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I have come to enjoy audio books over the past few years. I still prefer a good book in my hands, but there is a place for audio and, if the narrator is a good one, it makes you enjoy the subject so much more. <\/p>\n
One of my favorite narrators is Ray Porter. I don\u2019t read a lot of fiction, but several people recommended the Bobiverse series to me a few years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and am anxiously awaiting the release of the fifth book in the series this October. Porter was absolutely fantastic and if you ever want to read a fun series about the future of mankind while also delving into the ideas of what, exactly, makes us human, I highly recommend the series. I liked it so much, I purchased the books and read them as well.<\/p>\n
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America<\/a> by Richard Rothstein<\/strong><\/p>\n While a lot of the information wasn\u2019t new for me, it\u2019s a fantastic book which presents data in a meaningful way to someone who is unfamiliar with how deeply involved our government was\/is in segregation. Anyone who reads or listens to the book and comes away without a greater understanding of how systemic racism was purposely instilled in America wasn\u2019t paying attention or is being purposely obtuse.<\/p>\n One issue that came up several times throughout the book can be summed up by this quote, \u201cSegregation by intentional government action is not de facto. Rather, it is what courts call de jure: segregation by law and public policy.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m really happy I chose the audio book as well. There were times when a certain policy or situation was cited and it angered me to the point that I was glad I was listening in 10-15 minute chunks at a time. It is one thing to read about these policies over the course of my lifetime. It is quite the other when those policies are read aloud. As the narrator, Adam Grupper puts forth quite distinctly those words as gut punches regardless as to whether it\u2019s the first time you\u2019ve heard it or the 100th.<\/p>\n American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America<\/a> by Colin Woodward<\/strong><\/p>\n I love this book so much, I\u2019ve read it twice. The first time was several years ago when I purchased the book after a recommendation from the folks at r\/history on Reddit. I had a free audio credit on Amazon, so I picked up the audio book, converted it to mp3 and listened to it on my many travels in my car.<\/p>\n Woodard details how North America is really a collection of 11 rival cultures, which endures today. We tend to think of the modern United States as red vs blue states, but Woodard meticulously details in an engaging and thought-provoking way how the land was settled by people with \u201cdistinct religious, political, and ethnographic characteristics, creating regional cultures that have been at odds with one another ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n I really enjoyed Walter Dixon\u2019s narration, which was an addition to the book I had already read. While I prefer the rich denseness of the book where I can more easily pause and flip back to associated sections, the audio book was more of a refresher for me on some of the finer points. The details can be pondered regardless of audio or paper and both are pleasant additions to my personal library. There is so much information, that I would not be surprised if I picked them up again.<\/p>\n A Land So Strange The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca<\/a> by Andr\u00e9s Res\u00e9ndez<\/strong><\/p>\n Narrated by Jonathan Davis, I was really glad I \u201cread\u201d this as an audio book. Davis does a remarkable job with narrating the story of 300 men who left Spain to colonize Florida. Everything went horribly wrong for the men. Instead of glory, they found horror at every turn. In the end, four men survived \u2013 three Spaniards and an African slave. Their journey took nearly a decade to complete as they wandered the land in search of the Pacific Ocean. This is a harrowing tale of men who encountered many tribes, learned many indigenous languages, and had their lives transformed is not well-known, but a vital history lesson from those who explored North America before European settlers arrived and changed the landscape forever.<\/p>\n