Audiobooks narrated by Patrick Lawlor

The Well-Connected Animal: Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies

An engaging exploration of the wondrous social webs that permeate life in animal societies around the world. It's all about who you know. Whether vampire bats sharing blood meals for survival, field crickets remembering champion fighters, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, or great tit birds learning the best way to steal milk-it pays to be well connected. In this tour of the animal kingdom, evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin reveals a new field of study, uncovering social networks that existed long before the dawn of human social media. He accessibly describes the latest findings from animal behavior, evolution, computer science, psychology, anthropology, genetics, and neurobiology, and incorporates interviews and insights from researchers he finds swimming with manta rays, avoiding pigeon poop, and stopping monkeys from stealing iPads. With Dugatkin as our guide, we investigate social networks in giraffes, elephants, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, whales, bats, and more. From animal networks in Australia and Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas, The Well-Connected Animal is an eye-opening expose of wild friends, enemies, and everything in between.

Lee Alan Dugatkin (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Arctic Traverse: A Thousand-Mile Summer of Trekking the Brooks Range

A lyrical memoir that interweaves wilderness, homeland, cultural connections, historical figures, humor, and gritty experiences across northern Alaska From the award-winning author of Ice Bear: The Cultural History of an Arctic Icon comes an intimate exploration of Alaska's northernmost mountain range with observations on Indigenous cultures, conservation, and intense cross-country travel, all shaped by respect for the land. Follow author Michael Engelhard through tussock-studded tundra for a remarkable tale of bear encounters and white-knuckled river moments, as well as poetic reflections on a vast, untamed landscape. A trained anthropologist, Engelhard evokes classic writers like Edward Abbey, Barry Lopez, and Ellen Meloy with profound dives into human and natural history and vivid meditations on Alaskan wildlife, flora, and geology. When he embarked on this thru-hike, fewer people had completed it solo in a single push than had dived to the floor of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of Earth's oceans. Much more than a captivating account of a human-powered solo thru-hike and float, Arctic Traverse illuminates the spirit of Alaska, drawing on encounters with Indigenous elders, guided clients, scientists, and others as well as on Engelhard's long-held dream and his experiences of the land itself.

Michael Engelhard (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Nine Desperate Days: America's Rainbow Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive

American forces entered World War I combat in October 1917, but it was not until July 1918 that they went on the offensive for the first time. Among the units selected for this operation was the 42nd Division, or the 'Rainbow Division' as it was known popularly. This division, which was composed of National Guard units from twenty-six states, including Joyce Kilmer's 69th New York Infantry, would spend 164 days in combat, a number exceeded by only two other American divisions. However, it was the nine days from July 25 to August 2, 1918, that were the most terrible and heroic in the division's history. Facing an enemy who was determined to hold its positions, these National Guardsmen fought with courage and determination to gain what was often only yards of ground, and did so at a deadly cost. In Nine Desperate Days: America's Rainbow Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, historian Robert Thompson chronicles the hardships and tenacity of the men from the 42nd Division during this pivotal campaign. The Americans did not break despite heavy losses, and were able to drive the Germans back from territory they initially gained. The efforts of the Rainbow Division during Aisne-Marne were key to the ultimate Allied victory and are a symbol of American valor and sacrifice during the 'war to end all wars.'

Robert Thompson (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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The Darwin Awards Chronicles, Books 4 -6

This compilation of The Darwin Awards books 4, 5 and 6 commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it, showing us just how uncommon common sense can be! Meet the absentminded terrorist who opens a mail bomb returned to him for insufficient postage. Marvel at the thief who steals electrical wires before shutting off the current. Gape at the would-be pilot who flies his lawn chair suspended from helium balloons into air-traffic lanes. These tales of trial and awe-inspiring error illustrate the ongoing saga of survival of the fittest in all its selective glory!

