HOW DO WE LOOK The Body, the Divine, and the Question of Civilization

Author and narrator Mary Beard takes the listener on an worldwide tour of human and divine representation in art throughout history. Beard's style is reminiscent of a classroom lecture or the audio track of a documentary. Her command of her subject is obvious in her authoritative but casual approach. While her narration is sometimes marked by the slight hoarseness of a dry throat, the effect is personable rather than distracting. The major weakness of the audiobook is simply that it can be difficult to understand the style and effect of art when you can't see it. Listeners may find that, despite a generous amount of description, the extensive illustrations of the print version are sorely missed in the audio production. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]