Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Kenny Ramos and DeLanna Studi bring a memorable intertribal powwow to life for listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about this exciting new audiobook for children, featuring short stories from sixteen Indigenous authors. Diverse stories with overlapping narratives showcase the joys of coming together as a community while also highlighting the kids’ many different personalities and experiences. Ramos narrates with all of the nerves and excitement the boys are feeling over joining the festivities, and Studi captures the energy and emotions of the girl protagonists. The collection highlights for listeners that Indigenous people are still here, and that there’s no one story that represents what it’s like to be a Native kid. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Janina Edwards’s steady and friendly narration suits this children’s biography about the life and activism of Claudette Colvin, who, when she was 15 years old, helped launch the Montgomery bus boycotts by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how this new audiobook, part of the SHE PERSISTED chapter book series, can inspire young listeners to learn more about historical and current racial injustices. Edwards’s warm narration conveys Colvin’s curiosity and bravery. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imani Parks brings a vibrancy to her narration of this brilliant new fantasy audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss B.B. Alston’s incredible debut, featuring a young Black girl launched into a supernatural adventure. Amari is worried -- her older brother Quinton has been missing for months. When she gets a mysterious package delivered, she suddenly learns that her brother was a superstar agent in the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. She’s determined to learn more and begins a hunt for clues as she competes for a spot as a Junior Agent. Kids looking for a fast-paced adventure full of magic will be thrilled with this listen. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Greta Jung captures both the youthful and the adult voices in this Newbery Medal-winning story about family and magic. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Jung’s skills at bringing the characters to life. Author Tae Keller’s story captures intergenerational relationships and blends Korean mythology into the story seamlessly. Lily is a quiet and thoughtful girl who wants to disappear at the first sign of conflict, very different from her confident older sister Sam. When the girls and their mother move in with their Halmoni, Lily realizes she’s being followed by a tiger that only she can see--and that tiger may be the key to healing her Halmoni. Published by Listening Library Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s bonus edition of Behind the Mic, Nicholas Boulton joins host Jo Reed to discuss his narrations of classics, historical romances, and more. Nicholas’s narration of Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD is the star of our new podcast, Audiobook Break with AudioFile Magazine, and he and Jo share their thoughts on the character work that goes into voicing a Dickens classic and the challenges of narrating a work written more than a century ago. Listen to hear how Nicholas got his start as an actor and the different techniques he uses to bring characters to life in audiobooks, on stage, and in video games. Once you’ve listened, look for Audiobook Break and start enjoying DAVID COPPERFIELD, with three chapters a week of Nicholas Boulton’s narration thanks to our publishing partner, Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 masterpiece by narrator Sean Astin adds a new layer of pathos and empathy to the classic story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Astin’s interpretation that gives millionaire Jay Gatsby’s story new emotions, and adds new insight into the tragic love story between Daisy Buchanan and Gatsby. Nailing the ending, Astin channels Nick’s longing to comprehend what has happened to him. Published by Dreamscape Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Cross does an excellent job narrating this hard-edged audiobook taking on the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, but with relevance to today’s COVID-19 pandemic. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the crisp voice Cross uses to narrate Harvard epidemiologist Paul Farmer’s true and sad account, one that gives listeners the gnawing sense that in pandemics and epidemics, care should always triumph over control, and that “stuff, staff, and systems” go a long way toward managing the sick. Published by Dreamscape Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Henning and Rachel Perry share the narrations in a collection of six timely articles from the Harvard Business Review. AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed how both narrators deliver transparent and thoughtful performances. From “Mindfulness” to “Find Coaching in Criticism,” the authors deliver well-researched arguments that make listeners take notice and examine their assumptions. The text combines serious suggestions with case histories and insights into famous folk who have been exceptionally resilient. Published by Gildan Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Petkoff is a clear and intelligent reader who suits the global scale and economic scope of Daniel Yergin’s audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Petkoff’s forthright narrative style balances the complexity of the subject. Yergin, a Pulitzer Prize-winner and an energy consultant, understands current geopolitical stresses surrounding energy production and use. Written with the background of the coronavirus, Yergin’s book details the drastic economic effects of the pandemic. Activists may deride some of his assertions, but this audiobook provides a primer on today’s environmental challenges. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A surprisingly delightful audiobook takes what might be a dry subject--the migrations of forests and trees--and turns it into a compelling listening experience. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Daniel Henning’s animated narration of Zach St. George’s collection of stories, adventures, and scientific studies. Henning gives a nuanced performance as the author tackles the effects global warming is having on the forests, and tells the stories of how naturalists, scientists, and corporations are endeavoring to find solutions. Published by HighBridge Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Rudnicki splendidly reads this collection of fiction by the Russian author Pushkin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Pushkin’s best fiction on luck, fate, honor, and grandeur, including stories from “Tales of Belkin,” his novella “The Queen of Spades,” and other stories that provide insights into humans and Russian society. Golden Voice narrator Rudnicki has a resonant voice and an understanding of the flow and nuance of each story, and his deep baritone captures the atmosphere and detail. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet Mistress Badger, Mrs. Mole, Miss Ratty, and Lady Toad. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this new production of Kenneth Grahame’s classic featuring a superb all-female cast. Led by Cush Jumbo, the actresses are completely comfortable with the author’s plush prose and elegant descriptions. With original music and on-location sound effects, this friendly tale will leave children captivated. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Shanahan once again transports listeners down under—this time to Tasmania. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Jane Harper’s new Australian thriller, narrated with expertise by Shanahan. Kieran Elliot returns to his hometown to assist his parents’ move. When the body of a young woman is found on the beach, Kieran is drawn back into the memories of the terrible storm 12 years earlier that drowned his brother and friend. Shanahan keeps listeners engaged, and they will appreciate his delivery as Harper’s story depicts the varying ways survivors manage the pain and guilt of loss. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a gentleman’s grace and a finely tuned ear for character voices, narrator Simon Jones does a wonderful job bringing to life this collection of children’s fairy tales by one of the English language’s greatest wits. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Jones’s skill with this collection and beyond, and how he makes the classics so listenable, fresh, and enjoyable—even if you think you might already be familiar with these stories. Although written for children, Wilde’s unique twists on children’s literature are a little edgier, a bit more playful, a trifle wiser, and more fun than your average fairy-tale fare. Published by Alison Larkin Presents. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and author Peter Guralnick offers a personal look at some of the last century’s most influential music artists and writers. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the audiobook narrated by Jim Meskimen with a steely timbre and vocal confidence. His intelligent performance of these captivating stories, insights, and reflections is a delight to hear, and he helps us share in the author’s enthusiasm. Guralnick writes about familiar artists and performers along with lesser-known performers, writers, and promoters who were just as critical to music’s ascendence in American culture. It’s an audiobook that musicians and music lovers will savor. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Charlie Mackesy presents a heartwarming performance of an unlikely group of friends as they converse about life, hope, fear, and kindness while exploring the world around them. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audio adaptation of a much loved illustrated work, which features a soundscape with music and wildlife sounds to transform the audiobook into a meditative and therapeutic experience. The short but memorable audiobook will leave listeners of all ages hopeful despite a world filled with uncertainty. It will also leave them hungry for cake. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Taylor Meskimen and Ozzie Rodriguez portray two teenagers in what starts out as a sweet summer romance but becomes something much more sinister. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the story of a truly unforgettable first date. James and Amelia go canoeing and discover a fully furnished house underwater. They become obsessed with the house and form an intense bond over the weeks of exploring the mysterious house—but a foreboding presence looms within the house and threatens to drive them apart. The narrators craft memorable characters while also setting a tone and pace that well suits the horror and romance of this audiobook. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Wilson Tang adds history and personality to New York’s Chinatown with his heartfelt dive into the neighborhood. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this cookbook that also offers a connection to the community. The audiobook is both a collection of lovely stories from the Chinese community in New York and Tang’s personal story of coming to own the Nom Wah restaurant and all those who supported him along the way. The stories are interspersed with chapters that help you tap into Tang’s enthusiasm for the food, walking listeners through the history of rice, noodles, and bao, definitely making you hungry with his engaging narration. Listen while you cook--or daydream of visiting Chinatown. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two accomplished narrators, Elizabeth Wiley and Heather Henderson, recount the chronicle of the White Rose, a cluster of German students who opposed Hitler in 1942 and 1943. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story that focuses on Hans and Sophie Scholl, siblings of the author. Both Wiley and Henderson are articulate and polished as they engage listeners in the hopeless but courageous struggle of this resistance group. Five male narrators provide documentation following the historical account. Listeners hear the exact words, in English, of the leaflets that condemned the young students. Published by Post Hypnotic Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this lucid and accessible discussion of the connection between fascism and lying made by Argentine historian Federico Finchelstein. Edoardo Ballerini narrates with a clear and agile voice for a story that is international in scope. The audiobook examines the twentieth century’s infamous fascist leaders and their followers, along with populist and fascist leaders of today. Ballerini demonstrates his ease with a broad range of languages to smoothly pronounce names and terms. His pacing, and the author’s writing, prevent any sense of drag, making this short audiobook rigorous enough to engage politically educated listeners as well as students eager to find expert guidance in developing historical understanding. Published by Post Hypnotic Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kimberly Woods’s soft voice draws out all of the roiling emotions in Christine Day’s middle-grade novel about recovery, loss, and hope. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this audiobook that provides young listeners with comfort and catharsis. Maisie is a 12-year-old Makah and Piscataway girl whose identity has revolved around ballet—but after tearing her ACL, she’s facing an uncertain future. Woods’s youthful voice embodies Maisie, whose anger and anxieties are beginning to overwhelm her despite the loving support of her family. Listeners who are facing loss and a year like none other will find Maisie’s story healing. She’s a role model for learning to express strong emotions and to ask for help. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this gently told audiobook, author and podcaster Katherine May investigates the effectiveness of rest and refuge in challenging times. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss narrator Rebecca Lee’s pleasing British accent and sympathetic tone, which wonderfully capture May’s absorbing curiosity about the efficacy of slowing down to recover a sense of wellness and balance. May describes lifestyle changes she undertook when she became ill, adaptations by Finns in response to long winter nights, and the patterns of hibernation in dormice and other species. These discoveries will resonate with listeners facing a long winter and the uncertainties of the pandemic. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adjoa Andoh captivates listeners with Nnedi Okorafor’s stunning new sci-fi novella set in a near future Ghana. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Andoh’s skills with pacing and tone that keep her perfectly in tune with Okorafor’s compelling story, and she smoothly switches between the accents required to bring the vibrant characters to life. Sankofa is known as the adopted daughter of the Angel of Death. As a young girl, she gains incredible power—and then kills everyone she loves in a tragic accident. Sankofa explores Ghana on foot as she works to gain control over her powers and hunts down the alien artifact stolen from her. Listeners will feel Sankofa’s anger, her longing for community, and her legendary strength. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will delight in being back with friends from NEW KID, last year’s Newbery Award-winning graphic novel by Jerry Craft. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the full-cast rendition of this sequel to NEW KID, which continues the story of the kids of Riverdale Academy Day School. Jordan Banks is excited but nervous to be heading back to school as an 8th grader, and Jesus Del Orden’s bright voice matches his sweet and observant personality. Drew, compellingly narrated by Nile Bullock, has an easy time connecting with Jordan, but they both continue to feel uneasy about how their wealthy and white classmates—and teachers--treat them both. Subtle sound effects and the full cast’s lively performances help or middle-grade listeners imagine the bustling school hallways. Craft’s witty humor will have listeners laughing out loud, and seeking out the graphic novel companion. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com http://audiofilemagazine.com/ Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, https://dreamscapepublishing.com/ Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miebaka Yohannes narrates with a conversational tone that mirrors Frederick Joseph’s engaging writing. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this YA audiobook that weaves together stories from Joseph’s own life and interviews with others to create an audiobook full of sincere and frank commentary. The audiobook touches on issues such as systemic racism, cultural appropriation, and becoming an “active accomplice.” Throughout, Yohannes amplifies the sincerity in Joseph’s writing—and the humor. Teen listeners will come away with a strengthened resolve to learn about and fight oppression. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Robin Miles and Dennis Boutsikaris lead a group of first-rate voice talents in delivering a collection of short stories centered on the COVID-19 pandemic. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE’s collection of contemporary North American authors including Margaret Atwood, Victor LaValle, and Dina Nayeri. They have published an astonishing array of fresh, personal and immediate takes on a world taken hostage by a virus. One hopes this is just the beginning of a fresh, breathlessly affecting, and essential literary conversation. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Jameson narrates Roman Krznaric’s impressive work of humanistic philosophy with the seriousness, clarity, and style that it merits. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this edifying excursion into how one can be a “good ancestor.” Packed with thoughtful suggestions and inspiring stories of people like environmental activist Greta Thunberg and case histories in countries from Iceland to China, this audiobook proposes sweeping changes in how people and governments behave. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Meskimen narrates John Luther Adams’s exceptional memoir with conviction and recognition that these words are from a composer of music. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the way Meskimen narrates with great care and understanding, capturing an immersive text with a deliberate voice and well-paced cadence. Adams’s life and work in the solitude of Alaska bring the listener an appreciation of creativity. This soul-gracing work from an American original delves deeply into the intersections of ecology and art. