DWD's Reviews

Fill your mate's "love tank" Published by Northfield Publishing in 1996. 4 hours, 46 minutes. Read by the author, Gary Chapman. Gary Chapman The author, Gary Chapman, does an excellent job of narrating the audiobook version of  The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. Chapman's thesis is, simply, that we all have a love tank, and it is best filled by two of 5 different love languages. If your spouse expresses his or her love to you in a love language that you don't speak than you will both be frustrated and your love tank will not be filled and eventually you will look for other ways to fill it. The five love languages are: -Quality Time -Words of Affirmation -Gifts -Acts of Service -Physical Touch Chapman provides plenty of concrete examples so that most listeners will be able to identify themselves or their spouse. He includes a section about expressing love to one's children as well using his lov...

Brilliant. One of the best books I've encountered this year. Published by Highbridge Audio Read by Kirsten Potter 8 hours, 21 minutes Unabridged. Filled with everyday examples but also full of technical explanations about how the brain actually works when it reads, Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain is a bit of history, a bit of science, a bit of philosophy, a bit of educational theory and a whole lot of learning bundled into an entertaining package. Maryanne Wolf I may be an ideal reader for Maryanne Wolf since I am a foreign language teacher, a history teacher, I love reading and I am very much interested in how boys, in particular, suffer from reading difficulties (Wolf cites biological research that is butressed by others who say we start too early to try to teach our students and we label students too early as having reading difficulties). Wolfe explores the early history of writing and reading, the different types of ...

Not the best Bosch book, which means that it is merely very, very good and not excellent Read by Dick Hill. 11 hours, 11 minutes. Connelly's Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch is named after a Renaissance painter who specialized in fanciful and gruesome visions of hell from high above and detailed looks at the tortures that it holds for its residents. Hieronymus Bosch is designed to be our guide through the modern hell of Los Angeles - at least that's the way it seems to the Hollywood Homicide Division. Fittingly, The Black Ice starts with Harry Bosch watching a wildfire burn part of the canyon below his home. His thoughts are interrupted with a radio call about a homicide and Bosch descends the mountain into the madness. A long, complicated case unrolls for Bosch as he goes against direct orders and privately investigates the presumed suicide of a narcotics and I will go no further so as to avoid spoilers. Michael Connelly Dick Hill read this installation of th...

Kinky Friedman "on the road again" with Willie Nelson Kinky Friedman and Willie Nelson Read by Kinky Friedman. Duration: about 3 hours. Abridged. Kinky, feeling like he has to get out of New York City for a change of pace, jumps at the chance to ride with Willie Nelson for part of his tour. However, Willie is not acting like himself and soon one of Willie's roadies is shot. Kinky looks into it and crazy characters from Willie's life spill into Kinky's seriously odd world of friends. The mystery in Roadkill is not too hard, but it is worth the listen just to hear Friedman's odd twists of phrase. Lots of fun. An audiobook note: I was disappointed to discover that Willie Nelson did not read his own parts in the book. He has read audiobooks before and this seemed like a natural fit. I give this one 4 stars out of 5 and it can be found on Amazon.com here: Roadkill by Kinky Friedman. Reviewed on May 7, 2006.

An American Classic 4.5 hours Narrated by Jonathan Reese Published by Tantor Media Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies during his life. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave , written in 1845, is, perhaps, the most famous. The others were My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881, revised 1892). Written as a response to those that doubted that such an intelligent and well-spoken man could have ever been a slave, Narrative tells about the early life of Frederick Douglass (b. 1818 - d.1895), how he learned to read and write and how he acquired the skills necessary to escape and prosper in the North after he escaped. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)  as a young man Douglass was a young man when this book was published (aged 27) so there is not a lot of detail about his life as a free man (with the caveat of being an escaped slave living the constant fear of being kidnapped and returned to slavery)...

