Sunny

Light and deep

Revisado: 02-12-19

This makes for a beautiful companion book to President Obama’s books and an equally good standalone book. It is at times a heartfelt coming of age story for a young African American girl from the Southside of Chicago; a romantic tale about a geeky young hot shot law student and his successful Ivy-League educated supervisor; and then a view of politics from the personal side of the Obama’s life from their earliest races to their last. I found it light and deep at the same time. Michelle’s narrating is perfectly delivered as well - I’m glad I listened to it!

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I am a crying man

Revisado: 01-24-19

I'm writing as a long-time fan of Stephen King and this is one of his best. It's the size of "The Dome" but has the cohesive power of one of his shorter novels. It's probably his most sensitive since "Lisey's Story" -- my absolute favorite King novel -- but obviously more historical. Being that I have much less time to read these days, I really appreciated being able to listen to this one, especially as told by this reader. Craig Wasson had a hard job conveying so many different characters with different accents but he did amazingly well. Listen but be prepared for a long and emotional journey.

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Liar in 3D

Revisado: 01-09-19

A well written, easy-to-consume, behind-the-scenes view of the first half of 45’s Presidency. I was surprised to feel by the end that Trump is more than just a two-dimensional character as seen on television; he’s a fully fleshed-out Liar as spelled out in profanity-laden technicolor. The performance of this reader is good, with just enough acting to differentiate the different characters without distracting from the matter-of-fact story telling. The story is great - if only Woodward would write a sequel in less than two years about the end of this living nightmare.

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Odd mix

Revisado: 12-28-18

I am a professional composer and have been looking forward to reading this book for some time. Overall, I found the book to be an odd mix of caddy behind-the-scenes descriptions of debauchery and a history lesson of the modern classical age. While I could see that the writer was trying to draw that comparison between her life and the history of the institutions around her, it feels as if there are two different books crammed into one. The story is compelling, though. If you can get past the performance of this obnoxious reader, I think it is still worth listening to. The performance reads as if she's smiling through every sentence, not aware of the meaning of the words she's speaking. It would have been much more interesting to have the author read it. Also, if you're here from the TV show, you will find a similar spirit, but nothing close to the actual story of that spin-off.

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Learned and Laughed

Revisado: 12-22-18

To be completely honest, I was on the fence about Trevor Noah from what I've seen of his performance on the Daily Show. He's always seemed on the verge of breaking out and never really delivering to me. But after listening to his book, I see the depth in him that was missing for me. I learned how South Africa worked and didn't work in its time of apartheid, and how Noah was stuck in an in-between world. His stories are beautifully written and told in a simple language that doesn't just go for laughs, but for the gut punch of truth. There's also a surprising element of religion and spirituality throughout thanks to his Mother - the end had me in chills in that regard. I've seen his comedy special since writing this review and I see him differently now, I see the whole package. Highly recommended!

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Colorful, simple and honest

Revisado: 12-22-18

I’m no chef but while listening to this, I was transported to the kitchens and tables of his childhood, upbringing, and multiple culinary adventures to briefly share in his love of food and antics. Bordain as a writer is what he respected in a chef - colorful, simple and honest, and his delivery here is just as good as all of his cooking shows. Thank God he left us all this great material, a true gift of life and love.

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A solid musical biography

Revisado: 12-04-18

The writer successfully ties biographical events in well with Beethoven’s creative output. For musicians, the musical analysis only goes skin deep. For the layman, it is probably too complex unless you have some musical background already. I’d suggest listening to the pieces while going through each chapter, otherwise, much of the analysis would be pointless. The performance of this reader was effective but a bit monotonous after the 20th hour of his 1950’s anchorman delivery. Some of his pronunciation is odd as well (how did no one correct “pianoforte”?). Even still, it was a fun and informative listen.

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