Narrator Robert Petkoff's voice is the perfect conduit for this engaging mix of medicine and travel. In each chapter, physician Jonathan Reisman discusses a key part of the body. Petkoff's even-keeled tone takes us on the author's tour of anatomy--through the vagaries of mucus, into the black box of the brain, and past the fragility of fingers and toes, among other journeys. His delivery smoothly blends the physiology with Reisman's travel stories, which include sampling blubber in Alaska, consuming lungs in Jaffa, and flirting with frostbite in Russia. Petkoff gives a flawless performance of this doctor/naturalist's memoir, conveying both his inquisitiveness and assuredness with aplomb.
Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250818676
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dr. Plotkin is an ethnobotanist who recounts his experiences searching for new medications in the Amazon rain forest. He makes an impassioned plea for the world to stop destroying this irreplaceable resource. Since the author reads his own work, we can rely on the pronunciation of some unusual botanical terms; however, his voice (presumably not trained for performance) lacks the enthusiasm and fascination the words suggest. Furthermore, with no chapter references and few pauses between sections, transitions, such as the change of location from Ecuador to Massachusetts, are awkward.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An empathetic and informed listening experience about the people who find solace and acceptance in AI relationships.
Todd delivers a cutting-edge audiobook on the current status of AI and the people who develop intimate relationships with it. Major platforms providing AI engagement, including OpenAI and Anthropic, promote applications that provide always-on, humanlike support and friendship—with major caveats. User privacy cannot be guaranteed, and in some cases, AI platforms may engage in shockingly unsafe interactions. With a seasoned, engaging voice, Todd relates compelling examples of human-AI relationships. Recorded clips of interviews with experts, providing insights on the impact of these relationships with big-picture analysis, are included.
An empathetic and informed listening experience about the people who find solace and acceptance in AI relationships.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 55 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668179826
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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