What I've Heard- Conviction

I really enjoyed reading Conviction by Denise Mina and honestly, the audio version was even better! This book is all about a woman who loves listening to true crime podcasts and then gets pulled into her own crime mystery. Listening to the characters makes it seem like listening to that podcast. This was a good one.

 

Taste by Stanley Tucci

I like to listen to audiobooks while I ride my bicycle. Usually, I listen to books I've already read so that I don't miss anything in the plot if I get distracted. One of the exceptions that I make is memoirs. It is usually easier to keep up with the story being told and my favorite way to experience a memoir is through the voice of the person. My latest listen is Taste by Stanley Tucci. I have long enjoyed the parts he's played in movies, but now that I've listened to his book, I absolutely adore him!

Tucci tells about growing up in New York state with Italian parents and grandparents who loved food more than life itself. He shares family recipes and draws the listener into the family kitchen so that they feel like they are really there at the table. In one scene, he describes trying to leave his grandparents' house after a visit and the argument that ensued when his grandmother was trying to get his mother to take a large bag of food with her. I would try to describe it to you here, but that would only ruin the joy of you hearing Tucci telling the story himself.

He also talks about his first wife, who died from cancer, and his current wife with whom he lives in London. He talks about his acting career a little, his famous friends a bit, and even shares his own fight with cancer. Every story he tells drips with love, and also butter. He says only the nicest things and always in a way that you can tell he truly means it. I cannot recommend this book enough. Please add it to your list, and if possible, choose the audio version.

 

What I've Heard- Greenlights

Matthew McConaghey just has one of those voices. It's gravely, but not rough. It's low, but casual. It's just gorgeous and listening to his memoir Greenlights is a real treat. McConaghey shares stories about growing up in rural Texas, getting his first acting gig, traveling the world- often to unusual destinations-, living the Hollywood life, and meeting his wife and starting their family. It is filled with lessons learned the easy or hard way, but always with a sense of humor and a healthy dose of perspective.

I've read reviews calling this self-indulgent or vain, but it is a memoir. It is supposed to be about him. There were, admittedly, a few cringy moments, but show me someone whose life doesn't have those and I'll show you a fibber. He even includes the naked bongo story! The theme throughout the book is that if we work hard and do the right things, Green Lights will light our way.

I found this audio book engaging and very difficult to turn off at the end of a bike ride. It was inspirational and interesting. Add it to your next road trip playlist!

 

What I've Heard- Braving the Wilderness

I just finished listening to Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown. It is my first book by the author, though I've seen her TED talk and watched her Netflix special. This one came highly recommended and I loved it. I really enjoyed the discussions about belonging versus fitting in. She explains it this way: 

"True belonging doesn't require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are."

I listened to the audio version of this book and it was wonderful. Brene reads it herself and you get her full personality through her words. If you are offended by the word "bullsh*t", you might not enjoy it, but in my opinion it is used totally appropriately. The only problem with the audio, of course, is the inability to highlight or take notes or walk around with the print copy showing it to others and yelling "See!" with absolutely no context and only your crazy eyeballs warning them they should maybe take a step or two backwards. I mean, if you're the kind of person who does things like that.

I'm not. I'm totally not. 

Anyway... this book was great and I've already checked out three more Brene Brown audio books from the library and I'm on the list for another. The rest of my summer very well may be Brene Camp!

 

What I've Heard- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb chronicles Lori's path to her career as a therapist and through her own therapy following a devastating breakup. We all need to talk to someone, sometimes. For many patients, Lori is that person, but she needs her own person, too. In this book, we get to hear about Lori's clients (names and identifying characteristics all changed, of course). They include a grumpy, middle-aged jerk who finds fault in everyone; an older woman who feels she has no purpose left in life; and a sweet young woman with terminal cancer. We watch as they grow, come to understand their feelings, and do better. And we see the bond that, though always professional, connects therapist and patient.

This book was a fascinating look into the world of therapy and what it can do to help people heal. It was also insightful and funny. I listened to the audio version and enjoyed it very much. I felt highly invested in each of the "characters" and enjoyed hearing Lori's story as well.

What I've Heard- You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey

When I read You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar, I knew the audio version would be ah-mazing. If you've seen The Amber Ruffin Show you also know that Amber is hilarious and anything with her voice is going to be better.

Y'all. I was. Not. Wrong.

