Listeners may not take in much on a first listening and may want to keep the pdf or an illustrated copy of this book nearby. But the ear alone is enough to somewhat profit from this sweeping history of evolution, which spans millions of years and the extinction of countless animals and plants. The detail is fascinating, and Patrick Lawlor is a forceful narrator who never lets the pace slacken. For those interested in fossil hunting, this is a first-rate story with plenty to offer. For the late listener and the insomniac, the very scope of the narrative stretches and soothes the imagination, carries one's thoughts away from the here and now and the everyday, and opens a vision of time and space that will unburden one's mind in minutes.
Pub Date: June 7, 2022
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062951533
Publisher: Harper 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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