Dinah Redmon – Google

This is such a wonderful book - I listened to the audiobook version, and then I listened again while reading the text, because I needed to highlight passages. I listen to many audiobooks 2 or even 10 times. This book was the first time I felt like “I NEED these sentences where I can easily find them again” Here’s a really beautiful quote- “I kept trying on the idea that I was now a father, and I didn’t know what to do with it; it was as though I had suddenly been told that I was still myself and also a shooting star.” 💫 I have always strongly preferred listening to audiobooks narrated by the author. Now, no matter what book I’m listening to, I’m going to be disappointed that Andrew Solomon isn’t reading it to me. 😜 Last night, when I realized that there was a documentary too, I rented it immediately and I was SO into it- crying, clapping, gasping, and just generally acting like an obnoxious teenager at the movie theater -my husband, who was in the bedroom, shouted to me “honey, I think you need to take a break”. I did NOT take a break, lol…of course, the book is just so much MORE than there is in the movie, but I am someone who wants hours and hours of the fascinating nuance that really makes you think… Listen to/Read the book, then watch the movie, then watch it again with your parents or children - I’m watching it with my mom tonight! (My mother’s baby brother, my uncle Robby, had Down’s syndrome, was a prolific artist and huge Star Trek Fan, and was the most popular and beloved person in our family. After my grandma and then my grandpa died, my little brother, my sister, and me and my husband all moved in to my grandparents house to take care of him until he died…she is going to love the “family of friends”) ♥️♥️♥️

The narrator is perfect. The way the worlds are woven with the science is impeccable. The quotes and poetry and lyrics that start each chapter are sublime. Even the cover art is wonderully weird. After listening once all the way through, I now listen to it every couple of days - I have a few familiar favorite audiobooks that I listen to over and over again - and this is perfect for repeat listening because each hour-long piece can stand alone and feels fresh after multiple listens. I pick a random chapter and I close my eyes and I am transported to another time and place. The strange landscapes are described vividly and filled with all kinds of bizarre creatures - the book starts with the most recent, most recognizable scene and then you travel further and further back in time as things get progressively weirder. The only thing I am going to whine about- this is NOT a criticism- there were countless times while listening to the audiobook that I wanted to look up the fauna being described on Wikipedia, but I didn’t have any idea how those crazy scientific names were spelled and I wished I had the ebook version so I could see the spelling - but I didn’t want to trade the audio for the ebook- I want them both! (I did find an okay solution - just try spelling the word like it sounds, and Google will be a hero and figure out what you are trying to find 85% of the time) I think the right kids would love this - I know I would have…children need both the audiobook AND the ebook/or hardcover - with the text version children can read the words, see how they are spelled, and recognize related words. That knowledge is reinforced when children hear the words spoken and repeat them out loud. Being confident in pronunciation when reading out loud or speaking is even more important than “correct” pronunciation itself.

I haven’t quite finished listening to the audiobook, but I was just thinking about sending the author a message to tell him how much I am enjoying it. I am listening through my library on Libby, and I listen to A LOT of books, mostly non-fiction. I didn’t really have any expectations when I checked it out, but I started listening and my husband was listening and laughing a lot, too…it is 17 hours long, which is a little bit of a commitment, for me, lol, but I just really like the author - he is smart, with a great sense of humor, and he is a good American 😜