New Reviews: Contemporary Culture

Scholar activists Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica Meiners, and Beth Richie present a united and powerful front in their examination of the essential intersectionality of abolitionism, feminism, queer freedom, and other anti-capitalist strands of both theory and practice from the nineteenth century to the current day. Dent narrates their collaborative work in a quiet, measured... Read More

As events in Eastern Europe stay at the top of our news feeds, this audiobook tour of the Adriatic countries recounts the very old and multifaceted history of a place where East and West meet--and often collide. Golden Voice narrator Arthur Morey smoothly assumes the persona of an especially well-informed, deeply invested, and keenly observant guide. His voice--with its... Read More

Keith Sellon-Wright skillfully narrates Phipps's fawning pastiche of previously accessible material on the unique and eccentric showman who is Nicholas Cage. Sellon-Wright has a warm yet authoritative voice as he performs this examination of the Coppola clan, of which Cage is a member, though he shed his famous surname relatively early on. Detailed on-screen and off-screen... Read More

Daniel Oreskes's strategic pauses work well to clarify complex phrasing, often making the exact meaning of a sentence jump into the spotlight. This use of his dramatic skills, along with his clear voice and assertive tone, makes absorbing this thoughtful writing an invigorating experience. Artistic innovation versus the authority of tradition is the subject of this defense of... Read More

Robert Petkoff is especially effective at narrating this account in which the author's judgments heavily dominate the narrative. L.A. TIMES reporter Pringle's painstaking multi-year investigation, starting in 2016, pitted him against the prestigious University of Southern California and his own editors, who did not want to run afoul of the city's most influential advertiser--or... Read More

This audiobook focuses on baseball's true game changers, along with the famous and lesser-known folks who used their voices to enact social change. It covers a century of barrier breakers whose actions and words led to changes with respect to race, gender, and sexuality. Mike Chamberlain narrates with slight inflections for quotes--never imitating anyone but clearly getting... Read More

Before being cleared for agriculture, the British landscape was full of wild animals, ranging from large cats to badgers, small voles, and birds of prey. All of them relied on smaller critters for food. Calum Beaton channels author Derek Gow with a slightly gruff voice and a lovely Scottish accent. Beaton matches the author's energy and tone to each vignette. There is the drama... Read More

Golden Voice Robin Miles performs the powerful words of poet/activist Audre Lorde, who covers topics that range from fighting a battle with liver cancer to struggles with sexual and racial identify. Her collection of personal and political essays offers powerful messages on politics and intersectionality. While many of the essays were written decades ago, they're still relevant... Read More

University of Alaska Professor Katey Walter Anthony studies methane in lakes to advance the fight against climate change. The professor has a flair for description, and narrator Ann Richardson captures her love of nature in heartfelt emotional tones. But the audiobook is not all about field studies. Personal moments are included as well, such as Anthony's first kiss--from a... Read More

Author and narrator Dylan Marron shares a series of conversations he had with adversarial Internet strangers for his hit podcast, "Conversations with People Who Hate Me." He began by making some videos that explored complex social issues. Speaking candidly, he details his process of reading through the hateful comments left on those videos, reaching out to the people who left... Read More

Baker Christina Tosi has been gaining a national reputation for sugary treats with Milk Bar, her online sweet shop. In her audiobook, she delivers advice for living joyfully. As narrator, Tosi is bubbly about how surprised she always felt when her early concoctions succeeded. The conspiratorial tone she takes on when recounting her mother's concept of "joy giving" will make... Read More

Graham Halstead milks the full scale of drama and humor from American Hopwood DePree's memoir about his discovery of his family's ancestral castle in England and their ensuing attempts to restore its crumbling remains. This is a fun listen, made more so by Halstead's upbeat performance. We are treated to the ups and downs--many downs--of attempting to reconstruct the... Read More

