A genuinely funny and weird but sometimes amorphous collection.
Williams’ new short story collection is pleasantly odd. As performed by an ensemble, it’s a joy to witness the varied, uncanny paths she walks her characters down. Each story is a cabinet of curiosities, with narration playing a crucial role in strengthening characterization. Cynthia Farrell particularly stands out; her grave monotone elevates the dry humor of “My First Car,” while her transatlantic twang for the posh, uppity twins Camilla and Candida makes “After the Haiku Period” an offbeat delight. Still, Williams’ stories seemingly all take place in the same vaguely ecologically-ravaged world and struggle to synthesize a meaningful criticism of the Anthropocene. The performances save these stories from blending together.
A genuinely funny and weird but sometimes amorphous collection.Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217165674
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.
Nunez's collection of short stories featuring thoughtful protagonists is well paired with a cast of four talented narrators: Hillary Huber, Rebecca Lowman, Catherine Ho, and Gabra Zackman. The stories are witty, smart, and somewhat cynical. Standout stories include “Philosophers,” drolly narrated by Huber, in which the protagonist remembers a Vietnam-era boyfriend; “Greensleeves,” in which a woman relates her thoughts to her therapist, with narrator Lowman employing an intriguing cadence and rhythm; “The Balloon,” in which the lead character remembers a lover, with narrator Zackman sounding mature, direct, and rational; and “The Naked Juror,” read by Ho, about a woman who wants to be a juror.
All four narrators bring a smart edge to these stories.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336777
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
All four narrators are fitting choices for this collection.
Ozeki's thought-provoking 10-story collection features protagonists at various stages of life. Ozeki capably narrates the majority of her own stories at a relaxed pace, with varying tonal touches, from placid to biting, tailored to the content of each story. Rounding out the cast are a youthful-sounding Akie Kotabe as the child of a Yale faculty member in “The Anthropologist's Kid”; Jeff Ebner, pleasant in “Immortal,” about a patient who eats plastic; and George Newbern, thoughtful in one of the best stories of the collection, “Where Ambition Goes To Die,” about a couple's ambitious past selves. “The Problem of the Body,” about a grandmother/author who catfishes on a dating app on behalf of her granddaughter, is another standout.
All four narrators are fitting choices for this collection.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 48 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217338719
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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