Advances in medicine rarely go in a straight line. There are breakthroughs, setbacks, progress, failures, risk-benefit analyses, and real human (and animal) costs. James Noel Hoban's deep, grave voice and energetic pace embody the sense of urgency that is central to efforts to save patients' lives. In 1967, the recipient of a heart transplant operation lived for 18 days; now such operations are somewhat routine, and life is extended for decades. Ryan White famously contracted HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion and bravely fought prejudice to attend school; oversight now ensures a safe blood supply. Hoban sounds fascinated by Dr. Paul Offit's stories of medical progress, and he adjusts his performance nicely to reflect both the tragedy and excitement of the scientific process.
Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549109508
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dr. Plotkin is an ethnobotanist who recounts his experiences searching for new medications in the Amazon rain forest. He makes an impassioned plea for the world to stop destroying this irreplaceable resource. Since the author reads his own work, we can rely on the pronunciation of some unusual botanical terms; however, his voice (presumably not trained for performance) lacks the enthusiasm and fascination the words suggest. Furthermore, with no chapter references and few pauses between sections, transitions, such as the change of location from Ecuador to Massachusetts, are awkward.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The more we know about the universe, the less certain it all seems.
In just under seven hours, this engaging and instructive audiobook answers, as best as anyone can, all the questions listeners might have about particles and dark matter and the fate of the universe. Beginning with the Babylonians, Genevieve Swallow offers a well-paced narration of this history of scientific advances through the centuries. Much of this is familiar, but the narrative excels in scope and clarity, and Swallow’s performance brings ease and precision. From subatomic paradoxes to the first probes into space, Swallow is a steadying presence for a heady tour of the awesome and the strange, the inconceivable and the barely imaginable.
The more we know about the universe, the less certain it all seems.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063476486
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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