I AM AN OIL TANKER: Travels with My Radio

A seasoned BBC Radio presenter, Glover is no stranger to the audio medium. Her friendly, down-to-earth delivery and pleasant British accent make her tales all the more appealing. A huge fan of radio, Glover took a few months off to travel the world and visit interesting, quirky radio stations in different countries. Among them: a Viennese station with programs that taught English idioms for traveling international businessmen (and which, at the time of Glover's arrival, was about to switch to an all-music format); a station in Beirut run by and for homesick Irish soldiers; a station in Montserrat that provided crucial information and emotional support to the inhabitants during devastating volcanic eruptions and their aftermath; and the home base of Dr. Joy Browne, whose advice call-in show is syndicated across America. Glover is endearingly honest, especially when recounting her frustrating and fruitless efforts to contact paranormal radio host Art Bell, and her nervousness at being in Beirut, fearing personal danger. Glover's enthusiasm for radio is contagious. She marvels at the fact that in any country in the world, one can turn on the local radio station and immediately find out what's on the minds of the natives, and embraces the arrival of Internet radio, which allows one to hear stations all over the globe without leaving home. (Jan. 1)