The stories in this book are, as the subtitle says, absolutely crazy. And horrible. And so mean, but somehow Amber and Lacey make them funny, too. I guess that's the real sign of comedic genius and there is plenty of it here. Please listen to this book. Or read it. Or do both simultaneously.

Whatever works for you, but don't wait another day.

 

What I've Heard- Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?

I really enjoyed reading Caitlin Doughty's Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, so I quickly put a library hold on her audiobook Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Caitlin reads it herself, which I love, and it is a question-answer format produced solely from the questions she receives from children because we all know kids will ask anything. And boy are there some doozies in this book. It is, in equal measures, fascinating and gruesome. Caitlin doesn't tiptoe around the realities of death and I really kind of love her for it. 

Since I listened to this mostly while riding my bike, I wasn't able to take notes and copy down my favorite quotes, but I will say that I laughed out loud on numerous occasions, as well as audibly squealing, "Ewww...gross!" more than once or twice. I totally recommend adding this one to your list, and if your kids are brave and you aren't too squeemish, it would be an awesome audiobook for your next family road trip. Lots of fun conversations! 

What I've Heard- Everybody Fights

If you know who the Holderness Family are, it is nearly certain that you love them. They first came to fame with their Christmas Jammies video and have spent the last decade adding much needed humor to the world of the internets. They seem to have a great family and the perfect marriage so I really love that the book they've chosen to write and release out into the ether is entitled Everybody Fights. Of course they seem madly in love all the time- no one would want to publish videos of their arguments about replacing the toilet paper roll or putting away wet towels. And yet, they have made themselves vulnerable enough to show the world that they have struggles like anyone else, that everybody fights, even them.

Marriage maintenance is important and learning to communicate well enough to be able to argue productively is a huge part of that. Kim and Penn have seen a marriage coach for years and in this book they share many of the things they have learned that have helped them. I listened to the audio version and I highly recommend it because so much of their personalities come through and it makes it so much more impactful. And also fun. They are a fun couple and this is one marriage book you'll actually enjoy.

 

What I've Heard- This is How it Always Is

I waited to listen to This Is How it Always Is because I wanted to have some distance from the story and hopefully enjoy it anew. That strategy worked wonderfully well. I love this book so much and I was able to enjoy the sweet, funny moments as if I hadn't heard them before. The magic in the characters is so special. The mixture of fairy tale and truth is perfectly swirled together.

This was the best book I read in 2019 and I stand by that assessment. I will definitely listen to this one again. I hope you'll add it to your list.

 

What I've Heard- The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

I just finished listening to the audio version of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. I read the book about a year ago and it was very confusing for the first few chapters. Then I was able to catch on to the concept and go with it. While I listened to the audio version, I was glad I knew a little of what was happening. It had also been long enough that I had forgotten much of the plot which kept me guessing what would happen next. This, but the way, is my preferred way to listen to audio books, when I have forgotten enough of the story that it is almost, but not quite, like new.

The Narrator is James Cameron Stewart who has a very lovely British accent, but the pace was very deliberate, bordering on slow. I would not recommend this for a long car ride or another activity where you need to remain alert. I listened while riding my bike and that was just fine. The mystery is engaging, but the narration was a bit draggy. It would be a great distraction during housework or other chores that keep you moving anyway. I really do recommend this book, but hold on and be patient with the initial confusion. It is well worth it.

What I've Heard- How to Walk Away

When I read Katherine Center's How to Walk Away, I gushed about how much I loved it and how great it was. I have just finished listening to the audio version and it may be that either the book was exactly what I needed back in the fall of 2019 or it was not the book I needed to listen to now. The story is still cute and there are still fun characters, but there were also characters that annoyed me far more than I remember from when I read it. I almost couldn't get through the first scene that leads to the main character, Margaret's accident because her boyfriend was making me so angry. Of course, I knew what was coming this time so that may have also contributed to my frustration. 

This book is still cute, but I'm afraid that's all it is. If you're looking for a sweet romance, an easy read, and an inspiration story about a woman fighting for her own recovery I think you'll like this one. Fluff has its own value, I try never to knock it, but fluff is what this is.

Narrator is kind of annoying.

What I've Heard- Talking to Strangers

What happens when people don't know how to talk to strangers? 

