This is one of those works that I really should have read in print rather than listened to while driving.  The eclectic subject matter shifts very quickly, and I feel like I daydreamed a bit too much at times to catch everything.  I’ve meant to read this author for ages now and am glad to [...]

Since I’ve been blogging about tons of children’s books lately, I thought I’d mix it up a little and tell you what I thought of this lengthy, mostly serious, near-encyclopedic history of science. I’ve read just about every book Bill Bryson has written, but it wasn’t until I listened to this one that I was [...]

If you’re interested in seeing some of the world’s smallest creatures ultra-magnified, this book is for you.  There are a few too many insects for my taste, but at least dust mites were thoughtfully excluded (and of course I skipped all spider pages.)  While my favorite subjects include the axolotl, the giant prickly phasmid, and [...]

This lovely reading of Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder serves to reinforce the knowledge that having the capacity to appreciate the beauty of nature affects our lives in countless positive ways.  I listened to this half-hour-long CD on at least five separate occasions and each time came away with something new.  Renowned for her [...]