Author Dan Heath's narration of this absorbing audiobook sounds as smooth and self-assured as his writing. He's mastered the art of creating spellbinding narratives and questions, followed by fascinating research summaries and well-organized insights. With the sound of his youthful engagement in full song from start to finish, Heath explains how individuals and institutions can become less reactive to problems and more focused on anticipating their causes and preventing them. Heath's examples are wide ranging--from social problems like school dropout rates to management, health, and interpersonal dilemmas. While many of the challenges he describes are familiar and the solutions self-evident, the audio as a whole has a curious power that will inspire listeners to become more proactive about life's large and small problems.
Pub Date: March 3, 2020
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797100562
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A resonant, gut-wrenching memoir that may inspire listeners to hit a dusty trail of their own.
Kessler, prolific author of nonfiction, intrepidly narrates this immersive memoir of her 500-mile pilgrimage on the Camino Francés after the devastating loss of both her husband and her daughter in the same year. Kessler’s tone is clear, even during the more heartbreaking chapters that revolve around her husband’s cancer and daughter’s drug use. Her tale, which toggles between the depths of grief and musings on consumerism or finding “uncomplicated joy in a Spanish tortilla,” exhibits the kind of harmonious braiding that makes a memoir soar. At the end of some longer sentences, Kessler’s delivery frays with a slight tiredness, but that lends to the big-picture experience of what is, indeed, a really long walk.
A resonant, gut-wrenching memoir that may inspire listeners to hit a dusty trail of their own.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668654361
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
Author/narrator Sophie Lucido Johnson brings a conversational tone to her discussion of the importance of close relationships beyond family. Her direct and personal tone, steady pacing, and approachable rhythm guide listeners through reported stories, research, and lived experience. Her easy-sounding narration suits the audiobook's blend of analyses and anecdotes as she shifts naturally between reflective passages and practical examples of shared living, mutual care, and chosen family. Emotional moments are conveyed with warmth, while more informational sections remain grounded and accessible. Johnson's companionable delivery supports her emphasis on connection and helps listeners stay engaged as ideas build. Overall, the author's performance makes this audiobook an intimate, thoughtful, and well-paced experience.
Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797195162
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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