Casey Keller

Not What I Expected -- And That's GREAT!

Reviewed: 03-11-24

I bought Calico expecting a police detective story of the type Mr. Goldberg writes so well. I got that but I got a whole lot more because the book had a clever and expertly executed science fiction aspect that I never saw coming and with it came twist after twist and surprise after surprise.
Mr. Goldberg must have really enjoyed writing this, because enjoyment is reflected in every chapter.
Highly recommended.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Boring

Reviewed: 12-02-23

I’m a Kevin Nealon fan but these make-nice blurbs are too pat.
Plus, these blurbs are meant to accompany a book of caricature’s drawn be Nealon. Obviously the drawings cannot be seen in an audio book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Master & Commander Fans Should Love This Book

Reviewed: 04-26-23

When director Peter Weir set about to make a film of Patrick O’Brian’s Master & Commander books, he needed a ship that closely resembled the frigate Surprise, on which many of these adventures took place. There was a ship called The Rose that would foot the bill, but it was in disrepair and in Newport, Rhode Island, thousands of miles from where the filming was to take place.
This is the story of the people who returned The Rose to seaworthinesscondition and sailed her down to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, and finally to San Diego. It's told with perception and wit and makes me wish I had been part of that crew.
The audio versions of the twenty and a third books of this series as read by Patrick Tull, are in my opinion, the crown jewels of the Audible catalog. I’ve listened to all of them many times.
I have one little niggle. The narrator, Jonathan Todd Ross did a fine job, but he is obviously not a sailor. He kept pronouncing the word "bowsprit" as bowspirit. In fairness, it is occasionally spelled that way, but I've never heard it pronounced that way. The word comes up dozens of times in the book and I cringed a little every time I heard it mis-pronounced.
If you like O'Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin books, the film Master and Commander, and/or sailing, you'll definitely enjoy this book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

If you must buy this book, buy the print version

Reviewed: 12-25-22

For those of us who love musical thater, Stephen Sondheim is always a fascinating subject. It's no exaggeration to say that Sondheim revolutionized the Broadway musical.
This book is the story of a reporter, D. T. Max, trying to do a piece on Sondheim for the New Yorker Most of it is told in dialog between the author and his subject. SADLY, in the audio version, there is no attempt to tell us which one of them is speaking. At a gala with the author, Sondheim and Meryl Streep, there are three witty, clever people speaking and the listener has almost no idea who is saying what.
I hope the print version has this problem solved.
So what does this book teach us about Sondheim? Very little, unfortunely. On their first meeting, Sondheim sends D.T. Max home with the two books he wrote about his work, Finishing The Hat and Look I Made A Hat. In these fascinating books, you'll learn much more about Sondheim and his work than you will from his conversations with D. T. Max.
Another great book filled with insights into Sondheim is Mary Rodgers' memoir, Shy. Rodgers, the daughter of composer Richard Rodgers and an author and composer in her own right knew Sondheim and loved him since they were children. They even attempted at one time a trial "marriage."
In short, I was disappointed in Finale,

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Preaching To The Choir

Reviewed: 03-27-22

What country's health care system is rated best in the world by the World Health Organization? I'll give you a hint. It's not the United States. We’re not even in the top 10. Not that we don't have most of the state-of-the-art medical technology in the world. We do. What we don't have is an equitable way of distributing that genius.

That's because the principal goal of our health care system is to make money. Please don't misunderstand. I don't object to anybody making money. I'm rather fond of money myself. But when profit is put ahead of the health of patients, that is a problem.

And that's the problem that this heavy handed satire points out. In it, the manager of a Las Vegas casino realizes that there’s more money to be made in hospital management and takes over a down and out hospital in the Washington D.C. area. Before long, he's economizing, sending surgical patients home in a buses moments after they’ve come out of recovery; declaring that patients don't need their sheets changed more than once a week, that janitors can be put in nurses' scrubs and made to work as low rent, unqualified nurses. He even makes a deal with a local funeral parlor for them to pay him to have all the hospital's dead patients sent to them directly.

