WHEN WE CEASE TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD

It's difficult to characterize this "work of fiction based on real events," but whatever the genre, it's a marvelous listen. Labatut's first work to be translated into English (and it's an outstanding rendering by Adrian West) is a series of narratives involving some of the twentieth century's greatest scientists and mathematicians, brought to our ears through the inviting baritone of Adam Barr. These enigmatic stories explore the idea that brilliant minds can straddle the line between heroism and horror; one example is Fritz Haber, whose discoveries led to fertilizers that saved millions from famine and to poison gas that slaughtered soldiers. This is an innovative and exciting work from a young writer, and Barr holds it together with his confident delivery. D.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2021]