by Phil Stutz ; read by JC Mackenzie ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 28, 2023
Narrating this flow of arresting ideas from an L.A. psychiatrist with prior books and famous patients, actor JC Mackenzie connects with the author's intelligent perspectives on humanity and compassion for the challenges of modern life. His handsome speech patterns are subdued but never fail to capture the nuanced wisdom in this writing. Stutz has an uncanny grasp of how we measure ourselves against the ideal that we should always be successful and happy. He says living well is less about results and more about learning, moving forward with discipline, and embracing our connection to higher spiritual forces. With uncommon grace, Stutz describes a type of responsibility for our lives that sounds reasonable, an approach that has a real chance of promoting the love, joy, transcendence, and creativity people crave.
Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593866580
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Bruce Feiler ; read by Bruce Feiler ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 19, 2026
Feiler’s heartfelt performance emphasizes his message that rituals are key to forging community.
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Feiler is interested in how we use rituals to connect with others in an age in which fewer people than ever are baptized, get married, or are eventually buried. He casts a wide net: filing down teeth for coming-of-age ceremonies, divorce parties, placenta burials, gender reveals, and more. Feiler isn’t a professional narrator, but his authenticity and gentle humor are clearly apparent in his voice, which lends the whole endeavor the feeling of a memoir. That seems appropriate, given that Feiler travels the world participating in Vegas weddings and Nordic cold plunges and develops his own new rituals with his family to celebrate beating cancer.
Feiler’s heartfelt performance emphasizes his message that rituals are key to forging community.Pub Date: May 19, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336692
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
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by Cathy Haynes ; read by Nadia Albina ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2026
A peaceful, restorative performance that encourages conscious observation.
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Author Haynes may live in London, but she grew up on a farm. Nadia Albina’s British accent and warm voice encapsulate the bucolic vibe of this investigation into tracking time by the natural world. It’s all about rhythms and cycles—the time of year, the time of day, and the inner clocks of the physical world. Primroses open their blooms at the same time every day, and sunflowers turn their heads toward the sun as they move across the sky. Haynes urges listeners to be “trill-seekers” and pay attention to the dawn chorus as the birds layer their morning songs. Together, author and narrator conjure the soft light of late afternoon and the glitter of stars in a dark sky.
A peaceful, restorative performance that encourages conscious observation.Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 33 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217336838
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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