Wendy Northcutt (Author), Julie Schaller, Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Nationalized Politics: Evaluating Electoral Politics Across Time

In the United States, politics has become increasingly nationalized in recent years as voter decision-making is now driven by partisan or national political forces rather than the attributes of individual candidates. Indeed, voters now seem more concerned with which of the two national parties will be in power across all levels of government as opposed to which candidate will represent them individually. Nationalized Politics asks and answers the question, 'how has nationalization influenced elections across different political eras?' Jamie L. Carson, Joel Sievert, and Ryan D. Williamson look at historical variation in nationalization through an analysis of congressional elections from 1840 to 2020. By examining roughly 180 years of elections, the authors leverage considerable differences in electoral competition, electoral rules, nationalization, polarization, and partisan advantage via the incumbency advantage. Moreover, Carson, Sievert, and Williamson employ a unique survey design to capture citizen attitudes toward the nationalization of politics to further consider the question of how nationalization is currently shaping politics. Providing a comprehensive history of US congressional elections, Nationalized Politics illustrates the roots of the current electoral landscape in the US.

Jamie L. Carson, Joel Sievert, Ryan D. Williamson (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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The Steadfast Leader: Control Anxiety, Make Confident Decisions, and Focus Your Team Using the New S

Discover how integrating rational thought and 'gut feelings' together will make you a calmer, more powerful leader Business leaders today face unprecedented challenges-and it's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number and complexity of nonstop decision making. To further complicate matters, you may believe that some decisions require rational (brain) decision making, while others call for you to 'go with your gut.' In The Steadfast Leader, you'll discover that integrating the two-brain and gut-will help you become the calm, steadfast and powerful leader you want to be. With their combined expertise in both business and medicine, Dr. Geoffrey VanderPal and Dr. Randy Brazie frame the latest scientific understanding of the human nervous system, drawing on Polyvagal Theory to show how the brain and the gut (connected by the vagus nerve) make decisions together. Helping to put an end to the tension caused by 'either-or,' they show how using 'both-and' works better in every situation. Packed with eye-opening research, case studies, and relatable examples from the business world, The Steadfast Leader provides practical, cutting-edge neuroscientific concepts to help you stay focused and make better decisions-for yourself, your team, and your organization.

Geoffrey Vanderpal, Randy Brazie (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Betting On Horse Racing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies is packed with information that teaches you the ins and outs of the racetrack. You'll learn how to improve your odds, avoid common betting mistakes, and just plain have fun at the races. This is a spectator's easy-to-understand guide, so you'll have no trouble identifying the racing breeds with their strengths and weaknesses, sizing up the jockey, understanding the importance and role of a trainer, placing bets, managing money, and beyond. Can't make it to the track? No worries! You'll get the scoop on online betting with off track betting sites and apps. This update covers the latest changes in the betting world and in the racing world, so you'll know just what you're wagering. - Learn about the different types of horse racing - Discover and identify the best racing breeds - Know your jockeys and trainers - Make smart wagers and manage your funds For beginning betters, Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies is your ticket to well informed wagers and a winning edge. Already know the ropes? You'll love the market trends and insider tips you'll find.

Richard Eng (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Dog Lessons: Learning the Important Stuff from Our Best Friends

'The world is a very narrow bridge. Cross it with a dog.' 'When in doubt, walk your dog' is the first of many valuable maxims in Dog Lessons, a heartfelt reflection on what dogs can teach us when we open ourselves to listen and learn. After sixty-plus years living and working with dogs, Hersch Wilson shares self-deprecating stories and lighthearted musings on a life filled with fur-covered furniture, unexplained messes, and destroyed property. The resulting compendium of dog wisdom-from universal values like loyalty and curiosity to practical lessons on napping, playing, and avoiding a serious fight-is not only poignant but eminently good advice.

