J. M. Walker

Living, breathing, fun

Revisado: 05-03-14

Where does Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the best.

What did you like best about this story?

It takes you all the way into a completely different world.
It is filled with unique, simpatico characters.
And it is deeply, wildly funny.

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Not so much about the art of power

Revisado: 02-07-14

What did you like best about Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power? What did you like least?

This is a pretty good biography of Jefferson, but while the author assures us repeatedly that Jefferson was a shrewd politician, he doesn't show us what he means.
Given his successes, it makes sense that Jefferson was a shrewd politician, but either he hid his machinations or it will take another author to reveal them.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Herrmann wasn't given much to work with. The writing is not compelling or memorable.

Was Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power worth the listening time?

No. I gave up about a third of the way through.

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Classic story, perfectly read

Revisado: 02-07-14

Would you listen to Cry, the Beloved Country again? Why?

This is one of the two or three best books I have ever read. It takes you into the selves of several, very different, persons (all male, unfortunately).
I can only compare the story's psychological penetration to Middlemarch and Shakespeare's plays.

Which character – as performed by Michael York – was your favorite?

York breathes life into the story--giving at least six of the central characters compelling, recognizable voices.
And giving the repeated phrases almost incantatory power.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't want to stop and I wanted it to go on forever.

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The First Sit-Com

Revisado: 12-24-12

Would you try another book from Miguel de Cervantes and Tobias Smollett (translator) and/or Robert Whitfield?

Translator and reader, yes. Cervantes, no.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

More psychological penetration; more invention in characters, situations, and action.

What does Robert Whitfield bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He makes the various characters alive and distinctive. For English (including American English) listeners, the accents make the story more vivid.

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Amazing Story

Revisado: 09-03-12

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

The audio version kept me riveted from the beginning right up to--but excluding--the redundant and ham-handed next-to-last "summary" chapter.
The only thing I would have liked better about the print version is that I could have confirmed more quickly that that chapter was a complete waste of time.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Steve Jobs' for his combination of huge flaws and amazing creativity and accomplishment.

What about Dylan Baker’s performance did you like?

Baker's performance draws no attention to itself, and makes the story compelling and clear.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book made me realize how much Jobs had to do with creating so much of the world I love in--and enjoy.

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Great insights, well delivered

Revisado: 07-04-12

What did you love best about I Only Say This Because I Love You?

This is a reality-based exploration of how families talk to each other and how to talk in ways that produce more understanding and less pain.
It is clearly stated with plenty of relevant examples of actual conversations.

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A grand story well told

Revisado: 11-03-10

Conveys the drama and grandeur of Genghis Khan's life as well as his profound impact on the Western and Muslim worlds clearly and compellingly.
Excellent reader.

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One engaging character, one silly ending

Revisado: 11-03-10

At times a deeply affecting story of a mature woman's fear and love and hope. More often too obviously striving for (literary) effect. The ending seems tacked on, a sort of diabolus ex machina.
Excellent reading makes the characters seem more three-dimensional than the writing alone might.

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Powerful start with weak second half

Revisado: 11-03-10

The first two "sections" took me into Seely and Netty's experiences in a way that only Middlemarch matches (in my reading). The second half of the book seemed more talky or obviously calculated and far less engaging.

I liked the reader's pace and voice, although it is possible that a more experienced reader could have made the second half more interesting.

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An illuminating glimpse at our history

Revisado: 03-17-10

An illuminating look at the last fifty years of our history.
Not as insightful as it might be.
Not great literature.

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