The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening

by Ari Shapiro (Narrator)

From the beloved host of NPR's All Things Considered, a stirring memoir-in-essays that is also a lover letter to journalism.

In his first book, broadcaster Ari Shapiro takes us around the globe to reveal the stories behind narratives that are sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, but always poignant. He details his time traveling on Air Force One with President Obama, or following the path of Syrian refugees fleeing war, or learning from those fighting for social justice both at home and abroad.

As the self-reinforcing bubbles we live in become more impenetrable, Ari Shapiro keeps seeking ways to help people listen to one another; to find connection and commonality with those who may seem different; to remind us that, before religion, or nationality, or politics, we are all human. The Best Strangers in the World is a testament to one journalist's passion for Considering All Things--and sharing what he finds with the rest of us.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Essays, LGBT, Biography, Travel

256 pages, Audiobook

First published March 23, 2023

Reviews

[Katt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. I think I had expectations about the book being about all of the interesting people he’s met like the title suggests but instead it was all about him and a lot of name dropping. I’m sorry, I love NPR and ATC but my expectations ruined the experience. I also had visceral reactions to the author calling the most amazing President by his first name. Numerous times! It seemed unnecessarily boastful and really rubbed me wrong. Have you never seen American President?! Even his best friend calls him Mr. President! 😂 Also, take the pills. Wearing your excessive sweating that potentially ruins situations as a badge of honor? If they work and don’t cause negative side affects? I don’t get it.
I did love how accepting his parents were and the amazing strength he showed as a young person clearly being proud and loud. I think it helped him to become such a strong proud individual that has been confident enough to take risks and be successful in so many ventures.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know Ari Shapiro really before this book. I really liked the book and liked him. He has an interesting perspective and good mix of ego and insecurity. I liked most of the essays and a few I could've done without, but overall a strong collection.

[Valleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

BIG thanks to both HarperOne and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening.

It was fascinating getting a peek into Ari Shapiro's amazing life. Mr. Shapiro's wish is for The Best Strangers in the World to help us find connection and commonality with those who may seem different; to remind us that, before religion, nationality, or politics, we are all human. Parts of the book made me laugh out loud. Parts of the book broke my heart. Parts of the book made me angry. The author definitely succeeded in opening my eyes!

I believe a part of the book I will never forget was when Ari was warning his younger brother of what he might encounter when he started high school: He told him that, although it was unfair, he may be bullied for having a gay brother. He apologized to his brother for possibly making his freshman year difficult. His brother replied: "You don't deserve it, either. You didn't ask to be gay. And you shouldn't be bullied for it any more than I should be for being your brother." He was 13 years old. (That one makes me teary, once again.)

I must confess I had never heard of Pink Martini so I got on YouTube and lost myself in their videos - especially the ones where Ari was singing. What a great voice...

If you love nonfiction and love diving into backstories, you will love The Best Strangers in the World as much as I did!!

[Christina McHenry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less Ari, more strangers, please.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I knew nothing about Ari Shapiro. I had never heard of him nor listened to his radio news program on NPR, All Things Considered. I simply wanted to increase my reading of nonfiction, and thought I might like biographies or memoirs. I did find the book interesting and Ari Shapio's life is full and exciting.

Ari Shapiro is a gay may who was the first to come out in his high school. As a kid, he was very curious and this curiosity served him well as he got older. He seems to be a risk-taker and didn't shy away from issues or challenges. He went to war zones as a reporter and you could feel his trepidation about this as he related some of his adventures in different war zones. He was also a White House press person, and I found his account of flying in Air Force One for the first time interesting. What I most like after reading the book, is that Ari Shapiro tries to report the human side of stories rather than just relating the facts. It would seem more interesting to me to find out how events affect the people in the area rather than just the event and the statistics surrounding it.

Thanks to HarperOne through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 21, 2023.

[Kristin Wade · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reminded me of people at a job interview who when asked about their negatives say something like "I'm too organized." He just was not very personal or real. In addition, of all the fascinating places he has been, and all the amazing people he has interviewed a lot of the book centered around his singing career. I just came away thinking you have a perfect life except you sweat a lot. It could have been so much more interesting.

[Laura Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ari Shapiro is probably best known as NPR's host of All Things Considered. In his bestselling memoir, The Best Strangers in the World, he speaks openly about his life as by a journalist and a gay man. He writes like he speaks and his stories reveal him to be humble, curious, down to earth, humorous, empathetic, intelligent, and multitalented.

In his own words, "I keep seeking out ways to help people listen to one another." He often takes the road less traveled, seeking out the human side of news stories, showing us how individuals and communities are impacted.
"One of the best ways to tell a big story is by telling a small one."

Journalists like Ari Shapiro promote understanding in a divided world. We need more journalists like him. Hell, we need more human beings like him.

