Two researchers with interests in synesthesia and atypical strengths (savants) offer a compelling overview of how brain structure allows us to accomplish unusual mental and physical feats. Andrea Gallo's splendid narration, notable for her low-key cheeriness and vocal clarity, keeps the long production from bogging down with the authors' often obscure case studies. There are phrasing glitches, mainly disorienting pauses, but, overall, Gallo makes this material eminently understandable. The audiobook describes the way regions of the brain communicate with other regions when we're learning and performing complex tasks. The work is more informative than prescriptive, but the information is inspiring: The stories and neuroanatomical details provide concrete models of how people can systematically learn such things as a new language, a musical instrument, or any physical skill.
Pub Date: 2015
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781490676272
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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
Narrator Emily Woo Zeller is an affable guide through this brisk introduction to paleoanthropology. Paleoanthropologist Sang-Hee Lee assumes that listeners aren't familiar with her field, and it's apparent in most of the lucid, bite-sized chapters on a variety of topics. Coupled with Zeller's polished delivery, the result is less a classroom experience and more akin to an audio museum tour. Zeller's smooth voice makes for easy listening--occasionally too easy, to the point of being lulling. And though the authors aim for a beginner-friendly approach, some chapters are still too dense. Listeners who don't already know the finer points of Homo erectus versus Homo habilis may be scratching their heads. But these are minor faults of an otherwise worthwhile popular science audiobook.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781684410330
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
