- AudioFile Magazine

Transcription

The Magazine for People Who Love Audiobooks
April/May 2009 • VOL. 17, NO. 6
www.audiofilemagazine.com
2009 FAMILY
LISTENING
45
AUDIOFILE
Summer
Audiobook
Picks for Kids
Award-Winning
Titles for All Ages
AUTHORS
ON AUDIO
Joe Hill
Garry Wills
Laurie Halse Anderson
Mary Pipher
IN THE STUDIO
Richard Dreyfuss
Talks About Becoming
Stephen Douglas
April/May 2009
USA $6.00/Canada $8.00
“There’s something about the shape of a
spoken word that resonates within me.”
—Laurie Halse Anderson
2 ■ AudioFile/www.audiofilemagazine.com
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Robin F. Whitten
Patricia E. Stickney
Jennifer M. Dowell
Elizabeth K. Dodge
Jennifer Steele
Kara Nappi
Mark Mattos
MaryBeth Walz
Allison Adams
Taryn Bianchin
Heather G. Evans
Editor/Publisher
Financial Officer
Managing Editor
Review Editor
Art Director
Marketing Manager
Web Manager
Web Administrator
Assistant to the Editor
Editorial Assistant
Customer Service
Vol. 17, No. 6
Contributing Editors:
Priscilla Grant, S.J. Henschel, Yuri Rasovsky,
Aurelia C. Scott, Steven E. Steinbock,
Thomas Walken
Contributors:
Benjamin Cheever, Marten Czamanske,
Lizette Hannegan, Shane Leonard,
Randy O’Brien, Susie Wilde
AudioFile’s Mission
AudioFile reviews unabridged and abridged
audiobooks, original audio programs, commentary and dramatizations in the spoken-word
format. Our focus is the audio presentation, not
critique of the written material.
AudioFile reviewers are professionals in the
information, education and performance fields.
All reviews are signed.
AudioFile awards Earphones to truly
exceptional presentations that excel in all the
following criteria:
• Narrative voice and style
• Vocal characterizations
• Appropriateness for the audio format
• Enhancement of the text
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Contents April/May 2009 Vol. 17, No. 6
2009 Family Listening
28
Spotlight: Author Laurie Halse Anderson
30
Audiobooks on the Go
34
Spotlight: Narrator David Pittu
Reviews & Features
35
Children & Family Listening
38
Young Adult
39
Fantasy & Science Fiction
40
Mystery & Suspense
Spotlight: Author Joe Hill & Narrator Ron McLarty
48
Fiction
52
Biography & Memoir
Spotlight: Author Mary Pipher
56
In the Studio Richard Dreyfuss
57
History
58
Classics
59
Contemporary Culture
62
Learning By Ear Positively Intentional!
64
Christian Audio
Spotlight: Author Garry Wills
30
46
64
Laurie Halse Anderson photo by Joyce Tenneson; Ron McLarty photo by Jerry Bauer; Garry Wills photo © AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
17
Departments
9 Editor’s Notes
28
10
Contributors
12
Hear Here
14
AudiOpinion Why Don’t More Great Reads Make It to Audio?
16
On the Web
21
Editors’ Picks New Releases for April & May 2009
68
Listening Librarians Sharon Grover
72
Listening With . . . Juan Antonio Garcia, Lisa R. Piccione &
Samuel Garcia-Piccione
Resources
6 Mission
66 Index of Print Reviews
70 Advertiser Directory
70 Sources Who, What, When, Where . . . and How to Find It
Visit our Web site for more reviews, extended features, sound
clips, and a complete list of all audiobook new releases.
April/May 2009 ■ 7
Editor’s Notes
Sharing the Stories
Where does the love for the spoken word begin? Did your parents
read you Where the Wild Things Are, or Horton Hears a Who? Did
you huddle near the radio for “The Shadow”—or was it Dick Estell’s
“Radio Reader”? Did you and your friends read aloud Emily Dickinson
or The Prophet? Or maybe you heard your first “book-on-tape” on a
family car trip. Was it Tom Sawyer or Where the Red Fern Grows?
As we celebrate the great wealth of children’s audiobooks in this issue,
I think of all the ways we can learn to love hearing a story. That’s easy
for many of us who already love to listen, and there are many ways to
“feed” our listening habit today. The range of recorded stories also
makes it easy to share our fascination with youngsters—or with adults
who may not have yet tried an audiobook. You will find many good
choices recommended in this issue, from The Phantom Tollbooth to
The Shoe Bird. And, before planning your summer listening with
the family, be sure to check out the “Audiobooks on the Go” feature at
www.audiofilemagazine.com.
This month we also publish a second Digest focused on a growing
area of audiobook publishing. This time it’s Christian Audiobooks.
The PDF edition is available at our Web site, for sharing and for posting,
and goes along with our Web pages devoted to audiobooks on Christian
living, theology, and inspiration—www.audiofilemagazine.com/
chistianaudiobooks.
As we committed listeners introduce audiobooks to others, it’s good
to remind “newbies” that listening is a boon for busy adults and children
who want to read and learn but never seem to find the time. And you
don’t have to be a big reader to love audiobooks: they open new worlds
for anyone who loves stories and enjoys the inspiration of someone
speaking directly to them.
During times when challenges abound, the spoken word provides
strength, learning, and entertainment. So please, pass it on—share this
wonderful world of audiobooks.
Inside Track
Two Digest publications and
focused Web pages:
Christian Audiobooks
www.audiofilemagazine.com/
christianaudiobooks
Spanish Audiobooks
spanishaudiobooks
2009 Audies Finalists
www.theaudies.com
Photo by Kevin Brusie
Robin Whitten
Editor and Founder
Contributors
Nancy McCarty
Shane Leonard
Jessie Grearson
Donna Gerardo
Marten Czamanske
Marten Czamanske
Anderson (page 28) and narrator David Pittu (page 34);
Marten Czamanske (“Listening With . . . ” photograph,
page 72) has more than 20 years of photography experience
working with ad agencies, designers, and businesses. After
starting his career as a Staff Photographer for Eastman
Kodak Company, he opened his own Rochester, New Yorkbased commercial photography studio to focus on
portraying the human side of business for local and
national clients.
Ann Ritchie, an educator in Massachusetts, reviews
The Water Babies (page 32); Ruth Heespelink, a librarian
Shane Leonard
Shane Leonard (Joe Hill photographs, pages 40 & 41) started
taking pictures as a child, hoping to better illustrate the
secret lives of his action figures when they were at rest.
He'd rather just shoot portraits of people these days. He
lives in Bangor, Maine.
Children’s Reviewers
AudioFile salutes some of our intrepid children’s and young
adult audiobook reviewers in the family listening issue:
Lizette Hannegan, a librarian in Virginia, contributes
to our updated Audiobooks on the Go list in this issue
(page 30); Jessie Grearson, a writer in Maine, reviews
Squashed in the Middle (page 36); Donna Gerardo, a
bookseller in Portland, Maine, listens when she’s not
busy bonding with her ducks; Susie Wilde, a writer
in North Carolina, speaks with author Laurie Halse
in Massachusetts, reviews The Wayside School Collection
(page 31) and Misty of Chincoteague (page 32); Nancy
McCarty, an educator in Pennsylvania, listens while she
knits; Susan Baird, a librarian in Illinois, reviews Toby
Tucker: Keeping Sneaky Secrets (page 35); Mary Nino, a
librarian in California, reviews Dark Dude (page 38);
Denise Perry Donavin, a librarian in Michigan, reviews
Curse of the Blue Tattoo (page 38) and Under the Jolly Roger
(page 33); Nancy Campbell, an audiophile in
Washington, reviews Blood Tide (page 35); Marty Crisp,
a writer in Pennsylvania, reviews Mack Made Movies
(page 37); Louise Capizzo, a librarian in Maine, reviews
The Porcupine Year (page 33); Lisa Piccione, a Spanish
teacher and translator in Brockport, New York, is
featured with her family in this issue’s “Listening
With . . .” (page 72).
Want to be part of AudioFile’s review team?
While we work with more than 100 reviewers, we are always
interested in new reviewers. If you are a very active listener, have
writing experience, and are interested in discussing the audiobook performance in 125 words or less—you are welcome to
apply to editor Robin Whitten, [email protected].
Reviewers
A.A.
A.C.P.
A.C.S.
A.L.H.
A.P.C.
A.R.
A.W.
B.H.B.
B.H.C.
B.P.
C.A.
D.A.W.
D.B.
D.G.
D.P.D.
E.D.R.
E.V.B.
F.C.
G.D.W.
G.H.
J.A.G.
J.A.H.
J.A.S.
J.B.G.
J.C.G.
J.E.M.
J.J.B.
J.K.R.
J.L.B.
J.M.D.
J.P.M.
J.S.H.
J.T.
K.M.D.
L.A.C.
L.B.
L.B.F.
L.E.
L.R.P.
M.B.
M.B.K.
M.C.
M.H.N.
M.M.C.
M.M.O.
M.O.
M.O.B.
M.R.
M.R.E.
M.S.
M.T.
M.T.B.
M.T.F.
N.E.M.
N.L.
N.M.C.
R.F.W.
R.H.H.
R.I.G.
Allison Adams, AudioFile, ME
Anne Cole Pierce, Audiophile, MI
Aurelia C. Scott, Writer, ME
Albert L. Holtz, Journalist, MI
Andrew Colston, Writer, MN
Ann Ritchie, Educator, MA
Archa Wachowicz, Librarian, NY
Brita Bonechi, Audiophile, ME
Benjamin Cheever, Writer, NY
Brian Price, Producer, IN
Caitlin Augusta, Librarian, CT
David A. Walton, Writer, PA
Dan Bortolotti, Writer, ON
Donna Gerardo, Bookseller, ME
Denise Perry Donavin, Lincoln Township
Public Library, MI
Eric Randall, Journalist, NY
Elizabeth Via Brown, Writer, AL
Federico Cheever, Educator, CO
Gail D. Welborn, Writer, WA
Glenn Hopp, Educator, TX
Juan Antonio Garcia, Artist, NY
Joseph A. Harris, M.D., Audiophile, CA
James A. Stewart, Writer, PA
Judy B. Gummere, Lake Forest
Public Library, IL
Jessie Grearson, Writer, ME
Joyce E. McCarty, Audiophile, VA
Jenan Jones Benson, Writer, NC
Jennifer Reed, Librarian, MA
Joan Lund Barere, Actor, CT
Jennifer M. Dowell, AudioFile, ME
Joseph P. Menta, Jr., Writer, PA
Joe Harrington, Writer, ME
Jessica Teel, Writer, AK
Karen Demers, Wilbraham Public
Library, MA
Louise Capizzo, Librarian, ME
Liam Brennan, Writer, MB
Leslie B. Fine, Educator, NY
Lance Eaton, Writer, MA
Lisa R. Piccione, Translator, NY
Marc Bona, Editor, OH
Miriam B. Kahn, Librarian, OH
Mike Comer, Audiophile, ME
Mary H. Nino, Librarian, CA
Marta M. Crisp, Writer, PA
Melissa Orth, Curtis Memorial
Library, ME
Michael Ollove, Baltimore Sun, MD
Mary O’Brien, Educator, ME
Mohana Rajakumar, Educator, Qatar
Martie Ramm Engle, Educator, CA
Michael Sangiacomo,
Plain Dealer, OH
Matthew Tiffany, Writer, ME
M. Tracy Brigden, Editor, NY
Michael T. Fein, Librarian, VA
Nancy E. McCarty, Educator, PA
Nancy Lowe, Writer, SC
Nancy M. Campbell,
Audiophile, WA
Robin F. Whitten, AudioFile, ME
Ruth Heespelink, Librarian, MA
Robert I. Grundfest, Educator, NJ
Continued on page 71
Hear Here News, information, and products of interest
Explore This!
New York City’s Explorers Club was the
setting for a live performance of “The
Professor Was a Thief” last month.
George Guidall was the “teller” of the
tale, while John Mariano, Josh Robert
Thompson, and Jim Meskimen performed roles at microphones in front of
Explorer members and guests of Galaxy
Press. “My best science fiction story,”
author L. Ron Hubbard wrote about the
1950 story. Surrounded by trophies of
elephant tusks, a stuffed polar bear, and
flags that have flown on expeditions
with Robert Ballard to John Glenn, the
staging for the storytelling was perfect—
remember Stephen King’s story “The
Breathing Method”? The event launched
four new full-cast pulp fiction titles from
Galaxy’s Stories from the Golden Age
(www.goldenagestories.com).
Above: (l to r) George Guidall, Josh Robert
Thompson, Jim Meskimen, and John Mariano
perform “The Professor Was a Thief”
Left: Editor Robin Whitten and son Denny pose
with a polar bear at the Explorers Club
TAKE A
SOUNDWALK
Soundwalk’s unique guided
audio tours have been showing
up since 2004 in the ranks of
Audies finalists and winners,
including this year’s finalist for
Original Work, Louis Vuitton
Soundwalk, in which Gong Li,
Shu Qi, and Joan Chen guide
listeners through Beijing, Hong
Kong, and Shanghai. Explore
some of New York City’s most
colorful neighborhoods, or
linger in Paris’s Belleville or St.Germain-des-Prés, or navigate
India with Varansi: City of Light.
To download MP3 programs,
visit www.soundwalk.com.
A New Way
to Download
Symtio download cards are digital
audiobooks that listeners can buy in
retail stores and then download at
home from www.symtio.com. Symtio
MP3 files work with Macs and PCs
and any digital player. Symtio also
saves purchases in your account,
so you can re-download with no
additional charge. Find Symtio cards,
featuring titles from Harper Audio
and Zondervan, at Barnes & Noble
stores and Christian bookstores.
GREEN
LISTENING
Al Gore’s An
Inconvenient
Truth (Simon &
Schuster Audio)
won the 2009
Grammy Award
for best Spoken
Word Album—
celebrate Earth Day on April 22
with that and some more green listens. Rethink the food you buy and
eat with Michael Pollan’s In Defense
of Food (Penguin Audio/Books on
Tape) and Barbara Kingsolver’s
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Harper
Audio/ Blackstone Audiobooks);
scrutinize green claims with Daniel
Goleman’s Ecological Intelligence
(Macmillan Audio); examine globalization with Thomas L. Friedman’s
Hot, Flat, and Crowded (Macmillan
Audio/BBC Audiobooks America)
and the environmental movement
with Paul Hawken’s Blessed Unrest
(Blackstone Audiobooks). And while
you’re at it, skip the CDs and try
the greener alternative of digital
downloads.
What’s Hot?
What’s Not?
AudiOpinion
Why Don’t More Great Reads Make It to Audio?
by Benjamin Cheever
When I heard that a movie was
being made out of Richard
Yates’s most famous novel,
Revolutionary Road, it wasn’t the
movie I was excited about. Gloomy,
elegant novels are difficult to project
onto the screen. And yet I was excited.
If they make a movie, I thought, then
they’ll also make an audiobook.
I’m an awkward reader, and without
audiobooks I’d have been one of
Gray’s rustics out of “Elegy Written in
a Country Churchyard”: “But
Knowledge to their eyes her ample
page/ Rich with the spoils of time did
ne’er unroll.”
Thousands of audiobooks have
unrolled that page for me. I’m an
aural learner, so even when I do read
a book, I still want to hear it read out
loud. The better the book, the more
I yearn for the recording.
Even when I do read
a book, I still want to hear it
read out loud. The better
the book, the more I yearn
for the recording.
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And I enjoyed reading Revolutionary
Road immensely. I wasn’t alone. First
published in 1961, the book won a
cult of admirers, including many
distinguished writers. Novelists
Robert Stone and Richard Russo have
both praised Yates extravagantly.
Richard Ford likened the novel to a
secret literary handshake.
When discussed by audiobook
lovers in the past, the title occasioned
a great pulling out of hair and a
gnashing of teeth. Did audiobook
producers know the book? They
knew it. Did they love it? They loved
it to death. Why no audiobook?
Because Revolutionary Road was one
of those beloved reads not widely
popular enough to justify the expense
of a reading.
How could this be? “There was
never a time like now to be a lover of
the arts. Mozart never heard most of
Bach. We can hear everything by both
of them.”
Clive James told me that. Actually,
he read me those words from Cultural
Amnesia, a book he wrote and also
narrates for Blackstone. Born in
Australia but educated at Cambridge,
James has one of those BBC voices
that still seem—despite the collapse
of the British Empire—to convey the
very essence of learning and of style.
It’s a joy to hear him in full cry—
a polymath who has succeeded as
a critic, poet, and TV personality.
Richard Yates was not a TV personality. He was a personality, but not the
sort you’d want to put on TV. His
books had never been recorded,
because his books were not all that
popular. Which brings us to the very
crack at the foundation of our society.
Must man, woman, or work of art be
popular in order to be worthwhile?
I take this personally, because
I was hugely unpopular as a child.
The more unpopular I became, the
gloomier I became. The gloomier
I became, the more unpopular. The
downward spiral, which began at age
8, didn’t reverse itself until I went off
to boarding school as a high school
sophomore. I still recall being astonished that year when in the locker
room I overheard boys in another
aisle chortling about a hopeless creep,
and I realized that—for the first time
in recent memory—it wasn’t me they
were chortling about.
As a pariah, books were important to
me. I have a problem with my eyes,
and not the sort they knew how to diagnose or correct when I was a child.
I read slowly, haltingly, but I did read,
because the world of books was open
to me. The society of my peers was not.
I was lonely and, therefore, sad.
Although I won’t claim to have been
as sad as Richard Yates. Blake Bailey
opens his biography of Yates like this:
“If the prerequisite of any great writer’s
life is an unhappy childhood, then
Richard Yates was especially blessed.”*
Nor did Yates cheer up much, or for
long. The interest engendered by the
movie version of his novel had critics
at both the New York Times and The
New Yorker reporting on the cockroaches for which Yates’s workspace
was famous. There are “squashed
cockroaches underfoot” (Times) and
“crushed cockroaches around the desk
chair” (New Yorker).
The novel itself is described in the
Times as “among the bleakest books
ever written.” Sound elitist? It’s not.
Revolutionary Road is the opposite of
elitist. Frank Wheeler, the male lead,
has “the kind of unemphatic good
looks that an advertising photographer
might use to portray the discerning
consumer of well-made but inexpensive merchandise (Why Pay More?).”
The origins of audiobooks
had little to do with
the bottom line, but now
unprofitable titles,
even beloved ones, are
put off or neglected.
In the Random House recording,
precipitated—at long last—by the
movie, Mark Bramhall is wonderfully
cast as narrator. Among Bramhall’s
many credits are six episodes of “Days
of Our Lives,” and he reads this sexual
tragedy in a watery voice so masculine
that it is almost its own burlesque.
Bramhall is also a nimble performer
and convincingly alters his tone, giving
distinct markers for each character.
We are lucky to have this recording.
While audiobook publishing has
exploded in the last 20 years, oddly,
the industry has narrowed somewhat.
Fewer chances are taken on littleknown works. Underperforming titles
have been dropped. Audiobooks are a
business now, and as with most businesses, profit is job one.
Which was not always the case. The
books put on records during the 1930s
by a government program were for
the blind. The mission was literacy,
not profit. Caedmon Records was
founded in the 1950s by two young
women who heard Dylan Thomas
read and felt compelled to capture and
preserve that magnificent voice. Books
on Tape was started in the 1970s by
Duvall Hecht, a keen reader with a
long commute. Hecht sold his company to Random House and was crushed
when they stopped circulating his less
popular recordings.
The origins of audiobooks had little
to do with the bottom line, but now
unprofitable titles, even beloved ones,
are put off or neglected.
Will nobody record The Varieties of
Religious Experience by William James
for me? I had to masquerade as a
blind man in order to get my mitts on
cassettes of the essays of Montaigne.
Don’t you think somebody else out
there might enjoy Montaigne?
Shakespeare enjoyed Montaigne.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy listening to
bestsellers. Some of them are excellent,
and even when they fail, I get to feel
included. But I was an unpopular child.
I also like unpopular books. I want
them recorded. I want that freedom.
“Art proves its value by still mattering to people who have been deprived
of every other freedom,” Clive James
tells me through my Nano while I
scrape the dinner dishes.
Amen to that. But I’d go a step further: Art proves its value by mattering
to people who do not matter. Not by
making us sad, or foolish, but by making our foolishness and sadness
comprehensible and by making all of
us—the least of us—feel less alone.
*Blake Bailey has written a biography of my father,
John Cheever, which will be published in March.
On the Web
AudioFileMagazine.com
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for more reviews, weekly hot picks, soundreviews, and more.
The Audies 2009—
Join the Conversation
Check out AudioFile’s coverage
of the 2009 Audies, and join the
conversation—we want to know
what you think! Read reviews of
the finalists in all categories,
listen to sound clips and
podcasts, and comment with
your opinion.
www.theaudies.com
Christian Audiobooks
Digest Online
The Web pages for the first
Christian Audiobooks Digest
provide information and
resources for Christian audiobooks. The complete Digest is
also available as a downloadable
PDF. On the Web, you’ll find:
Reviews
AudioFile’s reviews—audiobooks
on Christian topics from prayer,
and Bible study to suspense,
historical fiction, and romance
New Releases
Audiolibros en Español
AudioFile’s Spanish Audiobooks pages online offer an ongoing resource to
Spanish audiobooks for Spanish-speaking listeners, bilingual families, and
language-learning students. Updated every month:
• Browse reviews, written in Spanish with an English translation
• Read interviews and profiles
• Check upcoming Spanish audiobook releases
• Connect with Spanish audiobook publishers
Complete title announcements
for forthcoming Christian
audios—search for your favorite
author or narrator
Interviews
Narrator Grover Gardner
discusses his work with inspirational audiobooks—bonus
audio interview online
Grover Gardner
www.audiofilemagazine.com/spanishaudiobooks
Web Pass
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gives access to ALL features on the
AudioFile Web site. Don’t wait—
search all of our audiobook reviews,
and and find your favorite audio
authors and narrators!
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PASS
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Publisher Resources
Directory of Christian publishers
christianaudiobooks
Family Listening
2009—Audiobooks
on the Go
Find all your family’s summer
listening in one place with
AudioFile’s fully updated 2009
edition of Audiobooks on the
Go—family-friendly recommended audiobooks online:
• Choose audiobooks for young
listeners, middle graders, or
young adults
• Browse by subject category:
Classics, Fantastic Worlds,
Other Times & Places, Family
& Community
• Find audio versions of the latest
Newbery winner & honor books
• Discover 2009 Odyssey Award
titles, ALA Notable Children’s
Recordings & Awesome
Audiobooks for Young Adults
• Print PDFs of booklists to
take with you to the bookstore
or library
• Listen to All Ears! soundreviews
abotg09.html
Editors’ Picks The Most Intriguing Upcoming Releases
MICHAEL J. FOX
KAREN LEVINE
Always Looking Up
Hana’s Suitcase
Subtitled “The Adventures of an Incurable
Optimist,” Fox’s second book after the Audie
Award-winning Lucky Man promises to be a
true lesson in perseverance and confidence.
A young orphan’s suitcase arrives from
Germany at a Holocaust education center
in Japan, and all the children who visit want
to know about its owner. Where did she
come from? Where was she going? What
did she pack? Levine, producer for the
CBC radio broadcast in 2001, retells this
great true story.
Read by Michael J. Fox
Harper Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781401391478 $29.99 (also DD)
Release date: April 7
Read by Stephanie Wolfe
Brilliance Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423382300 $19.99
(also MP3)
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423382317 $42.97
(also MP3, PRE)
PAULO COELHO
The Winner Stands Alone
Entrepreneurs, models, actors, fashionistas,
and the Cannes Film Festival—Paul Boehmer
narrates Coelho’s (Brida) story of love, loss,
and the colossal power of the entertainment
industry.
ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH
Read by Paul Boehmer
Blackstone Audiobooks
(also CS, MP3, PRE)
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is back
in the tenth installment of Smith’s Botswanabased series. Lisette Lecat—a veteran
narrator of Smith’s popular books—is sure to
give us a rousing, vibrant performance!
DONNA LEON
About Face
Commissario Guido Brunetti’s next investigation will take him through the corruption and
exploitation of Italy’s natural environment.
