en-US Sun, 15 Sep 2024 08:25:23 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review6830787790 Sun, 15 Sep 2024 08:25:23 -0700 /review/show/6830787790 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty (Hardcover) by Patrick Radden Keefe
This provides a riveting investigation into the Sackler family and their role in the opioid epidemic. Patrick Radden Keefe, a master of long-form journalism, delves deep into the aggressive manufacturing and marketing of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma. Keefe's exhaustive research, including extensive court records and other documents, reveals the family's denial of the drug's addictive nature despite mounting medical evidence. The Sacklers' use of their wealth to secure complicity from federal agencies, the legal and medical systems, and their attempts to buy immortality through philanthropy paint a picture of amoral greed.

Audiobook version:

The audiobook is narrated with a compelling intensity, making the complex and often overwhelming amount of material accessible and engaging. Keefe’s skillful storytelling turns what could be dry facts into a gripping narrative. The book's examination of the devastating impact of the opioid crisis, which has claimed more American lives than the Vietnam War, is both chilling and thought-provoking. If you're interested in a deep, narrative-driven exploration of a major contemporary issue, this audiobook is a must-listen. ]]> Review6830783002 Sun, 15 Sep 2024 08:21:59 -0700 /review/show/6830783002 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to Leonardo da Vinci (Hardcover) by Walter Isaacson
This biography is a bit longer than it probably needed to be, as the author's conclusion tends to re-emphasize points already made in the narrative. However, it's still a very intriguing listen. Narrated with a thoughtful tone, the audiobook effectively brings Leonardo da Vinci’s life to vivid detail.

Audiobook:

The author draws heavily from Leonardo’s extensive notes, which provide a treasure trove of insights into his goals, interests, and inventions. These notes are a key asset for the biographer, offering clarity on Leonardo's diverse pursuits, from art to science. The portrayal of Leonardo as a polymath, despite his self-described 'unlettered' status, showcases his impressive intelligence and creativity.

The audiobook narration highlights Leonardo’s profound engagement with empirical experimentation and observation, making his multifaceted genius accessible and engaging. If you enjoy deep dives into historical figures with a rich audio experience, this biography will be well worth your time. ]]> AuthorFollowing104075984 Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:49:02 -0700 AuthorFollowing104075966 Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:48:03 -0700 Review6720395945 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 15:39:19 -0700 /review/show/6720395945 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to Life and Other Love Songs (Paperback) by Anissa Gray
"For a genuine, intimate exploration of love, loss, and the threads that bind us all together, pick up a copy of . It’s an audiobook of powerful, impactful stories that will keep you connected well beyond the time you spend between the covers.

Gray’s gift for storytelling shines in her characters, who are grappling with needs and challenges of their own. From family dynamics, to the search for personal fulfillment, Gray’s storytelling is deep and rich with meaning and emotion.

In the performer narrates with warmth and depth, tenderly inviting the audience to feel the story as it unfolds in all its beauty and in all the ways that we all are connected through stories of grace and resilience and the power of love to make things right.

From powerful, to narratives of resilience and hope, the raw magic of “Life and Other Love Songs� provides an engaging, emotional performance that is sure to entertain readers who are particularly drawn to stories of personal growth, familial bonds, and the heart’s connection in the tangled threads of relationships. Anissa Gray’s audiobook is sure to have multiple readers.Listeners are sure to be uplifted by the emotionally charged stories that have been developed by the powerful storytelling decisions that Gray has made. ]]> Review6720391993 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 15:35:06 -0700 /review/show/6720391993 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel (Hardcover) by Shahnaz Habib
, is now available for purchase to listen to on the go. This audiobook tells the colorful and rich history of travel from ancient pilgrimages to the modern era's travel of cross-continent distances. Habib's tale is both insightful and sharp, bringing an unexpected view to how travel influenced societies and cultures over time. From the rapid rise of commercial airlines to the emergence of lower-cost travel, “Airplane Mode� investigates the changes, characters, and revolutions that have made travel a fixture of the global ebb and flow.

This is more than just words � the warmth with which the narrator speaks the words really allows you to experience the comical, and historical content. For each chapter is a combination of history and entertainment, the book “Airplane Mode� delivers to those who love adventure, history, cultural history, and the world. This book is a successful benefit of the education of travel, complete with full-on entertainment you can put on full blast. This audiobook is an amazing and historically reverent audiobook that explores the joy and frustration of travel globally. ]]> Review6720193087 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 15:32:12 -0700 /review/show/6720193087 Ugvaja has read Don't Make Me Pull Over!: An Informal History of the Family Road Trip (Hardcover) by Richard Ratay
For anyone interested in being taken back thought time while listening to a fun and informative tale of the heritage of family road trips, , is a perfect audiobook. The way Ratay presents his narrative and how this fun and informative topic is narrated will make his exploration of American travel culture educational and delightful.

