Much to the delight of many listeners, Anne Lamott's essay collections about life, love, religion, and writing, including the well-loved OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS and BIRD BY BIRD, have appeared frequently over the years. She is a friendly, wise, and wry commentator who only occasionally drifts into self-pity about life's many pitfalls. She is always worth one's attention. The same cannot be said of her narration of her newest collection, a worthwhile consideration of hope and despair. Lamott's quavering nasal voice comes close to whining, she ends most sentences on a vocal up-pitch, and often rushes right by the full-stop period that she herself wrote. The result is choppy and headlong. This time, stick with the print edition.
Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
Duration: 3 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525640523
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners looking to examine joy from a faith-based perspective will find much to reflect on.
In this audiobook, Bowler poses the question, "What is joy?" Narrating her own work, she muses on this theme, discussing finding joy in the ordinary, the role of emotions, recapturing past joy, and the way her faith has shaped her interpretation and experience of joy. Bowler’s narration is down to earth as she talks about her experience battling Stage 4 cancer shortly after her mother's death. She also tackles big ideas about duty and obligation, shared emotion, toxic positivity, how to convert faith into something concretely good, the secret of miracles, and taking risks to achieve joy.
Listeners looking to examine joy from a faith-based perspective will find much to reflect on.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217176564
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
Listeners in search of purpose may find this audiobook transformative.
Author and narrator Brooks challenges listeners to find meaning in their lives when distractions abound. The audiobook offers deep dives into topics including relationships, work, leisure, and faith, as well as formulas for finding happiness and meaning. Brooks delivers the material with the confidence of a professional, and his pace is fast but easy to follow. He shares scientific research, examples from history and literature, and stories of contemporary individuals, including himself. Listeners may want to be ready to pause and take notes to answer the questions Brooks poses about finding one’s own life's meaning.
Listeners in search of purpose may find this audiobook transformative.Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 41 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217282111
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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