In The Wolf’s Mother Speaks, Ben Dolnick takes listeners on an unforgettable, hauntingly funny journey alongside a mother whose love takes many forms. A mother (Joyce) finds out a secret about her estranged adult son, namely that he regularly turns completely into a wolf. No, not a werewolf half-man half-wolf creature, but a full-on actual wolf. It’s out of his control when it happens, and he’s done some terrible things. Once Joyce finds out, she goes to great lengths to help her beloved son. But as the novel unfolds, the narrative explores ideas not only of survival and murder and familial devotion in the face of the most challenging and unbelievable circumstances, but also of mental illness if not actual insanity. The result is a thrill ride with a lot of bumps and a substantial body count. Here Ben talks about his new audiobook!
1. In The Wolf’s Mother Speaks, the main character Joyce is dealing with a painful estrangement from her son, which seems very realistic, and then things take a turn into the supernatural. Where did the inspiration for The Wolf’s Mother Speaks come from?
I think the first inkling I had of this book was when, years ago, I read a story about a serial killer being arrested at his house in Kansas. This was one of those situations in which the killer has a wife, a family, neighbors who think they know him, the whole domestic scene. And I was so fascinated, particularly by his family members—what did they know? What did they think of him now?
But I knew that I didn’t want to write a standard serial killer book—I love a good serial killer novel (Red Dragon is one of the more compelling books I’ve ever read), but I didn’t want to write something with forensics, FBI agents, etc; I was after something weirder.
So, I handed those inputs—some murder, some family dynamics, some strangeness—to the mysterious mental organ where novels gestate, and out popped this book!
This was a much more “spoken” book than those—which is to say that the vast majority of the book is actually purporting to be transcribed speech. That made this book lots of fun to write—I love nothing more, as a writer, than doing various voices—but it also made for various narrative challenges. People tell stories very differently than they write them—there was no room for literary tricks, or elegant descriptions, or anything like that. It’s a much more compact and slangy sort of writing.
3. You’re an avid audiobook listener, which we love to hear! What is it about audiobooks that speaks to you, both in your personal listening, and as a writer?
Yes, audiobooks are the best! I’ve always thought of writing, despite the silence in which it takes place, as fundamentally an auditory medium. When I walk into a library where everybody’s quietly reading in their little carrels or whatever, I see it like one of those weird silent raves, where everybody’s wearing headphones and quietly thrashing around in ecstasy. This person is hearing Vonnegut, this person is hearing Toni Morrison, this person is hearing Murakami—and all that hearing is taking place entirely internally.
So audiobooks just make that aural quality of writing even more tangible. I spent a lot of the quarantine so far—55 hours of it, in fact!—listening to War and Peace, and I don’t think I could have gotten through it, certainly not with such pleasure, if I had just been reading it. Each character, however long it had been since I’d heard from them, was immediately identifiable by their voice. It felt even more intimate than reading, in a way. My eyes can skim or rush in a way that my ears usually don’t.
4. What was it like hearing your previous novels in audiobook form for the first time?
It was amazing! I was so used to hearing the books in my head—by the time a book is published, you can all but recite it—but here it was actually taking form in space, in the sound of a stranger’s voice. And it was fascinating to hear the little choices the readers made, both at the sentence-level and in terms of character. It was kind of a bittersweet thing, like (I imagine) watching a kid go off to college—you’ve worked so hard on this thing and off it goes to lead an independent existence, no longer under even the illusion of your control.
5. What do you personally like to read or listen to?
Everything! Lately I’ve been listening to classics—I’m moved onto Proust, after finishing War and Peace—but I also listen to lots of Buddhist stuff (Already Free by Bruce Tift is a recent favorite). And reading-wise I’m all over the place. I read a lot of thrillers — police procedurals (Ed McBain is great), supernatural stuff (Dracula,Frankenstein), espionage (Eye of the Needle is truly amazing). Lately I’ve been reading some more experimental fiction—Perec’s Life: A User’s Manual, a bunch by Mark Leyner, some Gerald Murnane. My bedside table is basically a perpetual avalanche of things I’m halfway through.
