Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Barrie Kealoha delivers an absorbing performance of Anne Berest’s stunning autobiographical novel exploring her family’s tragic yet resilient heritage. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how the story begins when Anne’s mother receives a decades-old postcard in the mail, in 2003. The postcard lists four relatives who died in Auschwitz. Fifteen years later, Anne decides to investigate the Jewish family’s fate, including their flight from Russia. Kealoha delivers the powerful result with admirable clarity and excellent pacing that fully draw in the listener. She gives a riveting performance, imbuing the narration with emotion. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Europa Editions. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Woo Zeller narrates the story of the life of infamous Chinese pirate queen Shek Yeung. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this historical fiction novel based on the fierce pirate. When Shek Yeung sees her husband slaughtered during a raid, she immediately sets into place plans to keep her unsteady pirate fleet together amid many challenges. She fights to protect her growing fleet and family, no matter the cost. Zeller gives an energetic performance and strong character work that make this story all the more worthy of the listener’s attention. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cece Bell’s graphic memoir for kids is brilliantly adapted for audio with a full cast and thoughtful production. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Cece’s story, which starts in her early childhood when she lost her hearing after an illness and continues through to middle school. Cece starts school with special earphones attached to a box around her neck, connected to a mic worn by her teachers—not always correctly—and she imagines herself a superhero able to hear her teachers as they travel around the school. She begins to navigate making friends and also deals with bullying. The audiobook editing imitates what Cece hears through her hearing aids, illustrating the different kinds of sounds she experiences. With vibrant performances from the cast and the careful production, EL DEAFO makes for an engaging audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imogen Church performs Ruth Ware’s suspenseful mystery with conviction. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this thriller where Church once again makes each character distinct and memorable. Jack and her husband, Gabe, work in the security field. After a long night working on a test gone awry, Jack returns home to find Gabe dead, and she soon discovers she’s the leading suspect in the case and flees. This is a thriller worth listening to. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four narrators coordinate their performances perfectly in Peter Swanson’s cleverly crafted audiobook about a flawed private detective who becomes involved in the machinations of a woman from his past. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss listening to this sequel to THE KIND WORTH KILLING, where Keith Szarabajka gives voice to detective Henry Kimball. Helen Laser delivers the backstory of his manipulative client, while Micky Shiloah is convincing as her gullible husband. Kathleen Early reprises her role from the earlier novel, returning as the disturbed Lily. Pay close attention, as nothing is what it really seems. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s second memoir, following HEY, KIDDO, recounts his experiences as a teen counselor at a summer camp for terminally ill children. At the camp, Jarrett uses his gift for drawing to document and access his feelings for fellow counselors, and most importantly, the campers. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this powerful adaptation of Krosoczka’s graphic memoir, with the coordination of more than 50 narrators, carefully selected music, and sound effects that enhance the action. Watch Krosoczka’s video for more on how he and the publisher adapted his graphic book to audio. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A series of introspective monologues is brought vividly to life in six stellar performances. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about this collection of reflective first-person monologues by soldiers, slave owners, and free and enslaved women. The setting is Louisiana during the late days of the Civil War, and the narrators portray all manner of humanity, delivering deeply felt first-person stories that neatly intertwine. Author James Lee Burke delivers his introduction and epilogue. A reminder of the disastrous results that once arose in a divided nation. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dion Graham’s brisk pacing works well to invite listeners into the energetic life and career of jazz icon Ramsey Lewis. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this delightful memoir for jazz lovers and newcomers alike. Graham has once again captured the essence of a great jazz musician in this audiobook, and his deftly modulated performance celebrates the musician’s remarkable story and long career. This audiobook defines an important American musician who made major contributions to twentieth-century jazz. His memoir was completed just before his death in 2022. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin R. Free joins host Jo Reed for a conversation about his impressive audiobook work, his acting career, and being named a 2023 Golden Voice narrator. Kevin is a multiple Earphones Award winner for a wide range of audiobooks, from children’s stories to literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and fantastic science fiction. There are few narrators who can match his versatility and perceptive performances across genres. Kevin has had an extraordinary career, both in the recording booth and in theater as an actor, a director, a playwright, and an artistic director. He’s recorded 450 audiobooks, including Martha Wells’s wildly popular Murderbot Diaries series, Brandon Taylor’s insightful works, and many memorable children’s audiobooks. Listen in to Kevin and Jo’s lively conversation to learn more about how he brings joy into the recording booth, the thought and care he puts into creating voices for every character, and more. Read reviews of many of Kevin R. Free’s audiobooks on AudioFile’s website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Nahikian’s voice sounds assured, comfortable, and clear, but their real achievement is how well their performance connects with Rainesford Stauffer’s thoughtful perspectives and desire to help young people. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook all about ambition, hustle, and the burden of the idea that we all need to get ahead. The audiobook is a calm but persistent plea for people to resist societal messages around hustle, and that we should never be satisfied with our accomplishments but always pushing for more. With the help of Nahikian’s comfortable speaking style and support of the author’s intentions, this audiobook is one that will make listeners take a hard look at overly ambitious lifestyles that don’t allow room for imagination, joy, or healthy relationships. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Finkel narrates the opening of his audiobook, a memorable portrait of Stéphane Breitwieser, the sly European thief who pilfered nearly $2 billion in art objects. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Edoardo Ballerini’s smooth, enticing narration of the rest of the audiobook, making it a true-crime listen that is easy to devour. Breitwieser’s story is dramatic, highly cinematic, but ultimately sad. It is a compelling and shocking listen, and Ballerini’s skill and artistry with his narration heightens the mood. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Meskimen presents Patrick deWitt’s tribute to reading, books, and librarians. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story of a lonely retired librarian, Bob, whose life is changed when he rescues a lost woman, returns her to her care home, and surprises himself by volunteering there. Meskimen’s unhurried pace is appropriate as Bob reveals his life story, from running away at age 11 to the recent past, when he was betrayed by his wife and best friend. Meskimen flawlessly portrays Bob with heartbreak and humor. A lovely listen with a fitting narration from a talented voice. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Dern and Diane Ladd’s genre-bending collection of searingly intimate real-life conversations exemplifies everything that is exciting about audio as a medium. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Ladd and Dern’s conversational memoir. When Ladd is diagnosed with lung scarring, she’s given six months to live and told exercise is her only chance for improvement. Her daughter, Dern, proposes daily walks, with the commitment to leave nothing between them unsaid. Listening to these raw conversations would feel voyeuristic if the emotional themes the women cover weren’t so universal. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Anderson, the late Lou Reed’s wife and sometimes collaborator, invites listeners to learn about Reed’s passion for tai chi and how it saved his life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook full of interviews and short pieces describing Reed. Ten years after his passing, Anderson and her three co-editors have created a reflective, meditative collage of an artist and his private passion. The audiobook is a realistic, often endearing, portrait of Reed, with interviewees including Iggy Pop, the magician Penn Jillette, and director Darren Aronofsky sharing their thoughts on Reed’s relationship with tai chi. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Kyle Lukoff’s DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT, which Emily highly recommends as family listening. Narrator Cassandra Morris’s bright and youthful tone fits Annabelle, a sixth-grader growing up sheltered in a small Washington town. Lukoff’s excellent writing and Morris’s lively narration work seamlessly to bring Annabelle and the well-rounded characters to life. When Annabelle starts the school year and meets Bailey, her new nonbinary classmate, her world opens wider and she gains new perspectives. She comes to better understand herself, her family, and her community thanks to Bailey’s friendship. A heartwarming listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile is revisiting favorite audiobooks all this week that make for excellent summer listening. In today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss a striking collection of interconnected short stories by debut author Morgan Talty. Darrell Dennis narrates with calculated restraint, empathy, and a sure sense of the author’s voice. Dennis voices central character David, who is Penobscot, with a convincing tone and careful cadence. The stories teeter from funny to sad, capturing the dark corners of life on the reservation, creating an isolated and insular world for listeners. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode we’re revisiting a favorite audiobook that makes for excellent summer listening. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss MAN O’ WAR, Cory McCarthy’s audiobook narrated perfectly by E.R. Fightmaster. It’s an example of the unique magic that happens when a great narrator is paired with the perfect book. In this young adult novel, River McIntyre spends every spare moment practicing for the swim team as a means to escape their struggle with gender identity—but when they meet and fall in love with another nonbinary teen, they begin to imagine a better future for themself. Fightmaster expertly captures River’s intense internal conflict with their gender and queer identity, voicing the complex emotional depth of River’s experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile is sharing excellent audiobooks for summer listening all this week. On today’s episode, we’re revisiting a conversation between host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten about Elin Hilderbrand’s stellar novel, THE HOTEL NANTUCKET. Erin Bennett gives a great narration of this audiobook set at a Nantucket beach resort. The hotel was destroyed in a 1922 fire, and the new British owner has restored it and is determined to succeed—but a ghost may get in the way. Perfect for listeners looking for an audiobook with a little mystery, a little romance, and quirky characters that feels like a bit of an escape. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re sharing our favorite audiobooks for summer listening all this week. On today’s episode, we revisit our conversation between AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed, talking about Michelle Obama’s bestselling memoir. Obama aims to inspire listeners to become their best selves, and she gives practical advice and uses illustrations from her own life. Her deeply personal stories show how she’s worked through obstacles, and listeners also hear about her family’s life post-White House and how they weathered the early days of the pandemic. Her voice is warm and inviting as she shares words of encouragement that will help listeners feel hopeful and ready to face our chaotic world. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s bonus episode, narrator Marin Ireland joins host Jo Reed to talk about her career as an audiobook narrator and being named a 2023 Golden Voice by AudioFile Magazine. Marin and Jo discuss Marin’s acting career, getting her start in audiobook narration, and her remarkable ability to breathe life into characters through her voice. Marin won an Audie Award for Best Female Narration in 2020 for her work on NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson, and her work has earned her recognition on AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks list for years. She is gifted with the versatility to voice a range of characters and the emotional intelligence and skill to reveal the nuances of any story. Read reviews of many of Marin Ireland’s audiobooks on AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy Carlisle Parker’s vibrant performance brings the warm, crackling joy of this contemporary summer camp romance home to listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of Bridget Morrissey’s romance set at a summer camp for adults. Garland Moore, struggling post-divorce, signs up for a week-long camp with her sister in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Garland’s voice vibrates with nerves and butterflies as she finds her footing among strangers—and finds herself drawn to her cabinmate, Stevie. Parker delightfully teases out their slow-burn chemistry as the women grow closer over obstacle courses, midnight swims, and epic dance parties. The seemingly magical potential for new beginnings at camp radiates throughout this delightful production. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy’s narration creates a visceral world for Elana K. Arnold’s feminist Little Red Riding Hood retelling. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how the second person point of view can be distancing, but LaVoy’s skilled narration draws listeners right in. Bisou is a 16-year-old who gains incredible powers once she gets her first period—powers that help her face down werewolves. LaVoy’s delivery makes the tension palpable as Bisou fights to save her own life and protect her community and works to understand her grandmother’s dark secrets. January LaVoy shares about narrating this audiobook in her narrator video. Teens can download RED HOOD for free through AudioFile’s SYNC program July 13-19, find out more at audiobooksync.com Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soneela Nankani gives a magnificent performance of Farah Heron’s lively and heartwarming second-chance romance. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly and host Jo Reed first discuss their shared love of KAMILA KNOWS BEST, the story where we first meet an ill-fated couple, Jana and Anil. Now it’s five years later, and Jana is a single mother of 4-year-old Imani. She’s been cautious about dating ever since her brief fling with Anil, Imani’s father. Now Anil, Jana, and Imani are all invited to a two-week destination wedding and safari in Tanzania, and suddenly they are spending more time together as a family—and old feelings return. Listeners will vividly imagine Tanzania’s sights, sounds, and especially its tastes, all wonderfully evoked by Nankani. This relatable romance is a listening treat. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Celebrate Audiobook Month with Dreamscape Publishing and get ready for thrilling giveaways, behind-the-scenes news, and much more! Check it out on their social media channels and at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elliot Page gives an emotional, intimate performance of his gorgeous memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the actor’s quiet performance that resonates with moments of joy and heartbreak through his life—detailing his childhood in Nova Scotia, coming out as gay and trans, falling in and out of love, and the toll of being closeted. Hearing his own words in his own voice makes for a powerful listening experience — it’s an intimate performance that hardly feels like a performance at all. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice Adjoa Andoh narrates a complex story about identity and belonging set in Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch universe. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this new standalone sci-fi mystery with a memorable cast of characters. Qven should have become a Presger translator, but for a terrible incident that sends them careening towards Enae Athur, Reet Hluid, and the Radch Empire. Adjoa expertly narrates the emotional depths of these three characters, each of whom comes from a background where they were not valued or or didn’t feel part of a community. As all three claim their identities and start to heal, Andoh’s performance will resonate in profound ways. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this short audiobook from Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik. Gopnik asks questions, provides context and insights, and then lets the protean Steve Martin tell his own stories, making the work come across as a kind of memoir. Martin’s conversational tone elevates the personal recollections of his complex life. We get the great comic from his student days to his pursuit of stand-up, acting, writing and more. Through it all are banjo playing and jokes delivered in Martin’s classic style. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Pushkin Industries. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss a new audiobook narrated by Golden Voice Grover Gardner. He narrates Fred Brouwers’s audiobook with the seriousness it deserves as he chronicles the lives of musicians, conductors, and composers living under the Nazi regime. Students of German history and classical music will be fascinated by the diverse ways Nazi authorities and notable musicians of the times danced around the conflict between Hitler’s love of serious music and his hatred of the Jewish artists whose works he loved. Gardner performs with genuine engagement, a rich lower-register voice, and a dignified sound. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gilli Messer is a mesmerizing narrator for Sabrina Orah Mark’s dazzling collection of autobiographical essays. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Messer captures the poetry of the mythology of the fairy tales in the essays and weaves in the author’s personal history to the tales. Mark’s accounts are animated by great fairy-tale characters such as Pinocchio, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and many others. Mark details the complex history of her family, and between the essays, she includes conversations with her mother. A rewarding listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Celebrate Audiobook Month with Dreamscape Publishing and get ready for thrilling giveaways, behind-the-scenes news, and much more! Check it out on their social media channels and at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Abraham Verghese is both a gifted writer and a dynamic narrator. Verghese’s newest novel is a tour de force that benefits from the author’s fine ear. This multi-generational fiction set in the watery environs of India’s southern coast is a long and completely immersive listen. Once you hear Verghese’s nuanced, emotionally charged and satisfying reading, you’ll be convinced that no one else could have better captured the dialects, tones, and cadences of his many characters. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dion Graham subtly narrates this audiobook, emulating the majestic cadence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, speeches. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this Golden Voice narrator’s captivating performance. Graham captures the Civil Rights leader’s deep, resonant tone; deliberate ministerial intonation; and, during offstage moments, his world-weariness. Author Jonathan Eig renders King as a great but flawed man, making use of recently released tapes and documents and an unpublished memoir from Dr. King’s father to detail his life. A monumental biography performed exquisitely by a Golden Voice. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a sweeping epic set in Singapore during the political upheaval of the mid twentieth century. When a fisherman is struggling to find enough fish to support his family, his young son, Ah Boon, discovers a mysterious island with hundreds of fish off its shores, ultimately leading to prosperity that draws the attention of political radicals. Windson Liong perfectly captures the many voices of the characters who come in and out of Ah Boon’s life, and Liong imbues his performance with all of Ah Boon’s complex emotions and anxieties. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samantha Irby narrates her fourth essay collection, bringing her customary sharp observations and comedic timing to her performance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this audiobook full of Irby’s tales of Hollywood life, her terrible dog, and the worst times she’s been struck with diarrhea. Irby’s storytelling will have you laughing out loud and is a great example of how some books are just that much more fun on audio. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poets Hala Alyan, Joy Sullivan, and Kate Baer perform this special edition of Mary Oliver’s UPSTREAM, with each narrator performing a different section of the audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss the joy of listening to each poet narrate Oliver’s collection of essays. Listening helps to make clear Oliver’s intense love for the natural world and the ways that her obsession with nature fills her work. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Pushkin Industries. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Celebrate Audiobook Month with Dreamscape Publishing and get ready for thrilling giveaways, behind-the-scenes news, and much more! Check it out on their social media channels and at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners living with an autoimmune disease will feel heard, understood, and defended, perhaps for the first time, as they hear this short work from Imani Perry. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this audiobook that gets to the core of what it’s like to live with a chronic condition, told in Princeton professor Imani Perry’s own voice and words. It's hard to imagine someone other than the author, who has lupus and Graves disease, narrating such a probing, purposeful exploration of her own life with these illnesses. Perry’s steady voice and carefully measured contemplations bring her intelligence to the audiobook’s forefront. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin R. Free delivers a dazzling performance of Brandon Taylor’s new novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of contemporary artists living in Iowa City. Poets, writers, and musicians sit around at parties, in bars, and cafés, discussing what it means to be an artist. Their social lives are deliciously messy as they fall in and out of love. Free’s narration moves between the viewpoints of the main characters with ease, creating a distinct voice for each one, and his performance is completely engrossing. Excellent listening from a new Golden Voice narrator. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Nicholas Boulton joins host Jo Reed to talk about being named a 2023 Golden Voice. Nicholas is an accomplished actor on stage and screen and in audio, with more than 100 audiobooks to his name. He’s celebrated for the pure quality of his voice, his facility for character, and an unerring instinct for storytelling. Jo Reed spoke with Nicholas in 2021 at the launch of our Audiobook Break podcast, which featured his narration of DAVID COPPERFIELD. In today’s bonus episode, Jo and Nicholas catch up on some of his recent audiobook projects and discuss becoming a Golden Voice. Listen to Jo and Nicholas’s earlier conversation on our Behind the Mic podcast. Read reviews of many of Nicholas Boulton’s audiobooks on AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicholas Boulton’s narration of A.J. Lancaster’s audiobook—part fantasy, part murder, part romance—is all pleasure. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the fun of listening to this audiobook from a 2023 Golden Voice narrator, Nicholas Boulton. When botanical scholar Marius encounters a murdered colleague in his greenhouse, the enthralling fae, Prince Rakken, is there to investigate. Amid more dead colleagues and adventures in various realms, Marius and Rakken begin a romance. Boulton’s crisp, drawling voice meets the challenges of this fantastical romp. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Podium Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph narrates her memoir and self-help guide with drama and feeling. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook, which is full of delicious anecdotes about Sheryl Lee Ralph’s life in the theater and music business, along with personal reflections on how to succeed and maintain one’s integrity. Ralph’s narration brings her full-throttle vocal range to the ups and downs of her career, and the grace and dignity that come from within. An inspiring listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Celebrate Audiobook Month with Dreamscape Publishing and get ready for thrilling giveaways, behind-the-scenes news, and much more! Check it out on their social media channels and at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Louise Kelly, anchor of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” delivers a captivating narration of her audiobook about the challenging life of a working parent. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss how this audiobook is best heard in Mary Louise’s own voice, with her journalistic yet emotional delivery. Her warm, empathetic voice; personable delivery; and experienced pacing engage listeners with her examination of life on the front lines of news and parenting. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helen Laser gives a mesmerizing performance in this poignant novel and biting satire. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Helen’s skill at enlivening June Hayward, a struggling white author who steals her Asian friend Athena’s manuscript when she dies. Laser captures June’s rise to fame on the success of this novel and her subsequent descent into guilt and delusions amid accusations of theft and cultural appropriation. This is a riveting production of a thrilling and thought-provoking story. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Marin Ireland excels at depicting the insular, privileged world of the Stockton family in this debut audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this tale of a Brooklyn Heights family that made their money in real estate, and how Marin’s narration makes listeners feel for each of these characters. She gracefully takes listeners into an exclusive milieu of private schools, galas, and grand townhouses while beautifully conveying the frailties and emotional confusion that renders this family relatable. A compelling family saga. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile is celebrating the 2023 Golden Voice Narrators, our stars of the audiobook universe who have superb performance skills and are keenly attuned to each author whose work they narrate. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten are honoring Nicholas Boulton, a new Golden Voice narrator who has narrated more than 100 audiobooks, ranging from 19th-century classics to science fiction, history, and romance. Robin shares a sample from his narration of THE DEAD SECRET by Wilkie Collins, which shows off his fluid performance style. He gives swoon-worthy narrations in romances, from the contemporary GLITTERLAND to medieval tales like DESIRE LINES. Tune in to our podcast next week for our conversation with Nicholas Boulton about his Golden Voice honor and his work in audiobooks. Essential listening from Nicholas Boulton: DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens DEAD SOULS by Nikolai Gogol GLITTERLAND by Alexis Hall JUSTINE by Lawrence Durrell THE DEAD SECRET by Wilkie Collins Discover more about all of our Golden Voice narrators and their latest audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Dreamscape Publishing is celebrating Audiobook Month with exciting giveaways! Learn more on their social media channels or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten are honoring AudioFile’s 2023 Golden Voice narrators — the stars of the audiobook universe. These narrators have made significant contributions to the audiobook art form. Today Jo and Robin are celebrating Marin Ireland, a skilled narrator who loves to disappear into the stories she narrates, moving seamlessly among the characters and making each distinct for listeners. She won the 2020 Best Female Narrator Audie Award for NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson, a surprising listen with interesting challenges for the narrator. Marin has an intuitive gift with her character voices, and those are on display in all of our Essential Listens. Stay tuned for our conversation with Marin here on Behind the Mic later this month. Essential listening from Marin Ireland: BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson SLEEPING BEAUTIES by Stephen King, Owen King THIS TIME TOMORROW by Emma Straub Discover more about all of our Golden Voice narrators and their latest audiobooks on our website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape Publishing. Join Dreamscape Publishing as they celebrate Audiobook Month with mesmerizing tales, talented narrators, and endless inspiration for audiobook lovers everywhere! Join them online on social media or at their website, dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrators are the stars of the audiobook universe. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten are announcing the 2023 Golden Voice narrators, an accolade that honors those who have made significant contributions to the audiobook art form and celebrates the iconic skills they bring to their performances. Today Jo and Robin are celebrating Kevin R. Free, who has narrated more than 450 audiobooks since 2001, as well as being an actor, playwright, and an artistic director at regional theaters across the country. He narrates with an infectious energy, and his performances have earned him numerous Earphones Awards and Best Audiobook honors. Robin discusses a sample of his narration of DIZZY by Jonah Winter, which shows off Kevin’s brilliant sense of musicality and rhythm, and highlights his many other audiobooks, including Martha Wells’s beloved Murderbot Diaries series. Stay tuned for a conversation with Kevin here on Behind the Mic in July. Essential listening from Kevin R. Free: Martha Wells’s Murderbot Diaries series RHYME’S ROOMS by Brad Leithauser SO THIS IS EVER AFTER by F.T. Lukens THE LAST SLAVE SHIP by Ben Raines THE LATE AMERICANS by Brandon Taylor Discover more about all of our Golden Voice narrators and their latest audiobooks on our website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The late Morrie Schwartz was the subject of the popular book and movie TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Steven Weber’s narration of Schwartz’s posthumously edited guide to aging. Weber sounds seamlessly connected to the author’s timeless wisdom and altruistic spirit. With moving personal stories and observations, Morrie invites listeners to age proactively, to live creatively, and to seize every day and opportunity to fill our later years with joy and loving connections. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adam Lazarre-White draws listeners into the new thought-provoking crime novel from S.A. Cosby. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this story of Titus Crowne, the first Black sheriff in a small Virginia county. As listeners enter Titus’s world, he is faced with a shooter at a high school, a neo-Confederate group on the march, and a serial killer terrifying the town. This is a gripping, timely tale—beautifully told. Stay tuned for an interview with S.A. Cosby coming June 6, in AudioFile’s articles. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Eric Mok makes Martha Wells’s wonderfully inventive and diverse fantasy eminently accessible. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of exploring a fantasy world written by Wells, well known for her MURDERBOT series. Here, Kaiisteron, a demon prince of the underearth with the power to possess other bodies, wakes up imprisoned and confused. When he and his dear friend, the witch Ziede, escape, they set off to find answers—and Ziede’s missing wife. The story jumps between the present timeline and earlier, during a devastating war, and we slowly learn more about Kai’s history. Mok keeps up with the fast-paced action sequences and voices many lovable (and some horrible) characters with skill. Listeners will hope for more stories set in this fascinating world. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avi Roque gives a spirited and deeply emotional performance of Jonny Garza Villa’s queer love story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this rich and lively audiobook for teens. Nonbinary Mexican American teen Ander is taking a gap year before college, focusing on their art and painting murals across San Antonio. When they fall in love with their family taqueria’s newest employee, an undocumented Mexican boy named Santi, it opens up their world in unexpected ways. Roque’s warm and musical narration is utter perfection, capturing Ander and Santi’s fear with vivid immediacy and infusing their voice with bubbly happiness at the thrill of building this new relationship. A hopeful listen that’s a heartbreaking, joyful love letter to queer Latinx communities. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dion Graham is a master of nonfiction narration, and he perfectly complements the flow of Matthew Desmond’s treatise on poverty in America, and how to end it. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this devastatingly clear and expertly narrated audiobook. Desmond is a professor of Sociology at Princeton and well known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning EVICTED. Here he describes the depth of American poverty, the history and devastating impacts, but he also urges listeners to become poverty abolitionists and end this national disgrace. Graham performs with energy and intensity, matching Desmond’s outrage, and conveys each statistic, quotation, and insight flawlessly. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit www.audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poet and author Kwame Alexander joins Behind the Mic host Jo Reed to talk about his new memoir for an adult audience, WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT. Alexander is the author of many award-winning audiobooks for young listeners, including THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, AN AMERICAN STORY, and LIGHT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. He’s a familiar voice on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” and a Disney+ series based on his book THE CROSSOVER has just been released. In their interview, Alexander shares his thoughts about his parents’ influence, how he came to poetry and to writing books for children and young adults, and his experience narrating this very personal memoir. Read our review of WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT on our website, along with reviews of more of Kwame Alexander’s many audiobooks for young listeners. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices