New Reviews: Contemporary Culture

With muckraking fervor, popular podcasters Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson ask a complicated question: What's wrong with how our government operates, and what needs to change? Both authors begin in an optimistic tone but shift into a world-weary tone when discussing how seminal institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects... Read More

Emily Mester's essays describe the typical consumption practices and conflicts she witnessed while growing up in her Midwestern family. She combines her memories with fascinating observations on how class impacts the ways people think about, talk about, and spend their money. Chloe Cannon's performance captures the restrained emotion of a writer who is looking at social... Read More

In a conversational but serious manner, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Adam Ratner explains that effective measles vaccines have existed for more than 60 years. Sadly, the very success of this technology has resulted in a kind of collective amnesia about the risks of measles. Ratner doesn't sound like he's going to give up his medical career to narrate... Read More

Yikes! This tell-all exposé written and performed by a former insider at Facebook confirms concerns about the inner workings of one of the most influential organizations on the planet. Author Sarah Wynn-Williams tells her personal story of her climb to the upper branches of management at Facebook and the disappointment she felt at every move. While acknowledging that most users... Read More

Part memoir, part manifesto--the heroic chef and founder of World Central Kitchen José Andrés's brief audiobook would have greatly benefited from a professional narrator. This is truly unfortunate as the story of Andrés's rise to celebrity chef and food philanthropist is fascinating. He trained at great places and learned his innovative style at the world-famous Spanish... Read More

Biologist Thor Hanson describes how during the Covid pandemic he attuned his senses to the wildlife right in his backyard. Narrator Stacy Carolan strikes a curious tone as he narrates the author's explorations of nature in Kansas City. Carolan's delivery is laid-back yet quickly paced as he presents the author's observations on the daily life that was going on all around him,... Read More

This audiobook tells the story of the 1970 legal action that first attempted to desegregate Detroit's schools. Subtitled "Detroit, the Supreme Court and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North," it provides the scope and implications of this significant event, as well as its historical context. Janina Edwards narrates in a compelling tone, a vivid style, and a clear sense of... Read More

Sarah Mollo-Christensen performs with clear diction and a serious tone that fits this investigative reporting. Social rights journalist Sarah Jones uses personal narratives and tireless reporting to show how U.S. social policy and class discrimination make it almost impossible for America's underclass to survive. Focusing on how such people fared during the Covid years, her... Read More

Dan Bittner's narration pairs nostalgia for American baseball with an incisive examination of the game today. Throughout the summer season of 2022, listeners follow the fortunes of a town whose MLB affiliation was removed in 2020 as part of a 25% downsizing of minor league baseball. In an effort to retain local baseball in Batavia, New York, new owners purchased the Batavia... Read More

Fred Sanders narrates clearly, does accents credibly, shares data faithfully, and tells stories with a fine tone and tempo. Weisman's science-driven audiobook ranges around the world to find individuals who are working on innovative projects aimed at saving species and habitats to mitigate climate change. Weisman profiles individuals who are making a difference. They include... Read More

Adam Barr offers a solid narration of this audiobook about backyard conservation. In his 2007 book, BRINGING NATURE HOME, ecologist Douglas Tallamy described the relationship between native plants and native birds and insects. In this audiobook, Tallamy uses a question-and-answer format to provide easy-to-follow ways individual homeowners and gardeners can have a significant... Read More

British nature writer Macfarlane travels to Ecuador, India, and Quebec, Canada, to affirmatively answer the question that the title poses. He explores, explains, and experiences the dark fate of some urban rivers, as well as the grandeur of unspoiled waterways. The Cambridge Fellow's British accent gives the text a kind of authority. He narrates in a poetic enrapt style,... Read More

Richard Russo is thoughtful and reflective as he narrates his new collection of essays, which has two parts. The first half, "Life," focuses on his family and his blue-collar hometown in upstate New York; the second half, "Art," delves into the writing process and how writers essentially steal ideas from the world around them. He poignantly states, "All art thrives on... Read More

In this audio original, a follow-up to her 2019 book, CONSCIOUS, Annaka Harris continues her exploration of consciousness through recorded interviews with 20 experts in philosophy and a variety of sciences. As a listening experience, the interviews are often pleasantly chatty, and the author's command of her subject allows listeners to stay connected to the core ideas in her... Read More

