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Audiobooks for Postal Employees!
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BOOKS TO READ WHILE WORKING
September 2008 - Audiobooks reviewed by Jonathan Lowe |
 After
hearing Christopher Ciccone read his autobiography, one cannot help
wondering why now? Could it be that Christopher has once again
hit hard times, due to lack of work and drug use? Or could it simply
be that his sister, arguably the most famous woman on Earth (at least
to the 80s and 90s generation), has just turned 50, and there has been
a secret pact that he couldn't write a book like LIFE WITH MY SISTER
MADONNA until now? We are not told the reason for the timing, except
in a brief opening statement the author assures us that it was written
to sort out his thoughts about his sister, and served as a catharsis
in finally breaking free into his own identity, because, as he puts
it, "I was born my mother's son, but will die my sister's brother."
Christopher shared most of his life with Madonna, from a Michigan
childhood to a turbulent and emotional struggle in New York, then
finally as Madonna's art director and backup dancer on the Blond
Ambition and Girly Show tours. In between it all, he worked
for Madonna as dresser, decorator, and personal assistant, and became
friends with many of her famous friends, including Kate Moss, Gwyneth
Paltrow, and Demi Moore. Never able to break free from Madonna's
controlling influence into an independent dancer or designer in his
own right, Christopher fell victim again and again to mistreatment and
verbal abuse, as his sister underpaid him, doling out just enough to
keep him tied to her, while she lavished extravagant sums on houses
and art. Christopher's battle with drugs was soon to follow, as this
behind-the-curtain narrative unfolds with flagrant detail, tarnishing
his sister's carefully constructed mythology. A gay man with a deep
masculine voice, Christopher adopts an unemotional, matter-of-fact
tone in reading the book, which was coauthored by Wendy Leigh. Photos
of their life together appear in PDF on an enhanced CD, just as they
appear in the print book, but one doesn't get as vital or real a
picture reading the print version as in hearing Madonna's own brother
dish back as well as he's taken since the narcissistic, homophobic,
and macho Guy Ritchie effectively ended his relationship with the pop
icon. Now Madonna is ironically falling out with Ritchie, yet striking
deals to do concerts in Dubai for $25 million. Not without serious
flaws himself, the poorer Christopher Ciccone tells a story about the
cost of fame from an angle seldom seen, or rather heard. (Simon &
Schuster Audio; 5 hours abridged)
As a genre, romance has tended to fluctuate between the sappy and
steamy, taking stock characters on a predictable roller coaster ride
that ends with either a wedding or some twist on revenge. In recent
years, romance has strayed into mystery and suspense in a crossover
attempt to win a wider audience. Working mothers or career women whose
hopes for advancement included snagging the resident Adonis are no
longer typical of this new wave of novels populated by serial killer
investigators, ghost busters, and even vampires. The boring has turned
into the ridiculous. So it was with pleasant surprise that, having
ejected the first disk of a new (and vapid) Danielle Steel novel, I
next inserted TRAIN TO TRIESTE by first time novelist Domnica
Radulescu, a literate romance that breathes spontaneous life from its
opening paragraphs. In the memoir-clarity of first person, the story
of Mona Manoliu is told, circa 1977 in Ceausescu's Romania, as she
falls in love with a young man who is later seen in the uniform of the
secret police. Fleeing the country for Chicago, Mona goes on to live a
quite different life with another man, but can never forget her one
great love. Indeed, twenty years later, when she finally returns to
Romania to learn the truth, the moment is rendered with exquisite
detail, something that is simply absent in most of today's less
believable manipulations. The reason I haven't reviewed much romance
in the past is, (I now realize), not because I am not romantic, but
rather because I could never get past the first CDs. This audiobook
kept me through all nine disks, however, thanks to the well drawn
character of Mona, whose hauntingly original voice is honest, brave,
witty, and most of all passionate and alive. Thanks also to narrator
Yelena Shmulenson, whose ability to empathically inhabit the character
is matched by her masterful delivery and authentic accent. A
must-hear. (Highbridge Audio; 11 hours unabridged)
Next, have you ever wondered why the most seemingly sedate and
innocuous people can suddenly act recklessly demonic behind the wheel?
According to Tom Vanderbilt in TRAFFIC--WHY WE DRIVE THE WAY WE DO
it's because there's an anonymity inherent to the closed passenger
compartment similar to a chat room on the internet. So while John Q.
