Crystal Ockenfuss

If you believe misery loves company

Revisado: 07-25-19

For the briefest moment at the beginning, this sounded like a fun memoir of a woman coming into her own at midlife -- unfortunately, it became the memoir of a woman who clearly needs more therapy. I really wish her friend Casey would write something; at least she sounds interesting and grounded. Ultimately this was lackluster writing about a juvenile theme. If you'd like all the sad drama you remember from high school transported to middle age, this is the book for you! If you were up for story of a sexually empowered woman, keep looking.

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Should be mandatory reading/listening!

Revisado: 03-26-16

What did you love best about Evicted?

The incredible care and tact the author displayed in his dealing with the very vulnerable population he studied

What other book might you compare Evicted to and why?

this would be great book to read together with M. Quiones Dreamland (about the heroin epidemic in the US) and/or Ghettoside.

What about Dion Graham’s performance did you like?

He did a great job keeping the 'voices' separate - I really felt like each of the people studied was a recognizable individual.

If you could give Evicted a new subtitle, what would it be?

The Underside of the American Dream

Any additional comments?

I'm not sure why Audible offered me a new recording of this title. The original recording, which I listened to in toto as soon as it became available, was just fine.

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Utterly Engrossing!

Revisado: 03-29-14

What made the experience of listening to Lost Girls the most enjoyable?

The narrator's voice suited the material perfectly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

all the girls were fascinating - so vulnerable and so brash. The author made it easy to see how the limited choices they had made the decisions they made seem reasonable. He was not uncritical but still deeply compassionate.

Which character – as performed by Sean Pratt – was your favorite?

He didn't really perform the characters (as this is non-fiction) but his voice seemed especially suited to the narrative thread surrounding Amber.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Lost Girls - America's Underside

Any additional comments?

It would be a mistake to simply view this book as 'true crime'. Kolker does not sensationalize the murders of these escorts. Instead, he take through their individual histories to show us how they each arrived at a point that made them particularly attractive to the killer. In addition, he offers balanced, intelligent social commentary on the changes the internet has wrought on the business of prostitution and shows the listener/reader how these changes (mostly cutting out the middle man pimp) both could have empowered and endangered the sex workers. This is a book that will make you rethink how the US regulates the sex trade - laws made to protect sex workers now seem to do more to force them deeper into the shadows, endangering them still further.

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Lovely story about a late blooming woman

Revisado: 10-24-13

What did you love best about The Age of Desire?

Edith Wharton! In her excellent novel, Fields delicately traces the sexual and sensual blooming of a mature woman, revealing both the immense joy and the inevitable complications of such a journey.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love the Wharton character because I love Edith Wharton's own fiction but Anna, the unassuming secretary, may be the real heroine.

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

a variety of voices though the men who are supposed to sound Bostonian sound more southern to me

Who was the most memorable character of The Age of Desire and why?

Morton Fullerton - a lover and a cad but also a man capable of appreciating sensuality in all its forms

Any additional comments?

Someone should have coached the narrator on her German! The pronunciation was way beyond incorrect. It's a quibble but there are quite a lot of German phrases in the narrative- one actually key - and it would have taken no time at all to explain how to say them correctly. jarred my enjoyment every time!

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Perfect voice for this story

Revisado: 06-07-13

Would you consider the audio edition of The Mirrored World to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version but - after this most effective reading - I will definitely consider it.

What did you like best about this story?

It is difficult to right about saints. Goodness, when depicted, often comes off as bland - somehow less interesting than evil. Not so for this book. Xenia's turn towards the disadvantaged of St. Petersburg, while surprising at first, has a logic of its own that the book does a fine job of developing.

What about Yelena Shmulenson’s performance did you like?

Her voice had lovely modulation and convincing Russian accents. She was able to make each character sound distinctively.

Who was the most memorable character of The Mirrored World and why?

though the story would go nowhere without its narrator, Dasha, its beatingheart is beyond doubt the character of Xenia.

Any additional comments?

Calming and thoughtful, I found The Mirrored World to be the perfect commuter listen. Xenia's attitude was a welcome corrective to hectic traffic. Listen and you'll know exactly what I mean.

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