Andrea Gallo delivers a graceful performance that makes this important audiobook a joy to hear. Her lithe phrasing patterns bring a softer quality to the straightforward writing, while her mature pacing and tonal quality give listeners a notable connection with the 75-year-old author's message and personal stories. Grandin draws listeners into the perceptual world of an autistic animal science engineer whose visual/spatial thinking patterns have put her at odds with language-based thinkers her entire life. Her compact research summaries and insights reveal the fascinating nuances and underappreciated strengths of spatial thinkers. This moving and personal audiobook will surely enlighten those not familiar with the prevalence and contributions of people who think like Grandin.
Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593612354
Publisher: Penguin 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
A beautiful performance of a fascinating and moving story.
Narrator Sean Pratt is masterful in expressing the bravery, selflessness, and deep sense of humanity that underlie and accompany this tragic true story. Kolker relates the history of a family blasted by a rare form of inherited dementia called frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Five of nine siblings, along with their mother, have the genetic mutation that strikes while they are only in their 40s and slowly changes their personalities. It’s a cruel fate, but Pratt’s narration brings empathy, suspense, and even hope. As the next generation faces the same challenges in their own future, listeners will hope that scientific research, pharmaceutical development, and genetic modification may provide some relief from FTD and other forms of dementia.
A beautiful performance of a fascinating and moving story.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 57 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217406425
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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