Playground Audiobook By Richard Powers cover art

Playground

A Novel

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Playground

By: Richard Powers
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Robin Siegerman, Eunice Wong, Pun Bandhu, Krys Janae, Kevin R Free
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About this listen

A magisterial new novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times best-selling author of The Overstory and Bewilderment.

Four lives are drawn together in a sweeping, panoramic new novel from Richard Powers, showcasing the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory at the height of his skills. Twelve-year-old Evie Beaulieu sinks to the bottom of a swimming pool in Montreal strapped to one of the world’s first aqualungs. Ina Aroita grows up in naval bases across the Pacific with art as her only home. Two polar opposites at an elite Chicago high school bond over a three-thousand-year-old board game; Rafi Young will get lost in literature, while Todd Keane’s work will lead to a startling AI breakthrough.

They meet on the history-scarred island of Makatea in French Polynesia, whose deposits of phosphorus once helped feed the world. Now the tiny atoll has been chosen for humanity’s next adventure: a plan to send floating, autonomous cities out onto the open sea. But first, the island’s residents must vote to greenlight the project or turn the seasteaders away.

Set in the world’s largest ocean, this awe-filled book explores that last wild place we have yet to colonize in a still-unfolding oceanic game, and interweaves beautiful writing, rich characterization, profound themes of technology and the environment, and a deep exploration of our shared humanity in a way only Richard Powers can.

©2024 Richard Powers (P)2024 Spotify Audiobooks
Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Suspenseful Island
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Beautifully Woven Storylines • Thought-provoking Narrative • Eloquent Writing • Compelling Environmental Message
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Eduardo Ballerini is one of the best audio book narrators around. If only he had read the whole thing. Instead, there were additional narrators and one of them was SO BAD that I’d switch to the Kindle for her chapters. It’s a great story from a wonderful author but this was not a good listen.

Better to Read Than Listen

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Many relevant topics woven into a thought provoking story across recent history and rapidly ascending future. Especially touching to those who have more than 10 years of scuba diving experience and those who wonder about a future with AI.

Put your thinking cap on!

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Beautiful remarkable story spoiled by horrible recording production. Someone should be embarrassed by the shoddy way they put this gorgeous work into the world.

Brilliant Novel- Horrible Production

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Loved every chapter as it moved me want more every day. Thank you for my inspiration to see the poetry of the world.

Just stunning and thought provoking

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Magical and haunting the story unfolds. The language, the plot, the love for our planet are all there in incredible beauty

Another amazing title by Powers

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Listening to Raja Ampat being described in 1960 put me right back in its magical waters when I visited for the first time last year, with tears streaming. The timely, intricate, and sweeping storyline, the characters—seemingly disparate yet colliding elegantly, bittersweetly in the end—left me speechless and my heart aching. This is a poignant, majestic book, and my favorite audiobook experience yet!

Speechless

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Instead of forests, now we are focused on all things ocean .. the title of the book explains a lot.. I like the way it brings us into current times .. pun intended.

After “ The Overstory”

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Enjoyed following the tales of the principals and how they eventually combine. Loved the description of the sea creatures. Makes me want to go diving again, soon.

The intricate stories of Todd and Ralphie, and Limpet and Evelyn.

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Once again, Powers creates profoundly disparate threads and then weaves them together, provoking deep thought about important things. As he did in Overstory, he shares an astonishing array of images and details to help us see the beauty and precious diversity of life around and beneath us. Will his next be on birds?

Spectacular

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Having grown up in the Chicago suburbs and attended the U of Illinois (both campuses) I really enjoyed the references to various locales in both locations. I must have been there at the same time the boys were.

The story is so much more than that though. The author’s breadth of knowledge is astonishing. I feel as if I learned a lot just reading this book. I’m going to read it again to be sure I picked up most of what it had to offer, and recommend it to my Chicago friends.

An Interesting Chicago Story

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