It's Star Trek. It's William Shatner. What More Can You Ask For? Published by Simon and Schuster Audio in 2001. Read by William Shatner Duration: 3 hours, 6 minutes Abridged William Shatner in Star Trek: Generations The audiobook lasts about 3 hours and is read by William Shatner, who is also one of  the authors. I admit, I picked Star Trek: The Return on a whim - the fact that it was read by Shatner himself was a big plus. Shatner is nothing, if not interesting. His book is much like the man himself (at least his well-known public persona) - lots of action, bluster, bravado, noise and Shatner's well-known and unique speaking style. This book takes place immediately after the events of the Star Trek: Generations movie. If you haven't seen the movie lately, don't fret. Shatner uses it as a launching point only and goes on his own way. At the end of Star Trek: Generations , Kirk has been killed by sacrificing himself to save a planet and poss...

Maybe it was the ABRIDGED audiobook format... ...but I thought this one was a total dog of a book. Published in 1999. Read by Allison Janey Duration: 2 hours, 46 minutes Abridged Normally, I am a big fan of Grippando's books - they are interesting, full of lots of intrigue, unexpected twists and politics. I've reviewed several of them and have given them high marks. So, when I found one written about presidential politics and read by Allison Janney from West Wing I thought that this was bound to be a great book on tape. Allison Janney However, the politics in this one was just silly. Before the action gets going in the book, Grippando has the two candidates, literally less than a week before the election, just sitting around their houses. Think about the last presidential election. Was Obama sitting around his house with 3 days to go? Was McCain? No - they were in the midst of a marathon of speeches and events that had been going on for at least a mo...

Excellent! Published by Brilliance Audio in 2008 Read by James Daniels. Duration; 8 hours, 4 minutes. Unabridged. First things first - this is an excellent work - and James Daniels, the reader,  was absolutely great. First rate job. I found myself taking advantage of any chance to listen (while showering, housework, etc.). The Last Detective is the 9th installment of the Elvis Cole series but it really is the sequel to L.A. Requiem . Not that the bad guys return, but rather Crais continues to show the readers insight into the mechanics of our duo - Pike and Cole. In L.A. Requiem we were treated to the psyche of Pike. This time it is Cole. I would not recommend this book as a stand-alone since it spends so much time delving into the heart and soul and past of Cole. This means a lot to the fans of the series but most likely means little to newcomers. The plot in just one sentence: Elvis Cole's girlfriend's 10 year old son is kidnapped and Elvis pulls all of...

I was very impressed with the audiobook experience. Published in 2002 . Long Lost is one of the best audiobooks that I have ever heard. Neil Patrick Harris does an absolutely wonderful job of conveying the emotions of Brad Denning, the main character. Harris makes you feel the loss of Denning, the joy of re-discovering his long-lost brother, the horror of having his family kidnapped...Well done! The plot of the book is compelling. Brad Denning is a successful architect with a happy wife and son. One day, a scruffy stranger approaches him and tells him that he is Petey, Brad's long-lost little brother who was presumed abducted when Brad was 13. Something is not quite right about Petey (who has no real proof as to his identity) and Brad's wife has her doubts. But, Brad's guilt about his part in his brother's disappearance (he told his brother to get lost because he was being a pest and that is when he was disappeared) leads him to let Petey into their lives.  Af...

Published in 1997 by Putnam Berkley Audio. Unabridged.  I've read 2 or 3 Robin Cook books and Chromosome 6 will most likely be my last. To be completely truthful, I didn't read this one, I heard it as an audiobook. A bonobo mother and infant The story idea is quite original - scientists are using bonobos (a chimp-like primate in West Africa) to grow hybrid human/bonobo organs for the ultra-rich. These are specifically matched to each client and held in an animal preserve until needed. Unfortunately, there may be unintended results by mixing animal and human DNA... Good premise for the story. Poor, poor, poor dialogue and awful follow through. There are stilted, silly sentences that sound unnatural when spoken out loud. Unexplained odd illogical behavior such as the downright stupid employees at the morgue. How stupid are they? The body of a mob boss disappears in the city morgue. The mayor is super angry and making telephone calls. People's jobs are on th...

