Kevin T. Collins's even pacing makes this scientific history easy to follow. After building his own microscope in 1674, Antony van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of tiny moving creatures in lake water stunned the scientists of his day and led to the field of microbiology. Collins narrates the story in an accessible, lively way, portraying Antony's patient, diligent work over 50 years of scientific inquiry. Listeners hear the initial scorn of the Royal Society and the amazed wonder at Antony's discovery of hidden worlds. Collins's formal tone provides a droll contrast to Antony's fascination with the microbes living in people's skin scrapings, tooth plaque, earwax, and feces. Factual sidebars flow seamlessly throughout the narrative, adding context. Also included are the author's note, a timeline, and a glossary.
(Biography. 8-11)Pub Date: 2019
Duration: 1 hr, 15 mins
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ken Coleman's expertise as a baseball announcer enriches this history of the Boston Red Sox since the sale of Babe Ruth to the N.Y. Yankees. He leads off with a grim account of this transaction, which started the curse that has plagued the Red Sox ever since. The sermon-like tone will amuse non-believers and comfort listeners who are certain the team is cursed. Like the ups and downs of Boston's play through the years, the narrator's voice fluctuates--exuberant and then despondent--in tone and tempo accurately reflecting the mood of any given baseball season. The narrator is very successful at conveying the emotional roller coaster ride Red Sox fans have endured as a result of the curse of the Bambino.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Author and narrator James Robinson combines his documentary filmmaking skills and familiarity with audiobooks to render his experience with serious visual disability in audio. Sound effects immerse the listener in Robinson's memories, like the ticking of the school clock as impatient classmates wait while he struggles to read. Slow pacing reflects the gravity of each memory. He sometimes inserts the confused conversations of friends and family who are puzzling out images of the world as he sees it. Other times, he provides insightful descriptions of images. He shares the difficulties associated with what he calls "whale eyes," the extraordinary help of his mother, and his eventual academic and professional success. Robinson's caring outlook and advice on society, specifically the disability community, is, unsurprisingly, visionary.
(Memoir. 11-18)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217018239
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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