AudioFile Magazine - Articles

3 Audiobooks with a Strong Sense of Place

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

There’s little I love more than settling down to listen to an audiobook with a strong sense of place. Books with vivid settings are often even better on audio, as narrators bring these places to life with accents and descriptions. This month I’m highlighting three recent audiobooks I’ve loved with unforgettable settings: a family-run funeral home in Providence, Rhode Island, and the various landmarks important to the city’s queer and Jewish communities; a trailer park outside of Tucson, Arizona; and a small Cotswolds village and the home and garden of a lesbian couple who live—and get into mischief—there.

Narrator Elena Rey on OYE

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Narrator Elena Rey tells AudioFile listeners about narrating Melissa Mogollon's emotional and funny family novel OYE, which is told through a series of phone calls between Luciana and her older sister Mari.

Learning By Ear: Crucial Lessons for All

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Listening to audiobooks has always been about more than entertainment for me. Audiobooks need to challenge my thinking, provide vital information, illuminate why things are a certain way, and motivate me. As a working woman, I strive to maximize my time by learning as I walk, drive, do dishes . . . constantly seeking perspectives that elevate as I tackle mundane tasks. So I’m excited to recommend five audiobooks that focus on enhancing women’s professional and personal lives from the time they first enter the world of work to their final days. While the focus of these audiobooks is on women, anyone can benefit from their insights and information.

Indie Spotlight: The Real Education of TJ Crowley

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

AudioFile spoke with producer May Wuthrich and author Grant Overstake about turning Grant’s novel for teens, THE REAL EDUCATION OF TJ CROWLEY, into a dramatized audiobook. AudioFile: Why did you decide to adapt THE REAL EDUCATION OF TJ CROWLEY as an audio drama? May Wuthrich: The novel is told in first person, and there’s a lot of dialogue, so there were several ways to approach the recording.

Jorjeana Marie on narrating THE LOST STORY

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In a wood filled with cicada song, narrator Jorjeana Marie tells AudioFile listeners about getting lost in THE LOST STORY, Meg Shaffer's enchanting fantasy audiobook about a woman searching a mysterious forest for her half-sister.

Narrator Linda Jones's Thoreau Project

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

A few years ago, Linda Jones reread WALDEN, Henry David Thoreau’s masterpiece on simple living. The experience changed her life. “I was traveling between Brooklyn, New York, and my hometown of Concord, Massachusetts, to care for my mother,” says the actor, who attended Thoreau High School and learned to swim in Walden Pond. “It was a contemplative and difficult time. When I reread WALDEN, I was more enthralled than I’d been as a teenager. It spoke to all my emotions—from grief to self-doubt to gratitude. I wanted to share it, and for an audiobook narrator, that means recording it.” She soon began a long-term project to produce all of Thoreau’s work in audio.

Big Fall Audiobooks Are Here: AudioFile’s September Editors’ Picks

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Make room on your to-listen list, because this month we’re looking forward to new audiobooks from Liane Moriarty, Elizabeth Strout, Richard Osman, and many more favorites. Plus, a memoir from a Supreme Court justice.

Take a Trip with a Travel Romance Audiobook

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Ready for a vacation? Take one—better yet, take eight great trips with these travel-themed romance audiobooks. Audiobooks are such a comfortable way to travel—expert narrators ensure listeners never get lost. They introduce listeners to destinations far and near with clarity and an innate affection that will make listeners want to book their own trip to each story’s locale. And just as vacations come in all shapes and sizes, this great group of travel-related romance audiobooks feature both a destination and a narrator perfect for every listener.

Appalachian Audiobooks

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

When I tell people that I’m from Appalachia, I often get a response that's something like, “Appalachia? Oh, have you read Hillbilly Elegy?” I can’t help but wince. Appalachia includes hundreds of counties across thirteen states, which contain a population of around 25 million people. No two Appalachians are alike, and neither are their audiobooks. Since JD Vance’s HILLBILLY ELEGY came out back in 2016, he’s been platformed as “the” voice for Appalachia. But no single voice can speak for a region. So, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite Appalachian audiobooks performed by an all-star collection of narrators. There are authors from across the region, and they each have their own stories to tell. There are so many I want to tell you about, so let’s jump right in!

