In my ear

August's audiobook binge

August had me on an audiobook tear. Maybe it was the uptick in mundane household to-do’s. Or the drastic increase in time spent in the car—schlepping my kids to school and sports and back home again. Maybe it was the relentless Texas heat and the monotony of the summer that I felt deep in my bones. Or the depressing news cycle and general overwhelming noise from the internet—which tends to trigger an avoidance of newsy and self-help podcasts, for me at least.

Just a girl in the mountains with her audiobook (and some dog hair on her hat)

Whatever the reason(s), I found companionable respite—escape, even—in this August lineup.

Gwyneth, Amy Odell
The first full-length investigative biography of her.

The Love Haters, Katherine Center
I love this Houston-based author and her expert mingling of lovable characters, substantive plot lines, smart dialogue, and romance.

These Summer Storms, Sarah MacLean
I was totally taken by this book, with its disfunctional family drama, its New England private island setting, and its absorbing, if a bit predictable, evolution of relationships.

Broken Country, Clare Leslie Hall
This is a very sad book about a family in an English village. It might’ve been a little too sad for my taste. But it was beautiful and well-narrated and I flew through it.

Husbands & Lovers, Beatriz Williams
The scaffolding of this story is a dual setting—Cairo in the 1950s and New England in 2022—and a dynamic, intergenerational cast of characters. I found its plot completely absorbing and would highly recommend.

The Names, Florence Knapp
With a three-track timeline, this book follows one family through three disparate storylines, each triggered by a mother’s naming of her newborn son. It’s as smart as it is beautiful, and the narration was lovely to listen to.