Multilevel marketing companies such as Mary Kay and Amway promise the freedom, security, and status of being your own boss but seldom deliver on those promises. This gripping audiobook reveals the industry's misleading recruitment practices, financial tricks, and cunning social manipulation. Nikki Massoud narrates with documentary seriousness that resonates with every personal... Read More

An audiobook for the soul. This exquisite work of nature writing celebrating Scotland's Cairngorms mountains remains a classic of ecological observation. Tilda Swinton's rendition of Nan Shepherd's poetic prose mesmerizes. Her tone is exceptionally clear, her pace adds drama, and her style of narrating is immersive. Written in the 1940s, the book remained unpublished until the... Read More

Dion Graham takes listeners to New York City to recount the 1983 killing of a Black man by transit cops and its aftermath. Michael Stewart was a promising young artist and model who was part of the East Village art scene; his death galvanized the community. Author Elon Green's leggy story encompasses the sensational (the removal of Stewart's eyeballs during autopsy) and the... Read More

Journalist and television personality Juan Williams's audiobook arrives four decades after his first book, EYES ON THE PRIZE (1987), which covered the mid-twentieth-century Civil Rights movement. This work argues that Barack Obama's presidency and the development of the social media age reflect the emergence of a second civil rights movement. Fueled in part by police killings... Read More

Narrating with a steady, measured rhythm, NEW YORK TIMES columnist Maureen Dowd introduces the listener to the best of her long-form, in-depth interviews with some of the most recognizable personalities in popular culture. Dowd is most at ease and sounds practically playful when discussing her favorites, such Kate Winslet, Paul Newman, and Candice Bergen. She's a bit more... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill uses a measured tone and deliberate pace to tell the raucous story of the founding and vicissitudes of National Public Radio. Longtime listeners will recognize well-known names like Bob Edwards and Susan Stamberg, but Oney also dives deep into how managers and producers covered controversial issues, warts and all. Oney documents the network from its... Read More

Bonnie Tsui is clearly fascinated by how our muscles work and why we should use them. Her performance is appealing--full of joy and heart. She reels us in with her appreciation for both muscles and people. Tsui profiles the first woman to lift Scotland's massive Dinnie Stones and a champion high school runner who runs to honor his great-grandfather, who ran 50 miles to escape a... Read More

This audiobook is a love song to otters. Nearly a prose poem about the playful mammals, it is presented charmingly by narrator Jayne Entwistle. With her warm voice and English accent Entwistle becomes the author in this first-person account. She makes Darlington's text come alive. You can almost feel it as she tells of stepping onto the soft bottom of a shallow marsh and of... Read More

Alexis Madrigal narrates this audiobook about Oakland, California, confidently and enthusiastically. The journalist sounds genuinely interested in constructing the city's history and cultural touchstones. Madrigal has created a three-ring circus of ideas. First, he examines the Pacific Circuit, a network of "container cities" that historically established "trade routes and... Read More

Narrator Emma Faye brings enthusiasm to what might otherwise be a dry academic study. She is almost chirpy at times. Despite an occasional lightness of tone, this audiobook is quite serious in identifying and addressing a problem with how college courses are taught. The author contends that the chief point of those classes is, or ought to be, how to think about the subject... Read More

This history of Black baseball runs a chronological course from the mid-19th century to the present day. It's narrated by a cast led by JD Jackson, whose calming tone fits well. Occasionally, he changes his voice when quoting someone--always keeping within the character. The audiobook includes passages delivered by two other narrators--a good choice, since these sidebars are... Read More

In a voice full of optimism and Midwestern "can-do" spirit, narrator Dan Bittner recounts how a midsized Midwest city transformed itself into an economic juggernaut. Until recently, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was largely dependent on the energy sector: gas and oil. In 2020, with his founding of Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), urbanist and social entrepreneur Nicholas Lalla set out to... Read More

Narrator Charles Armstrong's brisk, elegant dissection of the British art market since WWII is endlessly pleasing to the ear, even when the mind wanders. This audiobook may be of limited interest since it's most likely too detailed and arcane for many listeners. One learns a great deal about the business and culture of art dealing in general and the London market's key... Read More