I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fascinating essay collection, a talented storyteller and journalist tells stories about himself for once. I’ve long thought Ari Shapiro lived an interesting life but I didn’t know the half of it. While I haven’t followed his career closely, I’ve always appreciated his work whenever I did come across it and wondered how he balanced that with performing with Pink Martini and everything else. I loved getting to hear how he brings his insights as a gay Jewish man into his work, as well as how he approaches interviews and personal interactions. The essays are a mix of funny, moving, and thought-provoking. While there’s still more I’d like to know about him, I thoroughly enjoyed everything he did share. I hope he’ll consider writing more in the future.


Content notes: homophobia, homophobic slur, transphobia, bigotry, antisemitism, xenophobia, Pulse nightclub shooting, officer-involved shooting, murder of man’s adult daughter, child abuse and murder of children, AIDS epidemic, refugee crises, terrorism, war and casualties, 9/11, Palestinian-Israeli conflict, infidelity (not author), robbery, alcohol, inebriation, ableist language, mention of gay man who died by suicide, mention of friend who died of pancreatic cancer, reference to woman on train who went into cardiac arrest

[Ben Gilbert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Supposed to be stories from strangers around the world but a hefty amount of the book is just the author telling his own story. Very misleading title.

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Can't find my notes right now, but I especially liked Chapter 13, naturally enough; it had some great thoughts about the power of reading, of fiction, of words.

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Ari on NPR but the book just didn't resonate with me. I liked certain parts but overall it was rather bland. At times the writing came across as self aggrandizing and a tad pompous. I was expecting way more stories regarding those " Best Strangers" However, with a rating of 4.17 I must be an outlier.

[lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are already a fan of Ari Shapiro then unfortunately, this book will be a bit of a disappointment for you. I was so excited to read it, but it let me down a bit. Although there is some information about Ari's life outside of his constantly evolving role at NPR, there isn't much, which would have been the biggest appeal of this book. I guess I assumed it was a memoir, but it isn't, it is mostly just a rehashing of Shapiro's favorite stories from his radio programs. Since I've listened to NPR for my entire life, I have heard all those stories. Sometimes he will throw in a behind the scenes moment, like the time he was covering the Orlando nightclub shooting, and realized he had stumbled upon Pulse years earlier. But these moments are few and far between.

I really liked hearing more about his life, especially his childhood in North Dakota, and Portland, Oregon. He was encouraged to indulge in all his interests, and to constantly ask questions, which would later become good habits for his journalism career. I also liked hearing about his very sweet relationship with his husband, Mark, especially the story of the wedding they had in California. Again, I wish there had been more of this. Ari Shapiro seems very reluctant to look his personal life in the eye, and delve into it, which is fine I guess, but then the book reads very flat. I have heard most of these stories through the radio already, and I liked them better when I heard Shapiro and the voices of his guests. If I really wanted to, I could listen to the NPR archives again, and I would probably enjoy that better than this book.

But if you know nothing about Ari Shapiro, or if you don't listen to NPR much, then you might get a kick out of this book. It's well written, just a bit scattered and dull.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Strangers in the World

This memoir by Ari Shapiro was not as good as I was anticipating. Perhaps it is his voice and the depth of his reporting on NPR that intrigued me so much, but not the topic of the current events themselves. I was surprised that this read seemed superficial at times. But journalists can struggle with longer book-length pieces as they don't usually have the lens of an historian.

Specifically this memoir is a collection of events from Shapiro's traveling around the world reporting on stories often in war zones. There are a lot of names that I forgot by the next page which prevented a good reading flow. Then there is the subject of name dropping. I love Alan Cummings but I didn't need the last "fanboy" chapter.

I did like Ari's origin story but it was way too short. The idea of his family periodically hiking the trails around Mt Hood hunting for mushrooms and documenting other plants and animals brought me joy. Ari was one of the few openly gay NPR journalists and this is notable. I don't think the section on his gay marriage was especially well written. I thought it could have been covered more carefully and a little less hastily.

Maybe personalities like Shapiro forget that few people care about a book that just rehashes someone's career because almost no-one's career is that interesting as the thesis for a book. More background and perhaps fewer stories would help here too. So, so many names.

Finally, there are a lot of pages covering his band, Pink Martini, which I found incredibly boring to read about but I am sure was cathartic to him.

3 stars. Ari, remember that origin stories are always more interesting than work stories.

[jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly I LOVED this. I am a bit of a public radio nerd and so this was right in my wheelhouse. What did surprise me though was while it does work so well as a traditional memoir, it also speaks so eloquently about both the value and importance of storytelling, highlighting both the power of traditional journalism as well as fiction. I both laughed and cried. Though in reality I probably cried much more because I am soft and these are the types of stories that always get me. Also I think you just gotta go with the audio option here, it was excellent.