James Naughton has narrated several of the late Barry Lopez's audiobooks: He performs in a deep, calm, resonant tone. His pace, timing, and emulation of the author's voice--intimate, self-analytical, philosophical--seem to enter the mind of the famed writer and naturalist. Naughton is a master of cadence. He delivers these valedictory essays like prose poems, and they remain... Read More

Christopher Douyard narrates Columbia University geneticist David Goldstein's analysis of the pitfalls, profits, and pipe dreams surrounding both academic and for-profit research into human genetics. The author's historical overview of the field is an excellent primer or refresher. While Douyard narrates in an accessible, straightforward way that facilitates an understanding of... Read More

With her strong British accent, author Seirian Sumner's narration takes a little getting used to. But she projects an attractive personality and proves to be a knowledgeable, engaging narrator. Her expansive study of one of nature's most abundant forms--the much-despised wasp--makes for fascinating listening and will have listeners taking a fresh look at their backyards. The... Read More

Narrator Joe Jameson smoothly blends the British author's polished documentary-style remove, accessible literary scholarship, and candid memoir to create especially engaging narrative nonfiction. The rich cultural history and unique identities of Fire Island's gay communities, Cherry Grove and the Pines, unfold through Jameson's clear, well-paced delivery. Famous literary... Read More

This account of Canada's 2002 gold medal in Olympics men's hockey features plenty of interviews with members of that great team. Unfortunately, it's here that narrator Barry Abrams sounds least comfortable. When narrating dialogue, he raises his pitch to make the speakers sound giddily excited, and occasionally even like children. A more measured tone would have been... Read More

When the narrator of this book about the art of falconry expresses awe, surprise, excitement, or concern, listeners can be assured the emotions are real. The narrator is the author herself. Sy Montgomery does a solid job delivering this work, which combines her personal experience with biological information about birds and historical information about falconry. She makes clear... Read More

Kim Robinson narrates his history of the Sierra Nevada--which range from California to Nevada--and the people who lived there, especially those who explored the mountains and protected them. He also tells stories of his own life. Robinson is a bestselling author of science fiction, and this personal reflection is well written, but the abundance of information, some of it only... Read More

With a musing and often amused-sounding tone, Rebecca Lowman transports listeners to the kitchens of the late novelist and food writer Laurie Colwin. As Lowman narrates these essays, first published in 1988, she inhabits Colwin's playfully opinionated thoughts, which range from feeding picky eaters to feeding crowds, from finding joy in comfort food to finding joy in cooking... Read More

Hearing Joe Eyre narrate this dexterously written text by a neuroscientist is both intellectually stimulating and just plain fun. Eyre's smooth, lively voice impresses listeners with its authority, warmth, and enthusiasm for the topic. While listeners learn about both contemporary theories in neuroscience and the latest findings in paleoanthropology, the author also shares his... Read More

Casey Turner's delivery is direct and clear, creating the perfect listening experience for this progressively disturbing audiobook. DDT, originally considered a harmless insecticide, was at one time so prevalent that local governments would fog entire neighborhoods in an effort to eliminate insects. Laborers would be covered with the chemical to kill lice. But the discovery of... Read More

Science writer Ed Yong (I CONTAIN MULTITUDES) is an enthusiastic guide through the world of animal senses--many very different from our own. Yong's British voice and his narration, warm with humor and curiosity, engage, and his interest in and excitement about the wonders of nature are infectious. You, too, will wish that you could attach a microphone to a blade of grass and... Read More

The duo of writers discuss dozens of baseball games that have one thing in common: Venerable sportswriter Bob Ryan kept score. Ryan scored games for more than 40 years. Here he and writer/researcher Bill Chuck go down memory lane to recount special moments from the arcane to the trivial to the record-breaking. Narrators Pat Grimes, Chris Lutkin, and Pete Cross help shape the... Read More

Narrator Jonathan Todd Ross's blend of straightforwardness, humor, and emotion highlights this multifaceted examination of creativity and the power of inspiration. Ross brings warmth to the all-encompassing information about creativity--what it is, how and why it is cultivated, and why it is important, in addition to how it can be destroyed, bring about unintended positive or... Read More

Author and narrator Leah Thomas faithfully delivers an inclusive introduction to environmental activism that focuses on the marginalized people most affected by climate injustices. Her leisurely paced narration allows listeners to focus on descriptions and statistics detailing the environmental injustices against BIPOC, as well as pledges and calls to action that specifically... Read More

Inspired by Italy's response to the Covid pandemic, this audiobook, narrated by AUDIOFILE Golden Voice Edoardo Ballerini, offers historical anecdotes, cautionary tales, and stereotype-busting assertions and affirmations that highlight the character of Italians. Ballerini delivers its passionate descriptions of the Italian core personality--in particular, a love of poetry,... Read More

Ann Marie Gideon performs this eye-opening audiobook with style, intelligence, and subtlety. Through tone, she carefully differentiates the author's travel writing from her more information-driven reporting on warming oceans and vanishing sand. She deftly changes the timbre of her delivery for male voices. The author travels the globe to observe resorts and share how they... Read More

It's no surprise that actor, comedian, writer, and hairstylist extraordinaire Jonathan Van Ness infuses their narration with charm, exuberance, and infectious, bubbly warmth. In a series of far-ranging essays, Van Ness delves into the personal and the political, writing about the surprising queer histories of their Illinois hometown, the racist history of cannabis... Read More

Christine Horne narrates the author's experiences with an especially painful form of arthritis and the process by which she obtains the prescription pain medications that make quality of life possible for her. Horne is mostly restrained as Zwarenstein tells of her struggles with pain and addiction. In a sympathetic, often angry tone, Horne also recounts the hardships of those... Read More

Reynaldo Piniella gives this timely audiobook a dramatic narration. His voice is passionate, his tone slightly outraged, and his cadence quick pulsed. His approach enhances a long chronicle of wrongdoing, power grabbing, and unrepentant partisanship. While Piniella struggles with "n't" sounds, he is a persuasive narrator who overcomes some of the clichéd writing--the metaphor... Read More

More than most authors, NEW YORKER investigative reporter Patrick Radden Keefe matches the skills of a professional narrator, and it would be difficult to imagine one better for this audiobook collection of a dozen of his most memorable articles. Keefe's subjects include some of the world's worst criminals--arms brokers, drug traffickers, airline bombers, and one celebrity--the... Read More

Michael Butler Murray is a capable narrator of this work about attracting native birds, insects, and mammals to your backyard. But the structure of the book makes listening difficult. Murray presents the text clearly at a pace that's easy to follow. His voice has a bit of a lilt when the author anthropomorphizes some of the critters. But each chapter includes a chart of... Read More

In this audiobook, John Pruden narrates the story of the intersection of two political figures: President Nixon, who developed into a master politician, and Richard Helm, who became a master spy as head of the CIA. Pruden's performance is engaging as he navigates the path each man took to reach the highest position in his political arena. They transformed the White House into a... Read More

Narrator Gina Rogers is outstanding in this engaging listen about the rise of the U.S. Women's National (soccer) Team. The audiobook chronicles the team's evolution since the 1999 World Cup through stories about and interviews with the original trailblazers. Listeners will hear about well-known players like Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy and about players and coaches they may be less... Read More

Operating within a narrowly modulated vocal range, Peter Lerman provides a crisp narration of this study of surveillance capitalism--the acquisition of personal data for money-making purposes. The audiobook is part of a series of books on business published by the University of Pennsylvania. Although conventional wisdom says that surveillance capitalism originated with Google,... Read More

Narrator Paul Bellantoni's lively delivery breathes oxygen into an already quite lively and information-packed audiobook. Relatively new to listeners, Bellantoni easily assumes the author's persona of earnest investigator, lifting the veil of legend to pinpoint the exact biological truth. Despite the teaser title and the jocular tone that underlies much of the narrative, tomato... Read More