6. If you could curate a shelf for The Wolf’s Mother Speaks to sit on, what other books would be on it?
It would have to be an eccentric shelf! I think I’d love to put it somewhere between the funny, experimental, voice-obsessed books of, say, George Saunders and David Foster Wallace, on one side—and then on the other side I’d like to have the plotty, efficient novels of Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby, Stepford Wives, etc.). Oh, and let’s put some Alice Munro on that shelf too! She is hands-down the best at all things related to families—and she’s got quite a way with plot too. That would be a shelf where my book would live very, very happily.
7. What’s your favorite scary story?
I think Ira Levin’s [The] Boys from Brazil is my favorite of the moment. It’s tense and strange and brilliantly told. The whole last third—which I feel like I can’t describe at all without spoiling it—is just hilariously compelling. He’s able to do that Hitchcock thing of making you hold your breath for minutes at a time while the characters walk a tightrope over a flaming pit. ∎
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It turns out that the words of praise Charlotte the spider writes in her web to describe Wilbur the pig, are equally suitable when considering the audiobook of this classic story.
Helmed by the unparalleled Meryl Streep as the narrator, this recent version is the first re-release since author E. B. White’s beloved original recording from 1970. It’s a short and sweet listen – only 4 hours long – but one I know I’ll return to. The adventures of Charlotte, Wilbur and the Arable children are phenomenally brought to life in this full-cast production, in which no narrator does double-duty. For audiobook lovers, the supporting cast is a who’s who of nearly two dozen prolific narrators: January Lavoy plays Charlotte with superb subtlety; Cassandra Campbell is a nuanced Mrs Zuckerman; Tavia Gilbert is a very fun Goose; Emily Rankin expertly plays Fern; Bahni Turpin is a wonderfully memorable Lamb; even Julia Whelan makes a small cameo as Charlotte’s daughter, Joy.
Charlotte’s Web is a masterpiece of juvenile literature for its moral sensibility, quotable truisms, depth of feeling, and fantastic sense of humor. White’s prose, while of course suitable for children, can truly be appreciated only in adulthood. I was particularly touched by the gentle melancholy with which he describes the changing of the seasons – so resonant for me at this time of year:
The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer’s ending, a sad monotonous song. “Summer is over and gone, over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying.” A little maple tree heard the cricket song and turned bright red with anxiety.
The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year — the days when summer is changing into fall the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.
Everybody heard the song of the crickets. Avery and Fern Arable heard it as they walked the dusty road. They knew that school would soon begin again. The young geese heard it and knew that they would never be little goslings again. Charlotte heard it and knew that she hadn’t much time left. Mrs. Zuckerman, at work in the kitchen, heard the crickets, and a sadness came over her, too. “Another summer gone,” she sighed.
Sad, sweet, and true – and when read to you by Meryl Streep (et. al.), nothing short of breathtaking. Charlotte’s Web is my staff pick for September for now is truly the perfect time of year to enjoy this story, but it’s also now one of my top recommendations of all time.
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spider web tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.
E. B. White’s Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
Includes an appreciation written and read by Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet, the cover artist of this edition and author/illustrator of Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White.
New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!
Summer is finally here! I really didn’t think this time would ever come, but now here we are. And now that certain areas are starting to enter different phases of quarantine, some beaches and splash pads are opening up (with social distancing in place still, of course). This means it’s time for some breezy beachy listens to go along with your fun in the sun.
So, whether you’re thanking all the stars in the sky that you can go sunbathe on a beach again, or thinking you’ll enjoy the sun from the comfort of your home instead, you’re sure to find your perfect next listen to entertain you while you do so. Be sure to check out our full Breezy Summer Listens booklist here and hey, don’t forget your sunscreen!
