British economist Noreena Hertz says that people living in busy cities, Trump voters, and children allowed excessive screen time reported more unhappiness and isolation and less interest in social interactions than those in normative groups. She is a gifted writer whose vivid examples and concise research summaries reveal how contemporary society lures people into minimizing the value of interactions with others, thus diminishing their ability to connect and work with them. Though she narrates with the emotional reserve of an academic, her tone is authentic and altruistic. These qualities and her engagement with her field of study make this a fast-moving and informative audio lesson. The solutions she offers will not be easy to sell or implement, but her solid thinking and sincere reading make them sound worth considering.
Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593288832
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Buckley offers a reasonable proposal for a national service program without jail or criminal penalties. Narrator Lawrence reads with a slow and careful announcer's voice; one wishes Buckley were reading this one himself. Books on Tape does its usual quality job with formatting, packaging and tape-turning instructions. The reader repeats the last sentence at such times, so you're sure you haven't missed anything. Popular nonfiction collections will appreciate Gratitude, and the topic is likely to prove timely in the years ahead.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kozol’s shocking exposé of inequities in the funding of our public schools contrasts white suburban schools with those serving black and Hispanic populations. Interviews with students, teachers, and school administrators add eloquent testimony to Kozol’s disturbing presentation of facts. Narration by Jack Winston is clear and brisk, but the pace is unrelenting, with little pause for transition between scenes or chapters. Winston’s cool, detached voice contrasts with Kozol’s impasssioned and outraged message. The sheer repetition and magnitude of Kozol’s damning evidence is numbing; the narration gives no relief. Powerful medicine, most easily taken in small doses. Music signalling tape changes is jarringly inappropriate.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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