Thanks so much to Libro.fm for providing me with an ALC.

[Meg Curtis · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe how boring most of these stories were, considering the things Ari Shapiro has seen and lived through.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a charming yet down-to-earth memoir told in vignettes. I’ve listened to All Things Considered but knew virtually nothing about Ari Shapiro. This book covers how he got to where he is at NPR, his time as a guest vocalist for Pink Martini, and his interactions with so many people.

Shapiro says, “…one of the best ways to tell a big story is by telling a small one.” This book covers climate change to the Orlando mass shooting to the Syrian civil war through conversations with people in the thick of it. Shapiro quickly builds connection and then shares real stories—he says that he hopes his journalism can “maybe even change someone’s view of the world”.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins!

[Josh Bokor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
As a fan of both NPR (he hosts NPR’s “All Things Considered”) and Pink Martini (he sings/tours with the band), Ari Shapiro’s new book is a must for me. You don’t have to be too familiar with his work and involvement with covering news stories but it certainly helps. It’s an enjoyable book that looks into Ari as a person as well as going in depth at some of the stories he’s covered as well as some fun facts about him. From reading this, he seems to be a genuine and caring soul and I totally recommend it for anyone interested in reading about some good stories, some that will make your eyes watery and some that will make you grin.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprisingly tedious, I only made it halfway through. Namedroppy/eyerolly

[Candace Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big NPR fan, I have admired Ari for years. It was an absolute delight to listen to him tell his story.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 -- this was such a delightful listen for me, as an NPR lover and a fan of memoirs. Chock full of good stories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes that were simultaneously light/fun and introspective. Would recommend!

[Chad Oakley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so entertaining! It also hit me with a dose of hope at the right time.

[Amy Prosenjak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great listen! The chapter on the benefits of fiction was the best (Alan Cumming chapter a close second)!

[Debi]

“Despite what power structures may want us to believe, writers help me see that we are all walking together.”

Shapiro is a smart and nice guy, but his book’s title is misleading overall. This is primarily a memoir rather than a series of engaging conversations with strangers.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting life was expected from Ari Shapiro. And an interesting story of said life was equally expected. And Shapiro delivered. A bit too polished for my personal tastes, but overall a well produced memoir. I suggest listening to the audiobook: Shapiro’s best medium. Four stars.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did, and I'm so sad about that. I love Ari Shapiro's work on NPR and All Things Considered, and I am a sucker for journalism memoirs, especially when they are rooted in public information and stories of humanity.

The chapters stood on their own as short explorations of specific topics, which sometimes can truly work in a book, but somehow, and maybe it was the sequencing, it didn't flow right. Some of the chapters didn't feel like they held as much weight--and I'm not saying that, say, a chapter on covering DC politics is more important than the joys Shapiro felt in Pink Martini, but there was some disconnect for me that didn't let the book take off.

And sometimes a storyteller is just better when heard out loud. Maybe if I heard Shapiro reading the book instead of reading it on the page, I would have felt more connected.

There were chapters that were absolute fives though. Of course there were--it's Ari Shapiro.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Strangers in the World was a fantastic read, I loved getting a peek into Ari Shapiro’s life! Throughout the memoir, he covered a wide range of personal and professional highlights, from coming out in high school to reporting in war zones. He approached his stories in such a thoughtful manner, focused on including the individual human narrative instead of only the cold hard facts. For instance - one of my favorite tales during his time as White House Correspondent wasn’t related to politics or President Obama (although those were good too) - but the connection he had with one of the White House Christmas decorators, and the domino effect that happened because of it. Reading this made me feel motivated to be more curious, and also served as a reminder to always be compassionate and help others if given the chance.

The ebook was great, and I bet it would make an amazing audiobook. Either way, I highly recommend this, even if you have not listened to All Things Considered.

[Kameka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a 4.5!

Disclaimer: Ari is a good friend from college, so I read this because I was super excited about supporting a friend's work. I also listened to the audio book version because I wanted to hear Ari's voice as if he was telling me a story like back in our days at Yale.

It was great to hear so many stories from Ari and his travels working for NPR and since he became host of "All Things Considered". It felt like sitting under the tent at reunion and getting the updates on people he'd interviewed, places he'd been and things he'd done.

There is a familiarity to this work, likely because of our shared experience in New Haven and having spent time in classes and the acapella universe together, that gave me the warm and fuzzies.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

He is a great journalist and a good man but I just wasn’t that compelled by this book.

[Balloon Bruce · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. 40 Pages in and still no sight of a good stranger, no 'stories from a life spent listening.' The book is mislabelled.

[Dennis Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best thing about The Best Strangers stories is not knowing which was best.