November 2016

Trigger Warning

by Neil Gaiman

Narrated by Neil Gaiman

I’ve given a lot of thought to trigger warnings since listening to Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman.  He begins the book making a good argument against all of the recent trigger warnings for just about everything.  I have to admit that I am guilty of mentioning trigger warnings frequently in reviews.  Gaiman’s reasoning is that reading things that are uncomfortable promotes personal growth. 

I have to agree that as a child I read just about anything and everything.  I did not have my reading material monitored and did not monitor it myself.  Everything that I read did contribute to who I am as an adult.  However, as an adult, I do choose not to read some books that I know will put me in a negative place for a lengthy period of time.  I think that is part of knowing and taking care of myself. 

Do I really need trigger warnings to make that decision?  Probably not.  I do read reviews and I can generally tell where a book is headed before it gets too graphic.  I think that the same is probably true of most readers.  So, in addition to being a great book of short stories, Trigger Warning has significant content in the introduction.

There is absolutely nothing in Trigger Warning that would warrant one, from my perspective.  Once again, Neil Gaiman’s narration is possibly the best part of the book.  I love to hear him reading his own books and this one is no exception.  I highly recommend listening to Trigger Warning as an audio book, although I’m sure it would be a great read, too.

The Dispatcher

by John Scalzi

Narrated by Zachary Quinto

I’m a John Scalzi fan and I loved The Dispatcher.  It was not exactly sci-fi, but futuristic and full of twists.  I listened to the Audible version.  Zachary Quinto did a great job narrating.  It’s short, a little over two hours, and it goes quickly.  Definitely a good listen!

American Gods: Tenth Anniversary Edition

By Neil Gaiman

The tenth anniversary audio edition of American Gods was awesome!  My husband and I listened it during a long road trip and we both enjoyed it immensely.  Please keep in mind that we are both avid Neil Gaiman fans and love his writing… every book that we’ve read and/or heard.  The cast of readers in the anniversary edition, including Neil Gaiman, was excellent.  The story was long and involved, but kept us engaged and entertained from start to finish.  Definitely a great book!

Commonwealth

By Ann Patchett

Narrated by Hope Davis

Ann Patchett is one of my favorite author’s.  I love her writing and Commonwealth was not a disappointment.  The story involved divorce, dysfunction, two families and the children of those families..  For me, Commonwealth illustrated the feral quality of neglected children and how that feral-ness follows children into adulthood.  The setting and the children bounce between California and the Commonwealth of Virginia, hence the title.  I listened to this as an Audible book, but I’m sure I would have enjoyed it equally reading.  Definitely a great listen and/or read!

Good Omens

By Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Narrated by Martin Jarvis

I enjoyed listening to Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.  It was a fairy tale format of sorts and not my favorite Neil Gaiman book.  It took a while for me to get into the story, but once I was hooked I enjoyed it.  The narration by Martin Jarvis was good.  Good Omens is definitely a good listen.

Anatomies: a Cultural History of the Body

By Hugh Aldersey-Williams (author)

Philip Hoffman (narrator)

I totally enjoyed Anatomies: a Cultural History of the Body by Hugh Aldersey-Williams.  The narration by Philip Hoffman was great.  The cultural tie-in to the various parts of the body was well done and very interesting.  The audio book went too quickly and was a good listen.