Soundings
Journeys in the Company of Whales: A Memoir
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Narrated by:
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Doreen Cunningham
About this listen
“A gorgeous journey…You will be glad you’ve joined her.” —Susan Orlean, author of On Animals and The Library Book
In this lyrical memoir of motherhood, love, and resilience that “captures rarely observed natural places” (San Francisco Chronicle) a woman and her toddler son follow the grey whale migration from Mexico to northernmost Alaska.
In this “striking, brave[,] and often lyrical” (The Guardian) blend of nature writing, whale science, and memoir, Doreen Cunningham interweaves two stories: tracking the extraordinary northward migration of the grey whales with a mischievous toddler in tow and living with an Iñupiaq family in Alaska seven years earlier.
A story of courage and resilience, Soundings is about the migrating whales and all we can learn from them as they mother, adapt, and endure, their lives interrupted and threatened by global warming. It is also a riveting journey onto the Arctic Sea ice and into the changing world of Indigenous whale hunters, where Doreen becomes immersed in the ancient values of the Iñupiaq whale hunt and falls in love. Big-hearted, brave, and fearlessly honest, Soundings is an unforgettable journey.
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Ray Bradbury - peerless storyteller, poet of the impossible, and one of America's most beloved authors - is a literary giant whose remarkable career spanned seven decades. Now 26 of today's most diverse and celebrated authors offer new short works in honor of the master; stories of heart, intelligence, and dark wonder from a remarkable range of creative artists.
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THE MAN WHO FORGOT RAY BRADBURY
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 05-27-17
By: Sam Weller - editor, and others
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Gateways
- Original New Stories Inspired by Frederik Pohl
- By: Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, and others
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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It isn’t easy to get a group of bestselling SF authors to write new stories for an anthology, but that’s what Elizabeth Anne Hull has done in this powerhouse book. With original, captivating tales by Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, David Brin, Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison, Larry Niven, Vernor Vinge, Gene Wolfe, and others, Gateways is a SF event that will be a must-buy for SF readers of all tastes, from the traditional to the cutting edge; from the darkly serious to the laugh-out-loud funny.
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Spectacular.
- By Steve Reid on 08-21-15
By: Greg Bear, and others
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The Lemon Orchard
- A Novel
- By: Luanne Rice
- Narrated by: Blair Brown
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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In the five years since Julia last visited her aunt and uncle’s home in Malibu, her life has been turned upside down by her daughter’s death. She expects to find nothing more than peace and solitude as she house-sits with only her dog, Bonnie, for company. But she finds herself drawn to the handsome man who oversees the lemon orchard. Roberto expertly tends the trees, using the money to support his extended Mexican family. What connection could these two people share? The answer comes as Roberto reveals the heartbreaking story of his own loss – a pain Julia knows all too well, but for one striking difference: Roberto’s daughter was lost but never found. And despite the odds he cannot bear to give up hope.
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Great story about a tragic condition
- By Nancy I. Landrum on 10-23-24
By: Luanne Rice
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The Source of All Things
- A Memoir
- By: Tracy Ross
- Narrated by: Tracy Ross
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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A loving and devoted step-father, Donnie introduced Tracy Ross's family to the joys of fishing, deer hunting, camping, and hiking among the pristine mountains of rural Idaho. Donnie was everything Tracy dreamed a dad would be: protective, brave, and kind. But when his dependence on his eight-year-old daughter's companionship went too far, everything changed.
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Brave Woman
- By Ray Stewart on 06-23-24
By: Tracy Ross
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Whirligig
- By: Paul Fleischman
- Narrated by: Robert Field, Lily Christian, Alex Hauk, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Newbery Medal winner Paul Fleischman writes a profoundly moving story of connectedness and the journey of a young soul to self-discovery. Told through the voices of five characters and narrated by age-appropriate actors, Whirligig compels the listener with its lesson on how our actions can impact the lives of others - even years later. A stunningly authentic listening experience.
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Fabulous
- By Tim on 03-21-17
By: Paul Fleischman
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All the Winters After
- A Novel
- By: Seré Prince Halverson
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Kachemak Winkel never intended to come back to his hometown of Caboose, Alaska, where his family died in a plane crash 20 years earlier. When he finally musters the courage to return and face his painful memories, he's surprised to find a mysterious young woman living in his abandoned house.
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The Old Old Story
- By Bruce on 06-16-16
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Lassoing the Sun
- A Year in America's National Parks
- By: Mark Woods
- Narrated by: Corey M. Snow
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Many childhood summers, Mark Woods piled into a station wagon with his parents and two sisters and headed to America's national parks. Mark's most vivid childhood memories are set against a backdrop of mountains, woods, and fireflies in places like Redwood, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks. On the eve of turning 50, and a little burned out, Mark decided to reconnect with the great outdoors. He'd spend a year visiting the national parks.
