by Amy Stewart ; illustrated by Briony Morrow-Cribbs ; read by Coleen Marlo ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 25, 2011
Fans of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” and Guinness World Records will love this quirky little science book from the author of WICKED PLANTS. The fun is in the disturbing thrill you get as you discover startling facts such as this: The leading cause of epilepsy in the world today is a tapeworm in the brain. Coleen Marlo has a grip on the creepiness factor, taking on passages that make you cringe with a gleeful intensity in her voice that brings out the dark humor. Her deadpan delivery draws you in and lulls you into letting your guard down, only to sneak up and clobber you with details that will have you shivering with dreadful delight.
Pub Date: May 25, 2011
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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by Aya Kōda ; translated by Charlotte Goff ; read by Ela Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2026
Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.
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Ela Lee’s smooth narration and soothing tones are perfectly suited to this collection of contemplative essays. Kōda explains that her close relationship with trees was sparked by her father. Trees were his passion, and he gave each of his children a tree to nurture. As Kōda visits forests around Japan, various trees spark memories. Even when these memories are painful, a sense of healing and growth pervades. Lee’s deliberate pace allows room for quiet reflection throughout this lyrical journey into the significance trees hold for Kōda and the ways that they mirror her world and the rhythms of human life.
Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 19 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063443433
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
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by Heather Hansman ; read by Kimberly M. Wetherell ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 14, 2026
Listeners will be transported to some of America's most dramatic landscapes.
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Three women passionate about America’s wild places helped inspire the public’s love of the natural environment and gave rise to the term “ecofeminism.” They are profiled in this triple biography along with the environments they cared about—the Grand Canyon, Colorado high mountain skiing areas, and the Adirondacks. With her easy pace, Kimberly Wetherell makes listening a pleasure. Wetherell effectively relays Hansman's lyrical descriptions of the three environments, taking listeners into powdery snow, rushing water, and deep woods. Her conversational tone suits the material but is especially effective in the opening and closing chapters, when the author speaks from a first-person perspective.
Listeners will be transported to some of America's most dramatic landscapes.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 52 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488238031
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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