Read by David Colacci
BBC Audiobooks America Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781602835665 $29.95
(also MP3, PRE)
DANIEL GOLEMAN
Ecological Intelligence
Goleman (Emotional Intelligence) argues that
recycling and green programs only deceive
us into thinking that we’re doing our part
while covering up the true ecological impact
of what we buy and do.
Read by Daniel Goleman
Macmillan Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781427206855 $39.95
Alexander McCall Smith
Read by Lisette Lecat
Recorded Books Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781440717178 $34.99
(also CS)
DAVID BALDACCI
First Family
Camp David, USA. A birthday party turns
into a nightmare when a child is snatched
after the celebrations, and Sean King and
Michelle Maxwell are enlisted with bringing
the child home safely. Baldacci and McLarty
make a great team for this political thriller
that’s sure to keep you listening.
Read by Ron McLarty
Hachette Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781600245480 $39.98
Books on Tape
LORRAINE HANSBERRY
Lorraine Hansberry Audio Collection
RUTH REICHL
Alexander McCall Smith photo by Tara Murphy
Not Becoming My Mother
Reichl, famous for her culinary confessionals
(2006 Audies winner, Garlic and
Sapphires), has given us another mealtime
memoir. We’re looking forward to hearing
more of her stories of food and family.
Read by Ruth Reichl
Penguin Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780143144816 $19.95
New to CD, Hansberry’s works are just as
relevant today as they were when she wrote
in the 1950s and 1960s. The collection
includes A Raisin in the Sun and To Be
Young, Gifted and Black.
Read by Lorraine Hansberry, James Earl Jones, Ossie
Davis, Ruby Dee, et al.
Harper Audio/ Caedmon Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780061768958 $29.99
(also CS)
New Releases Online! Hundreds of upcoming titles at www.audiofilemagazine.com/newreleases
Editors’ Picks The Most Intriguing Upcoming Releases
BILL GATES, SR.
LEE CHILD
Showing Up for Life
Gone Tomorrow
In a heartfelt, deeply personal book, Bill
Gates, Sr., (father of Bill Gates) shares the
values and principles he’s learned over a
lifetime of “showing up” for life.
Child’s latest Jack Reacher adventure has our
hero stuck in a hot spot. After witnessing a
suicide on the Manhattan subway, Reacher
tries to unearth a secret that both the feds
and Al Qaeda want to keep under wraps.
Dick Hill’s narrations of Child’s Jack Reacher
thrillers have garnered a pile of Earphones
and several Audie nominations.
Read by Patrick Egan, Bill Gates, Sr.
Random House Audio Unabridged
Books on Tape
Read by Dick Hill
Random House Audio Unabridged
Books on Tape
Release date: May 19
DENIS JOHNSON
Nobody Move
National Book Award-winner Johnson
(Tree of Smoke) brings us a suspenseful,
noir-flavored thriller set in the American
West. Patton won an Earphones Award for
his work on Tree of Smoke.
LARRY KING
What Am I Doing Here?
Ever wonder what Larry King thought
about all those famous personalities he
interviewed? Here’s your chance to hear
what King has to say in this collection of
evocative behind-the-scenes observations
about some of our most interesting and
important world figures.
Read by Will Patton
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781427206893 $29.95
ROBERT B. PARKER
The Boxer and the Spy
Action, mystery, and high school intrigue!
This recording is sure to catch the fancy of
young adult listeners, especially with Golden
Voice Scott Brick narrating.
Read by Scott Brick
Listening Library Unabridged
CHRISTOPHER BUCKLEY
Losing Mum and Pup
In this memoir, renowned satirist Buckley
shares the tragicomic true story of the year in
which both his parents, William F. Buckley,
Jr., and Patricia Taylor Buckley, died.
Read by Christopher Buckley
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781600246838 $34.98
Release date: May 6
Larry King
Read by Larry King
Phoenix Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781597772280 $34.95
LAURIE R. KING
The Language of Bees
Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes’s sleuthing
wife, discovers more than she bargained
for in this latest mystery of a friend’s missing
wife and child. Could her legendary
husband be involved somehow? Could he
be protecting an elusive murderer? Be sure
to tune in to this great new mystery from
Edgar Award-winning Laurie King.
Read by Jenny Sterlin
(also CS)
MICHAEL CONNELLY
ELMORE LEONARD
The Scarecrow
Road Dogs
Three of Leonard’s well-loved characters (all
from separate novels) are on a collision
course with each other in this story of backstabbing and bank robbery. Sexy, simmering
mayhem ensues—as it always does in
Leonard’s novels. Strap in for a great listen!
Newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to
write a book based on the real-life murder
confession of a 16-year-old boy. Lo and
behold, he discovers that the boy’s confession is bogus—he might actually be
innocent. Connelly’s stories have excited and
fascinated listeners for years.
Read by Peter Francis James
Read by Peter Giles
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781600245749 $39.98
New Releases Online! Hundreds of upcoming titles at www.audiofilemagazine.com/newreleases
Audiobooks
on the Go
Family Listening
2009
Audiobook offerings for children have never
been richer. In anticipation of summer
book list season, AudioFile has updated our
annual “Audiobooks on the Go” list—
on the following pages, you’ll find 45
recommended titles that will help keep kids on
track and that the whole family can enjoy
listening to together. And read our interviews
with author Laurie Halse Anderson and narrator
David Pittu to find out where they find
their inspiration for the stories they tell for kids.
“There’s something
about the shape
of a spoken word
that resonates
within me.”
Laurie Halse Anderson’s newest character, Lia, of Wintergirls, hears voices.
And so does the author! “I can make a lot of notes about a book, but until
I can hear the character talking in my head, I can’t write it. You could say that my
books are audiobooks first, which I then translate into visual text. I think that’s
why I am so particular when it comes to listening to audiobooks. If the narrator’s
voice doesn’t ring comfortably inside my skull, I can’t listen to the book.”
Anderson was a language and linguistics major in college and picks up accents
and new languages quickly. “There’s something about the shape of a spoken
word that resonates within me. Storytelling is traditionally an experience shared
by the speaker of the tale and the listener. Written text is a relatively modern
construct that doesn’t always carry the same impact as the spoken story.”
threatens to kill her. It won’t take listeners long until they’re deeply inside the
heroine’s head and heart. How did Anderson get involved with her character?
“She got into me. There’s some of me in Lia’s character, no doubt. I’ve fought
a bad body image most of my life, though I was never as close to the edge of
Photo by Joyce Tenneson
Lia, Anderson’s newest protagonist, struggles with an eating disorder that
WINTERGIRLS
Read by Jeannie Stith
Narrator Jeannie Stith delivers this story’s
introductory scenes with brutal harshness
as Lia learns that her best friend, Cassie, has
been discovered dead in a hotel room. The
two best friends had been competitors in
anorexia. Stith’s staccato delivery is fitting
for the embattled Lia, who hides her selfstarvation and cutting from the perplexed
adults who want to save her. Stith whispers
Lia’s compulsive calorie counting and uses
a muffled voice to deliver the haunting
speeches that Lia believes are coming from
Cassie’s restless spirit. In her text Anderson
uses italics, parentheses, and cross-outs to create visual representations
of Lia’s torment; in the narration the tones used to differentiate these are
somewhat distracting. Still, Stith takes listeners deep into Lia’s dark and
frightening fight for survival. S.W.
Brilliance Audio 7 hrs. Unabridged Young Adult
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423391869 $29.99 (also MP3, DD)
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423391876 $82.97 (also MP3, DD)
More Listening
CATALYST
Laurie Halse Anderson,
read by Samantha Mathis
Library Ed.: CD, DD
CHAINS
read by Madisun Leigh
Trade Ed.: CD, MP3, DD
Library Ed.: CD, MP3, DD, PRE
FEVER 1793
Laurie Halse Anderson, read by Emily Bergl
Library Ed.: CD, DD
PROM
Stith takes listeners deep into Lia’s dark
and frightening fight for survival.
read by Katherine Kellgren
Library Ed.: CS, CD, PRE
SPEAK
death as Lia is. But her voice in my head is very distinct from my own. By the
end of the book, I felt like Lia was haunting me, much as Cassie [Lia’s best friend
who dies early in the book] haunts Lia in the story. It was a little unnerving.”
Anderson’s work is diverse. She zips between genres and age levels. She might
write a picture-book biography, then a historical novel, then on to a hard-hitting
contemporary fiction for young adults. “I love jumping back and forth between
the forms. I think it keeps each book fresh and exciting for me because I don’t
have to grind out the same old, same old all the time. I think the best parts of my
read by Mandy Siegfried
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
TWISTED
read by Mike Chamberlain
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
stories are written in my subconscious brain, anyway. My subconscious prefers
to play in a different pasture than my conscious self. I can’t imagine doing it any
other way.”
Whatever the form, each book has an innovative and gripping voice.
Wintergirls, for example, is filled with word cross-outs that contribute to the
character’s tone. “They’re a critical clue to understanding the main character’s
struggles. I decided that strike-throughs give a stronger visual impact than the
typical narrative devices. I first saw them used on blogs and realized they’re the
perfect device for an unreliable narrator who cannot be honest with herself.”
It’s this authenticity that has won Anderson so many devoted young adult fans,
this genuineness drawn from her own past. “I was a confused and depressed
teenager. My family went through a very rough patch during those years, and
nobody would talk about what was happening to us. I completely understand the
struggles so many teens have to cope with. I hope my books accurately reflect
their pain and their path to uncover their strength.”—Susie Wilde
FANTASTIC WORLDS
THE CABINET OF WONDERS
NATION
Marie Rutkoski,
read by Lorelei King
Terry Pratchett,
read by Stephen Briggs
Macmillan Audio Unabridged Gr. 5+
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
BBC Audiobooks America
Library Ed.: CD
Harper Audio Unabridged Gr. 7+
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
THE DARK POND
Philip Pullman, read by Philip Pullman
and a Full Cast
Joseph Bruchac,
read by Ramon de Ocampo
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE
NORTH
Recorded Books Unabridged Gr. 6+
Library Ed.: CS
Listening Library Unabridged Gr. 6+
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
FAIREST
PLAYING WITH FIRE
Gail Carson Levine, read by Sarah
Naughton and a Full Cast
Derek Landy,
read by Rupert Degas
Full Cast Audio Unabridged Gr. 6+
Trade Ed.: CD, DD, PRE
Library Ed.: CD, DD, PRE
Harper Audio Unabridged Gr 5+
Trade Ed: CD, DD
SKYBREAKER
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
Neil Gaiman,
read by Neil Gaiman
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Recorded Books
Library Ed.: CS, CD, DD
THE PHANTOM
TOLLBOOTH
Norton Juster
Read by David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce delivers an imaginative narration of this unforgettable
family listen. Milo is unenthusiastic
about life until he receives a mysterious
gift—a tollbooth that becomes his portal to strange lands. The fantasy journey
kicks off as Pierce presents the Whether
Man, who speaks so quickly that
listeners, like Milo, won’t know whether
they’re coming or going. Switching
pace, Pierce and Milo next steer listeners into the Doldrums. There, Pierce
stretches out each word, punctuating
his reading with yawns until listeners,
like Milo, are too sleepy to function.
Throughout the story Pierce provides
superb characterizations and faultless
timing, transporting listeners with
wordplay, steering them through slapstick, and thrilling them at every twist
and turn of Milo’s adventures. S.W.
Harper Audio 4.5 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780061672651 $22.95
Kenneth Oppel, read by David Kelly
and a Full Cast
Full Cast Audio Unabridged Gr. 5+
MANY WATERS
THE WATER HORSE
Madeleine L’Engle
Read by Ann Marie Lee
Dick King-Smith
Read by Nathaniel Parker
Ann Marie Lee’s narrative strength is a
perfect match for L’Engle’s powerful
story of twin brothers Sandy and
Dennys Murray, who take an extraordinary journey through time. We feel the
frustration of two ordinary boys who
are tired of winter’s freeze and mildly
disgruntled that they’re not included
in the scientific discoveries of their
brilliant parents and siblings. Lee registers the twins’ confusion when they
press a computer key in their father’s
lab and find themselves in the middle
of a desert. This is soon followed by
curiosity and wonder as the boys realize they’re in biblical times and that
unicorns and angels abound. Later Lee
conveys their caring for Yalith, Noah’s
young daughter, and their panic that
neither she, nor they, will escape the
coming flood. S.W.
Dick King-Smith, author of Babe, the
Sheep-Pig, tells many an exciting
animal story. Weaving in folklore of
fantastic creatures heightens the
intrigue in this story, which begins with
beachcombing after an ocean storm.
When Kirstie discovers an unusual egg,
one Scottish family’s existence takes an
unexpected turn. Nathaniel Parker’s
British accent underscores the setting.
He skillfully gives personality to each
character—from gruff, knowledgeable
Grandpa Grumble to complicit Father
and excited Kirstie. Parker’s pacing
speeds up with the rise of the story’s
tension as the newly hatched and
speedily growing Water Horse is given
refuge in ever-larger bodies of water
until he’s released into one worldfamous Scottish loch. A.R.
Listening Library 9 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
(also DD)
BBC Audiobooks America 1.5 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
(also DD)
FAMILY & COMMUNITY
THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY
OF A PART-TIME INDIAN
Sherman Alexie,
read by Sherman Alexie
SCAT
Carl Hiaasen,
read by Ed Asner
Library Ed.: CS, CD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
THE CRICKET IN TIMES
SQUARE
MY ONE HUNDRED
ADVENTURES
George Selden,
read by Tony Shalhoub
Polly Horvath,
read by Tai Alexandra Ricci
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
I AM NOT JOEY PIGZA
Jack Gantos,
read by Jack Gantos
THE WEDNESDAY WARS
Gary D. Schmidt,
read by Joel Johnstone
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
Scholastic Audiobooks Unabridged Gr. 5+
Trade Ed.: CD
INKDEATH
THE WHITE GIRAFFE
Cornelia Funke,
read by Allan Corduner
Lauren St. John,
read by Adjoa Andoh
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD
THE WAYSIDE SCHOOL
COLLECTION: Sideways Stories
From Wayside School, Wayside School
Is Falling Down, Wayside School
Gets a Little Stranger
WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of
Negro League Baseball
Louis Sachar
Read by Louis Sachar
“Negro baseball was fast! Flashy!
Daring! . . .” Young listeners will agree
after hearing this compelling, accessible history of the players who, when
they were shut out of major league
baseball, loved the game so much that
they found a way to keep playing. Dion
Graham’s enthusiastic, welcoming narration is a perfect match for the text. He
helps the cast of characters—Rube
Foster, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson,
James “Cool Papa” Bell—step right out
of history and puts listeners with them
in the dugout and on the bus traveling
from game to game. A bonus CD
includes an interactive slide-show
gallery of Kadir Nelson’s gorgeous,
evocative illustrations so that listeners
can put faces to all the names. J.M.D.
This set encompasses three volumes
of short stories, written over several
decades. Sachar reads tales ranging
from hilarious to ridiculous, zany,
shaggy, and just plain odd. Most are set
in Wayside School, a strange place in
itself, being 30 floors tall with just one
room per floor. While the cast of characters remains the same, each story
focuses on a different child or teacher.
The first title, Sideways Stories From
Wayside School, is by far the funniest as
the quirks of specific children and
teachers are dealt with in ingenious
and clever ways. Sachar’s deliberately
paced reading is sometimes gravelly
and awkward, a style that, perhaps, is
meant to appeal to the middle school
listeners who love these books. R.H.H.
Listening Library 9 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780739368190 $40.00
Kadir Nelson
Read by Dion Graham
Brilliance Audio 2 hrs. Unabridged Ages 6+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423375364 $19.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also MP3, DD)
THE WORRY TREE
Marianne Musgrove
Read by Kate Hood
Juliet is worried, and she needs help.
It comes in the form of the Worry Tree,
a not magic but magical source her
Nana once relied on when she was
overwhelmed with worries. This
Australian story, which addresses universal themes, is wonderfully narrated
by Kate Hood, an Australian herself.
She reads with the right pacing and
cadence for young listeners, ably
capturing each character’s personality
with her voice. Juliet’s young sister,
Oaf (Ophelia), is comically deadpan
throughout. While the musical cues
accompanying the story are slightly
distracting and seem unnecessary, this
is an engaging production that will
reassure young listeners who may be
worriers themselves. J.K.R.
Bolinda Audio 2 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
CLASSICS
ACROSS FIVE APRILS
Irene Hunt,
read by Terry Brégy
Audio Bookshelf Unabridged Gr. 6+
Trade Ed.: CS, CD
A COLLECTION OF RUDYARD
KIPLING’S JUST SO STORIES
Rudyard Kipling,
read by Jim Weiss
Greathall Productions Audio Program Gr. K+
Trade Ed.: CD
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN
WONDERLAND
PETER PAN
Lewis Carroll,
read by Jim Dale
J.M. Barrie,
read by Jim Dale
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CS, CD
AROUND THE WORLD
IN 80 DAYS
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Jules Verne,
read by Jim Dale
Harper Lee,
read by Sissy Spacek
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CS, CD
Trade Ed.: CD
Recorded Books
Library Ed.: CS, CD
CHARLOTTE’S WEB
TREASURE ISLAND
E.B. White,
read by E.B. White
Robert Louis Stevenson,
read by Alfred Molina
Trade Ed.: CS, CD
Library Ed.: CS, CD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD
MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE
THE WATER BABIES
GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS
Marguerite Henry
Read by Edward Herrmann
Charles Kingsley
Read by Julia McKenzie, Oliver Peace,
Timothy West, et al.
James Hilton
Read by Martin Jarvis
This story is set in the spectacular
landscape of the barrier islands off the
coast of Maryland. Edward Herrmann’s
expressive narration takes the listener
through elaborate details of rural island
life as well as the lives of the wild ponies
of the area. Maureen and Paul Beebe,
who live with their grandparents,
dream of owning the wildest mare of
all, “The Phantom,” and they set out to
earn enough money to buy her in the
annual “pony penning” auction. One
can easily differentiate the many island
elders, always ready with advice, from
the eager children who work hard to
make their dreams come true. This
classic is well served by the skilled
Herrmann, who combines earnestness
with a sense of humor. R.H.H.
Simon & Schuster Audio 2.5 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780743572507 $14.99
(also DD, PRE)
When background music surrounds
you and a host of voices joins in the
storytelling and singing, it is effortless
to take the leap into the story world. In
this full-cast presentation of Kingsley’s
nineteenth-century tale, the listener
enters the oppressive world of chimney
sweeps and poor apprentices, of fairies
and underwater realms, of the end of
the earth and the comforting, serene
existence of the water babies, once
hero Tom has come to the aid of his old
enemy. The production is rich; the
narrator is expressive and quick
of pace. Tom is eager and full of
wonderment; the fairy mothers, Mrs.
Doasyouwouldbedoneby and Mrs.
Bedonebyasyoudid, are elegant and
mysterious as they wrap the listener in
their stories. Music and voices fade in
and out, bringing dimension to the
events. A.R.
BBC Audiobooks America/ BBC Radio 2.75 hrs. Ages 10+
Audio Program
Martin Jarvis’s strong narrative voice
gives dimension to his portrayal of an
aging teacher at a British boys’ boarding school. His delivery works well to
avoid the sentimentality of this classic
and gives likability to his characterization of the elderly Mr. Chips. The story
begins when he is a shy novice teacher;
then he meets his cheerful wife,
Katherine, who nicknames him “Chips.”
It’s she who wins over the students, to
whom her husband dedicates his life
after her untimely death. Most poignant
are Jarvis’s stumbling yet well-timed
speeches in the character of Chips,
which retain a spark of humor that
allows listeners to see how he inspires
the students with his clever wit as he
leads the school with strength and honor
during the uncertainty of WWII. S.W.
CSA Word 2 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781934997147 $19.95
(also DD, PRE)
OTHER TIMES & PLACES
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Karen Hesse,
read by Fred Berman
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
GOOD MASTERS,
SWEET LADIES
Laura Amy Schlitz, read by
Christina Moore and a Full Cast
CURSE OF THE BLUE TATTOO
L.A. Meyer,
read by Katherine Kellgren
Listen & Live Audio Unabridged Gr. 8+
HITLER YOUTH
Susan Campbell Bartoletti,
read by Kathrin Kana
Trade Ed.: CD
THE DRAGONFLY POOL
Eva Ibbotson,
read by Patricia Connolly
THE INVENTION OF
HUGO CABRET
Brian Selznick,
read by Jeff Woodman
ELIJAH OF BUXTON
Scholastic Audio Unabridged Gr. 4+
Trade Ed.: CD, PRE
Christopher Paul Curtis,
read by Mirron Willis
THE SWORD IN THE STONE
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Library Ed.: CD, DD
UNDER THE JOLLY ROGER:
Bloody Jack, Book 3
L.A. Meyer
Read by Katherine Kellgren
Katherine Kellgren relishes Jacky Faber’s
escapades in this sequel to Bloody Jack
and Curse of the Blue Tattoo. This time
the female teen orphan resumes male
garb as a prank and, as a result, is
impressed into the 1800s British Navy.
Kellgren portrays the brutal captain who
refuses to release the young woman
from service and creates humor with the
crew’s delightfully exaggerated Irish
accents. Kellgren’s subtle yet striking
transitions as Jacky shifts from pleading
damsel to gunnery officer, pirate captain,
and brave Navy lieutenant are right on
target and move the whirlwind nautical
adventures from privateering to the
Battle of Trafalgar. The story leaves listeners in breathless anticipation of
Jacky’s promised return to Boston,
where she once attended—without
obvious improvement—the Lawson
Peabody School for Young Girls. D.P.D.
Listen & Live Audio 15 hrs. Unabridged Young Adult
T.H. White,
read by Neville Jason
Naxos AudioBooks Abridged Gr. 4+
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
THE PEASANT PRINCE
THE PORCUPINE YEAR
Li Cunxin, Anne Spudvilas [Trans.]
Read by Paul English
Louise Erdrich
Read by Christina Moore
Li Cunxin, one of the world’s premier
ballet dancers, is known as “Mao’s Last
Dancer.” Taken from his picture-book
memoir, this audiobook tells how he
was plucked from the obscurity of
peasant life in a remote Chinese village
and given the opportunity to see the
world. Paul English’s accent gives no
hint that Li Cunxin is Chinese, and his
narration is often overwhelmed by the
production’s musical background. The
last track tells briefly how life in China
has changed since Li’s childhood in the
1960s, when Mao Tse-tung’s regime
made life as unpromising as the life of
“a frog in a well.” N.E.M.
Christina Moore takes over the narration
in the continuing story of Omakayas,
now 14, and her Ojibwa family. It’s 1852,
and Omakayas and her family have been
forced by the chimookoman (white
people) to leave their beloved homeland
in Wisconsin. They encounter many
dangers as they travel long distances to
meet up with other members of their
tribe. Moore’s richly textured voice is
reminiscent of that of a Native American
storyteller. She masterfully navigates the
story of the family’s hardships and
effortlessly pronounces the Ojibwa
words interspersed throughout the text.
Though tinged with sadness, Erdrich’s
Birchbark House series is a fine addition
to historical fiction for its accurate
portrayal of Native American life. L.A.C.
Bolinda Audio 15 min. Unabridged Ages 8+
ON THE WEB...
Check out the 2009 edition of
Recorded Books 4.25 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
(also CS, PRE)
abotg09.html
David Pittu
David Pittu is known for his narration of children’s
mystery series. “It must be something that comes
through from my childhood because I always loved mysteries when I was a kid. I read Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy
Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie. Each one entertained you and let you escape.”
Pittu, who has narrated seven of Ron Roy’s A-Z mysteries,
uses a voice that may remind listeners of the suspenseful
intonation of Rod Serling, an actor Pittu loved as a child.
In the A-Z series Pittu creates tension but also gives these
simple mysteries the comfort that new readers need. “You
never want to be too sad, or too scary, or too weird.”
Pittu has recently begun narrating the 39 Clues series for
Scholastic. The ten-book series is linked to game cards and
prizes that can yield up to $100,000. And there are literary
and listening prizes as well. The books are written by
10 of children’s favorite authors; the first two were by Rick
Riordan and Gordon Korman. Pittu will read all of them.
