This was the perfect book to fall asleep listening to. It wasn't so much that it was boring, as that the cadence of the narration is very soothing.  The author employs a writing technique in which he makes long lists of things, often the latin names for plants or animals, that might interest the hardcore biologist and botanist enthusiasts, but I found lulled me to sleep, like a lullaby.  In fact, I would listen to the same chapter several nights in a row, having not made it to the end of even one chapter before I drifted off to sleep.  I would like to say that the book was light and pleasant, as he describes at length the natural spaces that he is so drawn to--and there is something compelling about how much he loves these spaces and wants to make sure they are preserved--and yet the racism of 1901 finds its way into a world it has no business being.  This is in addition to the complete exclusion of women from the narrative in any meaningful way.  All said, I just can't recommend it.

​Not recommended.

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I I am not at all sure why decided to read this.  Nathanial Hawthorne has to be one of my least favorite authors.  I hated The Scarlet Letter in high school.  But for some reason I thought a Gothic romance horror novel was a great idea, just because it was free.  It was not.  The next time that I decide to read a classic, I am going to think twice.
​Not recommended.

I am not sure how I ended up with a second Nepoleonic naval war novel on my list this year.  Christian and Scott must have been on the same wavelength to some extent.  Having slogged my way through this one just a month or so after Mr. Midshipment Hornblower, I can't say that I am any better off for having read so much about sailing and ship culture circa 1800.  Barely a mention of any women characters, the politics of command and the interpersonal relationships between the officers and others just didn't resonate for me and as such I would say skip it.

Not recommended.

The highlight of this book was the staying power of Sagan's thoughts on war, environmentalism, human nature, and reaching for the stars.  But actually, the real highlight was LaVar Burton reading the book!  His voice, mixed with the lyrical insights from the author was a powerful mix.  I wish that when they updated the book, they had also footnoted updated science to go with it.  I am a far cry from knowledgeable on this topic, but I felt like there were undoubtedly theories that have changed since this was written.  I felt, even while reading it, that spending time to understand or learn the science might very well mean that I was unlearning things that were correct now that weren't then.  But, with that asterisk, I just put aside most of the more technical sections and focused instead on the philosophical passages.  From that perspective, and in Jordie's voice, this was well worth the time.

Recommend.

It is hard to believe that this novel was written over 200 years ago.  I have never been an Austen fan, never understanding the allure of P&P or S&S when I read them years ago. There is no question that the narration and writing here stands the test of time.  But, the main character is thoroughly unlikeable, which I gather is the point.  Emma is a sociopath, unwilling to ever take responsibility for the disastrous consequences of her gossiping and meddling and no one around her seems willing to hold her accountable or even aware that she is manipulative.  She reminded me of too many people I've known, so I didn't particularly enjoy reading about her antics.  That said, it is quite impressive that this same exact personality type continues unbated from the Regency Era to now.

​Not recommended.