We have four top-notch titles this week: an addictive thriller, an entertaining sequel and two thought-provoking nonfiction titles.
Everybody’s Fool
Richard Russo; read by Mark Bramhall
Random House Audio, 15 CDs, 19 hours, $55/www.audible.com download, $38.50
Returning to North Bath, New York, where Russo set “Nobody’s Fool” in 1993, we once again meet up with Sully, still a bad boy of sorts at age 70 and still tooling around town with his sidekick, Rub. Russo has passed the “fool” mantle to Douglas Raymer, police chief, widower, bumbler and all-around schlemiel. The story takes us through a Memorial Day weekend a decade after the last novel ends and includes an evil antagonist, yet the story remains extremely comedic. Bramhall was a wise choice for this big novel—he conjures up funny and off-beat without overdoing it, and his voices are varied and believable. Grade: A-plus
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
Carlo Rovelli; read by the author
Penguin Audio, two CDs, two hours, $15/www.audible.com download, $17.50
If you think an audiobook about physics won’t hold your attention, think again. Rovelli, an Italian theoretical physicist, uses humor and easily accessible language to explain Einstein’s general theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes and the way in which humans are creating our own demise. First written as newspaper columns and intended for a general audience, he never dumbs down his explanations. Though he speaks with a lyrical, Italian accent, Rovelli has clear diction and a soft approach that makes us feel immediately comfortable with these lofty theorems. Perfect for tweens and teens as well as their parents. Best played one or two lessons at a time. Grade: A
Before the Fall
Noah Hawley; Read by Robert Petkoff
Hachette Audio, 10 CDs, 13 hours, $20/www.audible.com download, $29.65
When a small, private plane leaves Martha’s Vineyard on a foggy night and crashes into the sea, two survivors make it to shore: a painter who hitched a ride and the young son of a billionaire, whom the artist saves. Narrator Petkoff details the reason each character was on the plane and their lives up to the point of impact. His confident, engaging manner immediately draws in the listener with his array of voices. Red herrings are scattered throughout the story, but Hawley—an Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody winner—all but telegraphs the novel’s ending to aware listeners about three-quarters through the story. Still, it makes for a fun summer listen. Grade: A-minus
But What If We’re Wrong?
Chuck Klosterman; read by Klosterman and Fiona Hardingham
Penguin Audio, eight CDs, 10 hours, $40;/www.audible.com download, $28
Author and critic Klosterman suggests a thesis that is actually quite self-evident: The perception of everything changes over time. He does so in an engaging manner and has a lot to say, and then he says more. “Moby Dick,” for example, was a critical failure when first printed and now is considered a classic. He explains this phenomenon, which is interesting, but then does so over and over again until we realize that this should have been a lengthy magazine article and not a full-length audiobook. Hardingham, a British narrator, has a crisp manner and easily captures Klosterman’s humor. His sections are thankfully brief, as he does not have a pleasing voice. Grade: B
