"Singing 101," by Nancy Bos

"Singing 101," by Nancy Bos is a combination of lessons and exercises designed to give anyone a peek into, "proper," singing technique. It is a quick listen, clocking in at under 2 hours. Despite its length, however, the work has a number of positive points. For more information, see below.

Pros:

• It's short and to the point, with digestible (10 minute or less) chapters.
• Defines clearly what it is (an introduction to singing), and what it is not (a replacement for live vocal coaching)
• Recommends that interested learners seek out a professional teacher to help guide their musical journey
• All recommendations and exercises seem sensible (though I am not a professional vocalist or vocal coach, so I can't say that with authority).

Cons:

• The book mentions half steps, but does not define them. Given that this is a "101" style book, I think this is a large oversight
• I found some of the "warm-up exercises," that constitute the back half of the book to be surprisingly difficult. Granted, they are supposed to get easier with practice, but I could see how a beginner might be discouraged by them.
• The audio quality drops (or at least changes) at the halfway point of the book (when the book shifts from lessons and exercises to exercises alone).
• I wish the chords / chord changes were clearer in the final warm-up exercise (3 minutes of blues improv); I found them a touch hard to hear.
• (nit-pick) The book says that it is based in science, but there is virtually no science discussed or cited in the work

Conclusion:

The book does what it sets out to. It provides basic singing instruction in a digestible, affordable package. It is not a replacement for live lessons, but it is not trying to be. Ultimately, if you want a guided journey into the world of singing, this is not a bad place to start.

Final Score:
7/10

"More Bedtime Stories For Cynics," an Audible Original

"More Bedtime Stories For Cynics," is the second volume in an on-going series that presents deconstructions and modern takes on fairy tales.  Some are funny, some are thought-provoking, and none of them are meant for children.  Is the work worth a listen?  Read on to find out.

Pros

• It was free (with my Audible membership)
• The cast is packed with notable celebrities (e.g. Nick Offerman, Jane Lynch, Sir Patrick Stuart)
• Each of the stories is digestible, lasting no longer than 20 minutes
• A few of the stories are interesting trope deconstructions (e.g. the woman who is cursed to be a frog until she receives "true love's kiss")

Cons

• The sound effects are too loud, and are asked to do too much.  For example, in the "Wizard," story, the sound effects are supposed to convey particularly complex actions, but fail to do so.
• With regards to the, "Wizard," story: I want to give it the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it is a critique of people with a savior complex, or how the Hollywood depiction of, "Inner City life," doesn't reflect reality. On the other hand, it doesn't rise above the stereotypes often used when describing "Inner City kids," (e.g. that they are disruptive, criminal, etc).
• With regards to the, "Mother," story:I will give credit where credit is due: there is something unnerving about this story (likely the mild body horror).  On the other hand, I can't help but feel that the plot elements are contrived (e.g. "it was too dark in the clinic to see what she was signing,"), and the daughter's final reaction to her situation seem out of character based on her previous actions.  Ultimately, this story had the potential to be a potent discussion of aging, but instead comes across as ham-fisted.
• (Nit-Pick) The chapter names do not match up with the stories being told

Conclusion

I'm glad this was free, or I would have given "Bedtime Stories," a lower score.  I was hoping for critiques and deconstructions of bed time stories / fairy tales, and to a certain extent, this collection delivers.  The problem, though, is that there are just as many misses as there are hits, so I can't recommend paying for this work unless you are a super-fan of either the voice talent or writers.

Final Score: 
5/10

"Zen Guitar," by Philip Toshio Sudo

Zen Guitar is a mash-up of Zen and Music. While it is not a method book in the traditional sense, it does offer guidance on how to approach both one's instrument and one's life in a zen way. If this sounds interesting to you, read on.