Ratay doesn’t only give fascinating history, but displays the humor and the challenges that present themselves when road tripping with family. The way that the narrator delivers Ratay’s story, enhances Ratay’s stories and examples, and consequently, my experience of listening to it.

I have a love for history and traveling, and the narration of thisbook landed on my ears amazingly well. It makes me think about the intimate, memorable experiences and the crazy moments that one only gets to have on a family road trip. This has insightful and funny anecdotes that will reverberate with your own memories of family road trips.

For those who have road trips in their near future, or who just enjoy a good story, Richard Ratay's work will entertain you and teach you all in one book. Richard has made a glistening, and playful, and, at times, a moving, story of the road trip, and the audiobook will leave you feeling good, and possibly looking for keys to get on your own road trip. ]]> Review6720129908 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 15:28:49 -0700 /review/show/6720129908 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works (Hardcover) by Helen Czerski
When I heard , it was a stunning dive into oceanography. The book's accessibility and Helen Czerski's knowledge, coupled with engaging narration, allowed me to understand the complexities of the ocean.

Throughout in this book the author discusses the profound web of the ocean, and walks readers through the world from the biology of marine life to how ocean currents function, highlighting the ocean's importance to our planet. Helen Czerski and the narrator's clean and engaging sciencemanship made the book approachable and interesting to listen to.

This book captivated me because it was able to synthesise science with a good story. Czerski harmonizes research, the author's own comments in the book, and history, which makes for a narratively rich and clear portrait of how the ocean influences the behaviors of the planet and affects weather systems, habitats, and society.

As a science and environment enthusiast, this book felt like a refresher of the knowledge we know about the ocean; it made me realize how fascinating the ocean can be and reminded me of the magical and mysterious side of the ocean. From a conservation and sustainable point of view, the book made it clear to me how valuable the ocean truly is. The audiobook format to me is the most comfortable way to absorb new and interesting information and is a tool to inform anyone curious about the ocean.

For anyone who is excited to learn more about how the ocean shapes this world, "The Blue Machine" is indispensable. Helen Czerski has put together an that is informative and fun and makes the ocean seem even more spectacular, and underscores the influence the ocean has on the planet. ]]> Review6664018778 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:52:52 -0700 /review/show/6664018778 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization (Hardcover) by Vince Beiser
bookshelves: audiobooks
delves into the mysterious world of sand and its profound impact on human civilization. In this audiobook, author Vince Beiser explores the history and significance of sand, unveiling its unexpected and worldwide effects that have altered the course of civilization.

Following Vince Beiser's journey across continents and eras, his describes the ways in which sand has had an impact on fields as diverse as architecture, technology, environmental degradation and geopolitical conflict. Beiser's informative book is also a captivating one, shedding light on the overlooked aspects of this seemingly banal, essential resource.

Narrated with captivating precision, this book offers an engaging narrative of the people, places, and processes that contribute to the global sand industries. By offering both scientific and narrative insights, Beiser has made big issues personal and made them understandable to a 21st-century audience.

Whether you have an interest in the environment, cultural studies, or studying the relationship between human society and natural resources, "The World in a Grain" offers an audio journey that will enrich your understanding of the environment around you. Beiser's book becomes—disturbingly—visible in our world where sand is helping to shape our future, in both beautiful and threatening ways. ]]> Review6664018778 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:52:42 -0700 /review/show/6664018778 Ugvaja gave 5 stars to The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization (Hardcover) by Vince Beiser
bookshelves: audiobooks
delves into the mysterious world of sand and its profound impact on human civilization. In this audiobook, author Vince Beiser explores the history and significance of sand, unveiling its unexpected and worldwide effects that have altered the course of civilization.

Following Vince Beiser's journey across continents and eras, his describes the ways in which sand has had an impact on fields as diverse as architecture, technology, environmental degradation and geopolitical conflict. Beiser's informative book is also a captivating one, shedding light on the overlooked aspects of this seemingly banal, essential resource.

Narrated with captivating precision, this book offers an engaging narrative of the people, places, and processes that contribute to the global sand industries. By offering both scientific and narrative insights, Beiser has made big issues personal and made them understandable to a 21st-century audience.

Whether you have an interest in the environment, cultural studies, or studying the relationship between human society and natural resources, "The World in a Grain" offers an audio journey that will enrich your understanding of the environment around you. Beiser's book becomes—disturbingly—visible in our world where sand is helping to shape our future, in both beautiful and threatening ways. ]]>