ‘I Can Get It For You Wholesale’ and even then she argued with the director about the staging of her show stopping song. And she was right!
I felt like I was having coffee with an old friend while listening to this audiobook. Streisand is very conversational throughout her narration, laughs often and even uses Yiddish here and there.
Even after all these years, she’s still hurt by insults and can’t quite believe all the praise. This memoir includes not only rich details about each of her albums but behind-the-scenes accounts of each of her movies (and even the ones that never got made!) I actually think this book has now spoiled me for other memoirs. As Queen Latifah summed it up when presenting an award to Streisand: “...more
Set in an all-too-real dystopian future in an unnamed border state, this absolutely chilling book exploresWHY ISN’T EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK?!
Set in an all-too-real dystopian future in an unnamed border state, this absolutely chilling book explores the dark side of America and the horrific effects of racist immigration policies. Chilling because so many of the terrible events in this fictional book are very real.
Our main character Iris is a second-generation Mexican-American who has always prided herself on being a rule-follower. Even though her name is based on a lie, she uses it proudly: “...more
I can’t think of an audiobook I’ve enjoyed more than Tom Lake, narrated by the incomparable Meryl Streep. This was also my first book by the brillianI can’t think of an audiobook I’ve enjoyed more than Tom Lake, narrated by the incomparable Meryl Streep. This was also my first book by the brilliant Ann Patchett and it is a quintessentially summer read. I was enraptured by the story of Lara, a small-town New England girl who once had a promising Hollywood career. Now married with three grown daughters, she recounts the story of her long-ago affair with Peter Duke, who went on to become a wildly famous movie star. Lara and her family are quarantining together during the early days of the pandemic on the family’s cherry tree farm in Michigan. The author paints a rapturous picture of Michigan in the summer, and it is easy to see how Lara chose this life and the life she made with her husband Joe. As well, Lara finds unexpected joy in the family all being together during this time (“...more
What is a whalefall? I held back from delving into this marine biology term and I suggest you do the same until the end of this extraordinary book. PaWhat is a whalefall? I held back from delving into this marine biology term and I suggest you do the same until the end of this extraordinary book. Part sci-fi, part thriller, part adventure, this intense story will stay with me for a long time. Daniel Kraus has collaborated with Guillermo del Toro and if you’ve seen the movie The Shape of Water, you will have an idea of the fantastical yet beautiful scenes in this book. Seventeen year old Jay Gardiner sets off on a dive to find his father Mitt’s bones off a place called Monastery Beach. It seems like an impossible task, but Jay is trying to find some peace because his relationship with his difficult father was tumultuous at best while Mitt was alive. Mitt’s voice is still in Jay’s head as he tangles with a giant squid and suddenly, improbably, is swallowed whole by a sperm whale. What follows next is an exciting, heart-pounding (and heart-wrenching) adventure as Jay fights to escape from the belly of the whale. And Jay only has an hour of air left in his tank. The tension of the claustrophobic setting is relieved by flashbacks to Jay’s younger years and to his relationship with his mother and sisters. In the present, Jay must use every lesson his father tried to impart to him about the mighty whales in order to free himself before his air runs out. I loved this story, but I did not love the audiobook narrator and I HIGHLY recommend reading this book instead. It’s unforgettable! ...more
Julia Whelan and Kristin Hannah are a winning combination for me and I was thoroughly captivated by Whelan’s narration of the “The Women”.
This powerfJulia Whelan and Kristin Hannah are a winning combination for me and I was thoroughly captivated by Whelan’s narration of the “The Women”.
This powerful and moving book sheds light on the little-known (at least to me) experiences of women who served in the Vietnam War. Like the author, I was in elementary and middle school for much of the Vietnam War but I vividly remember the protests against this very unpopular war. Kristin Hannah is a masterful storyteller and brings the experiences of surgical nurse Frances “Frankie” McGrath to life, in vivid detail.
Frankie enlists to serve in the Army as an idealistic young woman who wants to serve her country and make her family proud. She returns home to a changed America, and to her own a battles with PTSD and deep trauma.
Frankie forges lifetime friendships during the war which will become her lifeline after she returns “to the world”. The author explores the aftermath of the war on the veterans who served and their families. This is a fascinating and unforgettable story of the brutalities of combat and of the brave women who proudly served our country. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy. “The Women” will be released on February 6th. ...more
Listen, I am as shocked as the next person that this 60-something reader loved this book so much! Never in a million years would I have believed that Listen, I am as shocked as the next person that this 60-something reader loved this book so much! Never in a million years would I have believed that I could love a fantasy about dragons so much.
I was totally invested in Violet, Xaden and the entire cast of characters. The plot was fast-paced, very inventive and engaging. And there’s even romance, too, a slow-build love between Violet and her nemesis Xaden that was nice and spicy!
Lara Love Hardin was an unlikely drug addict. A married suburban mother raising children in a blended family, she had a beautiful home and a business.Lara Love Hardin was an unlikely drug addict. A married suburban mother raising children in a blended family, she had a beautiful home and a business. But an addict she was. Nothing, not even the horror of losing her children, could stop her from chasing that next high. (“...more
This thought-provoking and passionate debut novel is my latest book obsession. It’s a workplace romance, but so much more! It’s an opposites-attract, This thought-provoking and passionate debut novel is my latest book obsession. It’s a workplace romance, but so much more! It’s an opposites-attract, but on a deeper level. And it’s funny! Really, really funny. Ms. Rabess has a very keen ear for authentic dialogue.
At first glance, this book is about two young people at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Jess and Josh first meet in college where Josh makes his conservative views, known and Jess decides he is just hateful. I read this in the first few days after the Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action so to read the discussions in this book literally made it feel like it was written this week.
Jess ends up at Goldman Sachs after college where Josh also works. The cutthroat and competitive atmosphere there feels like it was written by an insider and it was. The author formerly worked there. Jess encounters microaggression after microaggression while Josh gets recognized for his work. She is basically treated like a lowly assistant. (When jokingly asks why he didn’t tell their colleagues “I’m amazing,” he replies, “I don’t think you are amazing.”) Ah.
After the frosty start, the two become close friends and then fall deeply in love. Will they be able to survive their wildly divergent political views? (Although Josh does call himself a “moderate”.) Jess is deeply conflicted about their relationship and hides Josh from her own father, expecting his disappointment. And yet. Josh cares deeply for Jess and she loves him.
This book has it all: wit, engaging dialogue, eccentric characters, and even romance. I want to sit down and chat with Ms. Rabess about this book. The author will challenge your perceptions about class, race and wealth. A must-read!
This book is fundamentally about a man named Lewis who has a condition that causes him to change into a shark. It is a magical, fantastical, funny andThis book is fundamentally about a man named Lewis who has a condition that causes him to change into a shark. It is a magical, fantastical, funny and emotional novel that has one of the most original plots I’ve ever read. The sorry is divided into three parts, each telling the story of Lewis, his wife Wren and Wren’s mother Angela. Lewis and Wren are newlyweds when his metamorphosis begins to occur, and the author gives the reader a rich backstory on each of the characters. It is very poignant. I loved all the characters but Angela’s especially resonated with me. Her parents ignored her, her mother mistreated her, so of course she fell in love with a nonconformist free spirit. “...more
What a beautiful story! This quietly emotional book is told in several vignettes, all illustrating the effects that a book called “Theo” has on diffeWhat a beautiful story! This quietly emotional book is told in several vignettes, all illustrating the effects that a book called “Theo” has on different readers. The sorry follows a different person in each chapter. The only common thread is the experience that each person has with the same book, which was written by Alice, the first character we meet. This is truly an ode to book lovers, because truly no two people ever experience the same book in the same way. Each character and their lives are woven together to make a rich tapestry of a book that is both engaging and insightful. This is a gorgeous story that I’m happy to have experienced. From beginning to end, I thought, “...more
I just finished the audiobook of Adelaide and I am not over it! This is the book I wish I had in my late twenties. It’s giving ‘Normal People’ and earI just finished the audiobook of Adelaide and I am not over it! This is the book I wish I had in my late twenties. It’s giving ‘Normal People’ and early Colleen Hoover.
This is a love story but not a traditional one. This is an unrequited love story which actually has a beautiful ending. It is also an unflinching look at mental health and self-esteem by a brilliant new author.
Adelaide is a wonderful friend to all, with a promising career (that she takes very seriously), living in London. When she meets Rory Hughes on a dating app, she is shocked to see that he is actually the same boy she randomly met a few years before and never forgot.
Adelaide falls hard for Rory and is a loving, warm and caring girlfriend to him. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t just make him fall in love with her. (“...more
You don’t have to be a “book person” to love this thought-provoking and biting story about a plagiarist. But if you pore over 1-star Goodreads ratingsYou don’t have to be a “book person” to love this thought-provoking and biting story about a plagiarist. But if you pore over 1-star Goodreads ratings, ever wondered what a “nice deal” meant in Publishers’ Weekly, or know what tip-in sheets are, you might obsess over this book like me!
