Jacques Roy adeptly treads the line between measured and conversational in this excellent performance of Higginbotham's investigation of the 1986 CHALLENGER catastrophe. Roy maintains the listener's attention through detailed accounts of the science and engineering underlying the NASA space program while also bringing to life the people involved. We hear the cheerfulness of Christa McAuliffe, who was to be the first teacher in space; the smoldering dread of engineer Roger Boisjoly as he consistently warned that the O-rings could fail in cold weather; and the scathing disbelief of Richard Feynman, who famously plunged an O-ring into ice water during the investigation. The hubris of NASA will remain with listeners, as will smaller moments like crew member Ron McNair playing his saxophone in space.
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797179483
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dr. Plotkin is an ethnobotanist who recounts his experiences searching for new medications in the Amazon rain forest. He makes an impassioned plea for the world to stop destroying this irreplaceable resource. Since the author reads his own work, we can rely on the pronunciation of some unusual botanical terms; however, his voice (presumably not trained for performance) lacks the enthusiasm and fascination the words suggest. Furthermore, with no chapter references and few pauses between sections, transitions, such as the change of location from Ecuador to Massachusetts, are awkward.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Moore’s fine work provides hope for rewilding while describing its challenges.
Here are the unlikely stories of how people have worked to return elk to Kentucky, bison to Illinois, and red wolves to coastal North Carolina. Charlie Thurston narrates with a satisfying tone and an appropriate tempo. A fine environmental journalist, Moore captures the sublime—the return of the grand sandhill cranes—and the profane—locals who want to rid their land of red wolves and adopt the slogan, “Shoot, shovel, and shut up.” Moore’s meticulous research takes listeners from pre-colonial times to the present-day environmentalists, wildlife biologists, and organizations committed to the reintroduction of these iconic species. The Nature Conservancy garners high praise, as do those who believe in restoring grasslands, saving wetlands, and recapturing abandoned mines.
Moore’s fine work provides hope for rewilding while describing its challenges.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 16 hrs, 5 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063001251
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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