I can't remember where I heard that I needed to read Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. It's obviously been a while because as I sifted through my collection looking for a new audiobook, I had completely forgotten what it was about. I thought it was a manual for understanding other people better, being able to talk with people we don't know, kind of an inter-personal how-to book. I was mostly wrong. The one thing I did remember correctly was that it was highly recommended to listen to the audio version. The book was supposedly very good, but the audio version was substantially better because it was almost like listening to a long form podcast. Read by the author, this audio book also included recorded clips from interviews with the subjects he is discussing, a score to deepen the experience, and trial testimony- either the actual audio or the transcript performed by actors.

Talking to Strangers is a book about how many factors go into understanding people we don't know. Told in what appears to be a bit of a stream of consciousness narrative, Gladwell bounces from one example to the next in order to build his way toward his point. This book is decidedly complex and there were times I wasn't sure what Gladwell was trying to say, but then he would pull it all back together, drawing out the critical details in order to explain everything.

The various stories include CIA agents being duped for years by double agents, Ponzi schemes, the interrogation of terrorists, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the arrest and death of Sandra Bland. If these topics seem unconnected and incoherent, you will really feel that way as you are listening to the audio book. But hold on, keep listening, pay attention and it will start to make sense. This book is a bit heavy at times and you may find yourself listening to a topic with which you disagree, but I encourage you to be patient and trust that it will begin to make sense. I will admit there were times I needed to take breaks, but I am so glad that I persisted.

I found this book absolutely fascinating and I hope you will, too.

What I've Heard- Big Magic

After hearing so many rave reviews from friends about Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic, I was excited to listen to it myself. Gilbert reads for the audio version and I always feel like that is a plus. Hearing the author read their own words ensures that everything receives exactly the intended emphasis and importance. In this book of advice and inspiration for creativity, Gilbert encourages us all to reach for whatever kind of art or craft we pursue whether that be visual art, music, or writing. Once we have reached out for that creativity, she challenges us to own and develop it.

I particularly enjoyed the story she told of having a book idea, planning it out, preparing to write it, and then life got in the way so she put it on hold. As she tells it, the idea couldn't wait and went on to another writer. She makes no claim that the idea was stolen, but fully acknowledges that ideas need to be nurtured or they will go somewhere else. And that's okay. I really liked the direction she gives about being open to ideas and all the Big Magic out in the world. 

I would have liked if the book had been a little more instructional than just inspirational, but it serves well as a little boost of motivation. One important tip that she does give is "Don't quit your day job." She spends a fair amount of time talking about how some people think if they are going to really commit to their art they should quit everything else and put it all on the line for creativity. Gilbert says there is no reason at all you can't create, in whatever form that takes for you, in your spare time, of which we all have plenty if we can arrange our priorities. Sure, you may have to go to an office 8-9 hours a day to pay the bills, but the rest of the 15-16 hours of each day are available to be used however you choose. Choose wisely.

Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. It has a few good rah-rah moments and is probably good for a little motivation. The audio version is a great way to go because it doesn't require a lot of time investment. I listened to it on morning walks and it only took a few days. Borrow this one from the library and just pop it in when you have time. 

What I've Heard- Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Well! After that last audiobook, I really needed something funny that would lighten the mood a little. Or a lot. 

Jenny Lawson was the obvious and perfect choice. Let's Pretend This Never Happened is one of those books that I always recommend to people and for a darn good reason- it. is. hilarious!

I wax rhapsodic plenty in my print review (see the link above) so I won't go on and on about it again here, but I do want to say how wonderfully Jenny reads this book. Is there anything better than a memoir read by the author? Except that Jenny doesn't just read this book. She sings it, she laughs along with you, she adds so much more value than even the print book can provide.

I love Jenny Lawson. I wish we were best friends. Read or listen to this now. You don't even know how much you need this in your life. So, so much.

What I've Heard- Station Eleven

I read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel nearly four years ago and I loved it! A flu pandemic has swept the planet leaving more that 99% of people dead. People panic, the economy and infrastructure collapse, there is almost nothing of civilization left. And I had the thought- what better time to revisit this great read than during the Covid-19 Pandemic?

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Actually, this book is very good and, as I said in my review of the print book, one of my favorite aspects is that it mostly focuses on the time long after the flu has remade the humanity. This book is so much more character driven that one might expect and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them.