A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather for a wedding fit for celebrities. Even though the cell phone reception is spotty, the happy couple has planned every single detail of their big day, but as the celebrations begin secrets old and new, jealousy, and betrayal are uncovered and then someone turns up dead.
Pick up the latest from Lucy Foley for a whirlwind mystery that will keep you guessing right until the end! Perfect for the long drive up to the cottage or while sitting around the roaring fire.
Fripp Island, South Carolina, is the perfect destination for the wealthy Daly family: Lisa, Scott, and their two girls. For Lisa’s childhood friend Poppy Ford, however, the resort island is a world away from what she and her family are used to. Everyone brings secrets to the island, distorting what should be a convivial, relaxing summer on the beach.
The ones who return from this vacation will spend the rest of their lives trying to process what they witnessed, the tipping points, moments of violence and tenderness, and the memory of whom they left behind.
Let The House on Fripp Island accompany you for happy hour while you chill poolside with a drink in hand.
Brynn Turner, in need of a fresh start, heads back home to Wildstone. And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who is at her wits end after dealing with health issues for the past 29 years, plus she’s keeping more than one secret from Brynn, her long-time frenemy.
Once Brynn runs into Kiney’s best friend Eli, she starts thinking she could really find love and a future if she could just let go of the past.
If you’re planning a lazy beach day this summer, then you’ll definitely want to have this audiobook ready to go. It’ll give you all the best kind of summer vibes.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest comes a new psychology suspense listen about a young woman who is plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.
This listen is one of those unputdownable, can’t-stop-listening types of suspenseful audiobooks that you’ll zoom right through. There’s something about the summer heat that just makes thrillers that much better, don’t you think?
Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer who is happily single. When she realizes that her parents latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she’s out of there! To her surprise and both their dismay, the same man shows up a week later to her workplace. Turns out he’s the lawyer that has been hired to rescue her struggling company.
As they get to know one another, can Liya give real love a chance or will she keep running? Find out in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that will just make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, but when he passes away unexpectedly one night the daughters return to their childhood home.
As they navigate their grief and throw their father an Irish wake, a surprise guest arrives and it turns out that she’s a Sweeney sister too. What does this mean for their father’s legacy? And how will this new sister fit in?
This perfect summery listen is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family.
The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish is back with a new psychological thriller, filled with serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it.
Joanna is waiting for her husband to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him, so when he begins to return to his charming energetic self, she couldn’t be more thankful. Unfortunately, this his renewed happiness is from falling head over heels for someone else.
After her husband leaves her behind she starts to dig into this new girl’s past and finds some disturbing secrets, but her therapist brushes off her concerns. Can she find proof in time to save her family?
When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop.
Jesse Strong is passionate about keeping the shop open, but his brothers aren’t exactly on board. Part-time shop employee, Kerry Fuller, who has been crushing on Jesse, offers to help him with the daunting task.
As they spend more time together and work toward reinventing the shop for a new generation their chemistry builds, but Jesse has to prove that his past doesn’t dictate his future and that he can be the man for her forever and always.
Pick up this charming and light-hearted listen if you’re looking for something cute and breezy.
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Just as Bruce Cable’s Bay Books is preparing for the return of bestselling author Mercer Mann, Hurricane Leo veers from its predicted course and heads straight for the island. Florida’s governor orders a mandatory evacuation, and most residents board up their houses and flee to the mainland, but Bruce decides to stay and ride out the storm.
The hurricane is devastating: homes and condos are leveled, hotels and storefronts ruined, streets flooded, and a dozen people lose their lives. One of the apparent victims is Nelson Kerr, a friend of Bruce’s and an author of thrillers. But the nature of Nelson’s injuries suggests that the storm wasn’t the cause of his death: He has suffered several suspicious blows to the head.
Who would want Nelson dead? The local police are overwhelmed in the aftermath of the storm and ill-equipped to handle the case. Bruce begins to wonder if the shady characters in Nelson’s novels might be more real than fictional. And somewhere on Nelson’s computer is the manuscript of his new novel. Could the key to the case be right there—in black and white? As Bruce starts to investigate, what he discovers between the lines is more shocking than any of Nelson’s plot twists—and far more dangerous.
