Anne Curzan's knowledgeable, engaging, and laugh-out-loud funny reflection on grammar usage is for all of us who cringe when a friend comments on seeing "less trees" in the park instead of "fewer trees," and winces when a daughter says "for my sister and I" instead of "and me." Narrating with contagious enthusiasm and attentive pacing, the author, an English professor and linguist at the University of Michigan, understands that "very unique" pains our inner grammando. Yet she urges us to be fascinated by the evolution of language. It turns out that "they" hasn't always been a plural pronoun. Used to capturing students' attention, Curzan's attractive voice and upbeat delivery work the same magic here. Prepare to be educated and charmed in equal measure.
Pub Date: March 26, 2024
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593828557
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Inspiring collections of Angelou reading her poetry. These selections showcase Angelou's smooth, lyrical voice and her warm vitality. Her innate rhythm celebrates her verse and offers the poems to listeners as they should be remembered. Occasionally Angelou comments between the selections, and occasionally she interjects a resonant laugh.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: N/A
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ranjit Madgavkar narrates these essays on how forces beyond their control--for example, war, imperialism, language, climate change--influence people's lives. His strong but clear Indian accent never lets listeners forget that author Ghosh is a native of West Bengal, a fact that explains Ghosh's strong interest in colonialism, anti-colonialism, and the history of South Asia. The opening essays about the participation of Indian soldiers in the disastrous British Mesopotamian campaign of WWI are particularly fascinating. Madgavkar approximates different accents in the quotations from authors of other nationalities, making clear where they begin and end. Even without knowledge of South Asia, listeners will comprehend these essays because Madgavkar gets across the emotions.
Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2026
Duration: 19 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798228648760
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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