John Feinstein has narrated 19 audiobooks on Listento.it by 5 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.7★ across 415 ratings. The most-rated is Brother.
Brother
Summary
The long-awaited second novel from David Chariandy, whose debut, Soucouyant, was nominated for nearly every major literary prize in Canada and published internationally. An intensely beautiful, searingly powerful, tightly constructed novel, Brother explores questions of masculinity, family, race, and identity as they are played out in a Scarborough housing complex during the sweltering heat and simmering violence of the summer of 1991. With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, David Chariandy takes us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of Trinidadian immigrants, their father has disappeared, and their mother works double, sometimes triple, shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home. Coming of age in The Park, a cluster of town houses and leaning concrete towers in the disparaged outskirts of a sprawling city, Michael and Francis battle against the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry - teachers stream them into general classes; shopkeepers see them only as thieves; and strangers quicken their pace when the brothers are behind them. Always, Michael and Francis escape into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighbourhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves. Propelled by the pulsing beats and styles of hip hop, Francis, the older of the two brothers, dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow. With devastating emotional force, David Chariandy, a unique and exciting voice in Canadian literature, crafts a heartbreaking and timely story about the profound love that exists between brothers and the senseless loss of lives cut short with the shot of a gun.
©2017 David Chariandy (P)2017 Penguin Random House Canada
The Essential Dogen
Summary
Eihei Dogen (1200 - 1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. This is the first book to offer the great master's incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to Dogen - and inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions.
©2013 The San Francisco Zen Center (P)2014 Audible Inc.
For the Love of a Dog
Summary
The critically acclaimed author of The Other End of the Leash offers fascinating insights into the canine mind - critical tools for a healthy relationship with a well-trained dog. In this remarkable book, renowned canine expert Patricia McConnell answers the questions of dog lovers everywhere. Do dogs have emotions like we do? More to the point, does my dog love me? Such questions have fueled best sellers like Elizabeth Marshall Thomas' The Hidden Life of Dogs and Jeffery Moussaieff Masson's Dogs Never Lie About Love. Sharing riveting dog stories from her experiences, Dr. McConnell also offers accessible science that clues listeners in to what's going on behind those puppy dog eyes. We learn the fascinating similarities and surprising dissimilarities in dogs' and humans' brains, and how current scientific studies have led McConnell to conclude without a doubt that dogs share a profound emotional life with us. The information found in this book will help listeners have better-trained dogs, at the same time deepening their dog-human connections. For the Love of a Dog is a must-have for dog lovers everywhere. "Highly recommended." (Library Journal, starred review)
©2006 Patricia B McConnell (P)2006 Tantor Media
The First Major
Summary
From the number one New York Times best-selling author of A Good Walk Spoiled, a dramatic chronicle of the bitterly fought 2016 Ryder Cup pitting a US team out for revenge against the Europeans determined to keep the cup out of American hands. Coming into 2016, the Americans had lost an astounding six out of the last seven Ryder Cup matches, and tensions were running high for the showdown that took place in October 2016 in Hazeltine, Minnesota, just days after American legend Arnold Palmer had died. What resulted was one of the most raucous and heated three days in the cup's long history. Award-winning author John Feinstein takes listeners behind the scenes, providing an inside view of the dramatic stories as they unfolded: veteran Phil Mickelson's two-year roller coaster as he upended the American preparation process and helped assemble a superb team; superstar Rory McIlroy becoming the clear-cut emotional leader of the European team and his reasons for wanting to beat the US team so badly this time around; the raucous matches between McIlroy and American Patrick Reed - resulting in both incredible golf and several moments that threatened to come to blows; the return of Tiger Woods not as a player but an assistant captain and his obsession with helping the US win - which was never the case when he was playing. John Feinstein's classic best seller, A Good Walk Spoiled, set the bar for golf books. Now Feinstein provides his unique take on the Ryder Cup, which has clearly become golf's most intense and emotional event...it's 'first Major'.
©2017 John Feinstein (P)2017 Random House Audio
A Season on the Brink
Summary
Sports Illustrated's number-six Sports Book of All Time A Season on the Brink chronicles the basketball season that John Feinstein spent following the Indiana Hoosiers and their fiery coach, Bob Knight. Knight granted Feinstein an unprecedented inside look at college basketball - with complete access to every moment of the season. Feinstein saw and heard it all - practices, team meetings, strategy sessions, and mid-game huddles - during Knight's struggle to avoid a losing season. A Season on the Brink not only captures the drama and pressure of big-time college basketball but paints a vivid portrait of a complex, brilliant coach walking a fine line between genius and madness.
©2013 John Feinstein (P)2013 Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Where Nobody Knows Your Name
Summary
From the acclaimed number one best-selling author...a riveting journey through the world of minor-league baseball. “No one grows up playing baseball pretending that they’re pitching or hitting in Triple-A.” (Chris Schwinden, Triple-A pitcher) “If you don’t like it here, do a better job.” (Ron Johnson, Triple-A manager) John Feinstein gave readers an unprecedented view of the PGA Tour in A Good Walk Spoiled. He opened the door to an NCAA basketball locker room in his explosive best seller A Season on the Brink. Now, turning his eye to our national pastime, sports journalist John Feinstein explores the colorful and mysterious world of minor-league baseball - a gateway through which all major-league players pass in their careers...hoping never to return. Baseball’s minor leagues are a paradox. For some players, the minors are a glorious launching pad toward years of fame and fortune; for others, a crash-landing pad when injury or poor play forces a big leaguer back to a life of obscure ballparks and cramped buses instead of Fenway Park and plush charter planes. Focusing exclusively on the Triple-A level, one step beneath Major League Baseball, Feinstein introduces listeners to nine unique men: three pitchers, three position players, two managers, and an umpire. Through their compelling stories, Feinstein pulls back the veil on a league that is chock-full of gifted baseball players, managers, and umpires who are all one moment away from getting called up - or back - to the majors. The stories are hard to believe: a first-round draft pick and pitching ace who rocketed to major-league success before finding himself suddenly out of the game, hatching a presumptuous plan to get one more shot at the mound; a home run-hitting former World Series hero who lived the dream, then bounced among six teams before facing the prospects of an unceremonious end to his career; a big-league All-Star who, in the span of five months, went from being completely out of baseball to becoming a star in the ALDS, then signing a $10 million contract; and a well-liked designated hitter who toiled for 18 seasons in the minors - a record he never wanted to set - before facing his final, highly emotional chance for a call-up to the big leagues. From Raleigh to Pawtucket, from Lehigh Valley to Indianapolis and beyond, Where Nobody Knows Your Name gives listeners an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen by the fans. John Feinstein gets to the heart of the human stories in a uniquely compelling way, crafting a masterful audiobook that stands alongside his very best works.
©2014 John Feinstein (P)2014 Random House Audio
Foul Trouble
Summary
Best-selling sports writer John Feinstein exposes the big money and backroom deals that pervade college basketball recruiting in this fast-break novel. Terrell Jamerson is the number one high school basketball player in the country. His team is poised to win the states. He’s got top colleges lined up to offer him scholarships, and press coverage at every game. Everyone says he could play in the NBA tomorrow. He’s living the dream, right? Danny Wilcox would tell you a different story. Danny is Terrell’s best friend and teammate, and a top prospect himself. But he sees that not all of the people buzzing around Terrell have his best interests at heart. The sneaker guys, the money managers, the college boosters - they all say they just want to help. But their kind of help comes with strings attached, and could get Terrell investigated by the NCAA.... These friends will have to learn to play hardball - both on and off the court - if they want to win the recruiting game.
©2013 John Feinstein (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.
A Good Walk Spoiled
Summary
For lovers of golf, this is a must. Feinstein captures the drama and intensity of the game played by those at the top. In 1993 and 1994, Feinstein traveled the PGA Tour with Greg Norman, Nick Price, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, and other giants of the game. You'll relive Davis Love III's clutch performance to win the Ryder Cup, Nick Price's 50-foot putt on the 17th hole of the final round to win the British Open, and John Daly's upsetting allegations of drug use on the tour. The unending drive of champions who work endlessly on every nuance of the game will amaze you and, perhaps, inspire you on your next "good walk" around the links.
