Hi all,
I wanted to share a few audiobooks with you, in case anyone’s got a long drive or plane trip ahead and wants something more substantial to listen to. Some of these I’ve no doubt recommended before.
The Meaning of Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey’s absolutely singular audio-memoir (only on Audible), featuring much singing. A powerful story about surviving trauma.
Second Nature and A Place of My Own – Michael Pollan’s earlier books, about learning to garden and learning enough about construction to build himself a writing studio, respectively. Both are delightful listens.
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk is a life-changing experience for many; certainly was for me when I sobbed through the audiobook some years back. Probably not the best for public consumption, at least if you are liable to sob and care about that sort of thing.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the audiobook read by the actor Joe Morton. What a masterpiece. Morton’s performance is also excellent.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. A singular book one does not ever forget. I appropriately paired it with some of my earliest attempts at gardening after my rural move. Recommended especially for all lovers of plants and fearers of apocalypse. This is a work of sci fi adored by even people like me who don’t tend to read much genre fiction.
Awakenings – Dr. Oliver Sacks’ astonishing nonfiction account of a ward of patients whose lives were transformed by the introduction of a new drug. Recommended particularly to those lovers of medical and science tales.
The Bluest Eye, Beloved and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. As I’ve probably mentioned here before, I started listening through her books after her death and plan on getting to them all. These three are three of the best books ever and listening to her read them is about as good as literature gets.
The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown. More a recorded talk than a book proper, this is a great introduction to the researcher’s insightful work on shame. I’ve listened to all of her other books (other than the latest) and recommend them all as well. If you’re the type who’s super into mental health stuff and you haven’t already, I highly recommend falling down the Brené Brown audiobook rabbit hole.
Pageboy by Elliot Page – I enjoyed listening to the actor’s memoir, especially to do with having to come out as trans as such a famous person.
Braiding Sweetgrass – Read by the author, Robin Wall Kimmerer, a Potawatomi botanist and poet. I am deeply inspired by this book, on so many levels. Highly recommend to anybody but especially to: plant nerds, poets and artists, lovers of nature, lovers of story, and anyone who refuses to give up hope. The audiobook is a wonderful companion; what a pleasure to listen to her share this material.
I’ve lately learned my own audiobook is now available on Spotify (it’s also on other platforms, e.g. Audible). Back ahead of the book’s 2018 release I read it in part (I read one font, and an actor playing my uncle read the book’s other font). So, if you want to listen to my pre-T voice partly read my first book that’s an option as well. The voice caveat notwithstanding, I obviously recommend the book itself. One listener recently shared they’d listened to it all basically in a single day, so that’s always fun.
Sending you all love. If it’s hot where you are, stay hydrated!
Sandy
p.s. I’m listening to Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger right now. It’s great; I both cannot stop and find it totally terrifying.
p.p.s. As ever, you can send in questions for a future Dear Sandy advice column into whatshelpingtoday@gmail.com.
p.p.s. What’s Helping Today: During this heat spell especially, I’m immensely grateful to be able to walk around wearing nothing but boxers, what joy.
p.p.s. Also, hooray it’s lettuce season!