Zoo Story

Plan for some entertaining and intelligent details from an author who knows how to both entertain and inform. Aware of the controversy about whether zoos should exist, Thomas French takes listeners to several zoos and parks. He focuses on a few animals to familiarize listeners with some captive environments and what they have taught us about the social hierarchies of unstudied species. Narrator John Nelson's voice may strike one as rough and unfriendly--until he makes one laugh. He pays attention to every word and coordinates his brisk pace to complement the well-written sentences. Authentic accents creep in here and there, but Nelson's default voice keeps him from overwhelming the story. Listen to even a bit of this, and you won't stop. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine