Audiobooks narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

"A thrilling history of how we fell in and out of love with a technology that changed not just the world, but changed us. 'Science and technology never seem more exciting than when James Gleick is writing about them' - Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction 'Forces you to see the world with new eyes. Blending expertise with a thrilling narrative . . . I loved it!' - Alice Loxton, author of Eighteen and Eleanor 'Charts our distance-compressing, time-shifting telephonic adventure with exceptional brio and subtlety' - Stacy Schiff, author of The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams A supernatural instrument bringing voices from afar, the telephone burst onto the world stage 150 years ago, a triumphant story of individual ingenuity and vision. Instantly, the ability to speak across vast distances began to transform every part of life: from business organization to military tactics, from news gathering to sex work. But the story of The Telephone is also one of corrupt scheming and ruthless tactics; the race to the patent office, to make money, a contest replete with bribery, fraud and speculation. And no one, not even its inventors, realised what the telephone was good for or how ubiquitous it would become. As the telephone settled into the background - in offices and on streets, on bedside tables and kitchen walls - people forgot how they ever lived without it. Now, as landlines, telephone books and telephone boxes vanish into the past, bestselling author James Gleick shows how this commonplace object irreversibly changed not only the world but who we are as human beings. 'Gleick does what only the best science writers can do: take a subject of which most of us are only peripherally aware and put it at the center of the universe' - Time"

James Gleick (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick

"Based on thousands of pages of typed and handwritten notes, journal entries, letters, and story sketches, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick is the magnificent and imaginative final work of an author who dedicated his life to questioning the nature of reality and perception, the malleability of space and time, and the relationship between the human and the divine. Edited and introduced by Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem, this is the definitive presentation of Dick’s brilliant, and epic, work. In the Exegesis, Dick documents his eight-year attempt to fathom what he called “2-3-74”, a postmodern visionary experience of the entire universe “transformed into information”. In entries that sometimes ran to hundreds of pages, in a freewheeling voice that ranges through personal confession, esoteric scholarship, dream accounts, and fictional fugues, Dick tried to write his way into the heart of a cosmic mystery that tested his powers of imagination and invention to the limit. This volume, the culmination of many years of transcription and archival research, has been annotated by the editors and by a unique group of writers and scholars chosen to offer a range of views into one of the most improbable and mind-altering manuscripts ever brought to light."

Jonathan Lethem, Pamela Jackson, Philip K. Dick (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Face the End of the World: An Ancient Guide for Apocalyptic Times

"A grimly entertaining anthology of ancient Greek and Roman writings about how to fearlessly prepare for the end of the world and other disasters A remarkable percentage of people believe we are living in the end times, according to pollsters. Between the climate crisis, nuclear weapons, AI, and other existential threats, it’s easy to see why. How should we think about the apocalypse? How can we mentally prepare for doomsday and other disasters? This anthology presents ancient Greek and Roman writings about the end of the world—from the poet Hesiod and his prediction that Zeus will destroy humanity to philosophers such as Plato, Lucretius, Seneca, and Epictetus, who viewed the end of the world as an inevitable and regular process of nature and the cosmos. These writers—the original doomscrollers—show how thinking about the annihilation of civilization or the planet can be instructive and healthy, and they seek to teach listeners how to face catastrophe without fear. Featuring fresh new translations and an introduction, this collection presents stories and ideas that are both familiar and unfamiliar. Here, Plato invents the tale of Atlantis to illustrate the idea that civilization is periodically wiped out by natural disasters, the Epicureans envision total planetary destruction in a universe guided by natural laws, the Stoics theorize that the cosmos is repeatedly consumed by its “creative fire” and then reborn, and much more. Along the way, we discover the ancient roots of modern doomsday prepping and postapocalyptic fiction. But most of all, we learn how thinking about the end of the world can be oddly reassuring and improve how we live today."

