Emily Raboteau reads with purpose, a clear voice, and a conversational tone that works well for the personal essays in this satisfying audiobook. Her delivery style adjusts to the varied subjects: a sense of wonder at identifying birds, exasperation at dealing with New York City real estate, and empathy for a water-starved Palestinian family. She has a gift for languages; in particular, she delivers Spanish well and emulates Chaucerian English impressively. The subjects range from a eulogy to her father to mothering her two Black sons and to profiling a friend who is a prepper living in an RV. In one of the most effective chapters, she traverses New York, discovering art that comments on climate change. In another chapter, she photographs urban birds. The lessons in this text are hard earned and elegantly expressed.
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250890672
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This wide-ranging collection of Bourdain's work is a mixed success.
Legendary chef and world traveler Bourdain was an aspiring creative long before his rise to fame. This collection spans his works from as early as high school to his later writings, with which listeners will be more familiar. Editor Kimberly Witherspoon sets the tone with her introduction. Dion Graham, David Colacci, Kaleo Griffith, and Chris Patton round out the cast, along with archival recordings of Bourdain himself. Reading his own work, Bourdain is indubitably the standout, bringing to life his trademark approach to food and travel. The rest of the collection is uneven both in content and in narration; some early pieces, both fiction and nonfiction, are unpolished in their writing and overemoted in their narration.
This wide-ranging collection of Bourdain's work is a mixed success.Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 26 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062863980
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
A splendid narration of an engrossing story of the search for, and discovery of, a lost treasure.
Vikas Adam’s strong baritone is a good match for this well-told account of one man’s obsession with finding a lost Spanish galleon filled with treasure. In 1708, the San José sank in combat with the British off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. Roger Dooley, whose own story is quite fascinating, sought the wreck of this ship over nearly four decades and then, in 2015, finally found it at a depth of nearly 2,000 feet. Lawsuits regarding who gets to keep the fortune are still ongoing. Adam narrates with great confidence and with excellent expression throughout. His pacing is perfect, and he ably reads Spanish.
A splendid narration of an engrossing story of the search for, and discovery of, a lost treasure.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217165810
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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