If you are really worried right not, maybe wait a little while. Or if you are one of those both-feet-in, theatre-of-the-macabre kind of people, this is the perfect book for you! 

What I've Heard- The Silent Patient

After reading The Silent Patient  a year ago, I knew I would want to revisit the story and see how all those twists and turns happened. Listening to the audiobook was a great way to do that! Narrated by two voices, Jack Hawkins as Theo and Louise Brealey as Alicia, the listener is kept captive by the back and forth of the perspectives. The voicing of Alicia was so familiar that it was driving me a little crazy. I knew it was a voice I had heard on another audiobook. I knew it was the voice of someone a little unstable, but who was it? It was really bugging me so I search through Audible and discovered Brealey also narrated The Girl on the Train. You would think the familiar sensation would have jogged my memory as I had something so similar listening to that audiobook as well- Brealey is the actress who plays Molly Hooper on Sherlock. She has such a great voice for audiobooks and hopefully I will remember the next time I come across it and not drive myself mad again. 

This was a wonderful audiobook. It would be exactly the perfect thing for a road trip where you want to stay entertained, but not too relaxed. This storyline is fast and exciting and will keep your attention through the long hours on the highway. You may even find yourself reluctant to stop just to find out what will happen next. I listened to it while working around the house and painting a guest room and it kept me plenty distracted from the chores. I didn't mind the time spent because I was so engrossed in the story.

What I've Heard- Every Note Played

I'll tell you what I heard- I heard sobbing and sniffling and ridiculous crying! Every Note Played by Lisa Genova is a wonderful book and the audio version is every bit as wonderful. Narrated by both a female and male actor, each taking the parts of Karina and Richard, the listener is drawn even more into their story and the terrible effect ALS has on a patient and his caregiver. I knew this book would make me cry so I was careful to only listen in the privacy of my own home- perfect for housework. I cried so hard at some places,but it didn't even matter how crazy I looked and sounded. I highly recommend this book, but beware about where you read or listen to it.

What I Heard- Let Me Lie

Listening to the audio version of a suspense novel is an interesting activity. You know what is going to happen, but you're given the opportunity to see how the author made it all happen. It's a little like peeking behind the curtain. That was the case when I listened to Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh. Things that were a huge reveal when I was reading it were much clearer the second time through and I really liked it. There were plenty of details that I had forgotten and those were still a fun revelation. This book is exciting and thrilling and you should add it to your list!

What I Heard- A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman wasn't love at first sight for me, but with every page that I read back in January I loved it more. This week I listened to the audiobook knowing how much I was going to love it and I was not disappointed. Ove is such a grumpy old fart, and yet we can't help but love him. I am sure if anyone caught sight of me with my earbuds in listening to this wonderful book they likely thought I was completely crazy- I was, in turns, laughing hysterically and sobbing out right, and sometimes both at once. This audio is fabulous and if you haven't read or listened to the book yet, it is time.

What I've Heard- Becoming by Michelle Obama

I was very excited to finally get to listen to Becoming by Michelle Obama! It. Was. FANTASTIC!

I have long admired the former First Lady, but I didn't know much at all about her childhood or the family that raised her. Michelle is proud of her Southside of Chicago upbringing and the steady and loving family who surrounded and encouraged her. The reader is allowed to follow her on her journey from small public school within walking distance of her home to a magnet school three hours away by city bus to Princeton and on to Harvard Law School. We then watch as she strives to make partner at a law firm in Chicago where she meets a plucky young intern named Barack.

SPOILER ALERT: they get married and have two daughters.

Michelle then lets us peek inside her struggles to balance her own career ambitions with those of her husband and with raising her family. I enjoyed learning about all the behind the scenes work involved in being married to a candidate for Senate and then President. Life in the White House is also fascinating to read about as it focuses on her initiatives and goals as well as raising her girls in such a bright spotlight.

I don't usually listen to books I haven't read, but autobiographies read by the author are almost always a win-win. Of course, the only problem with audiobooks is that it is much harder to highlight and mark and draw hearts around all the wonderful quotes, but hearing Michelle's story in her own voice made it worth it. If you are fan of the Obamas you are going to love this book. If you aren't or if you are undecided, I urge you to give this book a try anyway. Politics is a very small part of her story and the rest is, I believe, pretty universal. I have great respect for Michelle- her integrity, her intelligence, her determination, and her optimism make her an excellent role model for girls and women of all ages.