BREASTS A Natural and Unnatural History

Breasts are a lot of things. They’re sexy. They’re utilitarian. They’re also sponges for the industrial chemicals we so blithely release into our environment. Whether they’re pumped full of silicone, or simply with BPA and flame retardant, the life of the 21st-century female breast is at once fascinating and unsettling. Kate Reading narrates Williams’s thorough research with a singsong intonation that is, oddly, almost too feminine for the material. Her lovely voice is just a shade too gentle to fully capture Williams’s sharp wit. That being said, after hours of hearing about all the brutal ways our environment is poisoning women and girls via their breasts, listeners will be grateful for Reading’s soothing, reassuring tones. A.H.A. 2013 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2012]