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The Soul of A New Machine Audiobook by Tracy Kidder— narrated by Ben Sullivan
Tracy Kidder's Pulitzer-winning The Soul of a New Machine embeds with the engineers racing to build a minicomputer against impossible odds. A masterclass of narrative nonfiction that turns circuit design into genuine suspense.
Why the audiobook wins
Ben Sullivan narrates The Soul of a New Machine with a steady, pleasant clarity that does something remarkable: it makes circuit design and firmware deadlines sound like a thriller, exactly as Kidder wrote it. Sullivan's pacing keeps the engineering disputes legible without ever slowing down the tension of a team racing an internal deadline.
At just over nine hours, it's a tight enough listen for a few commutes or a weekend of chores, and the audio format suits Kidder's you-are-there reporting style better than you'd expect from a book about minicomputer design. You feel like you're in the room with the Data General team, not reading a history of them.
Kidder's book won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for its portrait of unglamorous, obsessive engineering work, and Sullivan's narration honors that with a performance that never oversells the drama already built into the story. One Audible credit gets you the whole race to ship.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the The Soul of A New Machine audiobook?
- Ben Sullivan narrates the audiobook edition of The Soul of A New Machine.
- How long is the The Soul of A New Machine audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 9 hr 3 min.
- Is the The Soul of A New Machine audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored The Soul of A New Machine 4.5 out of 5. Ben Sullivan narrates The Soul of a New Machine with a steady, pleasant clarity that does something remarkable: it makes circuit design and firmware deadlines sound like a thriller, exactly as Kidder wrote it. Sullivan's pacing keeps the engineering disputes legible without ever…
- Can I listen to The Soul of A New Machine free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to The Soul of A New Machine free with an Audible trial
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- Is The Soul of A New Machine on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. The Soul of A New Machine was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on June 30, 2026.
- How much does The Soul of A New Machine cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $9.99, Paperback $11.39, Hardcover $116.00. Prices as of August 22, 2026 at 3:45 AM EDT and may change.