Public might never cut you off in conversation, he hesitates not at
all to cut you off in traffic. Safe and anonymous behind tinted glass,
many drivers feel a sense of invincibility--especially those whose
physical smallness or emotional insecurity is suddenly enhanced by a
huge or powerful vehicle. Vanderbilt explores the many ramifications
of human nature in driving, as well as our misperceptions in judging
how to avoid accidents. How traffic actually works can be both
surprising and scary, too. Hundreds of decisions are made every minute
on the road, and the chances for one mistake to snowball only
increases with speed, distraction, fatigue, and a variety of X
factors. Where and when do most accidents happen? On dry, sunny days
on rural, two-lane roads. Where a false sense of security pervades. It
was where Stephen King was struck by a pickup truck, just over a rise,
walking by the side of the road. As read by David Slavin, this
audiobook is best listened to while stuck in traffic. It might just
save your life. (Random House Audio; 6 hours unabridged)
Finally, an update interview with Brad Meltzer, author of six previous
New York Times bestsellers, his seventh and latest now being THE BOOK
OF LIES, narrated by Scott Brick. A graduate of the University of
Michigan and Columbia Law School, Meltzer was once an intern on
Capitol Hill, and currently lives in Maryland with his wife and son.
JONATHAN LOWE: Just finished listening to your new novel "The Book of
Lies." Until I heard it, I was wondering how on earth you'd link up
the premise about finding the first murder weapon used by Abel to kill
Cain with the real life murder of the father of the creator of
Superman. Congrats on an enjoyable journey of following clues
bolstered by the father-son theme.
BRAD MELTZER: Thanks. My editor asked the same question when I
started.
LOWE: Am curious about your research. Did the premise arise
organically from your boyhood love of comic books, and your curiosity
about their authors? And how did your investigations proceed within
your usual two-year time frame to write a novel?
MELTZER: Every writer has a story they've been waiting their whole
life to tell. This is mine. I know this because I first pitched The
Book of Lies over a decade ago. When my first novel, The Tenth
Justice, was published, my original pitch for the follow up was a
story involving Cain. Exactly. My editor at the time smartly told me:
"You've just established yourself as a bestselling author of legal
thrillers. Do you really want to risk it all by suddenly switching to
kooky things like Cain?" It was a moment I'll never forget. I caved
right there. I was twenty-seven years old and barely had paid off my
student loans. I caved in no time at all. In fact, I set the record
for caving. But it took me until now to come back to it.
LOWE: It really is still partly a mystery--the murder, and the genesis
of Superman--isn't it?
MELTZER: Absolutely.
LOWE: There's a website to explore about this?
MELTZER: It's all at
bradmeltzer.com , including a video ad for the book.
LOWE: I see that Dennis Kao was producer and director of the audio
version. I've met and interviewed Dennis in the past, regarding how
audiobooks are made, and about one of my favorite thrillers with sound
effects, "The Breathtaker" by Alice Blanchard. He's worked his magic
here on your book as well, with the unobtrusive Mahler and Elgar
clips, and the PDF of illustrations included on the final disk. Have
you heard the companion soundtrack to your audiobook?
MELTZER: Those are directly from the soundtrack we did for Victor
Records. It's on iTunes and Amazon — and we actually scored the key
chapters of the book so you can play certain chapters and hear exactly
the song that conveys the emotion of that chapter.
LOWE: Scott's dramatic performance alone is reason to listen, of
course. Are any of those character accents a result of your throwing
him a curve ball, like he claims you sometimes do?
MELTZER: Scott is my hero. It's why I actually asked him to come back
and rerecord my first two books. If my name is on it, so is Scott's.
He makes me sound handsome. Plus, I'll get him with an accent he can't
do sooner or later.
LOWE: You grew up reading comics, too, and graphic novels, like from
Alan Moore and Warren Ellis and Frank Miller. Any more graphic novels
of your own in the works, like "Identity Crisis"?
MELTZER: "Last Will & Testament" should be out as people read this.
How's that for service?
LOWE: What can we expect from you next time, in two years, or haven't
you considered that yet? And where you going on book tour?
MELTZER: Working on the new one now. And the book tour for The Book of
Lies kicks off September 2nd to 20 cities. See them all at my website.
(Jonathan Lowe's anti-TV website is
JustSayNoWay.com) |
BOOKS TO READ WHILE WORKING
August 2008 - Audiobooks reviewed by Jonathan Lowe |
 The building of
skyscrapers is a perilous but heady endeavor. For the site of the
World Trade Center, a Freedom Tower is now being designed by the same
architect who drafted the Burj Dubai, the current world's tallest
building. And a futuristic mile high tower, (once envisioned as
theoretically possible by Frank Lloyd Wright), is also being proposed
by a rich oil sheik in Saudi Arabia. So the skyscraper race is "on"
once again, just as it was almost a century ago. To hear how that
first race was conducted, I recommend the audiobook
HIGHER by
former agent and editor Neal Bascomb, as read with documentary aplomb
by veteran stage actor Richard Davidson. It details the rivalry
between two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance, as they
plotted to outdo each other in the construction of the Chrysler
Building and the Manhattan Company Building in the late 1920s in New
York. Ultimately, both men were defeated by William A. Starrett, an
architect on the Empire State Building in 1931. (That building
remained highest in the world until 1972.) As Starrett put it,
"Building skyscrapers is the nearest peace-time equivalent of war,"
since many trades are involved in what consists of building a vertical
city on a timeline requiring utmost coordination, while safety is
granted the narrowest of margins. One misstep, one unexpected strong
breeze, and hoisted steel could launch an unwary worker off a girder,
if not crush him. Bascomb's account is embellished with the color of
the times, including the Great Depression, which didn't stop
construction, but rather goaded it on to quicker completion. Both
corporate financiers and their competing designers and engineers are
profiled, while the experience of the trades people actually doing the
grim work for low pay is conveyed as though their toil possessed
grander purpose than simply to erect monuments to the egos of their
employers. A few facts: A secret 185' spire was hoisted and placed
atop the Chrysler Building near the end of its race with Severance, to
claim the title for the 77 floor building whose facade is reminiscent
of a car's radiator grill. (Exactly 391,831 rivets were placed in the
building's framework.) The 70 floor Manhattan Company Building was
struck by a Coast Guard plane at the 58th floor in 1946, when four
were killed. The building was sold to Donald Trump in 1995. Another
plane, this time a B-25 bomber, also struck the 102 floor Empire State
Building in 1945 at the 79th floor level, but the building was only
closed briefly. Originally, the building was designed to have a
landing dock for airships, but after a trial docking maneuver in
strong cold winds at the 1250' level, those plans were scrapped.
