by Stephan Faris ; read by Mel Foster ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2009
If you've managed to maintain your composure about climate change and global warming so far, this book may cause you alarm. In sober, reasonable language, the author lays out an argument that climate change is causing political and economic upheaval that is altering the planet. Narrator Mel Foster has a deep, resonant voice that clearly enunciates the book's themes with credibility and intelligence. His straightforward tone may strike some as monotonous, but he uses effective pauses and emphasis to maintain interest. Foster doesn't change his voice for the quotes in the book; rather, he lets the power and imagery of the words speak for themselves.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2009
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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by Ethan Tapper ; read by Ethan Tapper ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2026
While Tapper is a hortatory narrator of his own work, his audiobook deserves to be heard.
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Tapper’s hopeful tone separates this audiobook from gloomier environmental writing. According to Tapper, forests can be managed, species can be saved, and we can embrace the wonders that remain. While recognizing the loss of species and habitats and threats to the environment due to climate change and other factors, he points out how resilient trees and animals are. And he knows what he’s talking about. A longtime professional forester, Tapper is also a dedicated birder who restored 175 desolate acres in Vermont. He dubbed it Bear Island, and it’s now a thriving forest with an emerging orchard.
While Tapper is a hortatory narrator of his own work, his audiobook deserves to be heard.Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668660348
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
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by Aya Kōda ; translated by Charlotte Goff ; read by Ela Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2026
Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.
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Ela Lee’s smooth narration and soothing tones are perfectly suited to this collection of contemplative essays. Kōda explains that her close relationship with trees was sparked by her father. Trees were his passion, and he gave each of his children a tree to nurture. As Kōda visits forests around Japan, various trees spark memories. Even when these memories are painful, a sense of healing and growth pervades. Lee’s deliberate pace allows room for quiet reflection throughout this lyrical journey into the significance trees hold for Kōda and the ways that they mirror her world and the rhythms of human life.
Like the experience of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Lee’s sensitive performance is tranquil and inspiring.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 19 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063443433
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
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