An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

Gore’s sequel to An Inconvenient Truth has a wide scope that includes an update on the state of climate change, a look at those who have taken up the cause since the original documentary was released, and a guide to fighting climate change. The production comes across awkwardly, which is unsurprising considers it is a resource guide turned documentary turned audiobook. It strives for the conversational yet highly produced style of popular podcasts, but falls short. The book employs different voices for each segment­—profiles, actions to take, knowledge to consider—and occasional musical segues, but each voice feels divorced from the previous section, which makes the listening experience disjointed. One part that’s especially off-putting is the interview between Gore and artist-activist Shepard Fairey, in which actor Marin Ireland performs Gore’s contributions, which is odd considering that Gore reads for the introduction and conclusion. The book has a lot of invigorating parts to inspire and motivate people, but the consideration that went into the documentary is absent from the audiobook. A Rodale paperback. (July)