Strong plot + annoying writing habits = 4 stars Published in 1996. The Judge is my second Martini book (the first as an audiobook) and I am almost embarrassed to say that I really liked it. I didn't realize that I was such a literary elitist (especially if you looked at the stuff I've reviewed) but deep-down inside I guess that there are just some books that I want to hate simply because everyone else likes them. Well, there's a reason why Martini's books have been perennial best-sellers - they're entertaining legal thrillers. Plot synopsis: Shenanigans in the police union have attracted the attention of an abrasive judge. He is leading a grand jury investigation into the union's finances when he is arrested for prostitution and later murder. Steve Martini Paul Madriani is dragged into the case as the judge's defense attorney as a favor to a friend and soon everyone is stuck in a web of intrigue that involves the police, the prosecutor ...

Thoroughly enjoyable Alexander McCall Smith The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency started out pretty slowly and I nearly stopped listening about 45 minutes into it. Suddenly, the story "clicked" for me and I gladly listened to the whole 8 hours and 15 minutes. Narrated wonderfully by Lisette Lecat, a native South African who injects a touch of authenticity with her lovely accent and voice rhythms, this book is much more than a series of detective stories. It is also the story of Botswana and its culture and the complex interactions between traditional and modern, male and female, rich and poor, and white, black and Indian. A lovely book and a real joy to listen to. Sometimes laugh out loud funny, sometimes deeply moving. Well done. I rate this book 5 stars out of 5. Reviewed on February 13, 2009.

Mike Hammer almost kicks the bucket ...and he drives around a lot with a seeping gut wound, visits old friends, gets put in a coma, gets a marriage license and looks for $89 billion. Sounds like a lot of action, doesn't it? In reality, there's not too much going on here. The series is not aging well. I find myself running the math figures on this 1997 book and most of Hammer's friends and contacts are in their 70s, 80s and 90s. One former Prohibition cop that he uses as an informant would be at least 93 years old - that is if he served as a division chief in the fight against booze brought in to get around the Prohibition laws at the tender age of 18! I conservatively estimated his age to be at least 103 - how many 103-year-olds are sources of current mafia information? Also, has Spillane ever actually seen a backhoe? It is a heavy duty piece of construction equipment. Even the small ones are extremely heavy and must be towed with special trailers. He ...

Awful. I give it an 'F' Published by HarperAudio in 1994 Abridged Audiobook. Duration: About 3 hours. Let Us Prey gets some pretty decent reviews on Amazon.com so...maybe it is pretty decent IF you are a fan of gratuitous, super-detailed rape scenes, splattering mists of blood and brains, barely fleshed-out government plots and revenge-driven soldiers who insanely act without cause. Admittedly, I listened to it as an abridged book on tape, however, Brannon's book is in serious need of more detail explaining the connections between the characters, including what some of these characters are doing in this plot in the first place. I was irritated at the lack of detail, but yet even more irritated at the insane amount of detail devoted to these items: 1) a visit of a 'John' to a hooker in Las Vegas; 2) an unnecessary rape and genital mutilation scene and similar descriptions of violence. In an abridgment, you should abridge the unnecessary parts...

B-o-o-o-r-i-i-i-n-g I found this 3 1/2 hour audiobook and figured I'd come across a hidden gem. A book about kids by the Berenstains! Who would know more than those folks that have created books, videos, a TV show with lots of wholesome values and fun? What Your Parents Never Told You About Being A Mom Or Dad is full of wholesome values. It offers practical advice on raising kids and a bit of an introduction to the Berenstain's experiences in raising a family. But... It's a tedious listen. Extraordinarily tedious. After the general introduction (20 minutes or so) the book gets bogged down in attempts at pithy humor, quips and puns than just don't work. I forced myself to listen to an hour and a half of the meat of this book and finally couldn't go any longer. While full of good advice, I have to give any book that I cannot finish a one star. This thing should have been edited down to about one hour and it would have had much more impact. ...

