Susan Orlean has a thing about animals, particularly those that might be kept as pets. In this entertaining book, which she narrates herself, Orlean investigates our intense love of the domesticated animals who steal our hearts, be they chickens, dogs, donkeys, or lions. Orlean has a flattened, nasal voice that is nonetheless engaging. She reads clearly at an unrushed pace with a downbeat delivery that suits the book's funny situations and quirky, occasionally bizarre, characters. The woman with tigers in rural New Jersey is definitely bizarre, while the owners of the show dog are a tad quirky. As for Orlean herself, she is thrilled when the post office calls to say, "You have a package here, and it's clucking."
Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797130323
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A wondrous paean to birds’ “wild ways of knowing.”
Christine Williams’ companionable narration connects listeners with the extraordinary diversity of the Pacific Northwest’s avian species highlighted in this reflective production. The author encourages us to consider all birds with a fresh perspective—including those birds we may take for granted, despise because of entrenched prejudices, or romanticize through a rose-colored cultural lens. This collection of essays showcases the depth of our relationships and interconnectedness with neighboring raptors, songbirds, shorebirds, and more, spanning rural and urban areas. Williams' well-paced, engaged performance embraces the author’s poetic appreciation for what birds reveal about our world and grounded observations on the ecological and human-driven realities impacting our shared habitats.
A wondrous paean to birds’ “wild ways of knowing.”Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228996311
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2026
While Tapper is a hortatory narrator of his own work, his audiobook deserves to be heard.
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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