Although six narrators are at work on this short story collection, they all share the same vocal palette. The narrative tone features absurdity and black humor, two examples of which are Sacha Chambers's narration of "The Future Is Not What It Used to Be," which combines time travel and weight loss, and Matt Godfrey's delivery of "A World Without Selfie Sticks," in which a man meets a more successful version of himself. Max Meyers demonstrates another narrative quality--melancholy and regret--in "Cherry Garcia Memories with M&M's on Top," a story about wartime recollections. Isolation, disconnection, and the meaning of love are also familiar themes, as demonstrated in Gilli Messer's narration of "Gondola" and Jennifer Rubins's reading of "Point of No Return." The 33-story collection runs for 4 hours and 35 minutes.
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593951187
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.
Nunez's collection of short stories featuring thoughtful protagonists is well paired with a cast of four talented narrators: Hillary Huber, Rebecca Lowman, Catherine Ho, and Gabra Zackman. The stories are witty, smart, and somewhat cynical. Standout stories include “Philosophers,” drolly narrated by Huber, in which the protagonist remembers a Vietnam-era boyfriend; “Greensleeves,” in which a woman relates her thoughts to her therapist, with narrator Lowman employing an intriguing cadence and rhythm; “The Balloon,” in which the lead character remembers a lover, with narrator Zackman sounding mature, direct, and rational; and “The Naked Juror,” read by Ho, about a woman who wants to be a juror.
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336777
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
Upbeat, intuitive performances bring a curious collection to life.
Narrators Sarah Welborn and Matt Godfrey fully embrace the quirkiness of this short story collection. Welborn reads the stories led by female roles with an upbeat wryness, pausing on certain words and drawing them out and making some statements into questions, as if to poke fun at the bizarre turns of plot. Matt Godfrey, on the other hand, gives a buoyant nostalgia to the male leads, boys trying to find their place in the world. The vocal energy is sometimes at odds with the stories’ darker messages, but it doesn’t make the performance any less enjoyable.
Upbeat, intuitive performances bring a curious collection to life.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696614221
Publisher: HighBridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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