Pros

• Quotes from musicians (including Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, and Eric Clapton) generally keep the work from becoming too abstract.
• Includes a glossary of terms, meaning it is not necessary to thumb through the book to find the meaning of a Japanese word or phrase the author uses
• Includes a list of "further reading," on various topics discusses throughout the book

Cons

• Even though the book is up-front about its contents and intentions (ie that this is NOT a typical method book), I still found some of the lessons to be very abstract
• Though the book is titled Zen Guitar, virtually none of the lessons require a guitar specifically, as any instrument will do. Aside from the quotes from famous guitarists, this book could have easily been called, Zen Music or The Zen Musician.

Conclusion

The book deftly weaves together the study of Zen and Guitar. If that combination sounds interesting to you, and you aren't looking for a traditional method book, Zen Guitar is definitely worth a look.

Final Score: 
8/10

"Thinking: Fast and Slow," by Daniel Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is an exploration of how the human mind works.  The author discusses lots of pairs: two minds (the fast and intuitive system 1 and the deliberate but lazy system 2), two species (humans and "econs," aka the totally rational beings imagined by economists), and two selves (the experiencing self and the remembering self).  Along the way, he offers thought-provoking scenarios and highlights the mind's favorite shortcuts.  The book is a dense tome of behavioral economics, but Kahneman's non-technical language and conversational approach means the book is more digestible than a textbook (but still may raise some eyebrows for its 20+ hour length).

Pros: 

• The book contains lots of interesting information, much of which is applicable to the real world / day-to-day life.
• I enjoyed having my deeply rooted assumptions (which are born out of how my brain works) challenged.
• The author does not use especially technical or difficult language, despite the book's obvious academic pedigree
• I liked the book enough to buy it (though this purchasing decision was also informed by the fact that I simply could not finish the book in the time I had it checked out from the library).

Cons: 

• There are any graphs that are not well summarized when discussed verbally. One such example is the diagram of indifference curves.
• A lot of the information is variations on a theme.  This isn't bad in-and-of itself, but it does make the book feel somewhat repetitive.
• Some of the later chapters are based on the researcher's hunches / beliefs rather than a particular scientific study. 
• The book can come off somewhat preachy / all-knowing with regards to human behavior (though I suppose this isn't entirely unfounded as the author is a Nobel Prize laureate in behavioral economics)
• (nit-pick) The chapters, "opening credits," and, "closing credits," are really more like full introductions and conclusions, clocking in at about a half hour each.

Conclusion: 
This book is well-researched and thorough.  Mostly, you just have to ask yourself: "is this a topic that I am willing to invest 20 hours into?" If not, you would likely be better served by reading a summary of the book to get the main takeaways in considerably less time.

Final Score:
7/10

"Steven Fry's Victorian Secrets," an Audible Original

Stephen Fry's Victorian Secrets (written by John Woolf and Nick Baker, and presented by Steven Fry and a cast of voice actors) is an Audible Original that delves into the life and times of those living in the UK during the Victorian Era (Britain from 1837 to 1901). The work covers a myriad of topics from sex and sexuality (with a particular focus on Lesbian and Gay individuals) to crime and punishment. 

Pros

• I was pleasantly surprised at the breadth of the proceedings, especially considering that this was an Audible freebie. In particular, I appreciate that light was shed on the lives of members of the lesbian and gay communities (even if they would not have referred to themselves as such at the time).
• Both Steven Fry and the various voice actors that contribute to this work do an admirable job presenting the material. 

Cons

• I was surprised by how grizzly the opening chapter was; they wasted no time getting into medical traumas and debauchery. I would not have minded a gentler introduction into the time period, to be honest.
• The "sound effects," (or more specifically, the way Steven Fry's voice was edited in post to sound like he was "in the sewers," or, "in a townhouse," etc) can be a bit over-done.
• It is often hard to tell what is historical fact and what is apocryphal. To the book's credit, however, a number of experts on the Victorian era are brought in to speak on their field of research, and quite a few other books about the era are mentioned over the course of the work.

Conclusion
"Victorian Secrets," was a fun, if forgettable romp. I can't imagine I'll be revisiting this work, but I also don't have any complaints for the price I paid ($0). Ultimately, if you have an interest in the Victorian Era and want something more approachable than a history textbook, this isn't a bad place to start.

Final Score
6/10