The impact of viruses on human psycho/social/sexual development is the timely topic of this audiobook, narrated by the author, a biologist who loves the art form of writing. Light on actual science, the work sounds like a collection of diary entries, eulogies, and stream-of- consciousness musings. Osmundson excels at expressing his emotional connection to the subject matter, but he makes many rookie mistakes with his performance. He narrates an entire chapter on the verge of sobbing, something emotionally effective for a passage but uncomfortably unlistenable for any longer. The author/narrator chooses slow, deliberate pacing that savors the sound of each word. This decision would work for a collection of poetry, but not a lengthy collection of essays.
Pub Date: June 7, 2022
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593635513
Publisher: Random House 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
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
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