June Hayward is a struggling young white author who has a frenemy named Athena Liu. Athena has everything June does not: a brilliant writing career and both literary and critical success. June and Athena, who is Asian-American, have known each other since college and the novel begins with Athena’s sudden death from natural causes (not a spoiler, I promise!)
June does the unthinkable: she steals Athena’s work-in-progress from her apartment and edits the rough manuscript. June adopts a culturally questionable pseudonym and the book becomes a runaway success.
There is so much at play in this brilliant send-up of the harsh world publishing! (“...more
TALKING AT NIGHT is one of the most beautiful and heart rendering books I’ve read in a long time. It’s a tale of first love but with a twist. It’s a cTALKING AT NIGHT is one of the most beautiful and heart rendering books I’ve read in a long time. It’s a tale of first love but with a twist. It’s a coming of age story but so much more. If this is Claire Daverley’s debut novel, she has a long and brilliant career ahead.
I have long been searching for the kind of emotions that Sally Rooney’s Normal People evoked, and this book definitely elicited the same epic feelings. The author’s clever choice of writing without quotation marks might be controversial to some readers but I absolutely loved it.
This gorgeous story of Rosie and Will, as well as Rosie’s twin brother Josh, begins when they are sixth form students meeting on a beach one evening. Will, the school’s so-called bad boy, is completely entranced by the quiet, thoughtful Rosie.
Although Will is the most popular boy in school, he has very modest plans for the future as he has been in trouble with the law, dislikes school and feels somewhat trapped by his family situation. Rosie and Josh, on the other hand, have their bright futures completely mapped out for them by their controlling, Type-A mother.
The author’s beautiful prose kept me reading late into the night. The bond she builds between Will and Rosie is simply breathtaking. And sometimes heartbreaking. When a terrible tragedy occurs, Will and Rosie will be forever changed. Can their deep connection survive their changing lives?
Loved this brilliantly claustrophobic tale about a woman struggling with new motherhood. The cover alone is such a powerfully evocative image.
The narLoved this brilliantly claustrophobic tale about a woman struggling with new motherhood. The cover alone is such a powerfully evocative image.
The narrator is suffering from postpartum depression and possibly even psychosis but the author deftly weaves humor into this otherwise very serious tale (“...more
Full confession: I’m an Ashley Audrain super fan. When ‘The Push’ was released, I told every friend, co-worker and family member to read it. I also boFull confession: I’m an Ashley Audrain super fan. When ‘The Push’ was released, I told every friend, co-worker and family member to read it. I also bought a signed copy for my bookshelf. So when ‘The Whispers’ was announced, it went to the top of my most anticipated books of the year. And I’m happy to report that this book lived up to all my expectations.
Another exploration of the unhappier sides of motherhood and also marriage, the story also examines female friendships, jealousy, envy, and the small lies women tell themselves just to get by.
WOW. Literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. In what is sure to be THE thriller of the summer, TJ Newman has hit another electrifying note wWOW. Literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. In what is sure to be THE thriller of the summer, TJ Newman has hit another electrifying note with ...more
Excuse me while I recover from a book hangover. This is a powerful yet very tender coming-of-age story set in late 1990’s academia.
Isabel is a collegExcuse me while I recover from a book hangover. This is a powerful yet very tender coming-of-age story set in late 1990’s academia.
Isabel is a college senior at a small liberal arts college who has a non-consensual sexual encounter with a fellow student. That acts as the catalyst for her affair with her (married) professor.
"I felt stuck between two paths, one leading toward a future I could understand, the other leading—where? Nowhere good."
So much to unpack in this compelling novel! Set during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, the author never paints Isabel as a victim, but instead as a young woman with agency and a burgeoning spirit. I loved the Jewish representation, and the pitch-perfect depiction of life at a small college.
The author treats Isabel with care and infuses her with intelligence. Her affair with Professor Connelly builds slowly, and because the characters are all strongly written, I felt a true sense of dread - along with Isabel's growing dread - when certain beliefs turned out to be wrong.
"I could feel something fracturing, like the first time you ask your parents a question they can’t answer or the first time they don’t catch you in a lie. The moment you recognize your separateness."
One of my favorite books of the year. Thanks to Henry Holt Books for the free copy! All opinions are my own.
Memorable Quote:
"Everything looked different, clearer, like I’d never worn glasses and someone had handed me a pair. Connelly looked different, too. I realized I hadn’t understood his purpose—why I’d met him, why he was here—but now it all fell into place. Of course I’d met him. Of course he’d kissed me. Of course, of course, of course."...more
✦ Ellen’s Reviews ✦
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