The new series is complex and lets Pittu get more
involved in character depth. The series features a pair of
orphaned siblings who compete with a host of greedy
relatives (all of whom are related to Benjamin Franklin) to
collect 39 clues from around the world. Their adventures
are fast paced and full of surprises. Pittu notes, “The books
share the timeless qualities of mystery and adventure that
appeal to kids no matter what.
“The series,” Pittu says, “has some nice emotional pulls.
For example, the heroes, Amy and Dan, are doing something for a good cause, not just because they want the
money. And children get to learn things along the way
about history, art, and different countries.”
Knowing that he’s narrating the whole series gives Pittu
a sense of ownership of the characters. “I love the evil
English twins, Ian and Natalie. There’s nothing more fun
than portraying little English brats. And I love the Russian
adult cousin who chases Amy and Dan around. Of course,
they escape because of their cleverness.” Pittu remarks that
this is the thing that always works for successful sleuths.
“We want to see their ingenuity, not success based on their
use of technology, or anything else.”
Pittu says that while there’s some variety in the styles of
the different authors participating in the series, he’s
amazed at the consistency of the books. “The writers have
really done their homework. I’ve never come across anything that seems out of character.
“Ultimately, the person who has to answer for everything
is the writer,” Pittu says. “I just have to be excited about
doing each book. And I am!”—Susie Wilde
ONE FALSE NOTE:
The 39 Clues, Book 2
Gordon Korman
Read by David Pittu
Another well-known children’s
author pens the second adventure
in this multimedia series, which
includes online clues and games, in
addition to the audiobooks themselves. As orphaned siblings Amy
and Dan Cahill seek clues to promised mysterious powers, the
fast-paced plot deepens their understanding of their quest.
David Pittu, who will narrate the entire series, injects tension
as the siblings race from Vienna to Venice, desperately decoding the journal of Nanneril Mozart, the famous composer’s
sister. Their quest becomes clearer as the orphans grow to
understand their relationships to their own family members,
as well as to artists and scientists of the past. Pittu differentiates the Cahills’ adversaries with a multitude of accents and
attitudes and creates extra tension by giving each a strong sense
of menace and deceptiveness. S.W.
Scholastic Audiobooks 4 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780545111577 $19.95 (also DD, PRE)
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9780545119399 $49.95 (also PRE)
Pittu brings a multitude of accents and
attitudes and creates extra tension.
STARGAZER: Land of Elyon, Book 4
Patrick Carman
Read by Ellen Archer
The fourth book in the Land of Elyon
series starts with intrepid 12-year-old
Alexa Daley aboard a ship that a sea
monster is about to attack. Soon she
finds herself without her companions,
her uncle Roland and the comic Yipes,
in a land that sits on five mysterious
stone pillars. Ellen Archer’s overall
narrative voice is calm and low, and her
portrayal of Alexa is dramatic and
believably youthful. As Alexa, Archer
depicts the fun of “skimming” down
pillars, the joy of finding Yipes, and
the pleasure of making new friends.
Archer’s more reflective narrative
voice registers Alexa’s sorrow at Roland’s
drowning, her fear of a lurking evil that
she knows she must defeat, and
her sense of responsibility for many
people. S.W.
Scholastic Audiobooks 6.5 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780545091091 $28.95
(also DD, PRE)
(also PRE)
BLOOD TIDE: A Never Land Book
Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson
Read by Jim Dale
The superlative narration skills of Jim
Dale are well employed in this enjoyable installment of the Never Land
stories. Dale maintains an exciting yet
comprehendible pace as an earthquake
strikes Never Land Island and the Lost
Boys manage the ensuing trouble without the help of Peter Pan. Dale’s voice
truly shines in bringing to life the characters of Captain Hook, who devises an
evil plan to use a mysterious barrel that
washed ashore, and Fighting Prawn,
the peaceful leader of the native
Mollusk Tribe. When the usually
serene mermaids suddenly turn
violent and attack anyone in the water
with their needle-sharp teeth, Dale portrays them with angry hisses. With the
authors’ whimsical story and Dale’s
outstanding characterizations, this is a
delight for children and adults. N.M.C.
Brilliance Audio 2 hrs. Unabridged Ages 10+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423309666 $19.95
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
THE SHOE BIRD: A Musical Fable
Samuel Jones
Read by Jim Dale with the Seattle Symphony,
Northwest Boychoir, and Vocalpoint! Seattle
This is not your ordinary audiobook, but a musical
fable that listeners of all ages can enjoy. Think of
Peter and the Wolf, and you get the idea of what’s
in store for listeners. But wait, add in Jim Dale,
marvelous master of voices, to this adaption of a
short story by Eudora Welty. The Seattle Symphony
and two children’s choruses weave and swoop
around the narration like the birds who visit the
shoe store to be fitted for shoes. Dale creates clever, whimsical, and
always-memorable voices for Minerva the owl, Gloria the goose, and
Arturo the parrot, along with the extinct dodo and the exotic phoenix.
The whims, demands, and petty rivalries of the birds teach listeners a few
lessons. The Shoe Bird will become a classic for generations of listeners.
R.F.W. 2009 Audies Finalist
Brilliance Audio 1 hr. Audio Program Ages 8+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423377382 $14.95 (also MP3, DD, PRE)
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423377399 $24.95 (also MP3, DD, PRE)
Not your ordinary audiobook, but a musical fable
that listeners of all ages can enjoy.
TOBY TUCKER:
Keeping Sneaky Secrets
Val Wilding
Read by Richard Mitchley
When orphan Toby Tucker moves into
his new foster home, he’s accompanied
by his family history, a huge box of torn
paper. The always magical Richard
Mitchley is a wonderful Toby, and a
perfect Egyptian family when Toby
meets Seti, the Egyptian
pharaoh. Through Seti,
listeners learn about various
a s p e c t s o f E g y p t o l o g y,
including mummy making,
bartering, farming, and
dentistry. When a family
feud is resolved, Seti can
become an embalmer, and his cousin
learns farming, which is what each boy
prefers rather than strictly following
family tradition. Mitchley perfectly
moves between the ancient world and
fast-paced modern America. This fascinating story is entertaining and subtly
educational. S.G.B.
HOUNDSLEY AND CATINA
James Howe
Read by Peter Pamela Rose
Narrator Peter Pamela Rose does everything to enhance this gentle story. In
three chapters, best friends Houndsley
the dog and Catina the cat learn about
being true to themselves and supportive
of each other. Rose draws listeners into
the story with an easy, steady pace that’s
ideal for early readers who
are following along. Her
Catina is appropriately
perky and outgoing.
Houndsley’s voice is indeed
“ s o ft a s a r o s e p e t a l . ”
Houndsley’s neighbor, Bert,
sounds just as one assumes
a goose might. With background music
and sound effects—pages rustling as
Catina writes her book, pots bubbling
while Houndsley makes his three-bean
chili—and sweet, clever illustrations, the
whole package is a serene treat. J.M.D.
Live Oak Media 13 min. Book & Recording Ages 6+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781430102991 $18.95 (also CS)
BBC Audiobooks America 1.75 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
CELIA CRUZ, QUEEN OF SALSA
Veronica Chambers
Read by Michelle Manzo
Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, was not
born a princess. She grew up in a poor
barrio in Havana, where she lived with
her family, went to school, and did her
chores just like any other girl. But Celia
had a voice that moved anyone who
heard it . . . . So begins this modern day
fairy tale about the life of this flashy
salsa diva. Michelle Manzo narrates
the story and sings with azúcar (sugar)!
The production is accompanied by an
energetic sound track, packed with
appropriate sound effects and music
that won‘t let the listener sit still. Julie
Maren’s illustrations provide a perfect
complement to this colorful story. The
production also includes a glossary of
Spanish terms and a bonus track with
the Queen of Salsa herself singing
“Quimbara.” J.A.G., L.R.P.
Live Oak Media 46 min. Audio Program Ages 6+
Book & Recording: CD ISBN 9781430102830 $18.95
(also CS)
Carmen Agra Deedy
Read by Carmen Agra Deedy
Martina es una cucaracha joven y bonita
que acaba de cumplir sus veintiún días
de vida y está preparada para buscarse
un novio. Pero antes de aceptar a
ninguno de sus pretendientes, la abuela
de Martina tiene que darle un consejo
importante y extraño. Así empieza este
libro encantador basado en un cuento
folklórico de Cuba. Este audiolibro en
ambos español e inglés está narrado por
la autora y es pura diversión desde la
primera frase hasta la última. Sra. Deedy
lee su historia con tanta gracia y talento
que los lectores/oyentes querrán
escucharla otra y otra vez. Crea tantas
voces vivaces y distintas que los oyentes
reconocerán a cada uno de los personajes sin necesidad de más que sus orejas!
Este audiolibro con la actuación excepcional de su autora proveerá un rato
agradable para toda la familia. J.A.G.
Ganador del premio Odyssey Honor de 2009
[English translation]—Martina is a
young and beautiful cockroach who
has just reached 21 days of age and is
getting ready to find herself a husband.
But before she sees any of her many
suitors, her grandmother needs to give
her some important and very strange
advice. So begins this lovely story,
based on a Cuban folktale. This audiobook, read in both English and
Spanish, is narrated by the author and
is pure enjoyment from the first sentence to the last. Deedy reads her story
with so much charm and talent that
her readers will want to listen, and listen again, to this story. She creates so
many lively and distinctive voices that
her readers/listeners won’t need more
than their ears to recognize each of the
characters! Families will enjoy the time
they spend listening to this delightful
audiobook and its author’s exceptional
performance. J.A.G., trans. L.R.P. 2009
Odyssey Honor
Peachtree Publishers 37 min. Unabridged Ages 6+
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781561454679 $6.95
SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE
Elizabeth Winthrop
Read by Robin Miles
Poor Daisy . . . she’s a middle child in a
talkative family, and nobody ever listens
to a word she says. In fact, everyone in
her African-American family speaks for
her—from her know-it-all big sister to
her kindly but preoccupied parents.
Robin Miles does a fine job conveying
the frustrations of the soft-spoken child,
as well as portraying Daisy’s transformation from a quietly unheard child to
a more confident one who claims her
space in the world. Miles characterizes
the personalities and emotions of the
people who populate Daisy’s noisy, colorful world. Her dramatization of the
moment when Daisy finally gets her
family’s attention is perfect. Children
will enjoy Pat Cummings’s illustrations,
which add much to this small but
poignant tale. J.C.G.
Live Oak Media 8 min. Unabridged Ages 4-6
(also CS)
Illustration from Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa © Julie Maren
MARTINA THE
BEAUTIFUL COCKROACH
ART
Patrick McDonnell
Read by Bobby McFerrin
A little boy who loves to draw, Art, shares
his art. Author/illustrator McDonnell
creates a short story that takes flight with
the innovations of Bobby McFerrin’s
narration. Listeners don’t get just one
narration—there are three—and, true to
McFerrin's celebrated style, each has different trills, vocal jazz, and improv. Two
versions follow the usual read-along pattern—one with page-turn signals and
one without them, but each one is fully
unique. McFerrin involves the listener/reader and invites participation as the
rendition of each page is unique and
unexpected. By the third track—a fully
musical version that is not paced to the
pages—the story just soars. Replays are
essential, and listeners will discover
some new aspect with each. The addition of the fourth track, with the author,
adds to the pleasure. He says that
McFerrin did 30 variations! R.F.W.
Weston Woods 10 min. Unabridged Ages 4-6
MACK MADE MOVIES
Illustration from Art © Patrick McDonnell (Little, Brown and Company, 2006)
Don Brown
Read by George Guidall
Rim shots, raspberries, and rollicking
Keystone Cops music back the narration of this picture-book biography of
Mack Sennett, a pioneer of silentmovie comedy. George Guidall brings
a nice slapstick rhythm to his very visual
narration. The reading and sound effects
combine to make the accompanying picture book nearly redundant. As Guidall
reads, we see it all on the widescreen
between our ears. A Hollywood legend
who began on stage, graduated to nickelodeons, and made a star out of Charlie
Chaplin when he bought his own studio,
Mack Sennett represents a lot of motionpicture history. Guidall’s narration gives
his story weight, and a touch of silly slide
whistle as well. M.C.
Live Oak Media 16 min. Unabridged Ages 4-6
BEST IN SHOW
FOR ROTTEN RALPH
HANK THE COWDOG:
The Cookie Moon
Jack Gantos
Read by Jack Gantos
John R. Erickson
Read by John R. Erickson
Ralph is a red cat who’s more eccentric
than rotten. He began life in 1976 as
the fictional feline of prolific author
Jack Gantos. A Newbery Honor winner
(for 2001’s Joey Pigza Loses Control),
Gantos has written nine beginningreader adventures for Ralph so far. This
one follows the playful talking cat to a
fancy-schmancy cat show and a showdown with his cousin, perfect Percy.
Vocal sound effects, like cheering
crowds and whispering judges, plus a
little mood music, enhance an enthusiastic reading by Gantos, who clearly
loves his longtime kitty companion.
Does Ralph win in the end? Listeners
won’t care as they giggle their way
through this tale of two kitties. M.C.
Hank and his sidekick, Drover, ponder
the improbability of the moon in the
evening sky. What keeps it up there?
What’s it made of? All would make
s e n s e i f i t w e r e a c o o k i e . Jo h n
Erickson’s wry, nasal twang for Hank
and his light Texas accent for young
Drover propel the boss dog and his pal
through a fast-paced series of cookierelated escapades. A lively background
of country music enhances the changing scenes. In addition to a list of other
available Hank titles, the liner notes
include lyrics for the spirited song that
ends the session. Puns, wordplay,
jokes, and superb characterizations
make this a hilarious story for listeners of all ages. R.H.H.
Live Oak Media 13 min. Unabridged Ages 6+
(also CS)
Maverick Books 1.25 hrs. Unabridged Ages 8+
Young Adult
THE LONDON
EYE MYSTERY
PAGE: The Protector of the Small
Quartet, Book 2
Siobhan Dowd
Read by Alex Kalajzic
Tamora Pierce
Read by Bernadette Dunne
A disorder similar to Asperger’s
syndrome renders 12-year-old Ted an
unlikely but completely endearing
sleuth in this engrossing story. When
his cousin disappears at an amusement
park, Ted’s disability is turned to an
advantage as he methodically sets out
to find out what happened. With his
stilted but appropriately robotic delivery, narrator Alex Kalajzic completely
becomes Ted and just as skillfully handles Kat, Ted’s brash teenage sister. He
skillfully alternates between characters
of different ages, accents, and social
classes, and is competent with female
voices. A compelling story with lots of
red herrings combined with Kalajzic’s
ability to create vivid characters
immerses the listener in this exceptional listening experience. M.H.N.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423370598 $26.99
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
At the royal palace of Tortall, Keladry is
now a young page and is still the only
female who is training to attain the rank
of squire. Narrator Bernadette Dunne
ably portrays Kel as a tough girl handling
swords at training practice,
fighting bullies in dorm halls,
and facing her first battle with
bandits. When adolescence
brings Kel unexpected
and uncontrollable bodily
changes, Dunne is equally
adept at capturing her emotional confusion. The story’s
male characters far outnumber the
females, and Dunne has quite a
challenge creating distinct voices for the
supporting roles. She doesn’t always
succeed, but that doesn’t matter. Her
portrayal of Kel is as strong as the steel
of a squire’s sword. M.M.O.
Listening Library 6.5 hrs. Unabridged Young Adult
(also DD)
DARK DUDE
Oscar Hijuelos
Read by Armando Durán
Set in the 1960s, this coming-of-age
story follows Rico, the son of Cuban
immigrants, and his abused and drugaddicted friend, Jimmy, on a journey
from the New York City ghetto to whitebread Wisconsin. With parallels to
Huck Finn’s journey, Rico’s
story of self-discovery is skillfully chronicled by Armando
Durán, whose ease with
accents is noteworthy. He
seamlessly delivers the many
Spanish phrases interspersed
throughout the text and conveys Rico’s sense of alienation
and bewilderment when he experiences injustice and random violence in
the rural Midwestern community. This
title has been nominated as one of the
top audiobooks for young adults by the
American Library Association. M.H.N.
Blackstone Audiobooks 7.5 hrs. Unabridged
(also CS, MP3, DD)
KISSING THE BEE
Kathe Koja
Read by Sarah Gorman and a Full Cast
CURSE OF THE BLUE TATTOO:
Bloody Jack, Book 2
L.A. Meyer
Read by Katherine Kellgren
With sass and song, Katherine Kellgren
portrays Jacky Faber as schoolgirl and
part-time tavern performer. Fighting off
pirates in Bloody Jack barely prepared
Jacky for the battles she faces after being
given the heave-ho as midshipman on the HMS Dolphin, losing her true
love, and being sent to a Boston boarding school. Kellgren’s terrific portrayal of Jacky’s reluctant transition to finishing school extends to the cast
of snobbish classmates, low-life Bostonians, sailors, prostitutes, a creepy
constable, and a mad minister who is a descendant of Cotton Mather.
Jacky’s endless propensity for trouble leads the listener on a rollicking
journey through 1800s America with the promise of more to come as
she boards a whaling ship at novel’s end. D.P.D. 2009 Odyssey Honor, 2009
Audies Finalist
Listen & Live Audio 14 hrs. Unabridged Young Adult
With sass and song, Katherine Kellgren
portrays Jacky Faber.
Koja’s novel on three seniors ready to
burst from the hive of high school is
presented by a fifteen-member cast,
including director Daniel Bostick.
Dana’s senior project on bees blends
mythology and science, with segments
of these read as introductions to each
chapter. The bee theme and research are
a metaphorical backdrop to the simmering romance and dissolving friendship
between queen bee Avra, her boyfriend,
Emil, and her best friend, Dana.
Kathleen Wrinn does the bossy, petulant
Avra annoyingly well. Sarah Gorman’s
more easygoing Dana is a pleasure to
follow even as she copes with the fallout
from her realization that romance
trumps friendship. D.P.D.
Full Cast Audio 3.5 hrs. Unabridged Young Adult
(also DD, PRE)
Fantasy & Science Fiction
KUSHIEL’S SCION
Jacqueline Carey
Read by Simon Vance
PANDORA’S STAR
Imriel was once a pirates’ slave. It’s no
wonder that he’s sometimes unpredictable and seemingly lost in a dark
place—but he’s always loyal to the few
he calls friends. During his sojourns,
he studies at university and then travels to a friend’s wedding, ending up in
a city under siege. There he fights for
his life in an army led by a friend who
has been possessed by the spirit of a
dead general. In the hands of Simon
Vance, this long book never lags. He’s
adept at creating characters that quickly
become familiar. His narrative voice is
intimate and confiding. During the
long preparation for the sustained
siege, Vance keeps the action fresh and
steady. J.E.M.
Tantor Media 28.5 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400109524 $59.99
(also MP3, DD)
Peter F. Hamilton
Read by John Lee
John Lee narrates this mammoth science fiction
novel with boundless energy. The story begins with
a laugh and ends the opposite of funny. But Lee is
engaged the entire time, providing a narration that
never gets tiresome. In this novel, which is the first
part of a story told in two similarly sized novels,
Hamilton offers one of the most detailed futures ever presented in sci-fi.
Ideas flow during every minute of listening—on immortality, worm
holes, colonization, new cultures, human-machine hybrids, and more.
The action begins when Dudley Bose observes the disappearance of two
stars. Observation suggests that the stars were enclosed, which suggests
the existence of an intelligence to do the enclosing, so humans of the
Commonwealth organize an expedition to investigate. S.D.D.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400107643 $79.99 (also MP3, DD)
John Lee narrates this mammoth science fiction novel
with boundless energy.
SERRANO LEGACY:
Once a Hero, Part 1
EON: Dragoneye Reborn
ANATHEM
Elizabeth Moon
Read by Nanette Savard and a Full Cast
Alison Goodman
Read by Nancy Wu
Neal Stephenson
Read by William Dufris, Oliver Wyman,
Tavia Gilbert, Neal Stephenson
Although Esmay Suiza comes from
a culture in which women have
no opportunity to command, she overcomes her reticence and leads her fleet
crew to victory when she’s thrust into
the crisis of battle. A strong
cast, a few special effects, and
a sprinkling of background
music all add up to an
engrossing dramatization of
this science fiction story.
With a no-nonsense style,
Nanette Savard takes charge
of the story and keeps it moving at a swift pace. In the role
o f E s m a y, s h e p o r t r a y s a
steely determination that
gives credibility to the burgeoning
talents of a reserved young woman
who is at a crossroads in her career and
personal life. J.E.M.
After four years of study, Eon knows
he’s not ready for the competition that
will decide who will become apprentice
to the “dragoneye.” Surprises unfold to
the end, which sets the stage for the
sequel. Nancy Wu provides an
even narration that deals
smoothly with the many
gender variations in the characters, ranging from eunuch
and transgender “contraire”
to a girl masquerading as a
boy and boys being dosed
with aggression-enhancing
herbs. Wu adroitly maneuvers the mood swings of the
characters, enhancing the
complexity of this tale, which is loosely
modeled on a dynasty of Imperial
China. J.E.M.
Graphic Audio 5 hrs. Audio Program
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781599505145 $19.99
(also MP3, DD)
(Exceptional Audio)
(Audio Excerpt Online)
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 978142337955-3 $36.99
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
CS (Cassette) CD (Compact
Disc)
In a sanctuary in another universe,
scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians are protected from the
outside world. The parallels to a cloister
are accentuated by the music introducing each chapter, which is reminiscent
of Gregorian chant—but different.
Similarly, this world is like Earth, and
the culture is like Western culture on
Earth—but different. A lover of wordp l a y, S t e p h e n s o n p r e c e d e s e a c h
chapter with a definition, which he
reads. This book is not for the faint of
heart, but William Dufris and the rest
of the cast make the audiobook a good
option. Dufris is stalwart in his engagement with the characters, the plot, and
the development of the cosmology. He
brings out the characters’ personalities
and creates a sense of wonder as the
complexities unfold. J.E.M.
Macmillan Audio 34 hrs. Unabridged
(also MP3, DD)
MP3 (MP3-CD) DD (Digital
Download)
PRE (Preloaded
Media)
Joe Hill
“I think that
storytelling
has never been
healthier.”
It’s easy to understand why writing comes easily for thriller and horror
author Joe Hill—it is, after all, the family business. (Hill is the second child
of Stephen and Tabitha King.) Writing was a normal part of life for him, as were
audiobooks. Back when the audiobook industry was just gathering steam, before
the great availability and variety we enjoy today, the King family would simply
make their own. “My whole family loved them,” Hill recalls. “We’d play big,
elaborate card games—hearts or poker or whatever—and whoever was the
ultimate loser in those games would have to read a book on tape for the winner.”
His early education in the “sound” of his writing has left a lasting impression
on his work. Hill is one of those careful writers whose pen is tuned to the listena morning.” This attention to narrative timing is crucial to Hill’s writing, and
he believes he has learned a lot about it from working on his current project, the
Locke & Key comic series. “I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned from comics
and apply it to [my own] novels and short stories.” This is particularly helpful for
Photos by Shane Leonard
er’s ear—he jokes about “fretting over the combination of four sentences for half
ROAD RAGE
Two Novellas: “Duel” & “Throttle”
Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill
Read by Stephen Lang
This audio-only collection features
Richard Matheson’s story, “Duel,” and
the first collaboration between Stephen
King and Joe Hill, “Throttle,” a tribute
to Matheson. Both stories follow the desperate fortunes of characters who are
targeted by anyone’s highway nightmare—a crazy truck driver hell-bent
on revenge. Stephen Lang narrates with an intensity faithful to the stories’
mood. When the grille of the eighteen-wheeler fills the characters’ rearview
mirrors, he’s breathless and angry. When the truck driver backs off, Lang
brings across the characters’ hope for an unlikely resolution to the madness. Lang, who won an Audie Award for Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box, is
particularly suited to “Throttle,” in which the targeted characters are all
part of a murderous motorcycle gang. By the end of their ordeal, even these
gritty road warriors seem sympathetic. A.A.