Christopher Star (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Speak Freely: An Ancient Guide to Free Speech and Dissent

"A vivid and timely new translation of Plato’s Apology, in which Socrates defends his pursuit of truth, no matter the consequences Free speech is back at the center of political and cultural debate, amid intense arguments over censorship on campus, in government, and in everyday life. How to Speak Freely offers a timeless and essential exploration of free speech through a lively new translation of Plato’s Apology, perhaps the most famous and important work on the subject in all of Western history. In it, Plato recounts the trial of Socrates in 399 BCE—one of the most powerful defenses of freedom of thought and speech ever written. In Plato’s Apology, Socrates embodies the archetype of a person who thinks independently: a figure of conviction who pursued curiosity honestly, became convinced of unpopular truths, spoke candidly about them, and refused to grovel, pander, or recant—even to save his life. By insisting on his freedom and accepting the consequences, Socrates became the most famous martyr to free inquiry in history—and raised enduring questions about the value, dangers, and limits of free speech in a democracy. How to Speak Freely supplements Plato’s Apology with a delightful fable on free speech told from a different angle. In the short dialogue The Gods in Council, Lucian (c. 125–180 CE) satirizes the concept of “platforming,” showing how free speech ideals are truly tested only when they’re truly applied. Featuring an enlightening introduction, How to Speak Freely is a powerful and thought-provoking examination of the rewards and risks of speaking one’s mind."

Michael Fontaine (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 1: Volume 1

"The definitive editions of Philip K. Dick's short stories, containing some of the most defining works in the Science Fiction genre. This stunning new edition of Philip K Dick's work includes the influential 'Beyond Lies the Wub' and 'Second Variety', as well as a litany of mind-expanding other works. Work your way through some of the most influential stories from the 20th century, which have had a massive impact on popular culture. 'One of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction' Sunday Times 'No other writer of his generation had such a powerful intellectual presence' -Brian Aldiss"

Philip K. Dick (Author), Alyssa Bresnahan, Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 2: Volume 2

"The definitive editions of Philip K. Dick's short stories, containing some of the most defining works in the Science Fiction genre. This stunning new edition of Philip K Dick's work includes the influential 'Adjustment Team' and 'The Father Thing', as well as a litany of mind-expanding other works. Work your way through some of the most influential stories from the 20th century, which have had a massive impact on popular culture."

Philip K. Dick (Author), Alyssa Bresnahan, Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sir Walter Ralegh: The Renaissance Man and His Roles

"Explorer, soldier, statesman, writer, key to the English Renaissance—Sir Walter Ralegh fashioned his life as a work of art. Exposing the tensions and contradictions of Renaissance England, Stephen Greenblatt presents Sir Walter Ralegh as a symbol of his age. The interplay between life and art animated both his actions and his writing, and his dramatic life was his masterpiece. From the grim Tower of London to the swamps of Guiana, from the aging Queen Elizabeth’s court back to the Tower, Ralegh’s turbulent career reached its climax with his 1592 disgrace, which culminated in his 1603 conviction for treason and, ultimately, his execution. Blending historical, literary, and psychological insight, Greenblatt brings vivid detail and acute understanding to his twining of Ralegh’s life and work. In Sir Walter Ralegh, written early in his scholarly career, Greenblatt sows the seeds of his most influential critical ideas—“self-fashioning” in the Renaissance and “the new historicism” as avenue of literary insight. In a revealing new introduction, he offers a glimpse of the personal intellectual journey that would lead him to such masterworks as Marvellous Possessions, Hamlet in Purgatory, Will in the World, The Swerve, and, most recently, Dark Renaissance—in which the character of Sir Walter Ralegh stages a memorable reappearance in the life of Christopher Marlowe. 'If there were an Intellectuals' Book Club (as possibly there should be to enrich the minds of curious men and women with all that is best in other disciplines), my choice for this month would be Greenblatt's book. It is exceptionally intelligent.'—The New York Times "

Stephen Greenblatt (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ubik

"FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE AND DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? Glen Runciter is dead. Or is he? Someone died in the explosion orchestrated by his business rivals, but even as his funeral is scheduled, his mourning employees are receiving bewildering messages from their boss. And the world around them is warping and regressing in ways which suggest that their own time is running out. If it hasn't already. A classic tale of artificial worlds by one of the greatest Science Fiction writers of the 20th Century"

Philip K. Dick (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Truly Love: An Ancient Guide to a Life of Kindness

"An engaging new translation of a timeless fifth-century Buddhist meditation guide that teaches practices for becoming happier and freer by learning how to love everyone Sages and religious teachers the world over have taught us to love one another, extending our love and kindness beyond our immediate family and friends to strangers and even enemies. But such lofty aspirations can seem unrealistic and even perverse given how difficult and annoying other people can be, and how unloving they can be toward us. Why should we love these people? And even if we are convinced that we should, how can we possibly do it? In How to Truly Love, Maria Heim presents an enlightening new translation of an important fifth-century Buddhist text that teaches practical strategies and meditation techniques for becoming happier and freer by loving others. The work introduced here is the important “Sublime Attitudes” chapter from The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), a meditation manual by the Theravada Buddhist monk and scholar Buddhaghosa (“Voice of the Buddha”). Based on a subtle understanding of how the mind works, “Sublime Attitudes” teaches powerful cognitive and affective therapies for cultivating lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity by letting go of their opposites, including hatred, anger, and indifference. By radically reconceiving how we see others, we can break down barriers between ourselves and them, and come to seek their happiness and well-being as though it were our own. Featuring an illuminating introduction and commentary, as well as the original Pali text on facing pages, How to Truly Love invites today’s readers to explore ancient Buddhist practices that countless people have found life-changing."

Buddhaghosa (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

Citizen Vince: A Novel

"Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel of the Year “You just have to read it . . . . Utterly inventive. . . excruciatingly breathless.'' —Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins: a riveting story of witness protection, petty thievery, local politics, and murder—set against the turbulent backdrop of the 1980 presidential election It’s the fall of 1980, the last week before the presidential election that pits the downtrodden Jimmy Carter against the suspiciously sunny Ronald Reagan. In a seedy suburban house in Spokane, a small-time crook formerly from New York, Vince Camden, pockets his weekly allotment of stolen credit cards and heads off to his witness-protection job at a donut shop. At the shop he takes a shine to a regular named Kelly, who works for a local politician. Somehow he finds himself and the politician in a parking lot at three in the morning, giving the slip to a couple of menacing thugs. And then he crosses the path of a young detective—and discovers his credit-scam partner, lying dead in his passport-photo office with a Cheerio-size bullet-hole in his head. No one writing crime novels today tells a story or sketches a character with more freshness or élan than Jess Walter. Citizen Vince is his funniest and grittiest book yet."

Jess Walter (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Divorce

"What is a happily ever after really worth? Naomi was living the quintessential love story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love, get married, buy a dream house, start a family . . . Then—he kicks her out, hires the city’s best divorce lawyers, drains their accounts, and takes up with a 20-something. It’s a brutal end to the story. Naomi should accept defeat: move into a dingy apartment, get back into the workforce, and piece together the shattered remains of her life. Except, why should she? Instead, Naomi fixates on her husband’s new girlfriend. What begins as cynical curiosity soon twists into obsession—and then into something far darker. As Naomi uncovers secrets she never imagined, she realizes her own life may be in danger. But if it keeps her perfect family intact, isn’t it worth it? In The Divorce, #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a razor-sharp, subversive thriller where love curdles into vengeance, and survival becomes the most dangerous game of all."

Freida McFadden (Author), Edoardo Ballerini, January LaVoy, Marin Ireland (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ransom

"Art restorer and legendary spy Gabriel Allon searches for the missing wife of a British billionaire in the electrifying new tale of greed, corruption, and betrayal from #1 New York Times bestselling novelist Daniel Silva. Alice Winter, one of Britain’s most dazzling socialites, seemingly has the perfect life – a lavish home in posh Knightsbridge, a grand estate in Devon, millions of followers on social media who eagerly await her next post. But when she disappears without a trace while on holiday with three old friends from Cambridge, her desperate husband, the real estate baron Edward Knight, turns to none other than Gabriel Allon to find her. He soon discovers that Alice Winter is not the woman she appears to be, that she has a reckless side, that she has secrets. But Edward Knight has a secret too, a secret so dangerous that Gabriel will have no choice but to return to the life he thought he had left behind. An old enemy lurks there, waiting for him to make one misstep, waiting for the perfect moment to exact vengeance. From its irresistible opening chapters to its heart-pounding climax and shocking final twist, Ransom is a riveting, page-turning tour de force that proves yet again why Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense. Pre-order now! 'Allon is the 21st century Bond' – DAILY MAIL 'A world-class practitioner of spy fiction' – WASHINGTON POST 'Sexily brooding Allon… must be the most famous superspy not played by Daniel Craig' – DAILY TELEGRAPH"

Daniel Silva (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

Join Our Community