OCTOBER 11, 2019
TFW you’re 97 and you win one of the world’s biggest honors.
I’m very happy to have been able to live this long!Humble words from one of this year’s Nobel Prize winners, John B. Goodenough (who also wins our unofficial
Name of the Weekaward 🏆). Goodenough was part of the team who won this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry, awarded to three scientists whose work contributed to the invention of the Lithium-Ion battery—which, as the Nobel committee notes, not only fuels your mobile phone activity, but also helps cut down on fossil fuels due to its use in electric cars. But don’t tell that first bit to Ann Patchett (author of one of Editor Emily’s favorites for this fall, The Dutch House), who revealed this week she doesn’t even have a smartphone.
Speaking of trailblazers…
After a career marked by being largely underestimated by Hollywood, actor/producer/movie mogul Tyler Perry unveiled his epically large new studios in Atlanta last weekend with a two-day star-studded grand opening, complete with church services and grand performances. The 330-acre complex is reportedly larger than that of three top LA studios combined. He dedicated his 12 sound stages to Black celebrities who inspired him, such as Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah, who were on hand for the festivities, as well as the recently deceased Diahann Carroll, to whom he paid tribute on Instagram.A book-world controversy.
BuzzFeed reported on the similarities between Kim Michele Richardson’s novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and best-selling author Jojo Moyes’s new release, The Giver of Stars. The overlap is undeniable, but it also seems unlikely Moyes could’ve been exposed to Richardson’s work before beginning her own research. The dispute reminded Editor Katie of a story Elizabeth Gilbert shares in Big Magic. Gilbert believes ideas exist all around us, and if one is begging for your attention, you need to nurture it—otherwise, it will find a home with someone else. Gilbert once had an idea for a novel set in the Amazon, but she let it fly away, and she firmly believes it found its home in Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder (and we know it didn’t get there by smartphone!). We can’t help thinking there’s something to this mystical notion of the origins of novels.Supreme season kicked off.
The Supreme Court returned to session this past Monday, and three of the cases heard this week deal with whether the federal law barring employment discrimination on the basis of sex extends its protections to LGBTQIA+ people. This effectively sets the court up to punch the tires on the Civil Rights Act of 1964—the definitive history on it can be found here—as plaintiff lawyers lean on the Act to make their case. This is in no way the only hot-button issue on the docket this session, with immigration and abortion rights up for debate in the coming months. As always, we’ll keep our ears out for any clarifying listens to help untangle the headlines.Short stuff:
- CBS announced it will launch a miniseries based on James Comey’s memoir A Higher Loyalty. Jeff Daniels is set to star as the former FBI Director, and President Donald Trump will be portrayed by Brendan Gleeson.
- Author and poet Staceyann Chin visited Audible to celebrate National Coming Out Day and talk about her Audible original Motherstruck!, her true story of being a Jamaican-American woman, who happens to be a lesbian, trying to have a baby in her mid-30s.
- We had a good laugh at the expense of everyone’s favorite sans-serif punching bag, Comic Sans. If you too love font humor, we have just the cozy mystery series for you!
- Thirty years after the fall of the wall, David Hasselhoff is still big in Berlin—but we knew that already ;)
- The New York Times reported on the heated debate around theater etiquette in the mobile age. We hate to pick sides of the figurative theater aisle, but we’ll just say we think we’ve found a happy middle ground.
—the audible editors
Audiobooks in This Edition
-
The Dutch House
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Tom Hanks
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55,189
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 49,304
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48,969
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not my favorite Patchett
- By Regina on 12-07-19
-
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- A Novel
- By: Kim Michele Richardson
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20,800
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18,485
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18,377
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything - everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A LOVELY, SAD AND PROFOUND BOOK!
- By Janna Wong Healy on 08-17-19
-
The Giver of Stars
- Reese's Book Club (A Novel)
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47,890
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 42,445
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42,161
Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So, when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
About time!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-25-19
-
Big Magic
- Creative Living Beyond Fear
- By: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26,556
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 23,282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23,136
People of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Biggest Inspiration In a Long Time
- By Gillian on 09-23-15
-
State of Wonder
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Hope Davis
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 8,452
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,796
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 6,774
Research scientist Dr. Marina Singh is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have disappeared in the Amazon while working on an extremely valuable new drug. The last person who was sent to find her died before he could complete his mission. Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding answers to the questions about her friend's death, her company's future, and her own past.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Do yourself a favor and listen to this book!
- By F. B. H. In TN on 06-10-11
-
Higher Is Waiting
- By: Tyler Perry
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,701
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,335
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,334
Higher Is Waiting is a spiritual guidebook, a collection of teachings culled from the experiences of a lifetime, meant to inspire listeners to climb higher in their own lives and pull themselves up to a better, more fulfilling place. In this gem of a book, Tyler Perry writes of how his faith has sustained him in hard times, centered him in good times, and enriched his life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So authentic and inspiring!!!
- By Kind on 11-15-17
-
The Dutch House
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Tom Hanks
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55,189
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 49,304
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48,969
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not my favorite Patchett
- By Regina on 12-07-19
-
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- A Novel
- By: Kim Michele Richardson
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20,800
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18,485
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18,377
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything - everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A LOVELY, SAD AND PROFOUND BOOK!
- By Janna Wong Healy on 08-17-19
-
The Giver of Stars
- Reese's Book Club (A Novel)
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47,890
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 42,445
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42,161
Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So, when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
About time!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-25-19
-
Big Magic
- Creative Living Beyond Fear
- By: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Gilbert
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26,556
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 23,282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23,136
People of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Biggest Inspiration In a Long Time
- By Gillian on 09-23-15
-
State of Wonder
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Hope Davis
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 8,452
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,796
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 6,774
Research scientist Dr. Marina Singh is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have disappeared in the Amazon while working on an extremely valuable new drug. The last person who was sent to find her died before he could complete his mission. Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding answers to the questions about her friend's death, her company's future, and her own past.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Do yourself a favor and listen to this book!
- By F. B. H. In TN on 06-10-11
-
Higher Is Waiting
- By: Tyler Perry
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,701
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,335
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,334
Higher Is Waiting is a spiritual guidebook, a collection of teachings culled from the experiences of a lifetime, meant to inspire listeners to climb higher in their own lives and pull themselves up to a better, more fulfilling place. In this gem of a book, Tyler Perry writes of how his faith has sustained him in hard times, centered him in good times, and enriched his life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So authentic and inspiring!!!
- By Kind on 11-15-17