Harper Audio 2.5 hrs. Unabridged
More Listening
HEART-SHAPED BOX
Joe Hill, read by Stephen Lang
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Books on Tape
Library Ed.: CD
20TH CENTURY GHOSTS
Joe Hill, read by David Ledoux
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Books on Tape
Library Ed.: CD, DD
Lang narrates with an intensity
faithful to the stories’ mood.
audio, as well, Hill believes. “When you listen to a book on audio, you can hear
when a writer has a sense of timing.”
Timing is especially important in both Hill’s short story collection, 20th
Century Ghosts, and his intense, mesmerizing novel, Heart-Shaped Box, a 2008
Audie Award winner. “I don’t know if it’s self-indulgent,” Hill confides, “but
I actually did listen to Heart-Shaped Box the whole way through. I thought
Stephen Lang had a pitch-perfect reading of it.” So excited was Hill about Lang’s
reading of his novel that no one else would do for his novella project with
Stephen King and Richard Matheson, Road Rage. “I wanted Lang because
I felt like, on the basis of what he’d done with Heart-Shaped Box, he could really
deliver with this story.”
As a fan of audiobooks, it’s no wonder that Hill is very positive and excited
about the future of modern storytelling. “Some people are constantly worried
about the death of the novel,” Hill says, “but I actually think that storytelling has
never been healthier.” Why? Because Hill believes that the story is not simply
contained in the printed word. “There’s print, there are audiobooks, there are
graphic novels—all of which bridge the gap between print and film and television. I think that people have been able to enjoy stories more and more on
their own terms.” Moreover, Hill readily dismisses the claim that listening to
a book on audio isn’t the same as reading it. “I think it’s sort of an absurd point
of view to suggest, for example, that blind people could never have the experience
of literature. It’s utterly foolish.”
What’s on his radar for the next project? He won’t give the title of his novel-inthe-works (it’s a self-confessed superstition), but he assures us that it will contain
“a certain amount of devilry.”—Allison Adams
Mystery & Suspense
APT PUPIL
BEAT THE REAPER
YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME
Stephen King
Read by Frank Muller
Josh Bazell
Read by Robert Petkoff
Dean Koontz
Read by Malcolm Hillgartner
Hearing the late Frank Muller narrate
Stephen King’s thriller is like a welcome
visit from an old friend. Muller, who
died in 2008, left behind a tremendous
legacy of work, including a series of
recordings of King books
recently re-released. The
story of a disturbed boy who
becomes entwined in the life
of an unrepentant former
Nazi is one of King’s most
frightening works, even
without vampires or things
that go bump in the night.
The novella is far superior to the movie
of the same name. King, with more than
a little help from Muller, explores the
internal workings of the boy and his
mentor in ways the movie could not.
Bravo. M.S.
Author Josh Bazell and narrator Robert
Petkoff prove to be an effective pair with
this work, which will entertain listeners
from beginning to end. Bazell’s attention to character detail and plot twists
creates an impressive work,
all the more promising as this
is his debut novel. Petkoff
becomes central character
Peter Brown, a onetime Mob
hitman who is trying to
rearrange his existence into
something resembling a
normal life. Brown is wry and
intense, and Petkoff never fails to capitalize on the weighty prose that seems to
come so easily to Bazell. The narrative
performance benefits from the polished
aesthetics of the production. L.B.
Malcolm Hillgartner’s smooth, cool
voice and slow-paced delivery perfectly
capture Internet mogul Ryan Perry, a
man who thinks he has everything—
until his world is turned upside down
when he’s diagnosed with an incurable
heart ailment. After Perry receives a
heart transplant, he believes his problems are over. Then the anonymous
gifts begin, and a mystery woman who
is the image of his heart donor makes
it clear that Ryan has something she
wants back. Hillgartner is riveting in
this spellbinding foray into the dark
realms of life and death, choices and
consequences, ties that break and
those that cannot be broken. His
performance will give you the willies
and make you sleep with a light on for
weeks. A.C.P.
Penguin Audio 7 hrs. Unabridged
Hachette Audio 7 hrs. Unabridged
Brilliance Audio 9 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423356875 $44.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
UNDER THE STREETS OF NICE
THE RETURN OF THE
DANCING MASTER
Henning Mankell, Laurie Thompson [Trans.]
Read by Grover Gardner
The characters drawn by Henning Mankell are
so real you can hear them breathe. They have
quirks and foibles just like the rest of us. In a
departure from his Inspector Wallander series,
Mankell introduces Stefan Lindman, a young
police officer who learns he has cancer.
Although overwhelmed by the diagnosis,
Lindman decides to investigate the torturemurder of a former colleague in north-central Sweden. Grover Gardner
is unemotional and straightforward as he narrates Mankell’s terse
descriptions and painstakingly precise details. Gardner is extremely
affecting without becoming melodramatic, especially as Lindman
ponders his own mortality. As layers of the mystery fall away, ties to past
and current Nazism are revealed. Gardner’s performance transcends the
dreary, sunless Swedish landscape, bringing just the right tone to
Mankell’s gritty police procedural. S.J.H. 2009 Audies Finalist
Blackstone Audiobooks 14 hrs. Unabridged
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781433225741 $99.00 (also CS, MP3, DD)
Gardner’s performance transcends the dreary,
sunless Swedish landscape.
Ken Follett, René L. Maurice
Read by Roddy McDowall
A sensational bank robbery in France
earned the clever crooks millions in
francs, gold, and precious stones. The
suspense in this early Follett work
starts when the bank finds it cannot
open its vault door on a Monday morning in 1976. Hours later officials
discover it has been “visited” over the
weekend via a tunnel dug from the
sewer below. The late Roddy McDowall
adapts to the story, first published in
1990 and on audio in 1996, like he
was made to read it. His flawless
French embellishes the narrative to
achieve maximum authenticity; his
theater English pulls listeners into the
villainy so much they will come to love
the criminals. Within the first few minutes, the skills of McDowall and the
author collude to achieve one of those
rare true stories that tear one away
from otherwise-urgent reality. J.A.H.
Phoenix Audio 4 hrs. Unabridged
Mystery & Suspense
NEXT DOOR TO MURDER
Anthea Fraser
Read by Jacqueline Tong
Anthea Fraser has created an unusual
sleuth in Rona Parish, an author who
writes about local subjects. This quirky
mystery progresses quite far before the
murders occur and Rona must spring
into action. Narrator Jacqueline Tong
skillfully conveys British and Canadian
accents and a wide range of emotions,
including the bittersweet situation
between Rona’s elderly parents, who’ve
recently split up. As the suspense
mounts, Rona befriends a troubled
neighbor. Neither Rona nor the listener
can anticipate what will happen next as
Tong portrays a deranged mother who
recounts her murder of her own child.
As Fraser and Tong bring all the
threads of the plot together, mystery
buffs will enjoy another gem from
BBC Audio. S.G.B.
THE MALTESE FALCON
Dashiell Hammett
Read by Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh,
Edward Herrmann, and a Full Cast
They’re all here—Sam Spade, the streetwise
detective; the gorgeous but dangerous dame;
the squirrelly guy; and the fat man—all chasing
an elusive statue of a mythical bird across the
most American of literary landscapes,
fog-bound San Francisco in the 1920s. Few
novels have been more “noir”—or more influential. With fine talents like Michael Madsen,
Sandra Oh, and Edward Herrmann, Blackstone Audio and the Hollywood
Theater of the Ear have created a taut, well-paced audio production, drawn
directly from the novel, first serialized in Black Mask Magazine in 1929.
All of Hammett’s signature descriptions and stylish dialogue are at the
forefront. Sexy, darkly comic, and broodingly moral, The Maltese Falcon is
like a jolt of bourbon—it wakes you up and keeps you listening. B.P.
Blackstone Audiobooks 3 hrs. Audio Program
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781433252488 $40.00 (also CS, MP3, DD, PRE)
BBC Audiobooks America 7.5 hrs. Unabridged
A taut, well-paced audio production,
drawn directly from the novel.
BURN OUT
Marcia Muller
Read by Laura Hicks
Laura Hicks gives us the strong narration we need to believe in the power of
detective Sharon McCone. McCone
herself, recovering from a narrow
escape from death, wonders if her
detecting days are over. We are less surprised than the heroine when her caring
nature leads to her involvement with a
troubled Native American family. As
McCone unearths a series of bodies,
she gives up her reluctance to sleuth
and uncovers a web of hookers, millionaires, and more. The story has a
large cast of characters, but Hicks
shows a gift for differentiating and
insightfully presenting each one in a
series of vignettes that add to this highspeed adventure. S.W.
(also DD, PRE)
ON THE WEB...
Hear Audio Excerpts at
THAI DIE
PLUM SPOOKY
Monica Ferris
Read by Connie Crawford
Janet Evanovich
Read by Lorelei King
You’d think that a group of ladies and
one man who meet weekly at a shop
called Crewel World wouldn’t get into
any trouble, but how wrong you would
be. One member comes back from
Thailand with a statue wrapped in silk,
a n d t h e i n t r i g u e b e g i n s . Co n n i e
Crawford’s soft tones are ideal for this
cozy. She’s especially able in her characterization of Betsy Devonshire, the
shop’s owner, who is no stranger to solving mysteries. Various people wishing
to get hold of the silk are depicted with
appropriate deceptiveness. Crawford’s
overall genteel narration contrasts with
her delivery of the dramatic scenes.
Along the way, we learn interesting tidbits like the fact that angora can be
spun directly off the back of a rabbit.
Charming, especially if you’re a
needleworker. J.B.G.
This humorous, some might say silly,
novel will engage listeners in large
measure because of Lorelei King’s narration. Her throaty, self-assured voice,
judiciously paced reading style, and
matter-of-fact tones create a naturalsounding delivery that adds realism to
this story of Stephanie Plum’s search
for a killer named Grimoire and his
new business partner, a boy genius and
physicist named Martin Munch. King
finds unique character voices for the
usual cast of Plum’s associates, Lula,
Diesel, and Connie, as well as Grandma
Mazur. While the story is lighthearted
and fast paced, some Plum fans may
wish for more character development
and one-liners, and fewer juvenile jokes
and monkeys. S.C.A.
(also DD)
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781427205995 $34.95
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
Mystery & Suspense
DEATH’S HALF ACRE
EXTREME MEASURES
THE PRIVATE PATIENT
Margaret Maron
Read by C.J. Critt
Vince Flynn
Read by George Guidall
P.D. James
Read by Rosalyn Landor
One of today’s great thriller-spinners
cooks up a terrifyingly realistic jihadist
nightmare. Add to Flynn’s exciting imagination and super-macho hero, Mitch
Rapp, the exquisite voicing of George
Guidall and the listener can count on
one wild ride. Guidall does
his usual masterful job with
all the tough-guy voices. In
addition, we hardly notice
when he slips into simple
narrative to cover the lesser
characters since his terrific
pacing and delivery keep us
on the edge throughout. He pulls off the
women and children’s voices in a manner that is not at all distracting. Listeners
of Clancy, Patterson, and DeMille will
love this book. Also for lovers of the new
West vs. Radical Islam genre, which has
replaced Ludlum’s Cold War. M.C.
P.D. James delivers another fascinating
Adam Dalgliesh mystery. The enigmatic
Scotland Yard commander investigates
the murder of a journalist who is killed
in a posh private clinic in Dorset just
after undergoing plastic surgery. James’s
latest manages to plumb the depths of
investigative journalism, probing tender
secrets and sensational scandals.
Environmental issues, aging, and the
hope of new love are also part of the
story. Roslyn Landor lends the characters’ voices appropriate, subtle, and
insightful tones that reflect their age,
social standing, gender, and education.
Overall, her clarity and soft British
accent complement the fourteenth
Dalgliesh outing. A finely crafted conundrum, intricately layered. A.W.
Margaret Maron continues to excel with
her depiction of rural North Carolina.
In this addition to her series, developers
are buying up prime land from unsuspecting families. The apparent suicide
of the county’s greedy commissioner
brings in Deputy Dwight
Bryant. When the case is
discovered to involve corruption and murder, his wife,
Judge Deborah Knott, gets
involved, too. Narrator C.J.
Critt more than does justice
to Maron’s well-written text
and sublime dialogue. Deborah,
Dwight, and Deborah’s elderly dad contrast perfectly with the town’s younger
generation and unscrupulous commissioners, as well as the city slickers who
come to do big business. Even those
unfamiliar with Southern traditions and
expressions will be wonderfully entertained. S.G.B.
Recorded Books 9.5 hrs. Unabridged
(also CS, PRE)
Simon & Schuster Audio 13 hrs. Unabridged
Recorded Books
(also CS, DD, PRE)
Random House Audio 15 hrs. Unabridged
Books on Tape
(also CS, DD)
MURDER ON A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT
Kerry Greenwood
Read by Stephanie Daniel
GHOST AT WORK
Carolyn Hart
Read by Ann Marie Lee
This new series by Carolyn Hart features
a ghost turned sleuth, who works out of
heaven’s
Department
of
Good
Intentions. With warmth and aplomb,
Ann Marie Lee reads this cozy, which is
blended with improbable fantasy, realistic and lovable characters, and an
engrossing plot. She pulls listeners into the story gently and keeps us
interested, as well as surprised and amused. Heroine Bailey Ruth, who
lived in the 1960s, returns to a 2008 world of cell phones, new fashions,
and computers. Lee helps us believe Hart’s wonderful accounts of Bailey
Ruth’s antics and missteps as she solves a murder, thwarts a kidnapping,
and clears the pastor’s wife of murder. Lee’s voice wraps us in the charms
of a small town, a charming ghost, and aid sent from heaven. S.C.A.
Books on Tape 10.75 hrs. Unabridged
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781415936764 $100.00 (also DD)
Improbable fantasy, realistic and lovable characters,
and an engrossing plot.
Greenwood’s classy British whodunit,
set in Melbourne, Australia, in 1929
once again features the young, irrepressible private eye Phryne Fisher. With the
help of her eager coterie of snoops,
including down-to-earth housekeeper
Dot and Phryne’s adopted daughters,
they delve into a suicide that could be
a homicide and the hunt for the illegitimate heir to a fortune. The superb
Stephanie Daniel, who has been down
the road with Phryne many times before,
shines as the smart, sharp-tongued, but
totally likable, sleuth; her no-nonsense
housekeeper; and a group of vulgar
“bright young things.” This seventeenth
in the series is as crisp, clever, and thoroughly enjoyable as ever. M.T.B.
Bolinda Audio 9.25 hrs. Unabridged
ON THE WEB...
Mystery & Suspense
THE GOLD COAST
Nelson DeMille
Read by Christian Rummel
The Long Island Gold Coast once held
the greatest concentration of wealth
and power in America. Mafia don
Frank Bellarosa, a late-twentiethcentury version of wealth and power,
acquires the estate next to John Sutter,
respected Wall Street tax lawyer. Like a
moth to the flame, Sutter is drawn into
Bellarosa’s world. The story, first
published in 1990, is told in Sutter’s
words, and Christian Rummel’s narration is sterling. From the Gold Coast
upper-crust accent known as “Locust
Valley lockjaw” to the streetwise banter
of the Mob, each character comes to
life. Conversations between Sutter and
Bellarosa are so realistic listeners may
feel they’re tied into a federal wiretap.
With authentic settings and real
people, The Gold Coast (now followed
by a sequel, The Gate House) provides
an entertaining view of the sordid lives
of the rich and famous. T.J.M.
Books on Tape
(also DD)
THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND
Jeffery Deaver
Read by Holter Graham
An aborted 911 call in the Wisconsin
night results in a gripping chase rooted
in politics and vengeance. Officer
Brynn McKenzie finds herself on the
run with a stranger, trying desperately
to stay ahead of two killers. As the chase
wears on, the listener learns more and
more about what drives McKenzie—
and her nemesis. Deaver provides
excellent development of both major
and supporting players, as well as a fastmoving plot. Holter Graham doesn’t
miss a beat. Shifting cadence and varying tones, he gives specific voices to
each character on the run. Graham’s
consistency with the voices keeps the
listener on track through twist after
twist in a classic survival tale. M.B.
Simon & Schuster Audio 12.75 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780743579940 $39.99
Recorded Books
(also CS, DD, PRE)
THE KING OF RAGTIME
Larry Karp
Read by Mirron Willis
Mirron Willis gives a virtuoso performance in
Larry Karp’s second immersion in the syncopated
rhythms of ragtime. In The Ragtime Kid, listeners
were present at ragtime’s beginnings. Here, the
musical genre is dying, as is its most famous practitioner, Scott Joplin. In desperation, Joplin takes
his latest work to Irving Berlin, although he
believes Berlin plagiarized his earlier work.
Because of the advanced state of his illness, Joplin’s grip on reality is
shaky, and when he’s found standing over a body holding a straight razor,
no one is sure of what happened. Willis never strikes a false note in Karp’s
well-researched period mystery. He fashions living human beings of all
colors, textures, and dispositions with only his smooth, sultry voice. A
rich listen. S.J.H.
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781433252006 $70.00 (also CS, MP3, DD)
A virtuoso performance in the syncopated
rhythms of ragtime.
BLACK OPS:
A Presidential Agent Novel
W.E.B. Griffin
Read by Dick Hill
Two brutal murders in Europe followed
by failed assassination attempts in
Philadelphia and Buenos Aires send a
clear message to Lt. Charley Castillo:
you’re next. If that isn’t enough, two
senior Russian agents defect and land in
Castillo’s care. They share vital secrets,
which lead to a black-ops mission to
destroy a fish farm in the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Castillo’s everexpanding band of spooks and warriors,
along with his many European contacts,
present challenges for narrator Dick
Hill, who sometime works too hard to
create distinctive voices for each. In the
long run, however, his overall crisp, clear
delivery engages listeners as the “ops”
move into high gear. Black Ops is vintage
Griffin, filled with twists and turns,
along with a boatload of surprises for
Charley Castillo. T.J.M.
STALKING SUSAN
Julie Kramer
Read by Bernadette Dunne
If a book ever called out to be turned into
a movie, it’s this one. Bernadette Dunne
excels as the narrator of this engaging
novel about a television reporter who
investigates a series of murders of
women named Susan, which take place
every year on a specific day. Dunne’s
faithful performance captures the
back-stabbing intrigue of the newsroom, the political wrangling of police
and politicians in a major city, and a
love of dogs. She makes listeners want
to know these people, some of them
anyway, with an energetic performance
that just sucks you in. When she lends
voice to male roles, she does it so subtly the listener will scarcely remember
the gender difference. And it’s great
that the ending is a shocker. M.S.
(also DD)
Penguin Audio 19.5 hrs. Unabridged
Books on Tape
(also DD)
Ron McLarty
You might recognize veteran actor Ron McLarty from
his more than 100 appearances in movies and television
series like “Spenser for Hire” and his recurring role as Judge
Wright on “Law & Order.” Or, as he jokes, you might think
you “went to high school together.” But when he opens his
mouth to speak, you’ll recognize the mellifluous vocal tone
and smooth, deliberate delivery that have made dozens of
audiobooks come alive. He says he’s a fan of the format and
follows several fellow narrators’ work. “I like to listen to them.
I put them on in the house and walk around with them.”
McLarty is more than an actor who reads books aloud—
he’s also an accomplished playwright and an acclaimed novelist who doesn’t have a problem recording his own work. He
says there’s enough distance between the “writing artist” and
“performing artist” to make the recording of his novels, The
Memory of Running and Art in America, a separate job.
“I want to say the words the way I hear them inside my head
for my own books, and I want the same thing for Stephen
King or Danielle Steel. I want to honor their work, and I take
it very seriously. I really prepare a lot, and I want to try and
say the words the way that author would want me to.”
McLarty’s own path to publication began with an audiobook
publisher (Recorded Books) instead of the usual route of the
printed word and then the audio
version. After the release of the
audiobook version of The Memory of
DIVINE JUSTICE
David Baldacci
Running, his friend and frequent
Read by Ron McLarty
collaborator Stephen King, bestIn this well-crafted and perfectly executed
selling writer, wrote an impassioned
thriller, Ron McLarty captures the soul of a
plea in Entertainment Weekly, calling
patriot and the cold competence of a killer.
it “the best book you can’t read.”
He portrays “Oliver Stone,” aka John Carr,
That helped the novel find a conventhe deadliest assassin to ever work for the
tional publisher.
U.S. Stone is on the run. Seeking anonymity in the tiny coal town of Divine, Virginia, he’s torn between trying to
When writing his novels, McLarty
blend in and championing those who help him, risking everything to
uses the same tools he uses as an
uncover the town’s dangerous and dirty secrets. McLarty’s perfect dramaactor. “The little quirks, the little saytizations of those aiding or threatening Stone make this a superior listen.
ings that people have, the way they
Even the music between chapters, which foreshadows or punctuates the
move might be things that you can
action, adds to the audio experience. A.C.P.
use. You store that in a little part of
Hachette Audio 11.5 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.:
ISBN 9781600244285 $44.98 (also
)
your brain. I can pull them up and
Books on Tape
use them in writing, and that’s when
Library Ed.:
ISBN 9781415960387 $110.00 (also
,
,
)
acting and recording audiobooks
inform my writing.”
Ron McLarty captures the soul of a patriot and the
A consummate professional,
cold competence of a killer.
McLarty says he’s up for just about
any kind of job. “That’s the best part
CD
DD
CS DD PRE
Photo by Jerry Bauer
CD
JESUS OUT TO SEA
ART IN AMERICA
James Lee Burke
Read by Ron McLarty
Ron McLarty
Read by Ron McLarty
More Listening
EMPIRE FALLS
We’ve heard the stories, seen the video—
but James Lee Burke’s two stories about
life after Hurricane Katrina, one the title
story, are the best in this collection.
Filtered through the magical talent of
narrator Ron McLarty, they create a visceral experience of disgust and despair.
Linked thematically, these accounts of
life on the edge of vice,
violence, and hopelessness
are eventually uplifting in
t h e g l o r i fi c a t i o n o f t h e
human experience. McLarty
also exercises his acting muscles in two standout stories
about threatened academics,
“Winter Light” and “A Season of Regret.”
Jesus Out to Sea adds to the celebrated
canon of one of the nation’s best chroniclers of life along the Gulf of Mexico and
the colorful characters who populate its
sultry and sandy world. R.O.
Can art heal a violent conflict? This
delightful tall tale of the commissioning of a play to help bring together the
two sides of a dispute over land and
water rights in Colorado is wonderfully
written and performed by its talented
author. Ron McLarty’s middle-aged,
overweight protagonist, Steven Kearney,
a sad-sack author with two
garbage bags full of unpublished manuscripts, is
unceremoniously tossed out
by his girlfriend. McLarty
affects a bewildered delivery
and a leisurely pace, making
his observations about the
colorful characters living in the hamlet
of Creedemore both insightful and
funny. The story’s life-affirming and
uplifting ending is both hopeful and
hilarious. Do people really talk like this?
You bet’cha! R.O.
Richard Russo, read by Ron McLarty
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781428196650 $92.75 (also
PRE)
CS, PRE)
THE WHOLE TRUTH
Trade Ed.: CS
THE MEMORY OF RUNNING
Ron McLarty, read by Ron McLarty
Library Ed.: CS, CD
SALEM’S LOT
Stephen King, read by Ron McLarty
Simon & Schuster Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CS, CD
TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS
Randy Wayne White, read by Ron McLarty
TRAVELER
Ron McLarty, read by Ron McLarty
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Recorded Books
Library Ed.: CS, CD
David Baldacci, read by Ron McLarty
Trade Ed.: CS, CD, DD
Books on Tape
Library Ed.: CS, CD, DD
about being an audio narrator. You get to play all the roles, and you get to interpret them. I just finished a terrific thriller called First Family by David Baldacci,
and I got to play everything from the president and the president’s wife to a villain with a deep Southern accent. And it’s thrilling. When you do
a part in a play or a movie or a television show, you’re as good as the person
you’re working with, and your role is the backseat to the lead actor. While that’s
satisfying in its own way, you just triple that when you’re doing an audiobook.
I find it to be the most fun.”
But sometimes the writer comes out and makes harsh observations.
“I’m very critical; sometimes it’s hard to hear my own stuff. It’s sort of like
watching yourself on television as an actor. When you’re doing it, you might
think—‘Hey, that was pretty good, that’s a real nice interpretation of the scene.’
And then when you see it on the screen, you’re so hard on yourself. You ask,
‘Is that me?’”
