AUGUST 9, 2019

Happy Friday, friends. Not going to sugarcoat it: It’s been a hard week. We are devastated by the horrific acts of violence in El Paso and Dayton, and the loss of one of our most beloved literary voices, whose powerful words offered solace when we needed it most—whether we were worthy of her wisdom or not (spoiler, we weren’t). Take care of yourselves. ❤️

Remembering Toni Morrison.

The literary world and beyond are mourning the passing of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison, who died on August 5. Morrison’s impact is almost immeasurable. Her many works, such as Beloved, The Bluest Eye, and Jazz, centered Black women in her beautiful and lyrical storytelling and gave voice and visibility to a hitherto unseen slice of American life. A granddaughter of slaves and a single mother of two, she’d go on to become the first Black woman to receive the Pulitzer for fiction, amassing many more accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her work is undoubtedly a permanent piece of the literary canon, and there are simply not enough words to describe how much Toni Morrison’s work and very existence in this world has meant to so many of us. We are so sad about her death but so grateful for her life.

Love is a many-splendored thing.

I don’t think that polyamory is somehow more evolved than monogamy, a sex researcher says in a viral New York Times story on polyamory. “But it should be an option. People should have more options.” We’re not sure what’s more fascinating, the fact that a single option is still so overwhelmingly pervasive in a country that can’t seem to agree on anything else, or the thoughtful ways in which some people are experimenting with alternatives. The subject inspires endless FAQs (like, how do you not go bonkers with jealousy, for one?) and for answers we prescribe Many Love, Sophie Lucido Johnson’s candid and completely charming memoir about going from serial monogamist to proud polyamorist (er, polyamemoirist?).

tl;dr: there are water bears living on the moon!

When an Israeli lunar lander tried to land on the moon this April, it crashed and left behind a DVD-sized archive that included human DNA samples and thousands of microscopic animals that look like tiny, hairless, hibernating bears. Their official name—tardigrades—is a mouthful, so we’re going with their much cuter moniker, water bears. The catch? Water bears can survive without food or water for years, even in space! It’s probably nothing, but we plan to study up on microbes before water bears colonize the moon…just in case. It’s the only neighborly thing to do. Hmmmm, maybe we should get baking some welcome-to-the-neighborhood cookies, too. 🤔

Someone should’ve yelled ‘clear’ before she hit me with the paddles to the chest…

As we know firsthand from her appearance on Audicted, self-development powerhouse Rachel Hollis is not shy about going after what she wants. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the same applies to her relationship with her husband, Dave Hollis. According to audio of him reading from his upcoming release Get Out of Your Own Way: A Skeptic’s Guide to Growth and Fulfillment, a “hard, hard conversation” initiated by Rachel led to Dave’s eventual transformation as a husband, father, and human (click that link to hear the clip for yourself, btw). And this being the Hollises, that brutal discussion led to a breakthrough in their relationship—and this book. Now if only this unstoppable couple could fast-forward us all to March 2020 so we could listen to the full thing…

Get caught up.

We love it when our favorite stories make it to the screen—and we’re firm believers that it’s always best to listen to the book first. If you agree with us, here are some books to add to your TBLT list before you check out their adaptations!
  • From the mind of a very special canine, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it. Fall in (puppy) love before you see it on the big screen.
  • Anyone else can’t stop watching Hulu’s new trailer for Looking for Alaska? That’s right, John Green’s debut (!) novel will premiere as a limited series this October. The Printz-winning book has everything you’d expect from Green—great dialogue, sophisticated (yet angst-ridden) characters, and high school kids dealing with very adult situations.
  • If you have a Netflix account, chances are you haven’t been able to log in recently without being served up Otherhood. Before you give in to the temptation, check out the novel that inspired it by William Sutcliffe.
  • In probably the juiciest book news this week, Monica Lewinsky will be producing the latest season of American Crime Story based on Jeffrey Toobin’s book about the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. There’s so much to unpack here, but for now we’ll just be diving back in to A Vast Conspiracy and enjoying the shade...
...and if there’s any justice in this world, this Dear Polly column about a woman with both a mushroom allergy and horrifying in-laws—courtesy of advice queen Heather Havrilesky—will one day get its own adaptation. For now, catch up on our editors’ favorite August listens, why don’t you?
Till Next Week!
—the audible editors

Audiobooks in This Edition

Beloved Audiobook By Toni Morrison cover art
Jazz Audiobook By Toni Morrison cover art
The Wives Audiobook By Tarryn Fisher cover art
Many Love Audiobook By Sophie Lucido Johnson cover art
I Contain Multitudes Audiobook By Ed Yong cover art
The Bluest Eye Audiobook By Toni Morrison cover art