THE EMPATHY DIARIES A Memoir

Jill Larsen narrates this memoir with warmth and, well . . . empathy. As she alternates her delivery between storyteller and lecturer, her confident narration ultimately makes her a transparent surrogate for the author. To start, she mines the emotions felt by a child burdened by family secrets. When appropriate, she takes on an objective tone; for example, when unveiling the cultural theories for which the author, an MIT professor, has become famous. Turkle's memoir explains how her habits and her breakthroughs in cyber-sociology evolved from personal events, some bittersweet--such as her dinner party for a young Steve Jobs--and some heartbreaking--such as discovering the identity of her biological father. The overall effect is powerful and rewarding, and brings to mind Turkle's spin on social media: "I share; therefore, I am." R.W.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]