Although Faye Ray doesn't look cold with King Kong at the summit!
(Recorded Books; 11 hours unabridged)
Next, if your only aspiration is to be a beach bum, it helps to have
either a tidy investment portfolio featuring energy futures, or maybe
a rich uncle whose real estate isn't owned by Fannie Mae. In THE
DAWN PATROL by Don Winslow, the beach bum hero Boone Daniels is a
sometimes P.I. like Magnum, with a benefactor to support his surfing
lifestyle in San Diego (rather than Honolulu), and an occasional job
to keep him in fish tacos. His sidekicks include five friends
affectionately known as the "Dawn Patrol" because they like to get up
early to scout for waves. Although the waves in southern California
aren't as big as those on the north shore of Oahu, neither are Boone's
ambitions, although he does have a hidden need for redemption
involving an abducted and abused girl named Rain, whom he wasn't able
to save while a San Diego cop. In the climax at the end of the novel
Boone is given a chance to "make up" for that obsessed moment in his
life, but in the meantime there's a lot of character studies and
observations to be made about everyone he knows and everywhere he
frequents. This is as much a people and place novel as it is a mystery
or thriller, centered around Boone being hired by a sexy attorney
named Petra to find a stripper whose testimony she needs to defend her
law firm from a sleazeball nightclub owner. Wry observations are made
at every turn, in a not unsuccessful attempt at endearing you to the
characters, although why we need to be tour-guided in the history and
evolution of Boone's environs at times seems questionable. Winslow is
obviously not writing according to formula in the way James Patterson
does, which oddly works to his favor, since the book slowly begins to
work on you. Just don't expect the unexpected twists, false turns and
relentless plotting of your typical mystery. These are just some laid
back beach bums with an attitude, a bent toward territorial defense,
and a creed known as loyalty. What happens is similar to real life,
not pulp fiction, and in the voice of actor Ray Porter, whose
skeptical tone and in-the-know style also presented "The Four Hour
Work Week," it's a marriage made in heaven. Boone and his buddies
don't want to work a forty hour week, they'd rather catch waves.
Gather Magnum, Boone, Winslow, Tim Ferriss, Porter, and the editor who
bought this book, and you'll probably discover they all hold that
philosophy, either outwardly or secretly. Workaholics--or serial
killer fans--need not apply to the Dawn Patrol. (Blaclkstone Audio; 9
hours unabridged)
Finally, Peter Senge is an MIT lecturer whose book "The Fifth
Discipline" was called one of best business books of all time. His new
book is THE NECESSARY REVOLUTION, which embraces change as the
model for the 21st Century by proposing that what America needs now is
quite different than what we expected it would back in the 20th. Our
past strategy of compete-to-dominate is over. With the new world more
and more a closed system, we share the air with many new consumers and
markets, who are also new polluters. According to Senge, we cannot
afford to continue to perceive the world in the same way that we did,
because change is being forced upon us, and it is much better to
anticipate and plan for that change than to dig in and wait for some
giant dinosaur to collapse on top of us. In an increasingly
interdependent world, what is most necessary is to cooperate. Ways to
achieve cooperation for a sustainable business environment are
outlined here, with examples of what is already happening around the
world. Inspiring and insightful, the audiobook is co-authored by Bryan
Smith, president of Broad Reach Innovations; Nina Kruschwitz, manager
of the Fifth Discipline Fieldbook project; plus Joe Laur & Sara
Schley, cofounders of the SoL Sustainability Consortium. The book is
narrated by actor Patrick Frederic, while author Peter Senge is also
featured. (Random House Audio; 6 hours abridged)
(These audiobooks may be rented from AudioAdventures.com. Jonathan
Lowe can be found blogging at
burjreview.blogspot.com. His author website is
JustSayNoWay.com.) |
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).
Geezer
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Postmarked for Death
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