McElhone’s patient endurance weaves this ambitious epic into one grand universe.
Natascha McElhone narrates Popova’s layered prose at a measured pace as she leaps across time to posit cosmic hypotheses about human nature. While tracking how we have—historically, literarily, scientifically—answered the question of what makes us human, Popova also answers another curious inquiry: How do we know what we know? These dilemmas could feel grandiose, but McElhone's steady tone convinces us that these are the only questions worth asking, and listeners may find themselves marveling at a flower’s stamen or gazing at Earth’s polestar, known as Polaris. Every sentence is a shimmering constellation of its own, and McElhone captivates whether she’s voicing the concerns of Venus or presenting a simple rhyming couplet.
McElhone’s patient endurance weaves this ambitious epic into one grand universe.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 22 hrs, 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250436009
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
James Michener tells the real stories behind the man and his books. The recording is read with skill and consistency although the reader does little to enhance the robust, larger-than-life incidents related in the book. Due to the first-person narrative format, there is no opportunity for the narrator to change his voice. This makes some chapters monotonous as they go on and on in the typical Michener style. The listener may also become confused because the stories are not told chronologically. This is not a great choice for the audio format, but Michener fans may stick with it to the end.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a quest for a sense of inner contentment and self-worth, Gloria Steinem brings the reader on a journey of investigation and discovery. Steinem reads the text herself in a straightforward and friendly, but not intimate, presentation which is so easy to listen to it invites repetition--thus ensuring the painless relearning of the lessons of the book. It's difficult to tell from the reading that this audiobook is abridged; each section can stand alone. Nonetheless, the listener wished the book were unabridged. Steinem left me wanting to learn more.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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