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined—every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas—”Mr. Harrigan’s Phone,” “The Life of Chuck, Rat,” and the title story “If It Bleeds”—each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.
The novella is a form King has returned to over and over again in the course of his amazing career, and many have been made into iconic films, including “The Body” (Stand By Me) and “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” (Shawshank Redemption). Like Four Past Midnight, Different Seasons, and most recently Full Dark, No Stars, If It Bleeds is a uniquely satisfying collection of longer short fiction by an incomparably gifted writer.
Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.
Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.
A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.
Connell and Marianne grew up in the same small town, but the similarities end there. At school, Connell is popular and well liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation—awkward but electrifying—something life changing begins.
A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. And as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.
Normal Peopleis the story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find that they can’t.
For the first time, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson opens up about his amazing comeback—from tragic personal loss to thriving businessman and cable’s highest-paid executive—in this unique self-help guide, his first since his blockbuster New York Times bestseller The 50th Law.
In his early twenties Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent rose to the heights of fame and power in the cutthroat music business. A decade ago the multi-platinum selling rap artist decided to pivot. His ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when he became the executive producer and star of Power, a high-octane, gripping crime drama centered around a drug kingpin’s family. The series quickly became “appointment” television, leading to Jackson inking a four-year, $150 million contract with the Starz network—the most lucrative deal in premium cable history.
Now, in his most personal book, Jackson shakes up the self-help category with his unique, cutting-edge lessons and hard-earned advice on embracing change. Where The 50th Law tells readers “fear nothing and you shall succeed,” Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter builds on this message, combining it with Jackson’s street smarts and hard-learned corporate savvy to help readers successfully achieve their own comeback—and to learn to flow with the changes that disrupt their own lives.
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.
In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.
Realer than the most real conversation you’ve ever heard on the topic, Michael Todd’s honest, heartfelt, and powerful teaching on relationships has already impacted millions of people in all seasons of life around the world. Now, in Relationship Goals, Michael tells his own story of heartache and healing, unpacks explosive truths from God’s Word, and tells it to you straight to help you win at relationships in every part of your life.
Where did the idea for relationships come from in the first place? Does God really care who I hang out with? Is it even possible to avoid relational train wrecks? From his plan for intentional dating to handling break-ups well to doing family instead of just being in a family, Michael tackles the questions we all have about relational success.
As he candidly examines our most common pitfalls in relationships and the start-today ways to get past them, Michael helps you align your longings with God’s awesome desires for your life. Now, that’s a good relationship goal.
There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves.
For many years, Glennon Doyle denied her own discontent. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. But she soon realized they had come to her from within. This was her own voice—the one she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions, cultural conditioning, and institutional allegiances. This was the voice of the girl she had been before the world told her who to be. Glennon decided to quit abandoning herself and to instead abandon the world’s expectations of her. She quit being good so she could be free. She quit pleasing and started living.
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.
Untamed shows us how to be brave. As Glennon insists: The braver we are, the luckier we get.
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Have you always been interested in inventions, technology, and engineering, but could never get into any books on the topic because they were too dense or didn’t dig into the topic enough for you? Well, Ainissa Ramirez’ latest release, The Alchemy of Us, is the perfect next listen for you. It features several important inventions and how they shaped our culture. Plus, she touches on some inventors who had a huge impact who you might not know.
We got the chance to pick Ramirez’ brain about her most recent audiobook. Keep reading to find out what was her favorite invention to research, what she thinks of future of inventions, and more.
Audiobooks.com: What can readers gain from listening to the audiobook version of The Alchemy of Us that they might not necessarily get from reading the print version?
Ainissa Ramirez:The Alchemy of Us is a great book, but the audiobook version is a great experience. The audiobook provides an adventure that is richer than just words on a page.
The narrator, Allyson Johnson, doesn’t just speak the words, she performs them and brings them to life. With her artistic phrasing, energy, and personality, her narration will magically transport a reader to a world that existed not long ago. By listening in, readers will be entertained with the audiobook; and with her warm and kind voice, they will feel like they are spending time with an old friend.
Audiobooks.com: How involved are you in the narrator casting process and what do you look for in an audiobook narrator?
Ainissa Ramirez: I was very fortunate to work with such a supportive audiobook publisher like Gildan Media, because they took the lead in selecting a suitable narrator for my book, which was one of MIT Press’s big titles for the year. When they narrowed down their choices to one name, they sent samples of her work to me. As soon as I heard her voice, I was instantly enchanted. After listening to just a few minutes of her work, I asked, “How quickly can we hire her?”
I wanted a voice that mirrored my book. The Alchemy of Us is a warm invitation into the world of science. As such, I wanted a narrator who could be both smart and inviting simultaneously. The mission of my book is to explain science in an engaging way and make a reader feel included. I got all of that and more with the book’s narrator. The narrator possesses a voice that is cozy like a blanket. And with her artistry and narration, she makes a world where not only does a listener feel included, but she also creates a world a listener doesn’t want to leave.
Audiobooks.com: Did you find it hard to present the full story and facts for each invention while also keeping the material accessible to readers of all levels?
Ainissa Ramirez: Actually, this balancing act of keeping the material accessible to all readers while also presenting the full story is a challenge I enjoy. At my core, I am a teacher. As such, I am an advocate for my readers, desiring to make them all feel included in this unfamiliar world of science and invention.
When writing The Alchemy of Us, I made sure that the science was understandable and that a reader got just enough information so that they could move with ease in this new world. I honed this skill not only from teaching undergraduates for many years, but from explaining science to my grandmother when I was young. My grandmother was always interested in what I learned in school. While my science lessons might have been beyond what she might have known, I wanted her to feel included. To do so, I would describe science using things she knew.
In The Alchemy of Us, I make science understandable with a similar approach and zeal, often by using analogies and by telling stories, so that readers can feel included, too.
Audiobooks.com: Which invention was your favorite one to research and write about in The Alchemy of Us?
Ainissa Ramirez: If I had to pick one, it would be the discovery that took the most effort to research, which was the story of the work done by scientist J. J. Thomson. J. J. Thomson was a little man who made a huge impact on the world. He discovered the electron and did so by watching how a cathode ray (like the rays in old televisions) moved in a strange-looking glass bulb. In order to get materials to write about J. J. Thomson, I had to venture to England and visit old libraries to uncover his story. It was important that I travel to these archives so that I could learn about Thomson’s work as well as learn about his personality. From early on, I knew he was a genius. But, from his old letters, I was able to find that Thomson was very accident prone. His wife would not let him use a hammer in the house! I loved learning how this Nobel Prize winner moved in the world and when I found interesting facts, such as these, I also found a way to make this great man of science relatable. These details were hard to get, but made Thomson seem more human. It is for these reasons that I am fond of J. J. Thomson and his entry in The Alchemy of Us.
Audiobooks.com: After analyzing these inventions through history and their impact on society, what do you think this lends to our future innovations?
Ainissa Ramirez: To be honest, I wrote about past inventions as a way to prepare us all for the future. The gadgets I highlight are simple ones, like the telegraph, the clock, and the light bulb, to name a few. But in The Alchemy of Us, I show readers the surprising outcomes that came from these inventions, particularly how they modified language, our sleeping patterns, and even our health. At this present time, it is hard to predict how future innovations will change us, but what is certain is that they will. That is why it is my hope that readers of The Alchemy of Us will feel empowered to ask questions to make sure that future innovations will fashion us in the most beneficial way. The Alchemy of Us encourages readers to put all inventions under the microscope so that, ultimately, we can all create a better future.∎
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