ON LOOKING Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes

Alexandra Horowitz walks her Manhattan neighborhood with a series of tremendously varied experts to discover what is hidden in plain sight. A geologist points out the surrounding stones and fossils, a typographer critiques the fonts on the signs, a blind person can't see at all but always knows when there is an awning overhead, and a physician diagnoses medical conditions by watching the gaits of passersby. She also walks with her young son, who sees triangles everywhere and walks mighty slow. Horowitz is a charming companion. Her clear voice is appealing, and her tone is laid-back, yet, at the same time, her intellectual curiosity is catching, and her frequent surprised wonder is palpable. Horowitz's quiet enthusiasm will motivate the listener to pay closer attention to the surrounding environment and leave the cell phone at home. A.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2013]