California psychiatrist and meditation expert Greg Sazima's audiobook exhibits the casual abandon of someone who has truly mastered the art of "giving it a rest." He trains family medicine residents at a Stanford hospital and, with his history of surviving serious bone cancer, comes across as a complex but accessible meditation teacher who knows a lot about the pleasures and misunderstandings surrounding the ancient practice. Narrator Daniel Henning's enjoyable performance captures the author's likable persona and grasp of the human condition. The community theater director's cheery performance serves as a bouncy, complementary vehicle for the author's conversational writing. His delivery is crisp and dramatic but never upstages Sazima's optimistic sensibilities or minimizes the pathos in the author's personal journey.
Pub Date: July 13, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781666104608
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners looking to examine joy from a faith-based perspective will find much to reflect on.
In this audiobook, Bowler poses the question, "What is joy?" Narrating her own work, she muses on this theme, discussing finding joy in the ordinary, the role of emotions, recapturing past joy, and the way her faith has shaped her interpretation and experience of joy. Bowler’s narration is down to earth as she talks about her experience battling Stage 4 cancer shortly after her mother's death. She also tackles big ideas about duty and obligation, shared emotion, toxic positivity, how to convert faith into something concretely good, the secret of miracles, and taking risks to achieve joy.
Listeners looking to examine joy from a faith-based perspective will find much to reflect on.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217176564
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
Listeners in search of purpose may find this audiobook transformative.
Author and narrator Brooks challenges listeners to find meaning in their lives when distractions abound. The audiobook offers deep dives into topics including relationships, work, leisure, and faith, as well as formulas for finding happiness and meaning. Brooks delivers the material with the confidence of a professional, and his pace is fast but easy to follow. He shares scientific research, examples from history and literature, and stories of contemporary individuals, including himself. Listeners may want to be ready to pause and take notes to answer the questions Brooks poses about finding one’s own life's meaning.
Listeners in search of purpose may find this audiobook transformative.Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 41 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217282111
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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