Yes, it's capitalism run amuck, reminiscent of Catch 22's Milo Minderbinder who replaces the B17 crews' parachutes with stock certificates. There are some laughs and a few good lines, but Lynn keeps making the same point over and over. And even though it's one with which I completely agree, it becomes tedious.

Jonathan Lynn, the author is a certified genius with extremely impressive comedy credentials. But this book falls way short of what I expected from a man of his gifts.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A Great Introduction To Don Winslow

Reviewed: 03-27-22

I love Don Winslow's books, especially the ones about the surfers in the San Diego area. There are colorful characters, great laughs and often some great thrills.

This book isn't a thriller, but it is hilarious with many of Winslow's characters you'll want to know better from his books: The Dawn Patrol, The Gentlemen’s Hour and The Death and Life of Bobby Z.

So here's a great chance to dip a toe into the work of one of our most prolific and entertaining authors. And since you're an Audible member, it won't cost you a penny.

Enjoy

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Hilarious, but not on purpose

Reviewed: 10-20-21

Let's talk about willing suspension of disbelief. Most stories require it. So for starters, let's agree to believe the book's premise as amazingly farfetched as it is. That doesn't excuse the lack of verisimilitude in this book. Every page had something that rang so false it took me out of the story.
The moment someone successfully hailed a cab in Los Angeles, it was apparent the author has never been there. A character who keeps telling people "I'm a Hollywood producer," is preposterous. I worked in the entertainment business in Hollywood for more than 30 years and I can't image anybody identifying themselves as a "Hollywood producer." In fact, I have produced TV shows in Hollywood and I've never called myself a Hollywood producer. It sounds absurd.
And then... and I don't know if this was the author's choice or the narrator's, but the two gay characters in the book both spoke with effeminate lisps. I have lots of gay friends and only a very few talk that way.
Also, pet peeve time: I hate an author who doesn't know the difference between disinterested and uninterested.
And yet, in fairness, the story barred along sufficiently for me to listen all the way to the end. So the author deserves some credit for keeping me listening.
Perhaps we should regard The List as a parody of a techno-thriller whether or not that was the author's intention. And you can believe me when I say that because I'm a Hollywood producer.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An insight into Tarantino's mind and process

Reviewed: 07-26-21

When I was learning to write, a mentor told me that - even if I didn't put it in the script - I should know everything about my characters, even what they carry in their pockets.

That's what Tarantino does with this book. I don't know if the script or the book was written first, but the book gives you comprehensive back story on each character. And since Tarantino is a story teller, there's a lot here to enjoy.

Special mention must be made of Jennifer Jason Leigh who simply read the hell out of the book and brought it to life vividly.

AND... while there are indeed characters and stories from the movie here, you're still in for a few surprises.

Great fun.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great Beach Listen

Reviewed: 07-26-21

I heard the author speak on Fresh Air and was intrigued so I used a credit. So glad I did.

This is a well written, edge of your seat thriller. I imagine if I worked for the airlines or the FAA I could find a couple of holes in the story, but it didn't really require much suspension of disbelief.

All in all, great entertainment. I hope Ms. Newman writes another one.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great Entertainment

Reviewed: 06-20-21

More and more these days, what I want from a book is diversion. And this book, taking us back to 1945 when we knew who were the good guys and who were the bad guys, does a wonderful job taking you into its world. There's plenty of submarine action (something I've loved since I first saw Run Silent Run Deep as a child) a little romance and even some court room drama.
There is one thing about Ghosts of Bungo Suido that troubles me a bit. Nations have always demonized their enemies as a way of motivating their people, and America in the Second World War was certainly no exception. Even though I know they were totally authentic for the time, I got a little shudder each time I heard words like "Japs".
A word about Dick Hill. He is one of the most reliable narrators on Audible and does his usual great job on this story.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!