Talking with Narrator Nicole Lewis

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

From her earliest recollections, Nicole Lewis has loved stories. When she was 3 years old and her mother read aloud to her, Lewis embraced classic children’s titles like Heidi and Little Women. Her father would record her reading aloud from books like Pierre by Maurice Sendak and, even as a small child, she loved the process of bringing words to life. Those early days may have set the stage for her success as an actor, educator, and vocal performer. “I’ve always been into stories and reading and imagination, and I think that’s the root of it,” Lewis says.

New Mystery Audiobooks for Summer Listening

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Summer walks, hikes, gardening, or even cleaning out the garage can all be made more enjoyable with a good audiobook. Fortunately for mystery audio enthusiasts, several new additions to popular series have been released recently.

In the Studio: The Queen of Fourteenth Street

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

AudioFile's Laura Sackton spoke with playwright and narrator Barrie Kreinik and Hachette Audio producer Thomas Mis about the audio original THE QUEEN OF FOURTEENTH STREET, adapted from the play that Barrie wrote.

10 Cool August Audiobook Picks from AudioFile's Editors

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:00:51 -0400

Narrator Liam Gerrard on THE ADVENTURES OF FINN MACCOOL

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Liam Gerrard tells AudioFile listeners about collecting and narrating the stories in THE ADVENTURES OF FINN MACCOOL AND OTHER IRISH FOLKTALES, which was a finalist in the 2024 Audie Awards. Enter a lost world of fairy queens, changelings, and mischief.

3 Unconventional Beach-Read Audiobooks

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Everyone has a different interpretation of what a beach read is. I like to think of beach reads as “anything you’re reading at the beach.” But there’s also something to be said for the anti-beach reach—audiobooks that lie outside the popular definition of the beach read as anything fun, light, and/or engaging. Who says you can’t listen to a dense work of nonfiction on the beach? Or an introspective, character-driven novel? Spending the long summer afternoons at the beach with a hefty biography can be just as fun as passing those hours with the latest hot romance. This month, I’m highlighting three recent releases that make brilliant, if unconventional, beach listens, perfect for adventurous listeners.

Interview with Robert Petkoff, 2024 Golden Voice Narrator

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Golden Voice narrator Robert Petkoff joins host Jo Reed to discuss his work in audiobooks and the career path that led him there. Robert has brought to life everything from thrilling mysteries and science fiction epics to deeply researched nonfiction. He’s able to create distinct and memorable voices for each character, and he has a knack for engaging storytelling. Listen in to his conversation with Jo to hear more about how he got his start on the stage and behind the mic, how he prepares for narrating fiction like Andrew Sean Greer’s LESS IS LOST, the fun of narrating thrillers, and the distinct skills needed for making nonfiction engaging and conversational for audiobook listeners.

5 Audiobooks for your Summer Reading Escape

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Traditionally, a “beach read” is a book that is light, entertaining, and easy to read while you are spending time on a beach or enjoying a leisurely moment. These five audiobooks will transport you to atmospheric, distant locations; some are sunny and sandy, while others might have you experiencing a bit of a chill and some thrills. Enjoy!

AudioFile Editors Pick 8 Big Audiobooks for July

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Thrills and chills abound in the audiobooks we’re looking forward to this month, including new titles from Daniel Silva, Deborah Harkness, Lev Grossman, Chuck Tingle, and more. Break out the icy drinks, crank up the AC or hit the beach, and settle in for summer listening.

5 Queer YA Audiobooks for Summer Listening

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

With Pride Month coming to a close, it's important to remember that recognition and celebration of queer identities doesn't have to be confined to just one month. I'm excited to share these five queer YA audiobooks because they represent and validate a variety of identities while also delivering exciting plots, tender romance, big emotions, and important experiences—with excellent narration on top of everything else. Dive into these audiobooks, talk about them, and keep the conversation about the queer experience going all year long.

Audiobook Thrills at Thrillerfest

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

At Thrillerfest XIX, the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers, which took place in New York City from May 28 to June 1, I had the privilege of participating on the panel "Narrator, Special Effects, or Full Cast: Audiobook Trends," along with four award-winning narrators.