New Reviews: Contemporary Culture

This delightful travel audiobook features commentary and an accompanying pdf of photos of unique, quirky, and splendid sites around the world that emulate renowned film director Wes Anderson's visual style. Seamus McMahon is a capable narrator, and Jeff Goldblum brings all his acting chops to his performance. With his well-tuned variations in tone and pace, Goldblum's sections,... Read More

An author and podcaster who studies cult loyalty and other cognitive malfunctions explains how emotions and attachments can distort how we see our power to manage ourselves and the world. Performing this combination of behavioral economics, psychology, and chatty advice for contemporary times, Montell exhibits perky energy and streetwise charm but never trivializes the wisdom... Read More

This intelligent and important overview of ocean science and climate change by an oceanographer and a science journalist is narrated by Suzie Althens. Sadly, her over-enunciation and slow pace result in a ponderous delivery of its fascinating details. In addition, Althens's upspeak is distracting, and her tone may confuse some listeners as it doesn't always match the content.... Read More

Neil Lawrence narrates his audiobook on why in this world of exponential digitization humanity is more significant than ever. If large language models are able to predict the next word of text, recognize and create images, and essentially replicate the essence of being human, could it be that there's no point to being human? Lawrence provides a thorough rebuke of this fallacy.... Read More

The author of this important audiobook about autocrats and their dealings is also its narrator. That isn't unusual in nonfiction, and it has its advantages: A committed expert brings authority and, often, experience with public speaking to the role. Thus, this author/narrator compellingly describes her rogues list of autocrats, ranging from China's Xi Jinping and Russia's... Read More

Joe Ochman narrates in a resonant voice and crisp style that suit this audiobook about earth science. He does nice work with subtle modulations of tone when he emulates a quoted person's accent. The text combines reporting, research, and a dollop of personal experience. Jabr travels widely to corral his immense subject; destinations include the Russian arctic; Iceland; England;... Read More

Food and travel writing mingle in this fine collection. Padma Lakshmi's introduction, narrated by Soneela Nankani, is much more than a standard intro. Nankani shines in her sensitive and captivating performance of Lakshmi's very personal story of meeting with her estranged father in India. The excellent Eunice Wong reads Marion Bull's "Orange Is the New Yolk" with wit and a... Read More

Mark Easter narrates in a calm voice that makes his performance a little soft-edged. His delivery is clear, and his experience as an ecologist is always present. His highly informed text gives listeners an understanding of where our food comes from and how its production affects the planet. Happily, he gives some suggestions anyone can follow--eat more plants, grow your own... Read More

National Book Award finalist Sarah Smarsh performs a collection of her essays written from 2013-2024. After growing up on a wheat farm in Kansas, Smarsh went on to join academia and found herself writing about her working-class childhood. Drawing connections between such diverse topics as the relationship between socioeconomic status and access to dental care and the fallacies... Read More

Thomas Fuller is clearly inspired by the efforts of a deaf football team from a small public school for the deaf in Southern California as the team chases the state championship in 2021 and 2022. Fuller's performance is authentic and enthusiastic, and his respect for these young men is unmistakable. One player lives in his car in a Target parking lot. Another breaks his leg... Read More

Various audiobooks have attempted to condense the history of the world into a reasonable listening time, but here the divisions between lands and nations provide a unique common denominator. Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies has a reliable, highly agreeable voice, mellow with a bit of burr. It's especially effective when the narrative turns ironic and bemused. Where have they gone,... Read More

Barbara Bradley Hagerty narrates her audiobook in a clear tone that is refreshingly free of nonsense. Hagerty recounts the story of the wrongful conviction of Ben Spencer for murder and carjacking. After questionable witness testimony and the prosecutor's need to secure a conviction, Spencer spent decades in prison despite mounting evidence that should have exonerated him.... Read More

Rebecca Nagle gives a clear and compelling narration of her look into how a small-town murder in the Muscogee Nation led to a significant 2020 Supreme Court case--and the largest restoration of Native tribal land in American history. She shares her extensive research into the history behind this case while also contextualizing its impact on her own nation, the Cherokee, other... Read More

Jeremy Arthur's intonation turns dramatically staccato as he narrates Porter Fox's recollections of a storm he sailed through alone off the coast of Maine. It's the first of several storms Fox recounts. Fox reminds listeners that scientists expect to see a growing number of severe storms due to climate change. Arthur's voice rises with the wind and falls with the thoughts of... Read More

Jennifer Pickens adopts an even-keeled reportorial cadence and timbre well suited to Griswold's immersion journalism, which recounts the rise and fall of Circle of Hope. Founders Rod and Gwen White began the church as a California commune based on Anabaptist values of hospitality, simple living, and assisting the poor. Moving to Philadelphia in the early 1990s, the Whites... Read More

If narrator Holter Graham's youthful exuberance seems an unlikely match for King's master class on popular horror, keep in mind the timeline. King wrote this analysis of film, radio, and literary horror during the late 1970s--when he was in his early 30s. It makes for a fascinating listen for multiple reasons. As King's own star was rising, high- and lowbrow pop culture were in... Read More

DEEP WATER is both a call to action to combat climate change and a celebration of the marvels of the ocean. Narrator Stephen James King's performance expresses those twin intentions with grace notes of wonder alongside clear worry and concern. King's gentle Australian accent is a constant reminder that rising ocean temperatures are a global catastrophe. Bradley casts his net... Read More

Golden Voice narrator JD Jackson's tone reflects the seriousness of Kozol's brief but disturbing audiobook. Jackson performs this indictment of the "savage inequalities" of American schools with a measured pace and controlled cadence. He conveys the vigor of Kozol's takedown of the country's segregated schools, which he criticizes for their dilapidated buildings, stultifying... Read More

Dion Graham thoughtfully performs this companion to HOW FASCISM WORKS, unpacking how authoritarians erase history by omission, frame it in terms that suit them, and effectively divide citizens into "us and them." His warm baritone sets the listener at ease so they can process the many ways our society is being programmed to accept autocracy through such actions as instituting... Read More

Award-winning English author Olivia Laing's pleasant, light voice suits her narration of her newest work, a mix of memoir and nonfiction essay. Structured around her restoration of an eighteenth-century walled garden--yes, she acknowledges Frances Hodgson Burnett's A SECRET GARDEN--the book explores her delights and frustrations while working with plants, the history and... Read More

The old gag line "It ain't brain surgery" comes up a few times as brain surgeon Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz shares what brain surgery is in this audiobook. Sean Pratt is soothing and gentle as he narrates Schwartz's descriptions of procedures. Schwartz compares his work to that of a mechanic, which could be amusing. Pratt's voice conveys Schwartz's awe at the sight of the human... Read More

Canadian producer and actress Panta Mosleh embraces these essays. She narrates in a strong voice and a clear tone, neatly adopting the author's sometimes interrogative style. Author bennett writes with unusual candor about their issues. These include being bipolar and estranged from their mother, their cooking trials while making gluten-free macarons, and their failures and... Read More

This audiobook about American presidents clearly works better on audio than in print. Through taped discussions with historians, author David Rubenstein examines the lives and influences of prominent U.S. leaders. In print, these conversations are in an impersonal question-and-answer format. But on audio, they really are conversations. You hear the depth of respect and warmth... Read More

Karen Murray narrates this detailed exploration of how women in the United States are holding together families as systems of governmental aid become less available because of greed. During WWII the nation offered childcare to women working in factories to help the war effort, as well as other assistance to help growing families in times of crisis. This new audiobook explores... Read More

The director of a social neuroscience lab at Stanford narrates his positive audiobook about cynicism, trust, skepticism, and hope. Along with sounding personable and easy to understand, he performs with audible respect for his listeners and a desire to offer options for dealing with today's conflict-filled social climate. He's a great storyteller whose picturesque narratives... Read More

This audiobook is at once a hymn to and prayer for forests. Evan Sibley performs eloquently, expressing the author's empathy for his Vermont woodlands. He gets the tone and cadence of this first-person memoir, which celebrates the meaning and significance of forests. He also captures author Tapper's voice, which is spirited and spiritual. Tapper is a fine guide to the woods. A... Read More

Alison Fensterstock and Ann Powers deliver an ambitious, sprawling, almost overwhelming project. That's by design. The history of music traditionally revolves around men and their recordings, with women as afterthoughts. This audiobook is not just about inclusion. It's a corrective recentering. The origin story of the song "Hound Dog" is a focal point. It's often attributed as... Read More

Entomologist Barrett Klein describes the importance of insects to life on Earth, as well their influence on our culture and civilization. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins has a tone of curiosity and wonder as he takes the listener on a comprehensive tour of the insect world, covering topics such as insects' influence on developments in science and engineering, mind-altering... Read More

Pace matters in a globe-trotting audiobook that illuminates the scientific basis for climate change. Sean Patrick Hopkins narrates enthusiastically at the right tempo. He also alters his tone ever so slightly when quoting experts. Stanford-based Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project, is among the mainstays of those doing hands-on work in ecology: He has marked gas leaks... Read More

Speaking with a Wisconsin accent, Brian Reisinger pours a lot of passion into this audiobook, so it's appropriate that listeners can hear the emotion in his voice. This audiobook is part memoir and part history of the ongoing challenges faced by American farmers. Reisinger weaves the two narrative threads skillfully. Sometimes the narration sounds rushed, and occasionally even... Read More

Comedian, actor, and writer Jenny Slate is observant, sharp, and vulnerable in her latest audiobook about the nature of life. Her focus is wide--ranging from pregnancy and birthing to her place in the universe. The totality of the listening experience is deeply moving and delivered with a kind of openness that simply compels listeners to pay attention. Slate is not above the... Read More

Aaron Goodson presents moving personal essays that vividly depict the joys, sorrows, and frustrations of an American Black man. Listeners meet Jerald Walker, a former cult member who is now a successful academic. Goodson energetically shares Walker's years as a member of the Worldwide Church of God, whose founder he hilariously compares to Donald Trump. Listeners will be... Read More

Marvel Comics fans will love this behind-the-scenes look at the creation of many of the company's lesser-known characters, such as Killraven, Man-Thing, Omega the Unknown, and others. Todd Menesses delivers a punchy, well-paced work with welcome enthusiasm about the subject matter. Clearly, he gets it. There is a slight problem with his pronunciation of some words like "genre,"... Read More

This fun and evocative audiobook begins with narrator Paul Woodson's authoritative and upbeat delivery of the author's many accounts of urban wildlife. Keim's description of San Francisco's coyote population, performed with an air of respect and wonder, is particularly joyful. Woodson shifts his tone as the author discusses his deadly serious new vision for wildlife science and... Read More

Author Ta-Nehisi Coates narrates this must-listen, a powerful and thought-provoking collection of essays. In recounting his travels to Senegal and South Carolina, Coates incisively reflects on slavery and white supremacy. From his travels to Israel and Palestine, Coates meditates on the trauma of the Holocaust, segregated society, dehumanization, and voices that are missing... Read More

Leigh Ann Henion's fascinating exploration of the natural world after dark is indeed magical. With genuine enthusiasm and a warm hint of a Southern accent, Henion invites listeners along on her adventures to seek out salamanders, fireflies, moths, glowing fungus, screech owls, night-blooming flowers, and other nighttime denizens. She spends time getting to know the nightlife in... Read More

In this engrossing and challenging examination of freedom and what it means to be free, Yale historian Timothy Snyder employs a heady mix of history, biology, civics, memoir, philosophy, and personal observation. Sounding like a favorite professor, Snyder demands the listener's undivided attention as he draws a distinct line between our freedom from such phenomena as government... Read More

Peter Hessler arrived at Sichuan University in 2019 to teach nonfiction writing just in time for the first wave of Covid in nearby Wuhan. Hessler's performance is a pleasure to listen to--authentic, engrossing, and often wry. He speaks Mandarin, so the multiple Chinese words, names, and phrases are naturally interspersed. Hessler's experience teaching in China more than 20... Read More

Popular author Brigid Schulte delves into the complicated problem of a struggling and exhausted American workforce with thorough investigative reporting, bold arguments, and comprehensive recommendations on how to fix it. Rachel Perry approaches her narration with the same intensity that the author has as she explains crucial research, channels personal stories of burnout, and... Read More

In this rich audiobook about all kinds of performance, narrator Paul Boehmer's slow pacing and palpable understanding of the material fit the author's broad thinking. Boehmer sounds perfectly compatible with Sennett's stature and advanced age (81). Sennett's writing is always broad and moving and, in this case, has particular relevance to the political performances that... Read More

Daniel Henning captures the love and fascination that biologist and lifelong bee fan Seeley holds for bees--creatures he has admired, studied, and puzzled over his whole professional life. Henning captures the narrative thread weaving through Seeley's ample science, drawing listeners in as they're educated on the fascinating and complex world of bees. In 20 chapters of lively... Read More

In barely seven hours, this fascinating and well-researched audiobook opens a window into a science many listeners may not know exists: thanatology, the study of death and its effects. Do animals understand death, and if so, how? The examples--which include elephants, primates, and possums--provide criteria for answering these questions, often with unexpected results. Lisa Ware... Read More

After JFK's nephew, Patrick, delivers the prologue, Johnny Heller's moving performance of this excellent audiobook shows why he's regarded as one of today's top narrators. His varied pacing and subtle voicings and volume modulations make for good listening in themselves. Furthermore, they're never out of sync with the shifting moods and overall poignant content offered by the... Read More

Malcolm Gladwell once again shows that audio is the ideal medium for someone who excels at both long-form journalism and podcasting. In this follow-up to his iconic debut, THE TIPPING POINT, Gladwell explores the bleaker side of how things go viral. His unmistakable delivery has become more animated after years at the mic, and as he's done in previous audiobooks, he uses... Read More

