For those who sweep it off the sidewalk or pour it out of their shoes, sand may not seem like a remarkable substance--until they listen to journalist Beiser's account of its importance in our modern world. With narrator Will Damron's even voice as our guide, Beiser explains how the raw material of glass, concrete, roads, and vacation resorts has encouraged sand mining on a massive and destructive scale. He reports from several U.S. locations and makes stops in China, India (home of a murderous "sand mafia"), and Palm Jumeirah (an artificial island of sand in Dubai), with Damron handling all of the dialogue without accents or adornment. This may not be one to listen to on the beach.
Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525626930
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dramatic encounters with wildlife are, unfortunately, muted footnotes in this memoir.
Few people have spent more hours observing wild wolves than the author of this unique nature memoir. Narrator Ryan Shaefer’s steady performance matches the author’s impactful yet emotionally subtle descriptions of wild spaces and the animals that inhabit them. McIntyre explains his decades-long evolution as a storyteller while teaching the public as a park ranger, naturalist, wolf researcher, and author. The audiobook is vivid and exciting when he talks about individual bears and wolves. However, he struggles to craft a compelling narrative out of his own life story. McIntyre ignores his own salient storytelling advice, describing his life chronologically as a list of facts, accomplishments, and job placements.
Dramatic encounters with wildlife are, unfortunately, muted footnotes in this memoir.Pub Date: June 13, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798228803619
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
A nuanced performance of the complicated journey to recover from one of Canada’s worst natural disasters.
Canadian actress and narrator Athena Karkanis commands listeners’ attention from the very first paragraph of this emotionally gripping audiobook, which was released on the 10th anniversary of the Fort McMurray fire in Alberta, Canada. The author, an award-winning journalist, recounts in frightening detail her race to reunite with her husband and narrowly escape the ferocious wildfire that engulfed her home and most of her community. Told through memories of the diverse objects that the author quickly chose to pack in the car before fleeing for her life, the audiobook is an intense emotional exploration of what it means to lose nearly everything.
A nuanced performance of the complicated journey to recover from one of Canada’s worst natural disasters.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 21 mins
DD ISBN: 9781778526343
Publisher: ECW Press
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2026
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