©1995 John Feinstein, All Rights Reserved, Abridgment Approved by the Author (P)1995 Time Warner AudioBooks (Packaging Elements), A Joint Venture of The Atlantic Group and Time Warner Trader Publishing; 1995 Time Warner AudioBooks, ©
Tales From Q School
Summary
The annual PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament is one of the most grueling competitions in any sport. Every fall, veterans and talented hopefuls sweat through six rounds of hell at Q school to get a shot at the PGA Tour, vying for the 30 slots available. If you don't make it through Q school, you're not on the PGA tour. John Feinstein tells the story of the players who compete for these coveted positions in the 2005 Q school. With arresting accounts from the players, established winners, rising stars, the defeated, and the endlessly hopeful, America's favorite sportswriter unearths the inside story behind the PGA Tour's brutal all-or-nothing competition.
©2007 John Feinstein (P)2007 Hachette Audio
The Sixth Man
Summary
It's basketball season. And for once, triple threat Alex Myers is not the one in the spotlight. There's anew new guy in town, and Max Bellotti promises to turn the Lions' losing streak around and lead the team to a conference title. Alex is psyched, but some of the older guys on the team resent being benched in favor of an upstart freshman. Team morale is rocky at best. And when Max comes out as gay, not everyone takes the news in stride. Snide comments and cold shoulders escalate into heated protests and an out-and-out war with the school board. While controversy swirls around them, the Lions have to decide: Will personal issues sink their season, or can they find a way to stand together as a team?
©2015 John Feinstein (P)2015 Dreamscape Media, LLC
The Walk On
Summary
Alex Myers is a triple-threat athlete - great at football, basketball, and baseball. But he'll have to fight for a spot on the varsity team. Alex is a quarterback, but from the first day of football practice, it's clear that that position is very much filled by the coach's son, Matt. Alex finally gets a chance to show what he can do when Matt is injured, and he helps win a key game to keep the Lions' bid for the state championship alive. But just when his star is rising, Alex gets blindsided - the state has started drug testing, and Alex's test comes back positive for steroids. Alex knows that's not right. But he doesn't know if it's a mistake - or if someone wants to make sure he can't play….
©2014 John Feinstein (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Vanishing Act
Summary
With 128 athletes competing in dozens of matches for millions in prize money, you expect drama. You expect blistering serves, smashed returns, and sliced shots that kiss the line. You do not expect kidnapping. But Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson can't come up with any other explanation. These two aspiring sportswriters were sitting in the press box, amazed at their luck in scoring media credentials to cover the tournament. Like everyone else, they were eagerly awaiting the first-round match of the hot, new Russian phenom Nadia Symanova. She was young, glamorous, and talented enough to win it all. But she never made it on court. Somehow, on the short walk from the locker rooms to Louis Armstrong stadium, the most-watched player in tennis simply vanished. The media frenzy is staggering. Everyone's looking for Nadia. Can two eighth-grade rookies really hope to scoop the pros? Well, they're certainly going to try! And as they chase down the mystery, they'll get a crash course in what a sweet racket the game of tennis can be.
©2006 John Feinstein (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group
Change-Up
Summary
Best-selling author, journalist, and Edgar Award winner John Feinstein is back with another high-stakes sports mystery. Teen reporters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are covering baseball's World Series, and during the course of an interview with a new hot pitcher, they discover more than a few contradictions in his life story. What's he hiding? An embarrassing secret? A possible crime? Let the investigation begin!
©2009 Josh Feinstein (P)2009 Listening Library
The Rivalry: Mystery at the Army-Navy Game
Summary
Best-selling writer John Feinstein is back with another exciting sports-mystery, this one set behind the scenes at the storied Army-Navy football game. Teen sportswriters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are thrilled to be covering "America's Game". The Black Knights of Army and the Midshipmen of Navy have met on the football field since 1890, and it's a rivalry like no other, filled with tradition. But this year, the match-up is also filled with intrigue. For weeks, Stevie and Susan Carol have been spending time at Annapolis and West Point, getting to know the player and coaches. And the secret service agents. Since the president will be attending the game, security will, of course, be tighter than tight. As the game draws nearer, Stevie and Susan Carol can tell that the agents are getting tenser. But as usual, when Stevie and Susan Carol cover a big event - nothing is quite as it seems, and the coaches aren't the only ones calling plays....
©2010 John Feinstein (P)2010 Listening Library
Cover-up
Summary
New York Times best-selling sportswriter John Feinstein tackles doping in the NFL in this exciting football mystery. The Super Bowl. America’s biggest sports spectacle. More than 95 million fans will be watching, but teen sports reporters Stevie and Susan Carol know that what they’ll be watching is a lie. They know that the entire offensive line of the California Dreams have failed their doping tests. They know the owner is trying to cover up the results. The only thing they don’t know is how to prove it. John Feinstein has been praised as “the best writer of sports books in America today” (The Boston Globe), and he proves it again in this fast-paced novel.
