Garry Wills's review of the many faces of American Christianity traces two threads: Christianities of the heart, which can be seen in modern evangelicals, and Christianities of the head, which are found in the enlightenment tradition. It's clear that Wills aligns himself more with the enlightenment tradition, emphasizing reason and balance—and that's how Mel Foster's narration sounds as well. It's always clear, except for a few stumbles over names, and always moderately paced. Foster sounds, well, rational. This means that his delivery, like Wills's descriptions, fits thinkers like Jefferson better than it does the impassioned preachers or the purely visionary Christians. Wills’s style makes the account easier to listen to at times but means it misses out on the powerful preaching and resonant language of some traditions.
Pub Date: Dec. 31, 2007
Duration: 20 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Once again, Pollan makes the unknown make sense.
Pollan is a favorite with listeners, and rightly so. He may not possess a silken or practiced voice, and he’d be nobody’s first choice to narrate Proust, but few author-narrators are as engaging or as effectively bonded to their narrative. Pollan here explores one of the most fundamental of questions: What is consciousness? This leads him to other questions. Where exactly is consciousness located? What other species possess it? Pollan takes his listener on a journey through theories and research sites, each rendered with his signature economy and precision. Some sections may require relistening, but the difficulties lie in the subject matter, not the prose. That couldn’t be clearer or more illuminating.
Once again, Pollan makes the unknown make sense.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217282159
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2026
A riveting exploration of what literature can achieve in a time of rising tyranny and fear.
Greg Marston brings an authoritative tone to his narration of this chronicle of 12 critical years in the lives of the world's greatest fantasy authors. Tolkien and Lewis shared a friendship between the wars, which inspired the creation of both Middle-Earth and Narnia. Scarred by their experiences in WWI, they faced the gathering political storms of Europe and the rise of authoritarianism with deep alarm. Drawing on their love of classical and Norse mythology and combined with their strong Christian faith, they determined to create new tales of heroism to inspire a generation to confront evil. Marston manages to smooth a text studded with references into a coherent whole.
A riveting exploration of what literature can achieve in a time of rising tyranny and fear.Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781400247899
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
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