Narrator Dan Woren conveys a bright-eyed fascination with this collection of surprising research on the ways we mentally process the world around us. Though his diction is precise and his phrasing is carefully matched to the nuances of the text, his narration is natural and appealing. The authors summarize research showing how most people are ridiculously overconfident about what they think they see, remember, and know and how they are frequently wrong when making evaluations, attributing causality, and estimating their own potentials. Familiar language and spare writing make the often-lengthy research and anecdotal reports accessible. Helped immensely by near-perfect production, this is a stimulating educational experience for anyone.
Pub Date: May 18, 2010
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307735768
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sylvia Nasar's excellent biography of the tragic but ultimately triumphant life of mathematician John Forbes Nash,, Jr., gets cheated by poor audio production. Anna Fields's volume is so low that some of her trailing sentences are inaudible except in a silent room. Blackstone compounds the problem with a very high-noise recording. The end result is a production that can't be listened to comfortably in a car or walking in public because Fields's voice ranges from near-whisper to just above normal volume. The listener who compensates for the whisper is overwhelmed by her louder sections. In future Fields projects, Blackstone needs to use compression. Read the excellent book instead.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 19 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The authors, both neuroscientists, believe that Internet search logs offer an astounding research opportunity: a look at human sexuality that is anonymous and, thus, probably acutely honest. What do people search for, sexually, online? The results are enlightening, sometimes startling, and rather humorous. The potential for titillating smarminess in this topic is enormous, but narrator Andrew Garman never goes there. His demeanor is professional and full of good cheer. The graphic language, which he reads with clarity and humor, could come off equally as silly or scandalous, but his pace never feels like it's lingering or leering, and his tone is instructive. There are charts and lists in the text, and Garman easily incorporates them into the listening experience.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2011
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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.