In the beginning, playing everyone in a production was a challenge.
“I remember when I first started to talk for the women like this.” He pitches
his voice high into a falsetto register. “But a recording engineer advised me
to add a little bit of a softer quality and just do women a lot smarter than the
men. And she was right.”—Randy O’Brien
Fiction
THE BIBLE SALESMAN
FINE JUST THE WAY IT IS
SEA OF POPPIES
Clyde Edgerton
Read by T. Ryder Smith
Annie Proulx
Read by Will Patton
Amitav Ghosh
Read by Phil Gigante
Mix one young and gullible Bible salesman with a career criminal, set them on
the back roads of 1930s North Carolina,
and you’ll hear one enjoyable yarn.
Narrator T. Ryder Smith wraps his softspoken delivery around the comic antics
and sudden violence with an ease and
assuredness that transcend the written
word. A chance meeting between Bible
salesman Henry Dampier and “undercover” G-man Preston Clearwater sets
one on the path of enlightenment and
the other on the path of justice.
Characters remark about the absurdity
of a life in poverty with insouciance, and
Smith shines brightest when portraying
the lovable country folk as they eke out
lives of quiet desperation with guidance
from their Bibles. R.O.
Proulx’s astonishing collection of dark
stories features hardscrabble lives lived
in a sparse, barren West where one
mistake can put you on the long, winding trail to disaster, even death. Will
Patton’s deep, sonorous tones create
perfect voices for old cowboys like Ray
Forkenbrock, who is living out his last
days in a nursing home in “Family
Man”; for the newlyweds in the devastating “Them Old Cowboy Songs”; and
for Dakotah Lister in the memorable
story “Tits Up in a Ditch.” Patton’s
delivery is never rushed, and as Proulx
fills her stories with quirky, well-developed characters, his voice lends dignity
and passion to women and men alike.
These breathtaking stories will shock
and intrigue. S.C.A. 2009 Audies Finalist
Recorded Books 6 hrs. Unabridged
(also CS, PRE)
Recorded Books
(also CS, PRE)
THE HELP
Kathryn Stockett
Read by Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer,
Jenna Lamia, Cassandra Campbell
Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. White ladies playing bridge and sipping ice tea. Colored maids
cooking, cleaning, and loving the white
babies. The separate, intertwined paths of
these worlds are going to collide. Audio is the
way to be inside this story, brilliantly cast with
four voices. The separate casting of the three voices of Stockett’s debut
novel is astute. Jenna Lamia embodies Miss Skeeter, the young aspiring
writer who starts a project that disrupts her privileged and predictable
world. Lamia’s genteel Southern tones can pass off ingrained prejudice
with chilling comfort, screech with outrage, and subtly reflect Skeeter’s
growing resolve and self-discovery. Bahni Turpin and Octavia Spencer
contrast the voices of hot-headed Minny and thoughtful, inspiring
Aibileen. Their musical speech and emotional connection to the characters are riveting. Listeners are swept up in the story—shocked and
reminded by the times; inspired and proud of these women. R.F.W.
Books on Tape
Brilliantly cast with four voices,
audio is the way to be inside this story.
Audio is the perfect format for Sea of
Poppies, a well-told novel with scores of
far-flung characters—from a widowed
Indian poppy grower to an American
sailor, a bankrupt raja, a young French
woman, and an autistic giant of a laborer.
Exciting, touching, and beautifully
paced, Phil Gigante’s narration carries
the audiobook, embellishing it with
accents: Indian (Hindi, Urdu,
Hindustani), British (upper crust,
seafaring, working class), French, and
even Chinese. It’s a wildly fantastical
adventure story at the confluence of
the opium and slave trades, the caste
and class systems, with overarching
themes involving race, gender, and
spiritual equality. While Gigante’s
accents, especially the Indian ones, can
be imperfect, the personality of each
character shines through in an outstanding performance. R.M.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423373742 $42.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
NETHERLAND
Joseph O’Neill
Read by Jefferson Mays
O’Neill’s lauded love letter to post-9/11
Manhattan receives an engaging performance from Jefferson Mays, who
captures the heartache and numbness
of that difficult time. The protagonist,
who tells the story in the first person,
finds himself adrift—forced to leave his
home after the towers fall, and separated from his wife. He becomes involved
with several amateur cricket leagues
and with a fellow player whose interests
are greater than the gentleman’s sport.
The book has been favorably compared
to The Great Gatsby, with good reason,
and Mays delivers the story in measured tones that allow the confusion and
emotion of the main character to speak
for themselves. By the end of the story,
listeners will be eager to seek out
O’Neill’s previous works. M.T.
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 978-1-4361-5545-8 $77.75
(also CS, PRE)
Fiction
STAND THE STORM
Breena Clarke
Read by Richard Allen
Richard Allen has it all: the man carries a story as if it were a beloved child,
sings as if his heart will break, and
expresses emotion as if he invented it.
In this novel he takes the Coats family
from slavery to freedom and an uncertain future. His depictions of men and
women are equally good, and his ability
to interpret the author’s directives is
flawless. Allen is most amazing when
he reads emotional passages. His
depiction of freedman Gabriel’s outrage at a new regulation that may
enslave his daughters transports the
listener to the very scene. And Allen’s
handling of death is so reverent the
words almost go unnoticed. The story’s
shocking details and heartbreaking
conclusion underscore the complex
dimensions of slavery and the struggle
for freedom. J.J.B.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400108787 $34.99
(also MP3, DD)
TRAIN TO TRIESTE
Domnica Radulescu
Read by Yelena Shmulenson
Train to Trieste follows the deeply moving experiences
of Mona Maria Manoliu as she comes of age in 1977
in a village at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in
Ceausescu’s Romania. Sensually blending poetic
imagery with the sharp contrast of life in an uncertain
Communist state, Radulescu captures the heart and soul of a reluctant exile
in love with her country. Yelena Shmulenson does justice to this exquisite literary work with an impressive intensity and range of expression. One hears
in her heavily accented delivery precise pronunciations, especially phrases
and locations in the Romanian language. Shmulenson transitions effortlessly as the story shifts, covering spectacular landscapes, history, old-world
traditions, and the difficulties of surviving the Communist regime. An unforgettable odyssey of young love, harsh politics, and enforced exile. A.W.
HighBridge Audio 11 hrs. Unabridged
Shmulenson does justice to this exquisite literary work
with an impressive intensity and range of expression.
THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF
THE TSARINA’S DAUGHTER
Elle Newmark
Read by Raúl Esparza
Carolly Erickson
Read by Susan Jameson
TURNER’S PAINTBOX
Paul Morgan
Read by Humphrey Bower
The fictional narrator of this Australian
novel, Gerard Moyne, is a cold intellectual who, though an expert on art
history, has none of the warm emotions that all fields of art require.
Therefore, Humphrey Bower faces a
dilemma when narrating—how to get
the listener to relate to an essentially
unlikable character. Bower maneuvers
accents—Australian and English—
with far more skill than the author
interweaves the colors of Turner’s
paintings. Whereas the author’s
Turner descriptions lack authority,
Bower fine-tunes the story’s narration
in a graceful flow. Luckily, Moyne has
the possibility of discovering his emotional depths through his romance
with the sensual and spontaneous
Julia. Further, this is a story of the failure to understand creativity, and that
makes it a worthwhile listen. B.H.B.
Raúl Esparza gives a thoroughly
engrossing performance, understated
and subtle, with nuance to spare, in Elle
Newmark’s fantastical exploration of
life in Venice at the end of the fifteenth
century. Luciano, a cunning street
urchin, finds his luck changed when he
becomes an apprentice chef in the
doge’s palace. An accomplished eavesdropper, Luciano learns that prominent
men are searching for a secret book
that is alleged to contain alchemical
formulas, love potions, and the secret
to immortality. Esparza’s narration
enhances Newmark’s lavish, mouthwatering descriptions of food, and with
slight vocal shifts and just the suggestion of Italian accents, he adds mystery
and romance, highlighting court
intrigues, the odors and aromas of
Venice, and Newmark’s many quirky
characters. Especially recommended
for listeners who aren’t dieting. S.J.H.
Susan Jameson gives a bravura performance as Tatiana Romanov, one of the four
daughters of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina
Alexandra. In this novel Tatiana is the
one who allegedly escapes the fate of her
famous family (not Anastasia, as some
people believe). Jameson’s Tania is headstrong, innocent, and charming as she
realizes the horrific conditions the
Russian people, her people, are suffering prior to the 1917 Revolution. Carolly
Erickson’s imaginative retelling of
this volatile period in Russian history
follows nobles and ne’er-do-wells, and
Jameson’s portrayals of Cossacks,
Communists, Bolsheviks, and Germans
are filled with the small details that transform mere words into flesh-and-blood
characters. As Tania’s life goes from
idyllic to turbulent, Jameson’s artistry
transports listeners from gilt bedrooms
and lavish ballrooms to rat-infested back
streets and filthy hospitals. Smart writing and Jameson’s reading make this
must listening. S.J.H.
BBC Audiobooks America 11 hrs. Unabridged
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
Fiction
STRAY DOG WINTER
THE EYE IN THE DOOR
THE READER
David Francis
Read by David Kirwan
Pat Barker
Read by Peter Firth
Bernhard Schlink
Read by Campbell Scott
Peter Firth, known to American fans as
the imperious espionage commander in
the engaging BBC series “MI-5,” is even
more austere in his narration of this, the
second in Pat Barker’s amazing trilogy
of WWI novels (known collectively as The Ghost Road
trilogy). The austerity is
especially effective with the
book’s most compelling character, the hard-bitten Billy
Prior, who is deeply conflicted,
and mentally scarred, by the
many roles he is called upon
to play—lower-class officer
among aristocrats, hidden bisexual in a
witch-hunting culture, dutiful soldier
despite deep allegiance to committed
pacifists. Oddly enough, Firth’s evident
dispassion works to amplify the deep
psychic wounds Barker’s characters suffer in consequence of the savagery of
war. M.O.
If the best books remain with us long
after they have returned to the shelf,
then The Reader can take a place
among the greats. Campbell Scott,
whose perfect pacing and gentle voice
animate the simple, engrossing prose,
performs this recording beautifully.
Michael Berg is a teenager in postWWII Europe when he meets Hanna,
and the two of them begin an affair
despite the significant difference in
their ages. Years after the relationship
ends, they meet again in the most
haunting of ways, and the secrets that
emerge raise questions about pride, forgiveness, and redemption. Scott’s deft
reading captures the story’s complexity
without lapsing into melodrama, and
his eloquence with the spoken word
complements Schlink’s gentle touch
with the written one. L.B.F.
In Stray Dog Winter, Australian narrator David Kirwan gives a performance
that will generate feelings of sadness,
shock, and joy in his listeners. Telling
the story of young Darcy, who ventures
to 1980s Moscow to connect
with his estranged sister, Fin,
author David Francis echoes
all the best attributes of
Graham Greene’s classic
novel The Third Man: the
brooding atmosphere, the
unrelenting sense of wariness that abounds in the
curious protagonist, and the
romance that brews against the
backdrop of the Cold War. Kirwan’s
characters are well rounded, and he
uses no forced accents, just the simplicity of prose in its purest form. L.B.
Audible, Inc. 9.25 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: DD $24.95
(also CS)
Random House Audio 4.5 hrs. Unabridged
Books on Tape
(also DD)
THE ELEVENTH MAN
Ivan Doig
Read by Tom Stechschulte
BREATH
Tim Winton
Read by Dan Wyllie
This aptly titled novel knocks the
breath out of the listener as it
recounts a youth’s daredevil surfing
exploits, evoking the fragile balance
between life and death. Paramedic
Bruce Pike looks back in this comingof-age story of his thrill-seeking
youth in 1970s Australia. He and his
friend, Loonie, meet a charismatic surfing legend named Sando, who
mentors them in the science and art of surfing, and drives them to more
and more reckless behavior. Dan Wyllie delivers an easily understandable
Australian accent and shifts subtly between tentative teen and jaded adult.
Wyllie’s delivery of Winton’s vivid descriptions is mesmerizing, and he
ably conveys the image of breath as a metaphor throughout the story.
This compelling novel may entice the listener to seek out the well-known
Australian author’s many other works. A.W.
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781921415616 $40.00 (also MP3)
Delivery of Winton’s vivid descriptions is mesmerizing.
The Eleventh Man follows the WWII
experiences of Montana native Ben
Reinking, a journalist assigned to
chronicle the adventures of his college
football teammates, now involved in
various war services. This powerful
n o v e l i s a b l y n a r r a t e d b y To m
Stechschulte with a deeply masculine
inflection and a decidedly Western feel.
Pining for action himself, Reinking
chafes at his assignment as a war correspondent, viewing his work as mere
propaganda. The story becomes more
complicated when his travels result in
a difficult romance. Sadly chronicling
his friends’ deaths, some of which he
finds to be mysterious, Reinking soon
finds himself in mortal peril.
Stechschulte’s unaffected delivery is
especially strong in depicting the historical details of the war. A.W.
(also CS, PRE)
Fiction
THE INDEPENDENCE OF
MISS MARY BENNET
Colleen McCullough
Read by Jen Taylor
Colleen McCullough’s homage to Pride
and Prejudice is either dastardly or delicious, depending on your Austen
loyalty. There should be no argument,
however, over Jen Taylor’s captivating
narration. Her portrayal of Mary is
spot-on. In this “sequel,” the formerly
bookish and shy Bennet sister blossoms twenty years later, throws off the
protection of Darcy, and sets out to call
attention to the plight of England’s
poor. The other sisters—Lizzie, Jane,
Kitty, and Lydia—end up supporting
Mary (or just end up) as she establishes
model orphanages. Along the way,
Mary falls in love with the deliciously
Scottish Angus; encounters a highwayman; and is imprisoned by a crazy
prophet—all memorably voiced. This
is still upper-class nineteenth-century
England, and Taylor’s tone reflects it.
An altogether entertaining listening
experience. J.B.G.
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
THE WIDOWS OF EASTWICK
John Updike
Read by Kate Reading
More than two decades have passed
since we last heard from the “witches”
of Eastwick. The husbands they conjured didn’t last, and now they return
to Rhode Island with the wisdom of
hindsight and diminishing magical
powers. Narrating in a soft, terse tone,
Kate Reading catches listeners up with
Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie, who are
crabby about lost sexual vitality and
pending death. Updike’s masterful
abilities continue to dazzle, and
Reading matches the burnished text
with a sure professionalism. Fans of
the original who always wondered
what happened to the witches will find
the women just as trying and entert a i n i n g a s t h e y w e r e w h e n fi r s t
introduced. R.O.
Books on Tape
(also DD)
THE ROAD
Cormac McCarthy
Read by Rupert Degas
McCarthy’s highly praised story of a father
and son on the run in a postapocalyptic
America is compelling and unsettling.
Rupert Degas’s narration hits a rhythm
and stride that drive the novel forward,
engrossing the listener and keeping the
stark setting in high relief. He ably portrays the purity and innocence of the boy and the desperation of the father
who aims to protect him from a new and threatening world. The road is
long as the pair dig through rubble and garbage to survive. Listeners may
be tempted to turn away from the brutal reality painted by McCarthy, but
Degas will keep them thoroughly engaged. L.B.
Naxos AudioBooks 5 hrs. Abridged
Degas’s narration hits a rhythm and stride that drive
the novel forward, engrossing the listener.
THE TEMPEST TALES
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Walter Mosley
Read by Ty Jones
Richard Yates
Read by Mark Bramhall
When Tempest Landry, a black man
accidentally shot dead by police, stands
before St. Peter at the pearly gates and
is doomed to Hell, he says “uh-uh.”
Narrator Ty Jones lets a cynical tone
creep into his delivery as Tempest is
returned to Manhattan, looking very
different and being shadowed by an
angel named Joshua. The heavenly
emissary soon gets involved in one ethical dilemma after another, as Jones
leads the listener through a maze of
debates over the nature of sin and
Tempest’s slippery explanations.
Tempest eventually allies with Satan in
his quest to get to heaven—with
humorous results. A wonderful premise that sometimes drags a bit through
the debates, but Mosley’s eventual
pay-off is worth the journey. R.O.
Ma r k B r a m h a l l s i n g l e - h a n d e d l y
delivers this squalling American masterpiece with all the variety of a full-cast
production, and none of the confusion.
Each character has a distinct voice, and
each alters as the drama requires.
“Still, I don’t suppose one picture window is necessarily going to destroy our
personalities,” says Frank Wheeler,
when he and his wife, April, first view
the “charming” suburban house on
Revolutionary Road. “‘Oh that’s
marvelous,’ Mrs. Givings cried, and
her laughter enclosed them in a warm
shelter of flattery . . . ” The real estate
agent means to sound cheerful. Frank
means to sound brave and self-aware.
They both fail, and you can hear this in
Bramhall’s nuanced performance. An
overlooked American tragedy has finally
hit the ear. B.H.C.
Recorded Books/ Griot Audio 4 hrs. Unabridged
(also CS, PRE)
ON THE WEB...
Books on Tape
(also DD)
SEEKING PEACE: Chronicles
of the Worst Buddhist in the World
Mary Pipher
Read by Kymberly Dakin
From the first sentences it’s clear this
is a narration by a consummate pro.
Kymberly Dakin’s vocal quality seems
formal at first, but it’s utterly calm and
so connected to this writing that listeners almost immediately forget anyone
else is reading and hear only the
essence of Mary Pipher and her story.
Pipher is a mature storyteller whose
responses to her uneven family experiences and self-critical ways come
across as uplifting rather than melodramatic or self-pitying. She unfolds
her lifelong efforts to slow down and
be kinder to herself with the secure
tone of someone who knows the
redemptive power of self-acceptance,
family, and community. The production’s warm sound and nurturing
lessons offer an endless supply of
inspiration and comfort. T.W.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423382843 $29.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also MP3, DD)
Mary Pipher was a college professor, psychotherapist, and community activist in 1994 when Reviving
Ophelia, her bestseller on the needs of adolescent girls,
made her a national celebrity. The psychologist and
humanitarian went on to write similar books on the needs
of refugees, the elderly, and families—all well-regarded
and compassionate volumes that focus on other people
and share a common methodology. “Most of what I’ve
done,” Pipher says, “is try to be a really good listener to a
demographic group. And then when I really feel like I have
a sense for that population, I try to integrate that information in a way that allows other people to have a sense of
them, care about them, and want to act on their behalf.”
Pipher’s latest book is different. With a subtitle taken
from an observation by her psychotherapist husband,
Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World
is a candid account of Mary’s lifelong efforts to be useful
to people without being unkind to herself. In it, she traces
her path from her childhood in rural Missouri and
Colorado to college in California, graduate school, and
raising a family in Nebraska. She also discusses the period
of her life when the unexpected success of Reviving
Ophelia cranked up the demands she pressured herself
to meet. “I felt that I alone of all humans was not entitled
to mercy.” On top of her other responsibilities, endless
book tours and isolating speaking engagements led to
depression and physical symptoms. She had no choice
but to make some adjustments in what she expected of
herself. “The main thing that has been useful to me is the
ability to pause before I jump in and start improving a
situation, an ability to step back and realize I don’t have
to take responsibility for this room full of people.” This
shift actually allowed her to be more helpful. “When
I was able to soften up on myself, I could pay more attention to the real feedback you get from people about what they want and
don’t want from you.”
Noting the importance of biographies and memoirs in her own growth,
Pipher says she hopes her story will promote more empathy regarding life’s
emotional issues. She sees it as an “expansion of the container” we build to
understand ourselves. “If I talk honestly about my struggles, then perhaps
people will feel less damaged and more connected to other people.” This
kind of emotional honesty, she adds, has rarely been found in past generations. “There was a kind of cultural ineptitude and a cultural fear of
engaging on the level of how I feel about you, how you feel about me, how
I feel inside myself.”
Even though she’s grounded as an author and member of her family and
community, Mary Pipher says she’ll always be making adjustments in her
life. When she travels to give keynote addresses (she doesn’t do book tours
anymore), she enjoys the outdoors with her husband, Jim. “I’ve got three little grandkids and another one on the way, and I’m very happily ensconced
in a community I’ve lived in for 30 years.” She still teaches at the university
and serves on boards that address poverty and other issues in her town. “As
someone who finds great fulfillment in helping people, I’m probably doing
more than I did before because it isn’t wearing me out.”—Thomas Walken
Photo by Angela Zegers
Mary Pipher
Biography & Memoir
LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER
Maya Angelou
Read by Maya Angelou
“Most of what I’ve
done is try to be
a really good listener.”
More Listening
ANOTHER COUNTRY
Mary Pipher,
read by Joan Allen
Simon & Schuster Audio Abridged
Trade Ed.: DD
REVIVING OPHELIA
Mary Pipher,
read by Mary Pipher
Random House Audio Abridged
Trade Ed.: DD
With the careful phrasing and emphatic
pacing of a poet, Angelou offers her
meditations on life to the many daughters she’s never had—yet considers to be
her extended family. Angelou’s voice is
deep and distinctive, yet familiar soundi n g , a n d h e r w i d e - r a n g i n g , o ft e n
autobiographical reflections on life provide much food for thought.
Listening, one imagines her picking her way, serenely, across a sometimes-stony but often unexpectedly delightful road. Whether she’s
reminiscing about family, race, intercultural embarrassment, or losing
loved ones, Angelou is thoughtful but not preachy, wise but never heavyhanded. This collection of essays cuts across the genre, defying easy
categorization. Part poem, part memoir (there’s even a little song tucked
in), the production, unified by Angelou’s marvelously distinctive and
original voice, is wholly delightful. J.C.G. 2009 Audies Finalist
Books on Tape
REVIVING OPHELIA
Mary Pipher,
read by Linda Stephens
Library Ed.: CS
A marvelously distinctive and original voice—
wholly delightful.
THE SHELTER OF
EACH OTHER
Mary Pipher,
read by Mary Pipher
Random House Audio Abridged
Trade Ed.: DD
EPILOGUE
THINGS I’VE BEEN SILENT ABOUT
Anne Roiphe
Read by Lorna Raver
Azar Nafisi
Read by Naila Azad
Roiphe writes of losing her husband
and exploring what it means to be a
widow. Lorna Raver captures the tone
of one who is bewildered by all that has
happened but who is trying to persevere against irreconcilable feelings of
loss. Raver preserves the sense of vulnerability and bravado in Roiphe’s
attempts to convince herself that she
should undertake a new relationship
to dull her loneliness. Raver contrasts
Roiphe’s sense of fragility at being left
alone with her fortitude in moving forward, in hopes of feeling less haunted
by her husband’s memory. The contrasts between a strong woman who is
purposeful and confident and a widow
who is trying to believe she can live
alone are at the core of this presentation. J.E.M.
Azar Nafisi (Reading Lolita in Tehran) is
unquestionably a unique literary voice.
In this memoir we learn that as a rebellious child her relationship with her
mother was stormy, that her North Star
was her attentive, literature-loving father,
and that between them they created a
world apart from the bitter, self-absorbed
woman her mother became. Memory is,
at best, an undependable resource, often
colored by imagination, tinged with
resentments, or softened to blur
unhappy truths. Naila Azad’s gentle
reading does much to mitigate the dark
portrait Nafisi draws of her mother, and
once we leave the early memories,
Azad’s intelligent narration, empathy,
subtlety, and exotic voice offer a fascinating look at Iranian culture, mores, and
politics, written with grace and style by a
master storyteller. S.J.H.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781433246388 $19.95
(also CS, MP3, DD, PRE)
(also DD)
Biography & Memoir
JOHN LENNON: THE LIFE
TICKET TO RIDE
Philip Norman
Read by Graeme Malcolm
Larry Kane
Read by Larry Kane
From his childhood to his untimely
death, John Lennon’s life was momentous enough to easily support the
1,000 pages Philip Norman devotes to
it. Norman, who wrote what many
0consider to be the definitive account
of the Beatles—Shout!—delves into
every nook and cranny of
the musician’s life, revealing a sometimes-tortured
soul who never stopped
changing throughout his
tragically interrupted life.