Anyone who likes to cook will be inspired to get into the kitchen after listening to this audio program. One of the original food bloggers and creator of the beloved Smitten Kitchen website, Deb Perelman narrates this companion to her newest cookbook, SMITTEN KITCHEN KEEPERS. She reads the head notes for selected recipes, then extemporizes with further tips, notes, and... Read More

As narrator, former First Lady, Secretary of State, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton sometimes sounds like a friend dropping by to chat. She discusses her grandchildren, cozy moments at home, and gatherings with longtime friends. But her memoir is also part political commentary and part Washington insider gossip, as well as an in-depth analysis of the current status of... Read More

Roxane Gay, a feminist Black woman, narrates her essay on coming to terms with America's gun culture and growing ownership of guns, especially by Black women. In a thought-provoking consideration of this divisive topic, Gay is deliberate in her approach. She talks about how she came to buy a gun for protection in the face of increasingly specific and detailed death threats. She... Read More

Narrator Dani Martineck takes a confessional tone as she narrates author Iris Gottlieb's admission that she's not perfect at handling trash in the way that's best for the environment. Martineck somberly counts off the plastic items Gottlieb finds around her own home. Gottlieb also recalls how single-use safety items like masks and gloves created waste, as well as protection,... Read More

This audiobook tackles immigration, one of today's most contentious topics, in a logical, informative, and unique way. Author Zeke Hernandez uses statistics and stories and calls on his personal experience to provide a balanced view. Narrator André Santana delivers the sometimes complex subject matter in an easy-to-understand manner. Santana's engaging narration makes the... Read More

Maria Popova, creator of THE MARGINALIAN, has compiled a series of essays by an assortment of renowned writers. All share the theme of the mysteries of the universe and existence itself, along with a dash of poetry. Popova and Lili Taylor alternate the narration of these selections; both employ a measured pace, poetic tone, and pleasantly meandering pace as listeners ponder the... Read More

Katherine Rundell's wonderful essays about some of our planet's most interesting animals will have listeners thinking about the natural world in new ways. Writing about swifts, she says they "fly like a stroke of luck incarnate." British actor Lenny Henry narrates with a raspy voice and at a brisk clip, and listeners may find his pace too fast to absorb all of the fascinating... Read More

Medical buffs will be fascinated by Will Watt's delivery of this audiobook about six mysterious outbreaks of disease. In a clinical manner, he details the hantavirus outbreak of 1993, John Snow's work on cholera transmission, the research methodology of the 1918 flu pandemic by two doctors, the eradication of smallpox, Dr. Anthony Fauci's novel approach to finding a cure for... Read More

Having narrated the three previous presidential histories by Bob Woodward, Robert Petkoff is familiar with the author's cadence and tone. His reading of WAR is crisp, confident, and streamlined. He reports on the Biden presidency, focusing on three conflicts that will change the world: the Ukraine conflict and how the superpowers stumbled into it; the Israeli-Hamas dispute and... Read More

Edwidge Danticat has a fine sense of language. This audiobook of essays testifies to a close reader and observer of human affairs. The famed Haitian American novelist, memoirist, and children's author is clearly a practiced narrator, and her delivery of the various French passages is musical. The essay topics range from the horrors of racism, the toll of hurricanes, and the... Read More

Sy Montgomery is so joyful and enthusiastic while describing her adventures with her flock of chickens that listeners will want to stroke a hen and pick up a rooster just to participate in her positive view of the world. Montgomery is keenly observant and curious. She calls her chickens "the ladies," and she recognizes each hen's individual call and personality. She also cites... Read More

Narrating this cutting-edge guide to personal growth and initiative, Sean Pratt captures every bit of the author's enthusiasm for the lessons he learned while leading an innovation team at Google. Pratt's pitch patterns and phrasing are beautiful to hear. He uses strategic pauses that highlight important words, along with tone and intensity changes that sync perfectly with the... Read More

Eric Anaya's narration captures the uniqueness of the whistle-stop political campaigns that once crisscrossed the country by train. Listeners travel on an array of journeys beginning 185 years ago in this exhaustively researched and enjoyable narrated audiobook. Author Segal provides a delightful look at a simpler way of life, when citizens brought local products to encourage... Read More

First appearing in print in 1979, this remarkable and intimate audiobook chronicles the implosion of the 1960s and reports on the people, mores, and trends that defined that turbulent time. Actor Susan Varon narrates this collection of essays in a voice that is confident and clear. She morphs into the New Age journalist and the perceptive writer who was Joan Didion. This... Read More

Rick Bass delivers these essays--old and new--at a deliberate pace and a careful tempo. His voice sounds kindly and literary. Reared in Texas, he retains a slight twang and the long vowels of that region ("fi-er", "why l" and "e-quator"). That he is soulful, sincere, and aspirational matters more. A fiction writer and essayist, he is also an environmental activist, and a number... Read More