©2007 John Feinstein (P)2007 Random House, Inc.
Last Shot
Summary
Steven Thomas is one of two lucky winners of the U.S. Basketball Writer's Association's contest for aspiring journalists. His prize? A trip to New Orleans and a coveted press pass for the Final Four. It's a basketball junkie's dream come true! But the games going on behind the scenes between the coaches, the players, the media, the money-men, and the fans turn out to be even more fiercely competitive than those on the court. Steven and his fellow winner, Susan Carol Anderson, are nosing around the Superdome and overhear what sounds like a threat to throw the championship game. Now they have just 48 hours to figure out who is blackmailing one of MSU's star players and why.
©2005 John Feinstein (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group
Quarterback
Summary
A major new audiobook from number-one New York Times best-seller and sportswriting legend John Feinstein, Quarterback dives deep into the most coveted and hallowed position in the NFL - exploring the stories of five top quarterbacks and taking listeners inside their unique experiences of playing the position and holding the keys to their multibillion-dollar teams. In the mighty National Football League, one player becomes the face of a franchise, one player receives all the accolades and all the blame, and one player's hand will guide the rise or fall of an entire team's season - and the dreams of millions of fans. There are 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL on any given Sunday, and their lives are built around pressure, stardom, and incredible talent. Legendary best-selling sportswriter John Feinstein, in his most insightful book yet, shows listeners what it's really like to play the glory position and to live that life - mapping out a journey that runs from college stardom to the NFL draft to taking command of the huddle and marching a team down the field with a nation of fans cheering. Feinstein builds his profile around five NFL starting quarterbacks - Alex Smith, Andrew Luck, Joe Flacco, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Doug Williams. With incredible inside access, we get the full quarterback experience...being drafted number-one overall, pushing through grueling injuries, winning Super Bowls, being named a starter on multiple teams, being the first African American QB to lead a franchise to a title. Feinstein shows us exactly what it's like in the locker room, huddle, heat of battle, and press conferences, through spectacular moments and embarrassing defeats. He explores the controversies of a league embroiled in questions of substance abuse and racism, TV revenue, corporate greed, and the value placed on player health. In the end, Feinstein addresses the ways in which each quarterback - some just a year out of college - is handed the keys to a franchise worth billions of dollars and how each team's fortunes ride directly on the shoulders of its QB. This is Feinstein's most fascinating behind-the-scenes audiobook.
©2018 John Feinstein (P)2018 Random House Audio
The Back Roads to March
Summary
Thirty years after changing the sports book landscape with his mega-hit, A Season on the Brink, number one New York Times best-selling author John Feinstein returns to his first love - college basketball - with a fascinating and compelling journey through a landscape of unsung, unpublicized and often unknown heroes of Division-1 college hoops. John Feinstein has already taken listeners into the inner circles of top college basketball programs in The Legends Club. This time, Feinstein pulls back the curtain on college basketball's lesser-known Cinderella stories - the smaller programs who no one expects to win, who have no chance of attracting the most coveted high school recruits, who rarely send their players on to the NBA. Feinstein follows a handful of players, coaches, and schools who dream, not of winning the NCAA tournament but of making it past their first or second round games. Every once in a while, one of these coaches or players is plucked from obscurity to continue on to lead a major team or to play professionally, cementing their status in these fiercely passionate fan bases as a legend. These are the gifted players who aren't handled with kid gloves - they're hardworking, gritty teammates who practice and party with everyone else. With his trademark humor and invaluable connections, John Feinstein reveals the big time programs you've never heard of, the bracket busters you didn't expect to cheer for, and the coaches who inspire them to take their teams to the next level.
©2020 John Feinstein (P)2020 Random House Audio
The Majors
Summary
What does it take to win a major championship and reach the absolute pinnacle of golf? Through a season of the four tournaments - the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship - known collectively as the majors, John Feinstein takes us where the television cameras never go, both off the links and "inside the ropes", as he reveals the special challenges and rituals, the frustrations and exhilaration, that mark the lives and careers of the world's greatest golfers.
©2000 John Feinstein (P)2013 Hachette Audio