The author narrates this travelogue, which takes listeners on a grand tour of the human body, visiting--as it were--the various organs and systems that make us who we are. As narrator, Bryson takes a studied approach, serious but short of clinical. This fits the detailed and sometimes complicated material. But he keeps it light by offering anecdotes and bits of trivia, such as how the phrase "lily-livered" came to mean cowardly. He pauses after most sentences, allowing listeners to digest what he has said, and varies his tone to suit the material, adding just a touch of a lilt to humorous passages. The book's structure makes the subject easy to follow, and Bryson's narration makes it easy on the ears.
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
Duration: 14 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780147526922
Publisher: Random House Audio
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
Once again, Pollan makes the unknown make sense.
Pollan is a favorite with listeners, and rightly so. He may not possess a silken or practiced voice, and he’d be nobody’s first choice to narrate Proust, but few author-narrators are as engaging or as effectively bonded to their narrative. Pollan here explores one of the most fundamental of questions: What is consciousness? This leads him to other questions. Where exactly is consciousness located? What other species possess it? Pollan takes his listener on a journey through theories and research sites, each rendered with his signature economy and precision. Some sections may require relistening, but the difficulties lie in the subject matter, not the prose. That couldn’t be clearer or more illuminating.
Once again, Pollan makes the unknown make sense.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217282159
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2026
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