This abridgment is choppy
in places but never less
than gripping, partly due
t o No r m a n’ s t y p i c a l l y
English turns-of-phrase, partly due to
narrator Graeme Malcolm’s quintessentially British delivery, not to
mention his ability to perfectly reproduce Lennon’s Liverpool accent. J.S.H.
For a 21-year-old journalist in 1964, a
chance to follow the Beatles on their
ground-breaking first American tour
was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Larry Kane was that journalist, and
Ticket to Ride is his fascinating memoir
of that tour, and the subsequent one in
1965. Read with an air of
bemusement that befits
Kane’s current reputation
as Philadelphia’s most wellknown TV news anchor, the
book, while hardly a gossipfest, nevertheless contains
many titillating behind-thescenes anecdotes that only
somebody privy to the backstage antics of the Fab Four could report.
Kane tells of a much more innocent
time when the whole notion of rock-star
decadence was in its infancy, not to
mention the commercial aspects that
were coming into being, mostly due to
the Beatles’ innovations. J.S.H.
Harper Audio 12.5 hrs. Abridged
Cider Mill Press 8.75 hrs. Unabridged
AMERICAN LION: Andrew Jackson
in the White House
Jon Meacham
Read by John H. Mayer
John Mayer’s warm, deep voice and
unhurried pace are pleasantly lulling as
he reads Meacham’s exquisitely constructed narrative on the life of our
seventh president, Andrew Jackson.
Mayer effectively uses a mild Southern
accent when he reads quotations from
Jackson, who was born in the Carolinas.
While Jackson’s story is complex,
Ma y e r ’ s s m o o t h n a r r a t i o n a n d
Meacham’s deft storytelling make
listening almost effortless. Meacham
portrays Jackson as a pivotal figure
whose decisions preserved the Union
and ensured that it would develop as a
nation that answers to ordinary people
rather than elites. While Jackson clung
to slavery and treated Native Americans
harshly, his legacy also includes transforming the presidency into the center
of American politics. E.D.R.
Random House Audio 10 hrs. Abridged
THE MAN WHO OWNS
THE NEWS: Inside the Secret World
of Rupert Murdoch
Michael Wolff
Read by Don Leslie
BOONE
Robert Morgan
Read by James Jenner
Daniel Boone’s exploration of
pre-revolutionary America and the
stories of his adventures in the
wilderness make for some mightyfine listening. The author includes
lots of writings and legends about
Boone to form a rich cache of information about life on the frontier in the mid-eighteenth century. Narrator
James Jenner takes the approach of an epic storyteller, giving the words
an almost-poetic treatment, suggested by the author’s emotional narrative of expedition and risk. Jenner’s sandy voice has a mature, avuncular
tone just right for family entertainment; his relaxed pace fits a relaxing
history much more compelling and memorable than the details of politics in those times. Robert Morgan’s biography adapts perfectly to audio,
and narrator Jenner gives it an endearing touch. J.A.H.
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9781436155816 $123.75 (also CS, PRE)
James Jenner takes the approach of an epic storyteller.
If you want to know everything (and that
means everything) about the notorious
media magnate Rupert Murdoch, check
out this book. Like a good journalist, narrator Don Leslie delivers the story with
perfect dispassion. This is exactly what
the book calls for, and the approach only
underlines the sad life of one of the richest men in the world. Most journalists
hold Murdoch in disdain. The founder
of Fox News, the owner of the New York
Post, and, to the horror of reporters
everywhere, the new owner of the Wall
Street Journal has never shied away from
using his media for his own ends. At
least with Wolff’s book, people can learn
more about Murdoch and how he got
that way. Like him or not, he’s had an
interesting life. M.S.
(also DD)
Biography & Memoir
DECONSTRUCTING SAMMY:
Music, Money, Madness, and the Mob
Matt Birkbeck
Read by Peter Jay Fernandez
TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS: The
Privileged Life and Radical Presidency
of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
In a compelling audio presentation,
narrator Peter Jay Fernandez recounts
the life of Sammy Davis, Jr., in a direct
and engaging manner. While making
each character distinctive, Fernandez’s
style persuades the listener to become
deeply involved in this heartbreaking
story. With each chapter, it becomes
more difficult to believe the extent to
which one of the great entertainers of
the twentieth century was surrounded
by people, including his widow, Altovise,
who bamboozled him in order to ride
on his famous and wealthy coattails.
Investigative journalist Matt Birkbeck
recounts the tragic life of Davis and how,
after his death, his legacy was revived by
the noble work of one Albert “Sonny”
Murray, a former federal prosecutor. The
quality of the audio presentation equals
the intensity of the story itself. M.R.E.
H.W. Brands
Read by Mark Deakins
Harper Audio 6 hrs. Abridged
The only person ever elected to four
terms as president of the United States,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office
during the Great Depression, and
extended his reign well into WWII. Mark Deakins presents the detailed
biographical material with a mixture of scholarly detachment and involved
interest. When quoting dialogue or speeches by the president, he convincingly conveys the man’s patrician pronunciations and tone, as
preserved in recordings. Deakins uses the same approach for Churchill,
and one wonders if the two leaders really tried to “out-pomposify” each
other. Matters of historical significance receive appropriate gravity in
Deakins’s performance, while Roosevelt’s younger years and personal
life receive a lighter touch. One can’t help but reflect on the parallels
between the Roosevelt years and our own time. R.L.L.
Books on Tape 37 hrs. Unabridged
Deakins presents a mixture of scholarly detachment
and involved interest.
IZZY & LENORE
Jon Katz
Read by Tom Stechschulte
A rescued border collie and a black lab
puppy help the author recover from a
debilitating depression, and work with
him to spread love and hope in the lives
of suffering souls. Tom Stechschulte
sounds thoroughly believable as the
60-year-old author, slowing his pace
when Katz feels sad, then lightening
and quickening his tone as the author
plays with the new puppy. Stechschulte
lends a note of compassion to Katz’s
misgivings about adopting a dog who
has been living abandoned in the wild
for several years, blending a longing to
help the creature with concern about its
temperament and ability to learn. The
entire book, in text and audio, benefits
from respect and gratitude for the dogs,
an attitude that will resonate with any
who have opened their hearts to these
furry angels. R.L.L.
(also CS, PRE)
MANIFEST DESTINIES:
The Economist on the Office of the
Presidency, from Polk to Obama,
1845-2008
THE FOUNDING FATHERS
COLLECTION
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. [Ed.]
Read by Richard Rohan, Ira Claffey
Read by Peter Donaldson, Jenni Mills, et al.
Listening to this production is a bit like a
fast audio tour through The Economist’s
views on the American presidencies.
Since 1843, the magazine (which calls
itself a newspaper) has rendered its opinions on the world to the world in a
fashion that attracts people who think
about, and care about, the news of the
world and its vital global context. This
production is an educational tour of the
significant national and international
issues of the day since the term of James
Polk in 1845. An interesting sideline is a
rating the editors give to our leaders:
who were the real greats, the duds? The
production quality is like a BBC Radio
performance—high-brow, high quality,
educational, and entertaining. The number of voices is unnecessary but works
well given all the natural breaks between
presidents and centuries. M.C.
The lives of the first four presidents and
their significance from a modern perspective are presented in this volume of
the American Presidents Series. The discussion of George Washington checks
his well-honed reputation against reality.
John Adams’s belief in government is
shown to guide him through early party
conflict. Thomas Jefferson is depicted as
a flawed man who pursued his ideals.
And James Madison shows his courage
in war with the British. Richard Rohan
treats the narration dramatically, with
voices for George Washington and John
Adams, while Ira Claffey takes a more
professorial tone for Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison. Both read with clarity and make the material compelling.
Listeners interested in history will find
this worthwhile. J.A.S. 2009 Audies Finalist
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 978-1-4272-0550-6 $59.95
The Economist Newspaper Ltd 6 hrs. Abridged
Trade Ed.: CD $32.00
In the Studio
Richard Dreyfuss and producer
Bob Deyan discuss recording
BBC Audiobooks America’s production
of The Lincoln-Douglas Debates.
AF: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates recording
is a unique and ambitious project. What
initially drew your interest to the project?
RD: Because it was the unedited LincolnDouglas debates, and I’m too short to play
Lincoln. I wanted to play Douglas because
he was a dynamic, fun character, and no
one has ever done the unedited debates
before to my knowledge.
Richard Dreyfuss (l) and producer Bob Deyan during the recording of
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates at Deyan Audio Services in Van Nuys, CA
AF: Are you an aficionado of Lincoln, or
Douglas, political debates, mid-nineteenthcentury history? What specifically?
RD: I am a Lincoln man. For the past two
years I’ve read every book I could find on
the man and time period in history. I think
the most admirable thing Douglas did, he
was called a “War Democrat” and stayed
in the North while the rest of his party
went South. Lincoln and Douglas had a
very interesting relationship. They knew
each other in their 20s, and during
Lincoln’s inauguration speech, Douglas sat
nearby and held Lincoln’s hat, which was
a huge sign of honor and respect. I have
never been to DC without visiting the
Lincoln Memorial. I am a Lincoln man
now, then, and forever. He is the only
president who could have been Charles
Dickens. He was such a great writer.
AF: What preparation did you do for
the recordings/readings?
THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES
RD: None. I have known the story my
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas
Read by David Strathairn, Richard Dreyfuss,
Michael McConnohie, Allen C. Guelzo
whole life. There was nothing I didn’t
know about these debates going into it.
I am just shocked Douglas didn’t become
president. If it had been me, he would
have been.
In 1858, the two candidates for a U.S.
Senate seat in Illinois, Republican
Abraham Lincoln and incumbent
Democrat Stephen Douglas, engaged in
a series of three-hour debates across the
state, talking mainly about slavery and
territorial expansion. This audiobook is
a word-for-word chronicle of those
debates. David Strathairn (Lincoln) and
Richard Dreyfuss (Douglas) do an excellent job acting out these historic
meetings. They use their own voices, with no attempt to re-create nineteenth-century Midwestern accents, and they successfully mimic the
speaking patterns and pacing unique to orators of that era. Lincoln and
Douglas never formally engaged in conversations during their debates,
but Strathairn and Dreyfuss reconstruct the passion and lively repartee
that characterized their confrontations. R.I.G.
BBC Audiobooks America 16 hrs. Audio Program
Library Ed.: CD ISBN 9780792760313 $115.95 (also MP3, DD)
Strathairn and Dreyfuss reconstruct
passion and a lively repartee.
AF: We understand that your role as
Douglas and David Strathairn’s as Lincoln
were recorded separately. What strategy
did you work out with the director/
producer to establish your approach to the
recordings?
RD: I just imagined that the studio was
out in the open and there were 20,000
people there, and that I was going to win
the Senate seat. I knew about the character already. Interesting fact: Douglas was
known as the “Lil Giant”; he stood 5'4.”
AF: Tell us about working with Richard
Dreyfuss on this production.
BD: It was a joy to hear Richard talk
about his great passion for civics and
historical pieces, and he really achieved
a realistic portrayal of the statesman
Douglas, He makes you feel that you
are part of the 1850s crowd as he orates
from the platform.—Robin F. Whitten
History
A THOUSAND HILLS: Rwanda’s
Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It
Stephen Kinzer
Read by Paul Boehmer
When Paul Kagame became its president, Rwanda was the poster nation for
genocide. Now it’s one of the progressive places in Africa. Paul Boehmer’s
smooth voice glides over horrors as
roving bands of militants hacked up
thousands of men, women, and
children in 1994, then describes the
political machinations that eventually
brought Kagame to power in 2000.
Boehmer brings out the author’s scorn
for those who stood by and let the carnage happen—especially the French,
w h o h e l p e d t h e k i l l e r s . He a l s o
expresses Kagame’s enthusiasm for
the new Rwanda of tourism and foreign investment. Mellifluous African
names are no problem for Boehmer.
This is a long listen but rewarding for
those whose knowledge of the TutsiHutu strife is limited to the movie
Hotel Rwanda. J.B.G.
Tantor Media 13 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400107810 $37.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also DD)
WE CAN HAVE PEACE IN THE
HOLY LAND
Jimmy Carter
Read by Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter’s credentials for opining
about the Holy Land come from his 33
years of peacekeeping efforts in the
region. Until the present day he has
known and worked with all the Arab
and Israeli leaders involved in the conflicts and settlements. Carter shares a
unexpected revelation early on—that he
had a bias toward Israel. In his own
familiar voice, he recounts many of his
intimate conversations with the famous
principals and describes how they
affected his thinking. Should one tell a
former president of the United Staes
that he speaks too fast and is sometimes
hard to understand? No, and we won’t.
Rather, we will say what a privilege his
followers will enjoy hearing such a great
statesman and Nobel Prize winner read
his own audiobook. J.A.H.
THE RIVALRY
Norman Corwin
Read by Paul Giamatti, James Gleason, Tony Palermo,
Lily Rabe, David Strathairn, Shannon Cochran
L.A. Theatre Works’ first-rate audio presentation brings to life the historic debates between
rising legislator Abraham Lincoln (David
Strathairn) and incumbent Senator Stephen
Douglas (Paul Giamatti) during the Illinois
Senate race of 1858, as seen through the eyes
of Senator Douglas’s wife, Adele (Lily Rabe).
The vocal performances of Giamatti and
Strathairn are gripping as they speak text taken from the actual debate
speeches. With humor, passion, and vitality but, thankfully, no attempt at
impersonation, this expert audio production dramatically encompasses
an assortment of issues, including human rights, state’s rights, and slavery.
Delivered by two actors at the top of their game, the play perfectly
illuminates two of the most charismatic politicians of any age. M.R.E.
L.A. Theatre Works 1.75 hrs. Audio Program
Delivered by two actors at the top of their game.
QUARREL WITH THE KING:
The Story of an English Family on the
High Road to Civil War
Adam Nicolson
Read by Simon Vance
Book by book, Nicolson has developed
into one of the most interesting and
enlightening of today’s popular historians. Simon Vance is an excellent, one
might say the predestined, choice to convey Nicolson’s particular narrative vigor
and attention to detail. This title is less
about the personality clashes that led to
the British Civil War of the 1640s than it
is about the British “common” system of
community farming that had grown out
of the feudal ages, and that eventually
fell away under centralized government
and industrialization. From the perspective of today’s economic and community
crises, Nicolson’s vision of a cooperative
culture becomes increasingly applicable
and thought provoking. Vance has the
grace and skill to sustain a narrative in
which character and action are not the
central thread. D.A.W.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400108763 $29.99 (also
MP3, DD)
DD, PRE)
THE GREATEST PRESIDENTIAL
SPEECHES OF OUR TIME
Presidents of the 20th & 21st Centuries
Read by Presidents of the 20th & 21st
Centuries
For this collection, “our time” is roughly
the radio and television age, covering
all the presidents from Franklin D.
Roosevelt to Barack Obama, whose victory speech is included. While listeners
may remember some of the words,
what the production focuses on are
the issues and events of that age: the
Depression, wars, Communism, the
Civil Rights Act, Watergate, 9/11, and
the energy crisis. Sound quality is good
on all but FDR’s inaugural speech
from 1933. Listeners will likely remember the speeches, or at least the issues,
from their own lifetimes, and the
speeches are all interesting. However,
with no background or context, the
production’s main value may be as a
keepsake or nostalgia piece, rather
than history. J.A.S.
Phoenix Audio 1 hr. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781597772471 $12.95
Classics
SONS AND LOVERS
MANSFIELD PARK
THE CANTERBURY TALES
D.H. Lawrence
Read by Paul Slack
Jane Austen
Read by Wanda McCaddon
Geoffrey Chaucer, Burton Raffel [Trans.]
Read by a Full Cast
Fanny Price, one of a dozen children
born into a family that can ill afford so
many, is sent at the age of 10 to live
with her wealthy relatives. In typical
Jane Austen form, immutable laws of
propriety frame acts both
v i c i o u s a nd v i r t u o us ,
enabling Fanny to find
her place in the world.
Wanda McCaddon is the
ideal choice to present this
classic. Her impeccable
elocution fits Austen’s persnickety style. McCaddon
gives a soft, sweet cadence
to Fanny’s thoughts and words while
conveying all the author’s derision
toward the story’s shallow characters.
Both story and performance deliver a
nineteenth-century “tell-all” just as
impossible to resist as the tabloids in the
checkout line. R.L.L.
A knight, a miller, a cook, and a nun are
just a few of the more than two dozen
lively characters traveling together on
an annual pilgrimage from London to
Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint
Thomas Becket. They each tell a tale
drawn from religion, folklore, classic
myth, or even gossip to make the time
pass. Geoffrey Chaucer’s simple literary device provides an unprecedented
and unsurpassed view of his fourteenth-century England. Five of the
BBC’s most versatile and creative narrators do a marvelous job voicing the
personalities of the storytellers. Burton
Raffel’s very complete and contemporary translation retains the poetic half
rhymes of the original Middle English
a n d i n c l u d e s t h e o ft e n s e v e r e l y
abridged monk and parson’s tales. It
never ceases to amaze how immediate
and modern Chaucer’s world continues
to sound. B.P.
Sons and Lovers, published in 1913, was
Lawrence’s first great novel, and its
richly drawn characters are magnificently brought to life in this production.
Though this is his first audiobook,
narrator Paul Slack reads
with flawless composure,
subtly adjusting his
resonant voice for each
member of the Morel
family and their circle.
He is suitably gruff as a
coal miner yet movingly
tender as he relates the
final hours of Gertrude
Morel, a scene based on the death of
Lawrence’s own mother. He’s also convincing in his handling of the East
Midlands dialect the author slips into
the dialogue. A simply outstanding
performance by Slack; one hopes it
is the start of a long career as a
narrator. D.B.
Naxos AudioBooks 16.5 hrs. Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9789626348918 $81.98
(also DD, PRE)
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400106912 $35.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also DD)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
BLISS AND OTHER STORIES
Katherine Mansfield
Read by Juliet Stevenson
Before there were minimalist writers, there
were great miniaturists such as Katherine
Mansfield, whose work has deceptive
power, so cannily and quietly did she craft
her scenes. In Mansfield’s stories the level
of detail is astonishing, and each central
character so fully present that when the
climax comes, the listener draws a breath of surprise and simultaneous
recognition of the necessary and often painful truths of life. This recording presents six of the thirteen stories originally published together in the
1920s—how lucky we are to have even these six. Each is served up by Juliet
Stevenson as a rare delicacy, each character brought forth with perfect
accent and timbre, each tale with full awareness of every nuance. The
result? The listener is blessed with the good fortune of hearing two great
storytellers working in concert, and it is absolute bliss. J.L.B.
Naxos AudioBooks 2.5 hrs. Unabridged
The listener is blessed with the good fortune of hearing
two great storytellers working in concert.
Stephen Crane
Read by Anthony Heald
Anthony Heald does a superb job performing Stephen Crane’s 1895 book,
which has been called the first modern
novel about war. The novel tells the
story of Henry Fleming, but at times
scenes employ a montage of brief comments by fellow soldiers to suggest the
feelings of the infantry as a whole.
Heald is especially good at rendering
these snippets and interjections without a loss of clarity. His energetic
pacing and varied intonations bring
out the drama and the immediacy of
battle. Such an approach remains true
to the realism of the book. People who
have relegated this novel to the tenth
grade should experience Heald’s reading. He brings Crane to life. G.H.
(also CS, MP3, DD, PRE)
PHOBIAS AND HOW TO
OVERCOME THEM
James Gardner, Arthur H. Bell
Read by Ron Hippe
Success stories of real people are part of
the reason this mental health audio
sounds so helpful and familiar. It shows
how patterns of fear and avoidance
become mental habits and explains the
neurochemical processes that are
involved in phobias and anxiety disorders—all without sounding pedantic or
overly prescriptive. But the main reason
the audio sounds so much like a fascinating documentary is the professional
smoothness of narrator Ron Hippe.
With his natural enunciation and vocal
cadence he adds a relaxing element to
the complex and often-intense material.
For an audience with a lot of mental
noise going on to begin with, his steadiness and command of the concepts will
calm everybody down and allow more
openness to what these authors have to
offer. T.W.
WHY HIM? WHY HER?: Finding Real Love
by Understanding Your Personality Type
Helen Fisher
Read by Helen Fisher
An anthropologist and researcher on how people
choose romantic partners reads her sprawling, fascinating guide with equal amounts of charm and
authority. With unswerving confidence, she
unfolds complex studies and insights that without
her vocal brightness might put people to sleep. She describes four personality types that correlate with defined emotional and interest patterns
and are fueled by the prominence of one of four brain chemicals—
dopamine, serotonin, testosterone, or estrogen. By knowing who you are
and what you seek, she says, you can tap into evolutionary magic that has
been matching people optimally since the dawn of humanity. The
author’s effortless European diction makes her blend of scholarship and
clinical narratives as soothing to the ear as it is to the intellect. T.W.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781427206275 $29.95
(also DD)
(also DD)
A sprawling, fascinating guide with equal amounts
of charm and authority.
Listen & Live Audio 4 hrs. Abridged
CRADLE TO CRADLE: Remaking the
Way We Make Things
William McDonough, Michael Braungart
Read by Stephen Hoye
This manifesto of “eco-effectiveness” is
one of the overlooked gems in environmental literature. Most environmental
pollution is, according to the authors,
the result of poor design. Products can
be designed to serve their function and,
once discarded, to nourish the biosphere or provide high-quality materials
for technical production. In a wonderfully clear (if occasionally singsong)
voice, Stephen Hoye does much to
present the sometimes-challenging
material at a pace the listener can
absorb. The audiobook is not always the
best format for these visual thinkers.
Their “eco-effectiveness fractal”
diagram is available from the Tantor
Media Web site. Once you’ve decided to
listen to the book, you can download it
and carry it with you. F.C.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400107612 $24.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also DD)
DESCARTES’ BONES: A Skeletal
History of the Conflict Between Faith
and Reason
Russell Shorto
Read by Paul Hecht
The travels of the skeletal remains of the
French philosopher René Descartes,
who died in Sweden in 1650, constitute
a history that falls somewhere between
the ghoulish and the sublime. Part relic
and part curiosity, the bones passed
through many owners, their fate linked,
most often ironically, with the spirit
of European enlightenment that
Descartes’s thinking had itself inspired.
As a narrative based on the history of
ideas, this production requires close
listening. Paul Hecht’s moderate and
judicious reading matches the particular
balance and objectivity of Shorto’s tone
while keeping pace with his sharply
detailed and always-pointed narrative.
This excellent production is surprisingly
entertaining, even grimly funny, as well
as thought provoking. D.A.W.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781436139106 $34.99
(also DD)
CS, PRE)
THE INNER COMPASS FOR
ETHICS & EXCELLENCE
Naomi Wolf, Daniel Goleman
Read by Naomi Wolf, Daniel Goleman
In this supplement to Goleman’s
Emotional Intelligence series, the
author and feminist leadership expert
Naomi Wolf present a dialogue related
to women, leadership, and ethics.
Goleman and Wolf speak precisely and
crisply in a give-and-take conversation
that allows listeners to consider both
traditional aspects of leadership, such
as role modeling and mentoring, as well
as newer ideas, such as a “discouraged
behaviors” list promoted by organizations to discourage negative habits such
as gossiping. This conversation will be
of interest to anyone working with
young female leaders who is looking for
new ideas in how to foster authenticity,
a sense of agency, and purpose—all of
which Wolf exudes through her warmly
articulated responses. M.R.
More Than Sound Productions 1 hr. Audio Program
WESLEY THE OWL:
The Remarkable Love Story
of an Owl and His Girl
WINE APPRECIATION FREEWAY
GUIDE: Understanding, Ordering &
Enjoying
Stacey O’Brien
Read by Renée Raudman
Robin Stark
Read by Robin Stark
When Stacey O’Brien became “smitten
beyond reason” and adopted an injured
owl while working at Cal Tech, it was
for life. As it turned out, it was a decision that saved both her life and the
owl’s. Renée Raudman reads
O’Brien’s story of humananimal bonding with such
compassion and interest in
her subject that listeners may
forget she’s not the author.