Truly Unique Mystery Duration: 3 hours, 1 minute Mind Slash Matter is a unique entry into the world of mystery thrillers. The hero is a 2-time Oscar-winning screenwriter, Rush Lightbody, who is now a shell of his former self due to Alzheimer's. However, he is able to function due to a wonderful computer that he pre-programmed before the Alzheimer's set in that interacts with him by way of speakers, microphones, video cameras and pagers. Thus, Rush Lightbody is able to convince the outside world that he is still okay by way of a series prompts and firm instructions that come from the computer. Rene Auberjonois At times, it is reminiscent of Peter Sellers' movie Being There in that the people Lightbody interacts with over-interpret his incorrect responses as exceedingly wise responses. Often funny, often sad, this book causes the reader to enter the mind of an Alzheimer's victim and get a taste of that alternate reality. It never degrades Alzheimer...

Disappointed in the abridged audiobook I've seen Josh McDowell speak many times and I know that he can be a strong speaker and I do wish that he had read this book. This book has strong attributes, but when combined with the reader (Greg Wheatley) it can be tedious. The audiobook seems poorly put together at times but I suppose that is due to a poor abridgement. The reader is very poor, which is surprising since the cover notes note that he has a wealth of radio experience. He fails to do basic things like pause. For example, most readers would read like this: Chapter One (pause) It was a dark and stormy night... This book is more like this (in a monotone): ChapterOneItwasadarkandstormynight. Other negatives: McDowell includes a fictional story of friends at college that are struggling with their faith. Those stories are stilted and read like they were written for ...well, like they were written for a Sunday school book. The people don't talk like ...

If this were baseball, Halperin would be swinging for the fence, but coming up short. Published by Blackstone Audio in 2011. Read by Sean Runnette. Duration: 10 hours, 36 minutes. Unabridged. David Halperin's Journal of a UFO Investigator is a semi-autobiographical novel. It ties together UFOs, death, growing up, family dynamics and religion in general (and Judaism in particular) in the story of Daniel Shapiro, a schoolboy growing up in the 60s in far suburban Philadelphia. Halperin is a former professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with a special focus on Judaism and what he calls "religious traditions of heavenly ascent." Already an established author of non-fictional academic works, this is Halperin's first novel.  Danny Shapiro's world is crashing down around him. His mother is slowly dying from heart disease. His father does not understand him. He is Jewish in the heavily Christian suburbs and, as he gets o...

Up and down quality. So, here's the scoop on the audiobook The Bold West: Edition 4 . There are 3 unabridged stories read by three different readers. The stories are: 'Death Rides This Trail' by Steve Frazee. It is the longest and definitely the best of the three stories. It concerns a family of settlers and the struggles they have after the father is killed in a senseless gunfight. Good character development and an entertaining story. Often funny and often sad. It was originally published in 1953. I give this story 4 out of 5 stars. Zane Grey (1872-1939) 'Yaqui' by Zane Grey. Originally published in 1920, this is the story of Yaqui, the young chief of the Yaqui Indians of Western Mexico. The Yaqui were hunted down and killed or moved to the Yucatan Peninsula to be enslaved in the Sisal plantations to make rope. This is the worst story of the three by far. The writing was stilted and overly formal and the reader was the worst of the three. The...

The original short story that the movie is based on. Length: 58 minutes (1 CD) Read by Phil Gigante Originally written in 1954 and titled The Adjustment Team , this audiobook was  renamed so that it can be tied in with the movie that is very loosely based on this short story by famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. The one hour length and subject matter put me in mind of an episode of the Twilight Zone - one of the really good ones where we find out the world does not work quite the way we thought it did. Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) The premise of the short story is that real estate agent Ed Fletcher is not where he is supposed to be when the adjustment team comes to adjust his office. Instead, due to a bureaucratic mix-up on the supernatural level, Ed comes in to work a few minutes late and finds an adjustment team at work. The team has frozen the regular world and drained it of all of its life while they make adjustments to all the things and inhabitants. ...