Psychologist William von Hippel tackles the human dilemma of wanting to feel free and accepted simultaneously. Josh Bloomberg's narration helps listeners understand that balancing these two desires, instead of choosing one over the other, is the key to happiness. Using a strong and reassuring approach, Bloomberg smoothly explains the friction humans feel between connection and... Read More

To push back against the stereotype that all people on the autism spectrum are cisgender white men, editors Clem Bastow and Jo Case have brought together 25 women and gender-diverse autistic writers. They delve into their lived experiences, which include finding passions, recovering from eating disorders, experimenting with sexual expression, and exploring gender identity. An... Read More

Ari Fliakos expertly delivers this timely audiobook about how some Americans get geographically trapped, preventing them from accessing better livelihoods. Appelbaum's research takes aim at the use of neighborhood covenants, codes, and other systemic tools to prevent diversification. Relating to these issues, housing costs have skyrocketed in the most desirable neighborhoods,... Read More

Sarah Perry performs her collection of micro essays, which revolve around her love of candy. Each essay highlights a different confectionery sweet, which she uses to contemplate her relationships, ideas around humanity's pursuit of pleasure, or memory's connection to taste and smell. Perry perfectly describes the experience of eating each candy--every delightful texture and... Read More

Canadian guitarist Rik Emmett is still making good music at the age of 71. His most recent recording is a collection of 10 instrumental pieces showcasing the iconic Fender Telecaster guitar. These "liner notes" reflect on the unique characteristics of the guitar and the creative process, as well as a fair share of mundane musings. Emmett's voice is still robust, and his... Read More

Golden Voice Dion Graham brings clarity and compassion to Goldstone's heartbreaking exposé of the housing issues faced by Atlanta's working poor. Graham's warm voice and understated delivery illuminate the suffering of families who work hard, often at more than one job, and yet cannot afford the escalating rent in the third- fastest-growing metropolitan area in the U.S. The... Read More

Anyone who's ever loved a dog will be engaged by this winning production. Author Friedman, aka The Dogist, known for his "dog on the street" photos of dogs in New York City and around the world, is a warm and charming narrator of his own work. Friedman explores the cultural and sociological history of humans and dogs, and listeners learn about how he became The Dogist. He... Read More

In these six moving, thought-provoking essays, originally delivered as the Norton Lectures at Harvard, Viet Thanh Nguyen explores what it means to write as an "other" and what "otherness"--literary, artistic, cultural, and political--has to teach us about solidarity and art making in times of violence and rising global fascism. Blending literary criticism, political commentary,... Read More

Actor and Audubon Society Board Director Lili Taylor's quick and breathy initial delivery settles into a gentle, engaged exploration of the world of birding and its profound influence on her life. Her awareness of the natural world shifted during an emotional sabbatical, which began her journey. She began paying closer daily attention and taking "awe walks" through cityscapes... Read More

This engrossing audiobook describing the post-WWII trash trade will transform every listeners' attitude toward waste. Narrator Greg Lockett's fast and focused delivery matches the author's vivid descriptions of the communities that serve as dumping grounds for wealthier nations' radioactive waste, toxic and banned chemicals, trash, and "recycled" plastic. The author, who... Read More

In this hopeful audiobook, the soft-spoken author asks 20 diverse experts what's needed to slow down climate change. The people she interviews share their well-informed views, and three of them--the additional narrators--narrate their own poems and other writing. Together, they make this lengthy production a fast-moving joy to hear. Rather than being discouraged about the... Read More

Think the federal civil service is filled with pencil-pushing drones? This collection of essays--curated by Michael Lewis and narrated by their authors--will quickly disabuse you of that notion. Casey Cep uses a journalistic tone that, nonetheless, conveys her genuine admiration for a remarkable Veterans Affairs employee who has devoted his life to honoring fallen soldiers. For... Read More

Podcaster Kelsey McKinney offers up an entertaining analysis of gossip. Using research, opinion, and her own personal experiences, McKinney digs beneath the surface of "spilling the tea" and takes a passionate, captivating, and bubbly approach to her narration. In a casual tone, she introduces a history of gossip and its contributions throughout generations, as well as the... Read More