Even unpleasant subjects like
owl bathroom habits and the
process of killing mice for
Wesley’s dinner become
humorous and fascinating. O’Brien
packs in a lot of information about
owls, animals, and life at Cal Tech, and
it all flows naturally in Raudman’s
reading. J.A.S.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400110599 $29.99
(also MP3, DD)
Rick Pitino, Pat Forde
Read by Holter Graham
Billed as “practical audio for people on
the go,” Freeway Guides’ latest release,
Wine Appreciation, is a lighthearted tutorial on the basics of wine. Briskly
covering a wealth of material—from the
origins of wine to its different
types—this guide mirrors a
cultural trend toward wine
appreciation. Host Robin
Stark, a well-known wine
expert, gives a genuinely warm
and funny treatment without
any of the condescending air
wine snobs are known for,
although she employs a
genuine snob—in the character of the
pompous Charles—along with a host of
narrative foils, to lend expertise and
levity. Stark’s delivery is flippant but
never condescending. She’s just the kind
of person you’d like to sit down and have
a glass of wine with. J.S.H.
College basketball coach Rick Pitino
gets to the crux of success with his
belief in having a “PHD,” of sorts: Be
Passionate, Hungry, and Driven.
Pitino’s personal growth guidelines
can be applied to business, as well as
basketball. He sprinkles anecdotes
from his life, on and off the court, and
uses examples from the corporate
world. In his 50s, Pitino is the model
of a person who has adapted to circumstances—especially in today’s culture
of instant results. Holter Graham is a
solid narrator whose range is admirable,
and he stresses Pitino’s points, from
goal-setting to philanthropy. But his
much younger voice lacks the lifelong
authority Pitino brings to his book.
Nonetheless, Graham’s reading is well
paced and well modulated. Sports and
business types will appreciate these
ideas, which come from someone who
lives what he writes. M.B.
The Freeway Guides 1.25 hrs. Audio Program
Harper Audio 6.5 hrs. Unabridged
THE SUSPICIONS OF MR. WHICHER:
A Shocking Murder and the Undoing
of a Great Victorian Detective
Kate Summerscale
Read by Simon Vance
The art of detection was in its infancy when the
murder of three-year-old Saville Kent rocked
Britain’s sensibilities. The child’s body was
found on the family’s estate, stuffed down the
servants’ outdoor privy. It was a week before DI
Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard was called to investigate. Summerscale
uses excerpts from popular Victorian detective fiction as illustration, and
Vance inhabits each new voice with gusto and originality. He brilliantly
conveys British attitudes toward criminality and class distinction, and
when Whicher names his prime suspect, Vance makes listeners feel
Whicher’s disappointment and subsequent disgrace as the media and
the courts turn against him. The audiobook includes a house plan, a family tree, and a chart listing the large cast of characters. Artful, suspenseful,
and worthwhile listening. S.J.H.
HighBridge Audio 9.75 hrs. Unabridged
Vance inhabits each new voice with gusto
and originality.
REBOUND RULES: The Art of
Success 2.0
HOTEL HEAVEN: Confessions
of a Luxury Hotel Addict
Matthew Brace
Read by Colin Moody
Brace’s “confessions” chronicle the
decidedly posh jaunts of a foreign correspondent turned superb travel writer.
This is a side of life few of us ever get to
experience. Narrator Colin Moody
delivers the author’s often-unbelievable
adventures with gusto. Brace’s sometimes pompous, even arrogant, tone,
conveyed well by Moody, is relieved by
frequent hilarious gaffs and dangerous
encounters with wild animals and
unexpected wars. The world of lavish
indulgences includes gold-encrusted
corridors, exotic gardens and glistening
pools, and $11,000-a-night hotel suites.
A traveler’s fantasy come to life, this is
great fun, but all the excess makes one
yearn at times for a Super 8 Motel. M.T.B.
AMERICAN BUFFALO:
In Search of a Lost Icon
Steven Rinella
Read by Patrick G. Lawlor
Buffalo nickel collectors, big-game
hunters, and those who prefer their history doused in hegemonic romanticism
will adore American Buffalo. If you
believe the best way to learn about
something is to shoot it, you won’t be
disappointed. Patrick Lawlor’s nasal,
excitable voice is an odd choice for a
sport-hunting narrative, although his
perky salesmanship makes the genocide of Native Americans and the
annihilation of the Western ecosystem
sound downright fun! So much so that
the author shoots his own “buffalo” in
remote Alaska. Not even Lawlor’s undulating, infomercial-like inflections can
animate the author’s banal listing of
obscure “buffalo” factoids or his stereotypical Alaskan experience. Lawlor flubs
on some Alaskan geographical pronunciations, which is hardly noteworthy in
comparison to Rinella’s insistence on
referring to bison as buffalo. J.T.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781423374145 $32.99
(also MP3, DD)
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
GHOST TRAIN TO THE
EASTERN STAR
Paul Theroux
Read by John McDonough
A prolific and popular author takes a
nostalgic train trip from England to the
Orient, one he took 30 years before and
now retraces. Some may enjoy his penetrating observations and opinions; some
may find them little more than a wordy
diary. John McDonough’s gravelly voice,
snail’s pace, and lack of enthusiasm give
the impression of someone nearing a
night’s sleep. He creates no special
accents but pronounces the foreign
names and places with ease. Theroux’s
observations of travel, from the drunken
conductor to the rain on the windows,
might pique one’s attention for a while,
but the average listener may want to
leave the train before the long journey
ends. J.A.H.
(also CS, PRE)
STREET GANG: The Complete History
of Sesame Street
Michael Davis
Read by Caroll Spinney
The inside story of the first 40 years of
“Sesame Street,” narrated by the creator of Big
Bird and Oscar the Grouch, is a treat of nostalgia and insight. Puppeteer Caroll Spinney
presents Michael Davis’s behind-the-scenes account of this iconic children’s
program in a comfortable, almost conversational, manner. He navigates
the rich detail of the text with clarity and employs a brisk pace that keeps
the listener involved. Spinney accomplishes this while maintaining a subtle
level of emotion as he speaks of people who were dear friends and co-workers. This unique blend of an author with an intimate knowledge of his
subject and a narrator who was directly involved with all the personalities
and events provides the listener with a special experience. M.O.B.
Spinney navigates the rich detail of the text with
clarity and employs a brisk pace.
MR. GATLING’S TERRIBLE MARVEL
Julia Keller
Read by Norman Dietz
The creation of the first machine gun,
after the Civil War, is documented in
ornate detail in this fascinating account
of inventor Richard Gatling’s most innovative creation. Though it’s the gun that
unquestionably changed the world—for
better or worse—the man behind the
machine is also profiled, due to his relative obscurity. Narrator Norman Dietz
delivers the text with an unbiased voice
capable of garnering high praise for
Gatling’s adroitness while also inducing
an alarming sense of regret and penitence at the weapon’s effects. There
exists a subtle irony in Dietz’s tone
through much of the reading as he
relates Gatling’s original intention of
creating a weapon that would actually
save lives by removing soldiers from
harm’s way. Thus, Deitz jousts left and
right with ideology as he passionately
relates the “terrible paradox” of the
Gatling gun. L.B.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9781400106448 $29.99
(also MP3, DD, PRE)
(also DD, PRE)
MAKING IT ALL WORK:
Winning at the Game of Work
and the Business of Life
David Allen
Read by David Allen
In today’s crackberry-driven multitasking world, it’s reassuring to hear David
Allen’s tempered voice and positive
attitude—especially when you know
that this is the man whose 2001 timemanagement book, Getting Things Done
(GTD), caused millions to organize
their in-boxes and adopt the mantra “Do
it, Delegate it, or Defer it.” Now Allen
has returned with Making It All Work, a
road map for implementing the GTD
principles (along with an enhanced disc
containing workbook materials). The
new book is built around detailed selfanalysis, planning models, and trigger
lists. It’s denser and much less friendly
than GTD, but more rewarding. Allen
reads his new book in a calm and convincing tone. Now, if only there were an
abridged version for those of us who
just don’t have the time! R.W.S.
Trade Ed.: CD ISBN 9780143143574 $34.95
(also DD)
Learning By Ear
Positively Intentional!
It can be a little frightening to hear about the wonderful lives we could have if
we only learned to think more intentionally. A lot of people just don’t want that
much control. When they’re not agitated by some kind of immediate problem, I hear
them say, “Be careful what you wish for!” and then they reel off a string of personal
examples of how perfectly good routines were screwed up by initiatives that ended
badly. Sometimes it’s too much trouble to pull ourselves away from what’s familiar
or to give up the comfortable innocence we enjoy when other people make decisions
for us. Responsibility is often what we fear, and yet in the final accounting is something that outside circumstances or decision makers can only diminish up to a point.
Along with the angst people can feel about living more intentionally, I’ve seen
more than a few awkward dances or temper tantrums when otherwise complacent
folks are asked to be more positive in their thinking. Of course, it’s hard to brush
off negative feelings when good friends disappoint or brilliant investing decisions
turn out to be not so brilliant. But as some of the excellent audios on these pages
explain so well, thinking positively sends out a different vibration than the one that
goes out when we just sulk, expect the worst, or hide from the future under a rock.
One of the new audios we’ve reviewed discusses how to be proactive with words
and body language; another explains how the brain causes certain attitude and
behavior patterns. This type of knowledge is part of taking control—over how we
connect with others and how we understand an important organ. But without the
habit of filling our minds with the best outcomes and possibilities, we are more
likely to get something else. Bon courage!—Thomas Walken
MAGNIFICENT MIND AT ANY AGE
Daniel G. Amen
Read by Marc Cashman
It’s quite an achievement that this information-filled guide to brain functioning
sounds so casual and breezy. Credit
Marc Cashman’s performance. He’s so
consistent and professional, so in tune
with the author’s thinking that most listeners will simply devour the wealth of
information and not even think about
the talent of the messenger. Cashman is
a reasonably positive interpreter, an
improvement over the author’s overenthusiasm when he lectures or reads.
The material explains what parts of the
brain cause familiar behaviors, and the
complexity of this kind of science is kept
grounded with engaging case histories.
The resulting mix, along with Cashman’s
appealing voice, interpretive talent, and
restraint, makes this a credible audio
lesson that remains engaging for the
entire 12-plus hours. T.W.
Books on Tape
(also DD)
HOW TO SELL YOURSELF: Winning
Techniques for Selling Yourself . . .
Your Ideas . . . Your Message
Arch Lustberg
Read by Todd Licea
In an audio lesson about speaking and
influencing people, Todd Licea’s enthusiastic reading is a good match for the
author’s upbeat writing and nonstop
flow of helpful ideas. Without sounding
like he’s selling, he makes the lesson
captivating, full of promise, and ready to
be turned into action. The author, a legendary speaking coach, says people will
either like you, dislike you, feel neutral,
or feel sorry for you—all based on how
they perceive your confidence, likability,
and competence. The four “no-no hand
positions” and other fascinating tips are
expertly paced and delivered with an
energy that listeners will find hard to
ignore. As a primer on being genuine
and influential with the spoken word,
this is essential guidance for anyone
with products or ideas to sell. T.W.
POSITIVITY
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Read by Kimberly Farr
The waves of possibility in Kimberly
Farr’s soothing narration are palpable
from start to finish in this compelling
guide to positive psychology. Her flawless reading embodies a combination of
1950s optimism, maternal confidence,
and determined helpfulness—all of
which fit perfectly with Fredrickson’s
deft blend of scholarship and heartfelt
guidance. A leader in the science of positive emotions, she unfolds research and
its context not as an intellectual endeavor, but as a prelude to helping listeners
expand their personal control and
satisfaction. She proves how positivity
broadens the heart and mind and builds
resources for the future. Her clear writing, avoidance of intellectual arrogance,
and familiarity with the human condition make this a stellar audio from an
academic psychologist. T.W.
Books on Tape
(also DD)
More Listening for Intentional Thinking
THE MISSING SECRET
Joe Vitale
Read by Joe Vitale
A controversial marketing and law-ofattraction expert delivers a spontaneous
lesson on achieving the life you desire.
The details of his rags-to-riches narrative will inspire many listeners while
others may wish for some moderation
of his certitude and self-referencing. Yet
the basic elements of the message—that
self-limiting beliefs can be switched off
and positive intentions actuated—are so
clearly articulated that few people will
be able to dismiss them. With his
relaxed and genuine confidence evident
in every word and phrase, Vitale is an
outstanding speaker. His deep personal
commitment to his methods and
boundless enthusiasm for the potential
of his listeners are key factors in making his five-step plan so inviting and this
entire lesson so empowering. T.W.
Nightingale Conant 6.5 hrs. Audio Program
Trade Ed.: CD $119.95
AWAKEN YOUR
STRONGEST SELF
STOP WHINING, START LIVING
Neil Fiore, read by William Dufris
A smorgasbord of wisdom on
moving forward
Break free of stress, inner conflict,
and self-sabotage
McGraw-Hill Audio Abridged
Trade Ed.: CD
LAW OF ATTRACTION
Laura Schlessinger, read by Lily LoBianco
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
THINK BIG AND KICK ASS:
IN BUSINESS AND LIFE
Michael J. Losier,
read by Hugh Gallagher
Donald Trump, Bill Zanker,
read by Alan Sklar, Donald Trump
The neuroscience of attracting what
you want
Extreme confidence from the king
of bold
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
MIND WIDE OPEN
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
YOUR POWER TO CREATE
Steven Johnson, read by Alan Sklar
Caroline Myss, read by Caroline Myss
Satisfying wisdom on the neuroscience
of everyday life
Change wishful thinking to true
manifestation
Tantor Media Unabridged
Library Ed.: CD, DD
POSITIVE ENERGY PRACTICES
Judith Orloff, read by Judith Orloff
Attract uplifting people and combat
energy drains
Sounds True Audio Program
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
THE WISDOM OF YOUR CELLS
Bruce H. Lipton,
read by Bruce H. Lipton
How your beliefs control your biology
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
THE POWER OF A
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
THE INTENTION EXPERIMENT
Roger Fritz, read by Christopher Lane
Lynne McTaggart
Read by Eliza Foss
Unlock the keys to a positive future
More than wishes, intentions are purposeful thoughts by one or more people
that can change living things, influence
matter, and cause potential realities to
manifest. Just thinking about burning
your houseplant, exercising your biceps,
or healing an injury can produce tangible reactions and outcomes, according
to some of the research methodically
summarized in this compelling lesson.
Targeted thinking, the author says, emits
micro-quantities of light energy that can
fundamentally alter the most stubborn
details of our lives, the most ingrained
aspects of the world at large. Eliza Foss
gives her reading a confident intellectual
edge. Her assertiveness works exceptionally well with material that upends
Newtonian physics and aims to wake up
skeptical listeners to the power of their
intentions. T.W.
Library Ed.: CS, CD, MP3, DD, PRE
THE SCIENCE OF BEING GREAT
Wallace D. Wattles, read by Eliza Foss
Practical steps to gaining power over life
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
Recorded Books 11 hrs. Unabridged
(also PRE)
Body Copy Tk
WHAT THE GOSPELS MEANT
Garry Wills
Read by Garry Wills
You hear the former Jesuit seminarian
in the voice of Garry Wills. This is not
a shy, self-hating writer. This is a minister, a prophet. Now in his 70s, he can
still rouse those dozing in the back
pews. In this, as in other recent books,
the prize-winning writer (one Pulitzer
and two National Book Critics Circle
Awards) brings recent discoveries to
bear on the Gospels. As what was taken
for historical fact is changing and
falling away, Wills referees the ensuing
battle between reason and faith, confident that both can survive intact. The
New Testament, he tells us, gives “four
different takes on the central mystery.
Since the mystery at the center of it all
will never be exhausted, we need all of
these angles of vision . . . .” B.H.C.
Wills can still rouse those
dozing in the back pews.
Garry Wills may be the only man ever to choose The
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire as a
workout tape. But he did and has fond memories of running
to the prose of Edward Gibbon while on vacation in Mexico.
Like all fully realized intellects, Wills is a man of unexpected
contradictions. Hired at 23 by William F. Buckley to review
drama for the infant National Review, he has been pouring out
startling opinions for more than 50 years. A former Jesuit
seminarian, he often infuriates traditionalists in the church he
still attends. He actually published a book titled Papal Sin:
Structures of Deceit. An intellectual of the first rank, he wrote
an essentially admiring book about John Wayne that noted the
feminine quality of Wayne’s strut and reported that the Duke
“hated horses . . . and had to remind himself to say ‘ain’t.’”
Termed “a polymath extraordinaire” by the New York Times,
Wills teased a splendid book out of the 272-word Gettysburg
Address and won a Pulitzer for it in 1993. He has twice won
the National Book Critics Circle Award.
He is eloquent on the centrality of the spoken word.
“The Gospels were written decades after the death and
resurrection,” he says. “They had all come down by oral
tradition, which is not unusual in antiquity. Pythagoras,
Socrates, Epictetus are all people whose teachings were
in oral traditions.”
Wills writes for the ear himself and will read passages
of a work in progress out loud to his wife. “She’s my first
and best editor.” He also uses the technique in his work
with students at Northwestern University. “When I have a paper that’s not
very good, I will call the student in and say, ‘Read that to me.’ I then ask,
‘Does that make sense?’ And they will often say, ‘Well, no.’”
President Barack Obama’s memoir, Dreams From My Father, is a notable
example of an “out loud” version trumping the text, Wills says. “I had read
it, and a friend of mine said ‘listen to the audio,’ and I did, and it’s a totally
different experience. The immediacy comes across. And of course, he’s a
very good reader as well as a very good writer. He imitates the people he is
quoting. He imitates the African accent of his father. He imitates the different accents of the black kids. He’s an amazingly acute observer of how
people sound, which shows that he’s a good listener as well as a good writer.”
Wills has recorded many of his own books, and his clear, forceful voice
can deepen the impact of the text. “I’m surprised that some people are not
asked to read their own books,” he says. “Bill Buckley never read any of his
books, and he had a terrific voice. And when I asked him why that was so,
he said, ‘I don’t know. They never asked me.’”
When told that some people feel that listening to a book can never
replicate the intensity of reading it on the page, Wills was nonplussed.
“That’s amazing. I’d say just the opposite.”—Benjamin Cheever
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Garry Wills
Christian Audio
GOOD, BETTER, BLESSED: Living With
Purpose, Power and Passion
Joel Osteen
Read by Joel Osteen
More Listening
HEAD AND HEART
Garry Wills, read by Mel Foster
Tantor Media Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD, MP3, PRE
JAMES MADISON
Garry Wills, read by Ira Claffey
Trade Ed.: CS, DD
JOHN WAYNE’S AMERICA
Garry Wills, read by Garry Wills
Simon & Schuster Audio Abridged
Trade Ed.: DD
LINCOLN AT GETTYSBURG
Phoenix Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: DD
NEGRO PRESIDENT
With crisp diction and a melodious baritone,
Joel Osteen delivers 10 of his most popular
sermons, recorded live at Lakewood Church.
Adding touches of humor, he combines
personal examples with scripture to communicate feel-good biblical counsel. He begins
sermons with the words, “This is my Bible. I am what it says . . . ” The
talks include audience participation and end with a brief salvation message and altar call. Comparing humans to computers, Osteen says that
human software is contaminated by the enemy—Satan—who promotes
bondage and negativity. With a seamless narration Osteen explains how to
reprogram one’s mind through scripture and visualization techniques.
Positive thinking, he believes, produces constructive attitudes and behavior and the courage to be different. G.D.W.
Simon & Schuster Audio 5 hrs. Audio Program
Osteen combines personal examples with scripture to
communicate feel-good biblical counsel.
Trade Ed.: CD
Library Ed.: CS, CD
WHAT JESUS MEANT
HighBridge Audio Unabridged
Trade Ed.: CD, DD
christian
audiobooks
• Upcoming Audio Releases
• New Reviews
• Author Interviews
• Audiography of Titles
christianaudiobooks
POINT MAN: How a Man
Can Lead His Family
Steve Farrar
Read by Raymond Todd
An updated 1990 book shows how
Christian fathers can lead by being
fair and firm with their children, and
faithful and loving toward
their wives. This back-tobasics lesson references its
biblical foundations but uses
accessible secular language
to remind fathers of the
power they have to do good in
their families. There’s no
judgment—only encouragement to take more initiative and
responsibility. Raymond Todd’s reading is a big reason the audio will appeal
to men at all levels of spirituality. He’s
a humble narrator who is both confident in the author’s teachings and
respectful of his audience. Along with
the can-do tone of the writing, Todd’s
warmth and steadiness make this a
memorable lesson. T.W.
Hovel Audio 6.25 hrs. Unabridged
CLAIM YOUR VICTORY TODAY
Creflo A. Dollar
Read by Creflo A. Dollar, Roscoe Orman,
Karen Chilton
This curiously empowering guide by a
prosperity televangelist shows how
modern thinking and Old Testament
prescriptions can help people
create the lives they want. The
focus is on thinking boldly and
grounding oneself in biblical
passages rather than allowing
cynical or destructive influences to creep into our sense
of what’s okay for us. The
author’s 10 steps are righteously grounded in the Bible and totally
in sync with secular thinking on success.
Despite good individual performances
by the author and his two reading partners, the two extra voices are distracting.
Avoidable technical glitches contribute
to the impression that Hachette’s
producer lost control of this project
somewhere along the way. T.W.
Index of Print Reviews April/May 2009
AMERICAN BUFFALO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Steven Rinella . . . . . . . . .Read by Patrick G. Lawlor
AMERICAN LION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Jon Meacham . . . . . . . . . .Read by John H. Mayer
ANATHEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Neal Stephenson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .Read by William Dufris, Oliver Wyman,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tavia Gilbert, Neal Stephenson
DIVINE JUSTICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
THE KING OF RAGTIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
David Baldacci . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ron McLarty
Larry Karp . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Mirron Willis
THE ELEVENTH MAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
KISSING THE BEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Ivan Doig . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Tom Stechschulte
Kathe Koja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .Read by Sarah Gorman and a Full Cast
EON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Alison Goodman . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Nancy Wu
EPILOGUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
KUSHIEL’S SCION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Jacqueline Carey . . . . . . . . .Read by Simon Vance
LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
APT PUPIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Anne Roiphe . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Lorna Raver
Stephen King . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Frank Muller
EXTREME MEASURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
ART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Vince Flynn . . . . . . . . . . .Read by George Guidall
THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
THE EYE IN THE DOOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .Read by David Strathairn, Richard Dreyfuss, et al.
Patrick McDonnell . . . . . . .Read by Bobby McFerrin
ART IN AMERICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Ron McLarty . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ron McLarty
BEAT THE REAPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Josh Bazell . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Robert Petkoff
Pat Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Peter Firth
FINE JUST THE WAY IT IS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Annie Proulx . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Will Patton
THE FOUNDING FATHERS COLLECTION . . . . . . . . .55
Jack Gantos . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Jack Gantos
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. [Ed.] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Richard Rohan, Ira Claffey
THE BIBLE SALESMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
GHOST AT WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Clyde Edgerton . . . . . . . . . .Read by T. Ryder Smith
Carolyn Hart . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ann Marie Lee
BLACK OPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
GHOST TRAIN TO THE EASTERN STAR . . . . . . . . . .61
BEST IN SHOW FOR ROTTEN RALPH . . . . . . . . . . .37
W.E.B. Griffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Dick Hill
BLISS AND OTHER STORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Paul Theroux . . . . . . . . .Read by John McDonough
THE GOLD COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Katherine Mansfield . . . . . .Read by Juliet Stevenson
Nelson DeMille . . . . . . .Read by Christian Rummel
BLOOD TIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
GOOD, BETTER, BLESSED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson . . . . .Read by Jim Dale
THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Jeffery Deaver . . . . . . . . . .Read by Holter Graham
THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Elle Newmark . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Raúl Esparza
Joel Osteen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Joel Osteen
GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
James Hilton . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Martin Jarvis
THE GREATEST PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES OF OUR TIME
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Maya Angelou . . . . . . . . .Read by Maya Angelou
THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Siobhan Dowd . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Alex Kalajzic
MACK MADE MOVIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Don Brown . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by George Guidall
MAGNIFICENT MIND AT ANY AGE . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Daniel G. Amen . . . . . . . .Read by Marc Cashman
MAKING IT ALL WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
David Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by David Allen
THE MALTESE FALCON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Dashiell Hammett . . . . . .Read by Michael Madsen,
. . .Sandra Oh, Edward Herrmann, and a Full Cast
THE MAN WHO OWNS THE NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Michael Wolff . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Don Leslie
MANIFEST DESTINIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Economist [Eds.] . . . .Read by Peter Donaldson,
. . . . . . . . . . . . .Richard Lyddon, Jenni Mills, et al.
