Books to read with
your eyes on the road
 Hungry?
Approaching those golden arches or that chicken bucket on
a pole? You may keep driving after hearing “Fast Food
Nation,” in which author Eric Schlosser blames the decline
of our culture and health on the fast food industry. How did
our kids get so fat and sassy and diabetic? This book is a
real jaw-dropper, and makes a strong case that post-war America
has become the homogenized enemy of our former rugged individualism
due to the proliferation of fast food restaurants on every
street corner. Americans now want everything pre-packaged,
predictable and instantly available. And what does instant
gratification mean for the food that’s now in malls,
in schools and displayed on billboards to lure you in for
a quick fix? Junk so bad for you there should be skull and
crossbones on the wrappers. Read by Rick Adamson, this well-researched
audio book is more than just an indictment of slaughterhouse
practices and those pedaling soda to 8 year olds, it is a
fascinating history of how the chain store phenomenon has
become a mentality, and why we eat what we do. (Random House
Audible/9 hours) |
 Enter
Anthony Bourdain, the macho gourmet who wrote the bestseller
“Kitchen Confidential.” In his new book, “A
Cook’s Tour,” he’s on an around-the-world adventure
searching for what he calls the perfect meal. Bearing a disdain
for the American diet, Bourdain goes where few food critics
have gone before, with a bent for danger and the unusual.
Like eating blowfish, which can be deadly if served improperly,
or Cambodian cuisine as Khmer Rouge thugs watch with automatic
weapons. (Harper Audio/6.5 hours) |
 Believe
it or not, there are other western writers besides Louis L’Amour
and Zane Grey. Are they as good? Well, Willa Cather was for
sure in Books in Motion’s “O Pioneers!” Max
Brand was another. Ralph Compton is not in this group, but
if you’re just looking for entertainment, and don’t
mind a few clichés, try “Riders of Judgment,”
narrated by the “tailor-made” western voice of Texan
Jim Gough. It’s about a woman’s quest to revenge
her father’s death, killing them one by one, while she
hides her identity by pretending to be a man. Have you heard
this plot before? Probably so, it’s a standard of the
genre. It doesn’t mean it’s not fun. Another title
from Otis Audio is Matt Braun’s “The Last Stand,”
about a Cherokee fighting a range war against a broken U.S.
treaty. Minor sound effects enhance these productions. (Otis
Audio/6 hours each) |
 In
“The Light and the Glory,” writers Peter Marshall
and David Manuel contend America was founded and guided by
spiritual influences as revealed in the Bible, and we’ve
gotten off track. Are we one nation, under God, or not? This
in-depth historical examination of U.S. history is as fascinating
an argument as you’re likely to find. The Christian authors
uncovered some surprising examples, and tell how they found
them. One example is a document of Christopher Columbus in
which he says he was guided by God, and not the stars, to
discover America. Reader Raymond Todd keeps it as lively as
a Nova science narrator might. (Blackstone Audiobooks/16.5
hours) |
 Mystery
writer Robert Crais has a good thing going in “Lullaby
Town,” about a private dick hired by a movie mogul to
find his wife. But he loses me when the plot develops into
a full-blown mob-connected, money-laundering scheme. It is
well read by narrator James Daniels. (Brilliance Audio/6 hours) |
 For
a detour off the beaten path, join me in a collection of short
radio dramas titled “Mystery & Mirth For Anyone Stuck
In Traffic.” In one play, a couch potato is forced to
confront his obsession. In another, a hen-pecked wimp buys
a Harley to spite his mother-in-law. Then there’s the
Japanese fisherman who, while being given a lie detector test
for the National Enquirer, claims to have caught — and
thrown back — the Loch Ness monster as being “too
small.” Full sound effects enhance this 90-minute production
of 12 brief plays, which took more than six months to edit
with the help of a dozen actors. The publisher will donate
a portion of the proceeds to Sun Sounds Radio Reading Service
for the Blind. |
| To rent or purchase audio books, dial Talking Book World toll free at 1-888-546-6910 or e-mail TBWAZ@aol.com. While you’re at it, order one of reviewer Jonathan Lowe’s three award-winning suspense novels on audio: “Postal,” “Caribbean Coup” or “Dark Fire.” |
