Mary Roach has been called the funniest science writer in America. Now the author who brought us STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES OF HUMAN CADAVERS tackles the often hilarious study of sex. The topic seems fraught with possibilities for embarrassment, but in Roach's capable hands we forge ahead where few have dared to look. Roach's writing is an unusual amalgam of avid curiosity and dry asides that bring comic relief just when the details get a bit intense. Sandra Burr narrates as if she’s lecturing from a textbook, which only adds to the dry irony of some of the material. In other hands it could well be over-the-top.
Pub Date: April 7, 2008
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A life-affirming, entertaining listen that finds comedy and meaning even in the darkest moments.
In this memoir presented through a collection of essays, actress and author Gurwitch takes listeners on a humorous journey following a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis. Refusing to become a “cancer warrior,” she instead embraces being a self-proclaimed “cancer slacker,” offering practical advice laced with levity rather than despair. Rejecting the idea that one should live each day as if it were one's last, Gurwitch relishes in joy in the ordinary. She goes on tour with a metal band as their “Merch Girl” and shares her unfiltered thoughts on everything from bread to ketamine therapy to juicers. Her warm, conversational delivery evokes the feeling of listening to an honest, witty friend.
A life-affirming, entertaining listen that finds comedy and meaning even in the darkest moments.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 3 mins
DD ISBN: 9798992377095
Publisher: Zibby Books
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
Narrator George Newbern's warm, conversational tone reflects the author's empathy for fellow headache sufferers. Tom Zeller Jr. argues that the headache is a common yet misunderstood malady that doesn't get enough funding for medical research. Often, it isn't taken seriously--as shown in the common expression "just a headache." Newbern is patient, and his phrasing is always excellent, so when Zeller delves into the science, the lay listener is engaged and swept along. The descriptions of Zeller's debilitating cluster headaches sound absolutely miserable, making his occasional desperate forays into psychedelic mushrooms and shady doctors seem entirely reasonable. Next time someone says they have a headache, you might be a bit more patient--and that seems like a positive outcome.
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063442306
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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