Fred Sanders has a warm and pleasing voice. He delivers this underappreciated history of Bernard and Avis DeVoto crisply and thoughtfully. His clear tone and eloquent delivery give this audiobook authority. Author Schweber unearths the story of the courageous journalist/historian who fought for Western lands and freedom of speech. To that he adds the companion biographical... Read More

Janina Edwards's voice is direct and concise. Her narration captures the author's tone of serious consideration. While the mainstream public may view child protective services as benevolent, if underfunded, state agencies seeking to provide support and care for children at risk, Roberts provides insight into their systemic racism and bias. These entrenched interventional... Read More

Hayden Bishop's down-to-earth, slightly edgy voice maintains a tone of authenticity that is in tune with this nuanced investigation of the poaching of old-growth trees for timber. Bourgon stresses the fundamental importance of healthy ancient trees to the sustainability of both forests and the planet while also recognizing the complexity of what the loss of jobs, and... Read More

Devon Price's voice is an engaging blend of deep knowledge and empathy. His audiobook provides listeners with a comprehensive overview of autism and what it means to identify as autistic today. Price conveys a clear discussion on how the medical establishment's biases minimize women and non-white people, and encourages an understanding of autism as a core part of a person's... Read More

Narrator Will Damron's ability to pace and shape nonfiction shines in this story of a forgotten Olympian. Damron performs with his trademark precision and verve. He merits kudos for his restrained enthusiasm, which is essential in an audiobook packed with thrilling aquatic victories. This history of America's first forays into international swimming focuses on the modest but... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett's decision to narrate these personal stories in a straightforward, thoughtful yet intimate manner enhances these testimonies, reflections, and sketches of Native American attitudes on the climate crisis. His intelligent style works well. As he performs in a calm, conversational tone, his voice is attuned to the nuanced calls for action that the many... Read More

Janina Edwards narrates in a tone of detachment that gives the listener room for horror. Her narration is meticulous, but she doesn't overplay the outrage. Forensic archaeologist and writer Erin Kimmerle dug up the campus of the notorious Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. Founded in 1901, the facility didn't close until 2011. Everybody knew there was a graveyard, but... Read More

Laural Merlington narrates with intelligence, clarity, good pace, and timing that suits this scientific send-up of how farming practices have devolved. Her serious yet approachable tone and sure cadence work for this detailed and demanding manifesto on regenerative farming. Merlington does especially good work on the profiles and interviews that underpin the husband-and-wife... Read More

Narrating with excitement, Charlie Thurston tells the story of an octopus who changes colors while sleeping, as if reliving catching and eating a crab. Thurston comes across as engaged and fascinated with the author's accounts of scientific experiments suggesting that animals dream. Occasionally, Thurston's voice softens, as when delivering speculation as to whether animals... Read More

Ruairi Conaghan lends his gentle Irish brogue to Nairn's environmental memoir of his journey along the coast of Ireland. Sounding like a kindly professor of science from the nineteenth century, Conaghan enlivens descriptions of the wildness of the cliffs, the sea, the waterfowl, the fish, and the sea mammals with his inviting voice. Listeners will feel like they are hearing not... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya guides listeners through an exploration of how we fall in love, how the neurochemicals involved with love reshape our brains, and how the brain deals with grief. The author, who is a neuroscientist well known for her study of emotions and the brain, approaches the material through her own experiences. This highly accessible audiobook is not only a... Read More

Listening to Eric Jason Martin's narration of this audiobook is like signing up for a master class on wok cooking. His clear and steady voice will take listeners through the basics of a simple stir-fry, knife skills, and numerous ingredient breakdowns needed to pull off restaurant-style dishes at home. The full text of the recipes is included in the accompanying pdf, so the... Read More

Author and narrator Julissa Arce delivers a powerful commentary on what she sees as the illusion that immigrants can become "real Americans" by assimilating. Arce weaves her personal experience as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who built a successful career on Wall Street with Latinx history and analyses of recent political issues. Her tone is firm and unapologetic in... Read More