Hersch Wilson (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Alone but Not Lonely: Exploring for Extraterrestrial Life

Humans have always been fascinated by the possibility of extraterrestrial life, often wondering if we are alone in the universe. Drawing on nearly fifty years as a leader in planetary exploration, Louis Friedman brings into focus the subject of extraterrestrial life, separating knowledge from conjecture, fact from fiction, to draw scientific and technical conclusions that answer this enduring question. Friedman argues that intelligent life is probably rare in the universe (maybe even uniquely on Earth) but that simple life is likely abundant on millions or billions of planets waiting now to be discovered. He asserts that studying and searching for extraterrestrial life cannot be done by interstellar probes-due to the vastness of space and the comparative brevity of human lifespans-but it can be done remotely by a new technique involving the solar gravity lens that can magnify exoplanets by tens of billions. This technique will allow humankind to explore exoplanets and open up an exciting new field of comparative astrobiology. Wide-ranging in scope, this book discusses the history of searching for extraterrestrial life, the scientific evidence thereof, and finally his own conclusions on what's next.

Louis Friedman (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Lincoln: A Very Short Introduction

Beneath the surface of the apparently untutored and deceptively frank Abraham Lincoln ran private tunnels of self-taught study, a restless philosophical curiosity, and a profound grasp of the fundamentals of democracy. Now, in Lincoln: A Very Short Introduction, the award-winning Lincoln authority Allen C. Guelzo offers a penetrating look into the mind of one of our greatest presidents. Guelzo takes us on a wide-ranging exploration of problems that confronted Lincoln and liberal democracy-equality, opportunity, the rule of law, slavery, freedom, peace, and his legacy. The Lincoln we meet here is an Enlightenment figure who struggled to create a common ground between a people focused on individual rights and a society eager to establish a certain moral, philosophical, and intellectual bedrock. Lincoln insisted that liberal democracy had a higher purpose, which was the realization of a morally right political order. But how to interject that sense of moral order into a system that values personal self-satisfaction-'the pursuit of happiness'-remains a fundamental dilemma even today. Guelzo paints a marvelous portrait of this Lincoln-Lincoln the man of ideas-providing new insights into one of the giants of American history.

Allen C. Guelzo (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Rockin’ in the Ivory Tower: Rock Music on Campus in the Sixties

Histories of American rock music and the 1960s counterculture typically focus on the same few places: Woodstock, Monterey, Altamont. Yet there was also a very active college circuit that brought edgy acts like the Jefferson Airplane and the Velvet Underground to different metropolitan regions and smaller towns all over the country. These campus concerts were often programmed, promoted, and reviewed by students themselves, and their diverse tastes challenged narrow definitions of rock music. Rockin' in the Ivory Tower takes a close look at two smaller universities, Drew in New Jersey and Stony Brook on Long Island, to see how the culture of rock music played an integral role in student life in the late 1960s. Analyzing campus archives and college newspapers, historian James Carter traces connections between rock fandom and the civil rights protests, free speech activism, radical ideas, lifestyle transformations, and anti-war movements that revolutionized universities in the 1960s. Furthermore, he finds that these progressive students refused to segregate genres like folk, R&B, hard rock, and pop. Rockin' in the Ivory Tower gives listeners a front-row seat to a dynamic time for the music industry, countercultural politics, and youth culture.

James M. Carter (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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The Einstein Effect: How the World's Favorite Genius Got Into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds

Albert Einstein was the first modern-day celebrity and, decades after his death, still has the world's most recognizable face. His influence is seen in much of the technology we use every day: GPS, remote controls, weather forecasts, even toothpaste. But it's not just Einstein's scientific discoveries that continue to shape our world. His legacy underpins the search for aliens, the rescue of refugees, the invention of time machines, and the debunking of fake news. He appears in new books, TV shows, and movies all the time-and fans are paying millions for Einstein relics at auction. Award-winning author and journalist Benyamin Cohen has a bizarre side hustle as the manager of Einstein's official social media accounts, which have 20 million followers-more than most living celebrities. In The Einstein Effect, Cohen embarks on a global quest to unearth Einstein's ongoing relevance today. Along the way, he meets scientists and celebrities, speaks to dozens with the last name Einstein (including two rabbis), and even tracks down the brain of Einstein, stolen from his body during the autopsy. Cohen shows us the myriad ways the Nobel Prize winner's influence is still with us, giving an in-depth-and often hilarious-look at the world's favorite genius like you've never seen him before.

Benyamin Cohen (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Patrick Lawlor