MANSFIELD PARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Jane Austen . . . . . . . .Read by Wanda McCaddon
Robert Morgan . . . . . . . . . . .Read by James Jenner
Presidents of the 20th & 21st Centuries . . . . . . . . .
. .Read by Presidents of the 20th & 21st Centuries
BREATH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
HANK THE COWDOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Tim Winton . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Dan Wyllie
John R. Erickson . . . . . . . .Read by John R. Erickson
BURN OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
THE HELP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Marcia Muller . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Laura Hicks
Kathryn Stockett . . . . . . . . . .Read by Bahni Turpin,
Octavia Spencer, Jenna Lamia, Cassandra Campbell
THE MISSING SECRET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Geoffrey Chaucer, Burton Raffel [Trans.] . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by a Full Cast
HOTEL HEAVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
CELIA CRUZ, QUEEN OF SALSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
HOUNDSLEY AND CATINA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
BOONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
THE CANTERBURY TALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Veronica Chambers . . . . .Read by Michelle Manzo
CLAIM YOUR VICTORY TODAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Creflo A. Dollar . . . . . . . .Read by Creflo A. Dollar,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roscoe Orman, Karen Chilton
CRADLE TO CRADLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
William McDonough, Michael Braungart . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Stephen Hoye
Matthew Brace . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Colin Moody
James Howe . . . . . . . .Read by Peter Pamela Rose
HOW TO SELL YOURSELF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Arch Lustberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Todd Licea
MANY WATERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Madeleine L’Engle . . . . . . .Read by Ann Marie Lee
MARTINA THE BEAUTIFUL COCKROACH . . . . . . . .36
Carmen Agra Deedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Carmen Agra Deedy
Joe Vitale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Joe Vitale
Marguerite Henry . . . . .Read by Edward Herrmann
MR. GATLING’S TERRIBLE MARVEL . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Julia Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Norman Dietz
MURDER ON A MIDSUMMER NIGHT . . . . . . . . . . .44
Kerry Greenwood . . . . . .Read by Stephanie Daniel
THE INDEPENDENCE OF MISS MARY BENNET .51
NETHERLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Colleen McCullough . . . . . . . . .Read by Jen Taylor
Joseph O’Neill . . . . . . . . . .Read by Jefferson Mays
THE INNER COMPASS FOR ETHICS & EXCELLENCE .59
NEXT DOOR TO MURDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Anthea Fraser . . . . . . . . . .Read by Jacqueline Tong
L.A. Meyer . . . . . . . . . .Read by Katherine Kellgren
Naomi Wolf, Daniel Goleman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .Read by Naomi Wolf, Daniel Goleman
DARK DUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
THE INTENTION EXPERIMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Gordon Korman . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by David Pittu
CURSE OF THE BLUE TATTOO . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
. . . . . . . .Read by Armando Durán
Lynne McTaggart . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Eliza Foss
DEATH’S HALF ACRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
IZZY & LENORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Oscar Hijuelos
Margaret Maron . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by C.J. Critt
Jon Katz . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Tom Stechschulte
DECONSTRUCTING SAMMY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
JESUS OUT TO SEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
. . . . . .Read by Peter Jay Fernandez
James Lee Burke . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ron McLarty
DESCARTES’ BONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
JOHN LENNON: THE LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Russell Shorto . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Paul Hecht
Philip Norman . . . . . . . .Read by Graeme Malcolm
Matt Birkbeck
ONE FALSE NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Tamora Pierce . . . . . . . .Read by Bernadette Dunne
PANDORA’S STAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Peter F. Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by John Lee
THE PEASANT PRINCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Li Cunxin, Anne Spudvilas [Trans.] . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Paul English
Designates titles of exceptional interest awarded “Earphones.” (See page 6 for additional information.)
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Norton Juster . . . . . . . .Read by David Hyde Pierce
PHOBIAS AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM . .59
STREET GANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Michael Davis . . . . . . . . . .Read by Caroll Spinney
THE SUSPICIONS OF MR. WHICHER . . . . . . . .60
James Gardner, Arthur H. Bell . .Read by Ron Hippe
Kate Summerscale . . . . . . . . .Read by Simon Vance
PLUM SPOOKY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
THE TEMPEST TALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Janet Evanovich . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Lorelei King
Walter Mosley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ty Jones
POINT MAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
THAI DIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Steve Farrar . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Raymond Todd
Monica Ferris . . . . . . . . .Read by Connie Crawford
THE PORCUPINE YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
THINGS I’VE BEEN SILENT ABOUT . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Louise Erdrich . . . . . . . . .Read by Christina Moore
POSITIVITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Barbara L. Fredrickson . . . . .Read by Kimberly Farr
THE PRIVATE PATIENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
P.D. James . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Rosalyn Landor
QUARREL WITH THE KING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Adam Nicolson . . . . . . . . . .Read by Simon Vance
THE READER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Azar Nafisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Naila Azad
A THOUSAND HILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Stephen Kinzer . . . . . . . . . .Read by Paul Boehmer
TICKET TO RIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Larry Kane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Larry Kane
TOBY TUCKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Val Wilding . . . . . . . . . .Read by Richard Mitchley
TRAIN TO TRIESTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Bernhard Schlink . . . . . . . .Read by Campbell Scott
Domnica Radulescu . . .Read by Yelena Shmulenson
REBOUND RULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Rick Pitino, Pat Forde . . . . .Read by Holter Graham
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
H.W. Brands . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Mark Deakins
THE TSARINA’S DAUGHTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Stephen Crane . . . . . . . . . .Read by Anthony Heald
Carolly Erickson . . . . . . . . .Read by Susan Jameson
THE RETURN OF THE DANCING MASTER . . . . .42
TURNER’S PAINTBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Henning Mankell, Laurie Thompson [Trans.] . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Grover Gardner
UNDER THE JOLLY ROGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Paul Morgan . . . . . . . . .Read by Humphrey Bower
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
L.A. Meyer . . . . . . . . . .Read by Katherine Kellgren
Richard Yates . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Mark Bramhall
UNDER THE STREETS OF NICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
THE RIVALRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Ken Follett, René L. Maurice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Roddy McDowall
Norman Corwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .Read by Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, et al.
THE ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Cormac McCarthy . . . . . . . .Read by Rupert Degas
ROAD RAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Stephen Lang
SEA OF POPPIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Amitav Ghosh . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Phil Gigante
SEEKING PEACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Mary Pipher . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Kymberly Dakin
SERRANO LEGACY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
THE WATER BABIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Charles Kingsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .Read by Julia McKenzie, Oliver Peace, et al.
THE WATER HORSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Dick King-Smith . . . . . . . .Read by Nathaniel Parker
THE WAYSIDE SCHOOL COLLECTION . . . . . . . . . . .31
Louis Sachar . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Louis Sachar
WE ARE THE SHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Kadir Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Dion Graham
WE CAN HAVE PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND . . . . . . .57
Jimmy Carter . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Jimmy Carter
Elizabeth Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .Read by Nanette Savard and a Full Cast
Stacey O’Brien . . . . . . . . .Read by Renée Raudman
THE SHOE BIRD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
WHAT THE GOSPELS MEANT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Samuel Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Jim Dale
SONS AND LOVERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
D.H. Lawrence . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Paul Slack
SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Elizabeth Winthrop . . . . . . . . .Read by Robin Miles
WESLEY THE OWL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Garry Wills . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Garry Wills
WHY HIM? WHY HER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Helen Fisher . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Helen Fisher
THE WIDOWS OF EASTWICK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
John Updike . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Kate Reading
STALKING SUSAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
WINE APPRECIATION FREEWAY GUIDE . . . . . . . . .60
Julie Kramer . . . . . . . . .Read by Bernadette Dunne
Robin Stark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Robin Stark
STAND THE STORM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
WINTERGIRLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Breena Clarke . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Richard Allen
Laurie Halse Anderson . . . . . .Read by Jeannie Stith
STARGAZER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
THE WORRY TREE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Patrick Carman . . . . . . . . . . .Read by Ellen Archer
Marianne Musgrove . . . . . . . . .Read by Kate Hood
STRAY DOG WINTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
David Francis . . . . . . . . . . .Read by David Kirwan
Dean Koontz . . . . . . .Read by Malcolm Hillgartner
Complete Index of Print and Web Reviews Online at
www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews.html
News and ideas for librarians & teachers
“I don’t listen to adult books.
Most books for children and teens
are plot driven, and strong
narrative pull makes for a
much better audiobook than
something that rambles.”
—Sharon Grover, Head of Youth Services,
Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI, and
Chair, 2010 Odyssey Award
Sharon Grover was raised in New Jersey and went to the
University of Wisconsin at Madison. She ended up staying
in Wisconsin for 26 years, working as a children’s librarian and
raising a family. Then came a move to the Washington, DC,
area, as she became Youth Services Collection Specialist at the
Arlington County Library system. The combination of a lengthy
commute and a chance to review for AudioFile led her to learn
how to be a “serious listener”—a different skill from simply popping in an audiobook and cruising down the highway.
From that point on, Grover was hooked on audiobooks for
kids. Listening 90 minutes a day allowed Grover to keep up with
what kids were reading and enlivened discussions at her middle
school book discussion group. “I was always being asked: ‘Did
you read it with your eyeballs or your ears?’”
Meanwhile, in professional associations, Grover sought a
higher profile for children’s audiobooks. As a founding member
of Capitol Choices, Grover urged the inclusion of audiobooks as
a category in this highly watched annual list of best children’s
books (see www.capitolchoices.communitypoint.org). At YALSA,
she worked on the annual selection of recommended titles that
became Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults. She helped lay
the groundwork for the prestigious Odyssey Award for best children’s audiobook, and served on its initial selection committee.
Last November, she moderated a panel at YALSA’s YA Literature
Symposium—Listening Is Reading: Teens Choose Books Out Loud.
This year, Grover chairs the rigorous selection process for the
2010 Odyssey Award. Committee members will put in hundreds
of listening hours as they evaluate as many as 400 audiobooks,
ranging across genres. The abundance of product still amazes
her: “When I first started reviewing for AudioFile, there was
hardly anything for children. Now the breadth is remarkable.”
In 2006, Grover returned to Wisconsin, this time to Janesville,
about 40 miles south of Madison. Audiobooks proved the icebreaker with her new clientele. “I was chairing the Amazing
Audiobooks committee for YALSA, and I had brought all my
audiobooks with me. Teens would knock on the door and ask to
borrow ‘one of the new ones.’ It was a great way to get to know
them. They wrote me little reviews, and we put some of them on
bookmarks.” Kids writing reviews is a practice she encourages:
“Research shows that teens are much more likely to pick up something recommended by peers.”
She tells parents there are many ways to use audiobooks, and
all of them activate the brain. “Small children can listen and follow with a read-along. You can listen as a family. Older kids can
use their players. Children who struggle with reading benefit
greatly from audiobooks, but so do proficient readers. When
you’re listening to a book, there’s intellectual engagement
there.”—Priscilla Grant
Photo by Rebecca Haefner
Listening Librarians®
NEWS &
NOTES
2009 Odyssey Award
Congratulations to Sherman
Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary
of a Part-Time Indian (Recorded
Books) winner of the 2009
Odyssey Award for Excellence in
Audiobook Production. Find the
Odyssey Honor recordings as
well as annotated lists of Notable
Children’s Recordings and
Awesome Audiobooks for Young
Adults at www.ala.org.
BOT Launches
New Packaging
Books on Tape’s revamped
library packaging features
original book cover art, a
reinforced binding, and literary
genre listings on the package
spine, as well as BOT’s new
logo. The redesign coincides with
lower price caps and new SOPs
and imprints, including BOT
Christian Interest, BOT African
American, and BOT Women’s
Fiction & Romance. Bravo!
library.booksontape.com
APA Conference
The annual Audio Publishers
Association conference takes
place May 28 at the Javits
Convention Center in New York
and culminates with The Audies
2009 Gala on May 29 at the
New York Historical Society.
Details at www.audiopub.org.
And don’t miss The Heard Word:
BEA Audiobook & Author Tea,
May 30 at the Javits Convention
Center in New York.
May 28-30
Advertiser Directory
Sources Who, What, When,
Company
Ad Page
Service
AMAZON
800-201-7575 • www.amazon.com
17
retailer
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PUBLISHERS
212-255-0200 • www.publishers.org
25
professional
association
AUDIO EDITIONS
800-231-4261 • www.audioeditions.com
13
retailer
BBC AUDIOBOOKS AMERICA
800-621-0182 • www.bbcaudiobooksamerica.com
Back Cover
E publisher
BLACKSTONE AUDIOBOOKS
800-729-2665 • www.blackstoneaudio.com
20
E publisher
BOLINDA AUDIO
888-708-3602 • www.bolinda.com
13, 15
E publisher
BOOKS ON TAPE
800-733-3000 • www.library.booksontape.com
26
E publisher
BRILLIANCE AUDIO
800-648-2312 (lib) • 800-854-7859 (cons) • www.brillianceaudio.com
Inside Front Cover, 1
E publisher
CHRISTIAN AUDIO/HOVEL AUDIO
760-745-2411 • www.christianaudio.com
2
E publisher
FAMILY AUDIO LIBRARY
www.familyaudiolibrary.com
71
publisher
FULL CAST AUDIO
800-871-6809 • www.fullcastaudio.com
67
E publisher
GALAXY AUDIO
877-8GALAXY • www.goldenagestories.com
23
publisher
GRAPHIC AUDIO
800-670-5220 • www.graphicaudio.net
11
publisher
HACHETTE AUDIO
800-759-0190 • www.hachetteaudio.com
3, Inside Back Cover
E publisher
HARPER AUDIO
800-331-3761 • www.harperaudio.com
6
E publisher
HIGHBRIDGE AUDIO
800-755-8532 • www.highbridgeaudio.com
2
E publisher
INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICES
800-937-5300 • www.ingramlibrary.com
19
distributor
ISIS AUDIO BOOKS
800-955-9659 • www.isis-publishing.co.uk
69
E publisher
L.A. THEATRE WORKS
800-708-8863 • www.latw.org
17
E publisher
LISTEN & LIVE AUDIO
800-653-9400 • www.listenandlive.com
71
publisher
LIVE OAK MEDIA
800-788-1121 • www.liveoakmedia.com
11
E publisher
LORITO BOOKS
800-420-6936 • www.loritobooks.com
71
publisher
MACMILLAN AUDIO
888-330-8477 • www.macmillan.com
5
E publisher
NAXOS AUDIOBOOKS
877-NAXOS-CD • www.naxosaudiobooks.com
18
E publisher
OASIS AUDIO
800-323-2500 • www.oasisaudio.com
4
E publisher
SCHOLASTIC AUDIOBOOKS
800-242-7737 • www.scholastic.com
8
E publisher
SELECTED SHORTS
800-223-2336 • www.selectedshorts.org
24
publisher
SUEMEDIA PRODUCTIONS
www.jackslastcall.com
71
publisher
TANTOR MEDIA
877-782-6867 • www.tantor.com
24
E publisher
WESTON WOODS
877-782-6867 • www.scholastic.com/westonwoods
67
E publisher
Reviews of more than 100 audiobooks appear in
the magazine, and an additional 200+ appear
on the AudioFile Web site
(www.audiofilemagazine.com).
To contact the publishers directly, use the numbers that follow. For consumers, your best bet is
to contact your local source of audiobooks and
request programs through them.
AM Press/ www.archermayor.com; Armstrong &
Aichele/ 603-664-6768/
www.armstrongandaichele.com; Audible, Inc./
973-837-2711/ www.audible.com; August
House Audio/ 800-284-8784/
www.augusthouse.com; BBC Audiobooks
America/ 800-621-0182/
www.bbcaudiobooksamerica.com; Bethany
House Publishers/ 800-877-2665/
www.bethanyhouse.com; Blackstone
Audiobooks/ 800-729-2665/
www.blackstoneaudio.com; Bolinda Audio/ 800235-2019/ www.bolinda.com; Books in
Motion/ 800-752-3199/
www.booksinmotion.com; Books on Tape/ 800541-5525 (lib)/ 800-626-3333 (cons)/
www.booksontape.com; Brilliance Audio/ 800648-2312/ www.audiobookstand.com; Cider
Mill Press/ 207-967-8232/ cidermillpress.com;
CSA Word/ 44-208-871-0220 (UK)/
www.csaword.co.uk; FonoLibro/ 786-3452290/ www.fonolibro.com; The Freeway
Guides/ 323-230-7528/
www.freewayguides.com; Full Cast Audio/ 800543-1918/ www.fullcastaudio.com; Galaxy
Press/ 877-8GALAXY/ www.galaxypress.com;
Graphic Audio/ 800-670-5220/
www.graphicaudio.net; Hachette Audio/ 800759-0190/ www.hachetteaudio.com; Harper
Audio/ 800-331-3761/ www.harperaudio.com;
HighBridge Audio/ 800-755-8532/
www.highbridgeaudio.com; Hovel Audio/ 760-
Web Site Exclusives
E-Links are like mini-catalogs from the publishers and are a handy way to view
reviews, author interviews, and new releases from a selected publisher. Check out the
E-Link from any of the publishers above at
E
www.audiofilemagazine.com/guide_search.cfm
Advertiser Hot Links
In the PDF edition of the magazine, advertisers are inserting hot links
to new titles and special offers and services for listeners.
Publishers
745-2411/ www.christianaudio.com; Hyperion
www.hyperionbooks.com/audiobooks.asp; ISIS
Audio Books/ 800-955-9659/ www.isispublishing.co.uk; L.A. Theatre Works/ 800-7088863/ www.latw.org; Listen & Live Audio/
800-653-9400/ www.listenandlive.com;
Listening Library/ 800-541-5525/
www.listeninglibrary.com; Live Oak Media/
800-788-1121/ www.liveoakmedia.com;
Macmillan Audio/ 800-221-7945/
www.macmillanaudio.com; Maverick Books/
806-435-7611/ hankthecowdog.com;
SueMedia Productions
Where . . . and How to Find It
Jack’s Last Call: Say Goodbye to Kerouac
By Patrick Fenton (Featuring Len Cariou)
McGraw-Hill Audio/ 800-667-4504/
www.ami-mcgraw-hillaudio.com; More Than
Sound Productions/ 413-587-0818/
www.morethansound.net; Naxos AudioBooks/
877-NAXOS-CD/
www.naxosaudiobooks.com/nabusa;
Nightingale-Conant/ 800-525-9000/
www.nightingale.com; Nueva Onda
It’s August 1964. Jack Kerouac is packing his home,
in Northport, NY, to move, with his mother, to Florida.
As the memories of his travels with his road buddy, Neal,
play through his mind, and he thinks back to an America
he once knew, he receives a series of soul searching
calls from his daughter Jan. Scenes from “Jack’s Last Call”
were recorded at one of Kerouac’s favorite L.I. haunts.
1 CD, 59 Minutes ISBN: 978-0-9816706-0-7
Order Online: www.zbs.org or see www.jackslastcall.com
Audiobooks/Audiolibros Nueva Onda/ 212-
“An unusual and insightful
audio drama...a touching
collage of the writer’s life.”
—AudioFile Magazine
249-8733/ www.coralcomgroup.com; Oasis
Audio/ 800-323-2500/ www.oasisaudio.com;
Lorito Books
Peachtree Publishers/ 800-241-0113/
peachtree-online.com; Penguin Audio/ 800-788-
Spanish & Bilingual Children's
Book & CD Sets
¡Oiga un libro, lea un libro!
6262/ www.penguin.com; Phoenix Audio/
866-773-7733/
www.phoenixbooksandaudio.com; Random
House Audio/ 800-726-0600/
Build second language and readings skills with our
readalongs narrated by native Spanish speakers.
www.randomhouse.com/audio; Rattling Books/
709-334-3911/ www.rattlingbooks.com;
In El mono azul, Tomás the blue monkey discovers his true
gifts in this charming story with lively illustrations.
Recorded Books/ 800-638-1304/
www.recordedbooks.com; Scholastic
Book & CD Set: 46 pages, 21 minutes, $18.95
ISBN: 978-0-9815686-6-9
Order Online: www.loritobooks.com
Phone: 800-420-6936 Email: [email protected]
www.scholastic.com; Simon & Schuster Audio/
800-223-2348/ www.simonsaysaudio.com;
Sounds True/ 800-333-9185/
www.soundstrue.com; Tantor Media/ 877-7826867/ www.tantor.com; Weston Woods/
800-243-5020/
Family Audio Library
www.scholastic.com/westonwoods
Prague Counterpoint
Reviewers
Continued from page 11
R.L.L.
R.M.
R.O.
R.W.S..
S.C.A.
S.D.D.
S.E.S.
S.G.
S.G.B.
S.J.H.
S.S.R.
S.W.
T.J.M.
T.W.
W.M.
Ruth L. Lind, Editor, ME
Betsy Massar, Audiophile, CA
Randy O’Brien, Educator, TN
Richard W. Stim, Producer, CA
Susan C. Awe, Librarian, NM
Scott D. Danielson, Audiophile, ID
Steven E. Steinbock, Writer, ME
Sharon Grover,
Hedberg Public Library, WI
Susan G. Baird, Librarian, IL
S.J. Henschel, Editor, NY
Susan S. Rosenzweig, Educator, RI
Susie Wilde, Writer, NC
Thomas J. Miller, Audiophile, OR
Thomas Walken, Writer, NC
William Mingin, Writer, NJ
By Bodie and Brock Thoene, Read by Sean Barrett
As Hitler’s evil sweeps across Austria, only a handful of heroes
secretly resist. When two innocent children are designated
“enemies of the state,” Violinist Eliza Lindheim is determined to
save them. Barrett’s stirring performance, combined with
authentic sound-effects and a full-score, make for a truly
immersive listening experience, earning Prague Counterpoint an
Audie Nod. Download today at FamilyAudioLibrary.Com.
14 CDs, Approx. 16 hours, $40
Order Online: www.FamilyAudioLibrary.Com
Listen & Live Audio
STREET GANG: The Complete History
of Sesame Street
By Michael Davis, Read by Caroll Spinney
Reviews Resource Key
(Exceptional Audio)
(Audio Excerpt Online)
CS (Cassette)
CD (Compact
Disc)
MP3 (MP3-CD)
DD (Digital
Download)
PRE (Preloaded
Listen & Live Audio, Inc.
P.O. Box 817
Roseland, NJ 07068
Phone: 800-653-9400
Fax: 201-558-9800
Street Gang is the compelling and often comical story of the
creation and history of this media masterpiece and pop
culture landmark that is television’s "Sesame Street," narrated
by Caroll Spinney, the voice of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch,
and the winner of four Emmy Awards and two Grammys!
7 CDs, 9 hours, $29.95
ISBN: 978 -1- 59316-140-8
Order Online: www.listenandlive.com
Media)
ADVERTISEMENT
Listening With . . .
Visit the Garcia-Piccione household at
dinner time, and you might hear the
adventures of Harry the dirty dog, Chato the
cool cat, or Martina the beautiful cockroach.
Lisa Piccione, her husband, Juan Antonio,
and their son, second-grader Samuel, listen
to audiobooks in the kitchen while they’re
cooking together as a family. They also
listen at bedtime, in the morning, and
when they’re in the car . . . Lisa, a Spanish
teacher and instructor of Spanish dance and
flamenco, finds even more time for audiobooks during her daily commute. “You can
do a thousand things while you listen,” she
enthuses, “and you never go into that nomind zone.” With the growing availability of
Spanish-language titles, her husband’s also
a fan, listening while he paints and writing
reviews in Spanish for AudioFile. “Juan
Antonio heard me listening for years, and
now that he can listen to audiobooks in
Spanish, he’s hooked.”—Jennifer M. Dowell
Photo by Marten Czamanske
Juan Antonio Garcia,
Lisa R. Piccione &
Samuel Garcia-Piccione
Family of listeners
Brockport, New York

- AudioFile Magazine

Transcription

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