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great narrator, lackluster story, wonderful themes
- By MT on 08-21-18
By: Mark Woods
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Love and Other Ways of Dying
- Essays
- By: Michael Paterniti
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 17 wide-ranging essays collected for the first time in Love and Other Ways of Dying, he brings his full literary powers to bear, pondering happiness and grief, memory and the redemptive power of human connection. In the remote Ukranian countryside, Paterniti picks apples (and faces mortality) with a real-life giant; in Nanjing, China, he confronts a distraught jumper on a suicide bridge.
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Incredibly intimate voice for humanity
- By Ed Hodges on 01-02-16
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Nurse, Come You Here!
- More True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle
- By: Mary J. MacLeod
- Narrated by: Jill Tanner
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Mary J. Macleod and her husband left the London area for an idyllic place to raise their young children in the late '60s, and they found the island of Papavray in the Scottish Hebrides. There they bought a croft house on a "small acre" of land, and Mary J. (also known as Julia) became the district nurse.
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Great book!
- By Catt Pataky on 09-02-17
By: Mary J. MacLeod
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Italian Shoes
- By: Henning Mankell
- Narrated by: Henry Strozier
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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With more than 30 million copies of his works published, in 37 languages, award-winning author Henning Mankell may be Sweden's most accomplished novelist. Here he crafts the icy, atmospheric tale of Fredrik Welin, a disgraced surgeon living in exile on a small island. When Fredrik receives a surprise visit from a lover he abandoned decades earlier, he begins the difficult road to redemption.
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Nothing like Kurt Wallander
- By Pamela on 10-18-12
By: Henning Mankell
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The Electricity of Every Living Thing
- A Woman's Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home
- By: Katherine May
- Narrated by: Katherine May
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In anticipation of her 38th birthday, Katherine May set out to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path. She wanted time alone, in nature, to understand why she had stopped coping with everyday life; why motherhood had been so overwhelming and isolating; and why the world felt full of expectations she couldn't meet. She was also reeling from a chance encounter with a voice on the radio that sparked her realisation that she might be autistic.
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Perfect!!!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-20-22
By: Katherine May
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Stories
- All-New Tales
- By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, Al Sarrantonio - editor, Joe Hill, and others
- Narrated by: Anne Bobby, Jonathan Davis, Katherine Kellgren, and others
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal.
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Something for Everyone
- By Nicole on 05-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, and others
What listeners say about Soundings
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- SSWise
- 02-08-24
Adventure
Being a biologist with some experience in the field with whales, I found the story relatable. It was fun to hear some familiar names from Barrow now Utqiagvik as well as other scientists.
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- Fred
- 12-15-23
Good book
Loved her observations of whales and their impact on her life. Also loved the way she took her son Max on her whale adventures.
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- Paige
- 11-25-23
Beautiful!
Having been an avid watcher of the gray whale migration along the coastline of California for many decades, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the beautiful story of the author's journey. What a remarkable first hand account with some interesting history and scientific information thrown in for good measure. This is one I will listen to again.
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- Sabrina
- 07-09-23
Soundings
The overarching theme of climate issues and the diminishing population of the water mammals carried the story. However the underlying love story stood out for me. The author talked about loving and not giving in to it but not if she was happy or at peace with her decision.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-24-23
Wonderful!
This title came up in my daily deals, and I’m so happy it did! I usually ignore them, but since it was about whales, I read the details. I thought this was a great memoir, and I loved learning more about whales and climate change. I would have loved an epilogue, but that’s not too major!
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- M. Adams
- 04-27-23
Fantastic
This was a fantastic listen! ❤️❤️❤️ I loved Doreen travels and tribulations. I learned so much about the whales & the whale hunters in Alaska.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Deborah Branson
- 01-06-24
Incredible Journey
This book takes you on an incredible journey. It reminds me of home in Alaska.
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- rachel cartwright
- 12-15-22
Fabulous!
A truly engaging combination of personal memoir, natural history and climate commentary. Though I would have to just have to say… humpbacks are pretty engaging whales too..
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7 people found this helpful
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- Lillian H
- 09-01-22
Great Story; Needs An Epilogue
This is a great story that sheds an important light on the ravages of climate change as well as a memoir about a life changed because of a quest. My only complaint is the lack of an epilogue in terms of Doreen’s life. Suddenly, at the end, she has more children and a seemingly stable life. After being with her as she struggled to set a course for herself and her son, we don’t know how she got to her current place or what that actually is. Still, I would definitely recommend this book. And now I want to visit Alaska more than ever - the only of the 50 states that I have not visited.
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15 people found this helpful
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- Sheri Wilson
- 09-24-22
Climate Change and the Whales
This memoir is excellent on so many levels. It was hard to put it down. Highly recommend listening to this magnificently written description of a mother and her son's journey to follow the gray whales. The author elegantly weaves facts about climate change into the story.
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10 people found this helpful