by Clay Shirky ; Read by Kevin Foley ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2010
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
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Kevin Foley brings his blend of rich tones, fresh pitch patterns, and appealing phrasing to this cutting-edge analysis of how social media allows us to use our unused brain power to collaborate with others. The result is a strong performance that is calmly devoted to this superb content but calls no attention to the narrator. With practical language and impressive analytic skills, the author provides a nuanced look at how easy social collaborations via the Internet raises the fundamental question of whether we work at such collaborations for intrinsic rewards such as civic responsibility, or whether most of us prefer the model of working for monetary rewards. It sounds abstract, but these are foundational issues for anyone whose efforts and ideals involve connecting with others.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2010
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781400186815
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Jane Davidson ; Read by Jane Davidson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2020
The author describes her efforts to implement a meaningful sustainability initiative for Wales and the world at large. An educator and minister of the environment, sustainability, and housing in her tiny country, she's a wonderful narrator who sounds at once relaxed and passionate, likable and dignified. Her voice is a perfect vehicle for amplifying her humanitarian intentions as well as the breadth of her methodical thinking. But what makes this audio so inspiring are the personal asides she shares throughout concerning her willingness to be vulnerable and her calm resolve to do something for the world's future generations. Davidson's descriptions of the laborious process of cultural transformation would have been dry listening without her pleasing UK speaking voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Pamela Paul ; Read by Lisa Flanagan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 26, 2021
Narrator Lisa Flanagan has a wonderful vocal personality--lithe with a broad palette of pitch patterns and a range of believable emotional tones. Her friendly voice works well with this lighthearted overview of how dramatically the Internet has changed the world in the past 30 years. Though being digitally connected has improved life in many ways, the author says we've lost many of the interpersonal experiences that used to sustain us. We have less privacy, don't need all those reference books, and have largely forgotten how to have vocal conversations with other people. The audiobook is entertaining nostalgia for anyone who feels incompetent navigating the World Wide Web, and a soothing reminder that those of us who miss the simplicity of the pre-Internet era are not alone.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593418055
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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