Sample
  • The Curious Case of the Pheromonophone

  • By: Michael Epstein
  • Narrated by: Michael Epstein
  • Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars (150 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Curious Case of the Pheromonophone  By  cover art

The Curious Case of the Pheromonophone

By: Michael Epstein
Narrated by: Michael Epstein
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.95

Buy for $14.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
activate_primeday_promo_in_buybox_DT

Go Behind the Scenes of The Curious Case of the Pheromonophone

0:00

About the Creator and Performer

Michael is a screenwriter, journalist, and expert in immersive storytelling. Michael’s audio production career began when he was 10 years old as co-anchor of radio station K-R-A-P broadcast on a dual-tape-deck boombox in his friend’s attic. Michael’s next gig was with NPR’s Morning Edition filing stories about digital culture in Silicon Valley. Michael’s writing has appeared in Wired and Filmmaker Magazine focusing on interactive and participatory media. Michael is also a media scholar fascinated with how technology is changing the way we tell stories. He has a degree in Comparative Media Studies from MIT where he developed several interactive documentary projects about human connection in the digital age.In 2006, Michael founded Walking Cinema, a digital storytelling studio comprised of filmmakers, developers, and designers specializing in travel and history productions. Walking Cinema’s stories connect compelling characters to places around the world and have been distributed by the Venice Biennale, Detour, PBS, and MTV. For Audible, they have developed and produced Pen and Place and The Ralph Steadman Interactive Experience. Michael’s work has been honored by The American Alliance of Museums, The Boston International Film Festival, and The National Endowment for the Humanities.

What listeners say about The Curious Case of the Pheromonophone

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41
  • 4 Stars
    35
  • 3 Stars
    38
  • 2 Stars
    23
  • 1 Stars
    13
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    57
  • 4 Stars
    37
  • 3 Stars
    24
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
    18

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • BB
  • 09-02-20

An interesting surprise!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this title but what I got was a highly informative, engaging piece about a very intriguing man and his inventions. Skillfully presented by Michael Epstein, the listener is taken on a journey to discover Jonathon Keats and his inventions. A quick, fascinating listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Took a Strange Trip but in Good Company

Really enjoyed the author and narrator. The story of Jonathan was almost frustrating but in a good way and exactly how I believe it was intended to frustrate us. He's a trip, lol. Regardless of the subject, I really enjoyed the journalistic approach, viewpoint and narration of the story. I would absolutely listen to more by this author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Silicon Valley, stars. Entertaining. Funny story

Engaging and humorous. if you liked the sitcom, Silicon Valley, then you will enjoy this podcast.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

View on the Gap Between Art and Business Practices

Michael structured the story so that he experiences the ongoing journey of artist Jonathan Keats with the listener, and made it masterfully immersive with its detailed descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed Michael's not unfounded doubts on Jonathan when Jonathan is seemingly unable to see eye to eye with the executives of each business pitch. The analysis on Michael's part is compassionate as he tries to rewire his viewpoints to align with that of Jonathan's ambitious, philosophical, abstract ideologies. Investigation on similar artists such as John Chamberlain were done as a comparison, while Michael provides more commentaries on the differences between trying to deconstruct technology and the corporate framework.

If compromisation between corporate molds and creative art isn't possible, and collision is the only way an artist is able to get their point across, what does that entail? How does the consumer play into all of this? Did consumer desires as a collective alter the rather narrow minds of the capitalistic corporation, or is it the other way around? The conclusion leaves a lot to think about!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun story of a brilliant, oddball inventor

Great relationship development between characters, and certainly thought provoking. The only thing I couldn’t buy into is that the main character all along had some long term, master plan as a purely altruistic disruptor. It seems much more likely that he flies by the seat of his pants as every thought emerges from his brain.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Witty look at a brilliant conceptual artist

This audiobook is an entertaining and strange trip into the brain of mind blowing conceptual artist Jonathan Keats, his interpretation of the tech world and humanity. Author Michael Epstein fills this audio adventure with wittiness and a sense of curiosity. I'd listen to it over and over again!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fun, unexpected journey!

I really enjoyed listening to this. I especially found the chapter intros funny where Michael calls Jonathan and hears about whatever crazy invention he's working on next. Such an interesting guy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

This is a podcast style exploration of the artist Jonathan Keats’ idea of changing the way we as a society think, using art to question our assumptions.
It’s a really interesting journey which I don’t feel qualified to explain. But I really enjoyed listening to it and thinking about it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

As a 'central' character... WOW

Even I didn't know where this was heading. What a story, what characters, what a trip. Michael and Jonathon - thank you for letting me in on this journey. I hope this Audible Original is able to help others see the world, and more importantly themselves, in a different light.

-Adam

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Strange, Yet Fascinating

I'm not 100% sure what I listened to, but I know that I found it to be very interesting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!