Listening to this posthumous collection of commentary by chef Anthony Bourdain on his favorite places is like joining him for one final adventure. From Argentina to Vietnam, each brief chapter starts with a quick but detailed overview of airports, transportation, and hotels, narrated by Bourdain's assistant, Laurie Woolever. This is followed by Bourdain's thoughts about the area's people, locale, and food, narrated by Shep Gordon. Gordon's casual, friendly tone, reminiscent of Bourdain's own personal style, makes it easy for listeners to imagine traveling the world with him. Interspersed throughout are essays by some of those who knew him, each narrated by its author. The affection expressed for the late travel show host and writer is one of the most memorable features of this listening experience.
Pub Date: April 20, 2021
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063055568
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Cox delivers both the searing pain and deep beauty imbued in her life journey.
The cudgel of gender conformity has never felt more visceral and brutal, more omnipresent and inescapable than in actor and activist Cox’s spellbinding memoir. Listeners will not be left unchanged by Cox’s courage in speaking her whole truth for the very first time. As narrator, Cox’s voice sometimes sounds armored, because this isn't Cox the performer, but Cox as a fiercely analytical intellectual as she examines how her life story embodies the intersection of gender, race, colonization, and patriarchy. Yes, listeners will hear about her fun rise to fame, which included working with film idols like Jodie Foster, but it is her relationship with feminist icon and scholar bell hooks that informs the backbone of this intelligent, remarkable memoir.
Cox delivers both the searing pain and deep beauty imbued in her life journey.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 56 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668135860
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
An intriguing listen that illustrates how Hollywood’s hottest femme fatale found Hollywood itself fatal.
This audiobook is a richly detailed account of the life of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Wilson has drawn on published biographies, unpublished archives, letters, notes from Monroe’s former psychoanalysts, diaries, press releases, and reminiscences of contemporaries to write an illuminating portrait of Monroe’s life in 100 short, vignette-style chapters. Narrator Kelly Burke’s warm, clear voice recounts Marilyn’s unhappy childhood, her fixation with stardom, her desire to break through the “dumb blonde” stereotype, her need for love and stability, and the conspiracy theories surrounding her death. Burke adopts Monroe’s familiar soft, sugary, breathy voice when she quotes the actress’ words.
An intriguing listen that illustrates how Hollywood’s hottest femme fatale found Hollywood itself fatal.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 46 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668656501
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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