APRIL 19, 2019

Welcome back to the Weekly Sound Off: The Skeleton Crew Edition. With one of our editors recovering from surgery (RIP Kat’s appendix) and others trying to take some hard-earned spring break, we’re operating with less than a full tank this week. The news, however, was firing on all cylinders. That’s how it goes, right? Let’s dive in.

A truly amazing Pulitzer pick.

Richard Powers’s The Overstory just won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and a few of us around the office who pride ourselves on being in the know can’t believe we haven’t picked this amazing listen up yet. An ambitious and sweeping look at humanity’s inextricable link to the natural world, told through interconnected stories, The Overstory is proving to be the environmental revelation we just might need right now. But we weren’t surprised our brilliant Audible listeners knew this was a gem (check out those reviews!). Listener Michael sums it all up in what might be the best review ever: I'm a fuel guzzling truck driver but this book made me wanna pull my semi to the side of the road and hug a tree. Copy that, driver 💙

Power and influence.

The Time 100 Most Influential People round-up does what any list worth its salt does: It shines a light on your favorites right alongside more controversial figures. This year’s global influencers were praised by other boldface names who know and/or admire them. Justin Timberlake wrote about his connection to Tiger Woods and how incredible the golf star’s recent Masters win really was. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, she of the epic surprise albums and dope documentaries, shared her love for Michelle Obama. Mitch McConnell gave his take on Brett Kavanaugh’s leadership, while Hillary Clinton espoused that of Nancy Pelosi; and others gave writers such as Tara Westover, Lynn Nottage, and Marlon James their due. Check out the full list here.

So what’s all the buzz about?

A little long-awaited report finally dropped to the public yesterday, and EVERYONE has opinions. But as big believers in source material, we wanted to make sure that you all had the opportunity to hear the findings of the Special Counsel for yourself, so you can draw your own conclusions—and we’re bringing it to you for free. One of our best and most tenured narrators, Victor Bevine, is busy recording in our studios as we speak (type?), and we hope to release the final audio just after the weekend. Pre-order now so it will be delivered to your library when it’s ready.

This little piggie went to market. Then things got interesting.

If you thought dead pig brains were dead forever, think again—a new experiment has revived the brain cells of pigs that had been dead for at least four hours. In a scene straight out of Frankenstein, scientists were able to restore some metabolic and electrical activity in the dead brain cells by pumping them full of a mystery solution called BrainEx, making them partly alive again. But lest you worry about the impending zombie pig apocalypse, the researchers were prepared: In the unlikely event that the brains regained anything resembling actual consciousness, they planned to give the brains anesthetic drugs and cool them immediately to stop the process. Phew! Now let the ethics debates begin.

An icon in flames.

Earlier this week the world watched with shock and sadness as a fire engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The historic church, which began construction in the 12th century, has borne witness to so many moments throughout history, inspired classic literature, and served as a symbol of the city of Paris. We commend the efforts of the 400 firefighters who saved the structure, and the resilience of the French people as they seek to rebuild this piece of their history and culture.

Goodbye to sci-fi and fantasy master Gene Wolfe.

Editor Christina once resisted The Shadow of the Torturer—she thought the title seemed violent and unsavory, and her idea of a great novel is Kristin Lavransdatter, for heaven’s sake! And yet…the first line pulled her in: It is possible I already had some presentiment of my future. (Word nerds: How many other novels start with three time frames in a single sentence?) Years later, her Audible colleagues cast one of her favorite narrators as the voice of Severian, and Jonathan Davis’s performance showed her that Severian’s epic arc is actually a quest for mercy on a dark Urth. Despite the passing of a great writer and a kind man this week, she is grateful for the permanence of Gene Wolfe’s work—as we all are. As a gateway to sci-fi and fantasy classics, as a first-rate bildungsroman, and as a long-arc parable of redemption, The Book of the New Sun lives on!
See you next week.
—the audible editors

Audiobooks in This Edition

The Overstory Audiobook By Richard Powers cover art
Tiger Woods Audiobook By Jeff Benedict, Armen Keteyian cover art
Queen Bey Audiobook By Veronica Chambers cover art
Becoming Audiobook By Michelle Obama cover art
The Long Game Audiobook By Mitch McConnell cover art
'N Sync & Justin Timberlake: A Rockview Audiobiography Audiobook By Joe Jacks, Anna Hans, Pete Bruens cover art