The combination of visually descriptive writing and thoughtful narration by Graham Halstead transports the listener to the famous Louvre Museum in Paris. Without actually going there, one can imagine walking the great halls with royalty and artists over many centuries. Halstead enhances this audiobook with frequent passages in French as he tells of how the building began as a castle fortress in 1190 and progressed through the reigns of many kings until it became an art museum during the French Revolution in 1793. With his impeccable pacing and easygoing tone, Halstead describes the innovations of major architects from 1200 to 2011. To be sure, the visitor will hear about the MONA LISA and the VENUS DE MILO but will also walk the halls of history.
Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705230589
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Often provocative and never boring, Depraved provides plenty of material for water cooler discussions.
Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 5 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217338764
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
Swinton’s magnetic performance of this 10th anniversary edition adds meaningfully to the legacy of Laing’s...
Tilda Swinton is a joy to listen to in this homage to loneliness and paean for intimacy. Laing’s landmark work of unconventional art history proves to be as relevant as it was in 2016, if not more so, in an increasingly atomized, post-pandemic world where many, if not most, social interactions happen through our phones. Loneliness, in Laing’s eyes, is not a singular experience, and certainly not a moral failing, but a fact of human nature. Swinton’s clean, polished tone is subtly compassionate to the very real, relatable sufferings of the profiled urbanite artists. This account of our saddest human state is full of rich, hopeful detail.
Swinton’s magnetic performance of this 10th anniversary edition adds meaningfully to the legacy of Laing’s magnum opus.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250442710
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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