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Audiobooks for Postal Employees!
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BOOKS TO READ WHILE WORKING
July
2008 - Audiobooks reviewed by Jonathan Lowe |
 Forget
the Ark. Indy is looking for something even more mysterious and
dangerous in INDIANA JONES & THE KINGDOM OF THE
CRYSTAL SKULL. The novelization of the screenplay by David Koepp
(based on the story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson) is by
bestselling author James Rollins. Rollins is a good pick here, as is
L.J. Ganser as narrator for the story, since both writer and actor
have a knack for wisecracking humor. In real life, Rollins is an avid
spelunker and scuba diver, too, besides being author of Excavation,
Deep Fathom, Amazonia, Map of Bones, and Black Order. For his Lucas
Films adaptation, the time is 1957, and Indy is fired from teaching by
his McCarthy-era superiors, suspected of being a spy. Russian soldiers
have plundered a top secret government warehouse, looking for a
powerful relic, and after foiling the attempt with a narrow escape,
Indy is on the run to rescue a colleague in the Amazon jungle, and to
solve the mystery of the Crystal Skull. Faithful to the film version,
the audiobook has the same science fiction turn at the end, which is
unlike previous Indy adventures. I recommend the audiobook only if you
haven't seen the film. It has a similar feel that--by necessity--is
quite different than other (scarier) Rollins titles. It may also be
the final Indiana Jones adventure committed to film and audio, and so
if you haven't yet heard a book on CD, that may also be reason enough
to give it a try. (Random House Audio; 8 1/2 hours unabridged)
The rising middle class of India and China want their turn at the good
life. With economics veering in their favor, they will have it, too.
What this means for Americans is sharply rising prices for fuel and
food, as demand increases for commodities. What it means for the
environment isn't pretty. In writing about the success of "the rest of
the world," Fareed Zakaria in THE POST AMERICAN WORLD, points to
American culture and past affluence for setting an example for the
world. Decades of American influence has made many nations eager to
obtain the same pride and power. ("We will be the next Superpower," a
young man on the streets of Delhi recently boasted.) What Zakaria
argues is that Washington needs to radically shift its foreign policy
focus, before it's too late. Because change is already happening, and
we can either fight it and lose, or create coalitions and join the
world community as an equal partner instead of a superior force (ie.
policeman of the world.) "Globalization is unstoppable at this point,"
reiterates Zakaria, as editor of Newsweek International. What
threatens everyone now, he says, is Nationalism, which is
unfortunately another path toward which America has also pointed (ie.
US VS. THEM, "we're #1.") Indeed, where Nationalism is strongest, more
weapons systems are required, and as Einstein once put it at the
advent of the atomic bomb, "Nationalism is the measles of humanity."
In the end, though, Zakaria, as narrator here, presents a thoughtful
and comprehensive assessment of the future that is not without hope.
He cites America's educational system and diversity as its greatest
assets, and rejects the idea that we will ever become a so-called
"third world" nation. "The Post American World" is therefore not an
anti-American book, as the title may suggest, but a wake-up call in
the form of an examination of what is actually happening in the rest
of the world. (Simon & Schuster Audio; 8 1/2 hours unabridged)
Next, have you ever wondered how strippers become jaded and
disillusioned? Wonder no more in listening to NO MAN'S LAND, a memoir
with a cynical bent, narrated by its author, Ruth Fowler. Fowler was
subject of a New York Times piece on stripping, and decided to pen a
book on her experiences. Unusually well positioned to do so, (she's a
Cambridge grad and UK freelancer), Fowler first arrived in the Big
Apple with high hopes for becoming a writer. . . ambitions that were
subsequently dashed. Then, after a stint working on cruise ships, and
using the pseudonym "Mimi," she began stripping to make ends meet.
Chronicling her life from that point, along with those she meets,
Fowler seems to lose her own identity in the underworld nightlife of
anonymous sex. The memoir is oddly disconcerting and defiant, both raw
and literary, like a wilting flower in a waste dump. It's also
poignant and revelatory, if self indulgent. (Penguin Audio; 9 hours
unabridged)
Is no one immune to invisible influences? Not according to SWAY--THE
IRRESISTIBLE PULL OF IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR by Ori & Rom Brafman. Whether
you're the veteran pilot who made the disastrous decision to take off
down a foggy runway without clearance, or the President (Johnson or
Bush) who made the decision to continue fighting without an exit
strategy, there are hidden forces at work. SWAY, as read by John
Apicella, outlines these forces with examples of why we are influenced
against our better judgment. Fear of loss is one strong motivation,
which can lead to exponentially greater losses if we don't recognize
it early. Another is our inability to reevaluate our initial
impression of someone or something, even given glaring new evidence.
Or to assume the value of something based on its popularity or
celebrity endorsements. (Oprah said what?) Why are we more likely to
"fall in love" when there is danger involved? Why is a virtuoso
violinist completely ignored when playing in a subway, although given
a standing ovation in Carnegie Hall? Hidden psychological forces are
swaying us all the time, and this audiobook, in the tradition of
"Blink" and "Freakonomics," provides many intriguing examples. (Highbridge
Audio; 4 3/4 hours unabridged)
Finally, Brad Thor is not averse to taking risks. He does so with his
latest thriller THE LAST PATRIOT, about a Homeland Security operative
named Scot Harvath, who goes on the hunt for a secret final revelation
made by the Prophet Mohammed just before his assassination. This
revelation, if disclosed, will end radical Islam's violence against
non-believers without another bullet or bomb required. Naturally,
there are those intent on never leaking this secret, and who are
prepared to kill in order to prevent that. In this fictional thriller,
and in the tradition of Robert Ludlum, the target includes Harvath,
who is also a former Navy SEAL. But in real life, one might ask if the
target might include author Brad Thor himself, as a former Homeland
Security operative. Narrated by actor Armand Schultz, the novel is
part spy thriller and part DaVinci Code puzzler. For more about Thor's
previous novels, see his website BradThor.com, which is hands-down the
most slick, high-tech author website out there. The audiobook also
includes an enhanced CD with bonus chapters and a video trailer.
(Simon & Schuster Audio; 6 hours abridged)
(These audiobooks may
be rented from Audio Adventures. Check out Jonathan's interview with
controversial author Brad Thor at JustSayNoWay.com) |
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Audiobooks are a great way to pass the time during those
long (and often boring) work hours at the postal service. To find the latest audiobooks
of note check out Jonathan Lowe's Audio Books Review (left). Lowe is a 15 year postal veteran
(Window Clerk).
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Postmarked for Death
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