Kathe Mazur narrates this novel, which explores the impact of a devastating cognitive illness upon the marriage of Spence, a New York City university professor, and his wife, Pru--who are both in their 50s--as well as its effect upon Spence's two adult children. Mazur's winning performance is engaging, perceptive, and propulsive, and her pronunciation of Hebrew and Yiddish words is authentic. With understated vocal expression and subtle shifts in intonation and pace, she elicits the emotional complexities as well as the contradictions inherent in each character. In a cameo appearance, narrator Shane Baker conveys the Yiddish words in a letter from Spence to his sister. This novel, which might read as sorrowful on the page, shines on audio.
Pub Date: June 15, 2021
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593213056
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A resonant listening experience rich with biting social commentary.
Narrator Katharine Chin elevates this contemporary coming-of-age story featuring four Asian American friends. Diana, Justin, Errol, and Vivian all attended great schools and earned good grades, but in the aftermath of graduating into the Great Recession of 2008, they find themselves unemployed and living at home. Grace, a former classmate, makes a YouTube video about the group and their failure to meet expectations called “Bad Asians.” The video goes viral, upending their lives in the early days of the internet. Chin brings each character distinctly to life through subtle tonal shifts. Her reflective tone conveys the story’s thought-provoking exploration of identity, cultural expectations, and the meaning of success.
A resonant listening experience rich with biting social commentary.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250433244
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
Narrated by an ensemble cast, this audiobook explores the lives, successes, failures, and frailties of a half-dozen friends from the early 2000s to 2024. The novel's narrators are all talented and capture the millennial characters' struggles well. Jill Paice performs Mia, a writer who is the only single person in the group, with fine tempo and pacing while conveying her angsty tone. Santino Fontana is equally impressive as the brilliant Marco, and Christian Barillas nails the complex alcoholic Richie. The stories unfold during a series of parties, events, and celebrations (New Year's, wedding, birthday, Halloween, funeral) that reveal the characters' issues and relationships over their two decades since graduating from Penn. A meaningful look at millennial lifestyles and a worthwhile listen.
Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797194356
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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