Slowdown

Narrating quickly and precisely, Liam Gerrard opens this audiobook with an overwhelming stream of statistics and charts. The complex material, combined with his rapid delivery, makes it hard, at first, for the author's focus to become clear. But it's a friendly performance, notable for Gerrard's beguiling mix of boyish charm and enthusiasm. As the audio unfolds and the author's purpose becomes clearer, Gerrard's delivery and even his pacing sound perfect for this kind of writing. The author, a professor of social geography, says rapid economic and population expansion is a sugar high that always slows and usually ends badly. With startling historical evidence, he describes the negative outcomes--war, famine, inequality, and social conflict--and charts an optimistic course for living within our planet's means. T.W. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine