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Amazing world-building in a few short minutes

Revisado: 07-12-24

I first listened to this about two years ago when it came out, and every now and then I visit this world in my head. I wish there were more stories set here.

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Gonzo journalism online

Revisado: 10-13-20

Talia Lavin explored a toxic and violent online subculture so you don't have to. In person at events, and online undercover (assuming personae both hilarious and sad), she spent 2019 in the belly of the beast of white supremacy. I know I sound like I'm clutching my pearls, but I was taken aback by the specificity of the attacks against her and others, and the personal hatred fomented online by people who -- ironically -- don't even know each other. I listened to this audio at 1.1 speed; I enjoyed the narration, and the story -- while uncomfortable -- was an eye-opener.

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GW didn't have to be perfect to achieve greatness

Revisado: 02-06-20

As the Audible History editor, I have a bias toward lively historical narrative, especially when it's richly detailed, and this audio fits the bill. Drawing on her skills as a researcher, Alexis Coe unearthed the minutiae of George Washington's daily life (his aches, his pains, his likes and dislikes); her irreverent yet evenhanded prose brings him to life. (So does Brittany Pressley's narration of the meat of the audio!) Alexis Coe is the Snopes of general history, in my opinion, as she approaches her subject from the angle of: what do we believe and is it true? (Spoiler alert: he lost more battles than he won.) She knows which facts to curate to make listeners feel the heft of reality, too -- check out the recipe for hoecakes and consider how much (enslaved) labor George Washington's favorite breakfast required. I hope listeners embrace this audio, not just as a trove of gem-like detail, but also as a way of looking at the totality of America's origin story. In the quest for a more perfect Union, it's History to the rescue...again!

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New Brunswick, NJ, here's your audio....

Revisado: 10-17-19

If you love True Crime, here's a fast-paced investigation into the Hall-Mills double-murder. If you love New Brunswick, NJ (hi, home town!), this is the unsolved true crime for you. (Also? You've probably already listened to Dorothy Gilman's wonderful Mrs. Pollifax mystery series several times by now -- be honest.) Bryan Burrough embraces the story of Reverand Hall and Mrs. Mills with energy and a good eye for detail, and in his performance, he even pronounces "Buccleuch" correctly (i.e. the way New Brunswick does.) Click through to the author interview for more solid suggestions for True Crime listening, including titles *not* set in New Jersey -- enjoy!

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esto le resultó útil a 13 personas

Of course I love this episode. I got to be on air!

Revisado: 08-27-19

You might think an Audible Editor isn't allowed to review an episode of Audicted. You would be mistaken!

Episode 23 is my favorite episode to date because I took Editor Rachel's recommendation to listen to Herman Melville's Moby Dick (I like the alternate title The Whale better, btw. It's cleaner.) I am wholly immersed, which is a humbling lesson; I had previously said that Moby Dick is the one classic I will never listen to. However, as soon as William Hootkins performed the line, "Yes, as everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever," Melville became modern for me.

Also? This episode immortalizes a great day at work for me, so....FIVE STARS!

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esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

Of course I love this episode. I got to be on air!

Revisado: 08-27-19

You might think an Audible Editor isn't allowed to review an episode of Audicted. You would be mistaken!

Episode 23 is my favorite episode to date because I took Editor Rachel's recommendation to listen to Herman Melville's Moby Dick (I like the alternate title The Whale better, btw. It's cleaner.) I am wholly immersed, which is a humbling lesson; I had previously said that Moby Dick is the one classic I will never listen to. However, as soon as William Hootkins performed the line, "Yes, as everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever," Melville became modern for me.

Also? This episode immortalizes a great day at work for me, so....FIVE STARS!

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The person behind the headlines.

Revisado: 11-06-17

I followed Ellen Pao's court case in 2015, so I enjoyed getting to "know" her as the person behind the headlines. An unexpected bonus of the book was to learn from an insider how VC firms in Silicon Valley operate.

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A prescient, dystopian view of society from 1993

Revisado: 10-19-17

I came to Parable of the Sower after binging the Xenogenesis series, and I'm glad I did. Octavia Butler’s work has a hypnotic quality, especially this apocalyptic story of a 15 year old who suffers from hyper-empathy. (What book nerd *doesn't* suffer from hyper-empathy at that age?!) Unlike the Xenogenesis audiobooks, Parable of the Sower takes place back on Earth, in the U.S., in a futuristic society where "God is change." As ever, I am amazed by Octavia Butler's clear-sightedness -- she seems to have predicted in 1993 the contemporary exigencies of income inequality and the accelerating rate of change in everyday life. Wow.

Lynne Thigpen's performance is incomparable; she makes Lauren feel both sympathetic and real as a narrator and guide to this not-so-brave new world. If you're looking for a smart, satisfying dystopia (especially as a follow-up to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale!), this is the audio for you.

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Excellent narration burnishes the story

Revisado: 10-19-17

I read this book years ago, when Peekay’s observations about coming of age in South Africa in the 1940s fascinated me. Listening to the story was immeasurably more powerful, especially in a post-Apartheid world. Full disclosure: I listened immediately after hearing Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, because I wanted to see if The Power of One -- originally published in 1989 -- holds up over time. Bryce Courtenay's (fictional) childhood still works for me as the bildungsroman of a single child in the crucible of boarding school and a backward look at historical South Africa; in light of Trevor Noah's story, however, Peekay's ties to Black South Africans seem stilted --emotionally real to the child-narrator, perhaps, but the characters themselves feel more like archetypes than people.

What's great about the audiobook is the performance by Humphrey Bower, which manages to be powerful and matter-of-fact at the same time. I cheered for Peekay as voiced by Bower, and I recommend The Power of One to anyone looking for a standalone novel or a worthy follow-up listen for Trevor Noah.

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A formerly famous classic few have heard of

Revisado: 05-26-17

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I work at Audible as an Audible Editor, so, yes! I would recommend this book to many, many Audible listener friends. In all seriousness, I loved this book for years, and recommended it personally many, many times in print before I had a chance to amplify it in audio.

What other book might you compare Kristin Lavransdatter to and why?

MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante -- serious, award-winning fiction in translation from a major literary talent.WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel -- deep dive into a historical setting in order to illuminate the point of view of a single, incandescent main character. JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte (as read by Thandie Newton) -- a novel (technically a bildungsroman) by a brilliant woman author, about the moral formation of a female character, loved by generations of readers.

What about Erin Bennett’s performance did you like?

Erin Bennett has a straightforward performance style that isn't overly dramatic; hers is a voice I could listen to for 45 hours with great enjoyment. She manages to convey the vicissitudes of Kristin's experience and all of the varied characters subtly but distinctively.. Also, she is spot on with the Norwegian proper names! Erin, if you're reading this: thank you! (I'd love to read your review of the audiobook!)

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but that's just not the kind of book it is. (It's three novels in one audiobook, after all!) I see this audiobook as a meaty story that will reward listeners' time commitment with a rich experience.

Any additional comments?

Now I really want to go to Lillehammer!

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esto le resultó útil a 116 personas