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone who appreciates impassioned environmental writing and enjoys the lilting sounds of a fine Irish accent will want to listen to this audiobook. AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed his thoughts on both the naturalist Richard Nairn’s writing on the Irish woodlands and Ruairi Conaghan’s storyteller’s delivery. At once a personal story of the author’s own woodland care taking, it is also a meditation on what has happened to Ireland’s woodland, and why. This audiobook’s aim is to help heal the trees. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suzanne Toren narrates this fable with such subtlety and grace that the listener is effortlessly lulled into the fantastic world of talking and thinking animals. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minkoff discuss the magic of taking a trip to Paris, via Jane Smiley’s new audiobook. Toren’s portrayals of the animas--Perestroika, a thoroughbred racehorse; shorthaired German pointer; raven; and mallards--that inhabit this audiobook are splendid. Perestroika and Paris shine brightly, and this audiobook is a marvelous listening experience and alluring escape. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The product of a self-imposed desert exile with his exhaustive collection of personal journals, Matthew McConaughey’s nontraditional memoir offers a series of philosophical reflections of his first 50 years and of life itself. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this tour-de-force one-man show that is much like an experimental film. Dark at moments, the eccentric McConaughey charms and enchants with his Texas twang. At the conclusion, McConaughey reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you blend a master of lyrical language with an outstanding narrator, the result is an unforgettable listening experience. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this semi-autobiographical novel published in 1909, getting renewed attention with an award-winning feature film and Ballerini’s new narration of the audiobook. Martin, a working-class sailor, falls in love with a member of the upper class, Ruth, and he is inspired to educate himself so he may become worthy of her. However, when he does become a famous writer and scholar, he can’t connect with his working-class roots any more. Ruth abandons him, and he falls into despair. Ballerini makes London’s reality our reality, making this classic a choice listening experience. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a calm, steady voice, Derek Perkins narrates this history of Italian resistance during WWII, with a focus on 1944 and 1945. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Caroline Moorehead’s concluding history in her Resistance Quartet, examining women’s role in the French and Italian Resistance. Perkins slips smoothly into the role of narrator of this lesser-known chapter of WWII, with four women from northwest Italy fighting to overthrow the fascist regime in Turin and the surrounding mountains. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an audiobook that grabs the listener’s interest at the start--and keeps getting better from there. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Euan Morton’s brilliant performance of a dark and violent standalone thriller from Jo Nesbø. The mystery focuses on brothers Carl and Roy, who share lifelong secrets and whose lives continue to intertwine in dark, depraved, and unnerving ways. Carl returns to the Norwegian town they grew up in, and there are an alarming number of murders, all of which thrust the town into a fearful frenzy. Nesbø’s complex story is powerful, and his dialogue is superb--couple that with Morton’s precise delivery and his ability to effectively mix inflection, tone, and pace, and the book is an audio page-turner. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Michael Specter’s throaty voice and emotional yet precise delivery perfectly suit his examination of the coronavirus pandemic and the man who is trying to save us from it. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed discuss this biography of Dr. Fauci, based on Specter’s profile for THE NEW YORKER. The gripping audio production blends interviews with Fauci (and Fauci’s wife, herself a bioethicist with the NIH), historical audio clips and news reports, and a fact-filled narrative that captures the listener’s attention as effectively as a suspense novel. This time, however, the terrifying plot points are real. Published by Pushkin Industries. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would happen if Jesus’s second coming occurred in America and he believed the best way to initiate a religious rebirth was with a run for President? AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss Dion Graham’s narration of a satirical story of the Messiah’s run for the White House, written by Roland Merullo. The story centers on Russ Thomas, a TV reporter who, along with a girlfriend, meets a stranger named Jesus who asks them to work on his presidential campaign. If you’re looking for something escapist and different, this one is a wild ride. Published by Post Hypnotic Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media. Publishers of bestselling audiobooks from classics like THE GREAT GATSBY to suspenseful mysteries, to indulging romance to essential non-fictions that make your ears happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Becky Cooper’s true-crime audiobook chronicles her meticulous and deeply personal investigation of a fifty-year-old murder case. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook where the real-life mystery is solved. In 1969, Harvard graduate student Jane Britton was found violently murdered in her apartment, and her unsolved murder was a Harvard myth, passed along for decades. Cooper felt a growing kinship with the enigmatic Jane and became determined to learn the truth about her murder. Cooper’s well-researched, suspenseful, and empathetic account is true crime at its finest. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of Dust, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Amir Abdullah depicts Chicago’s wealthy enclaves, struggling neighborhoods, and mouthwatering foods while introducing the former-cop-turned-PI Ashe Cayne. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Abdullah’s engaging narration of this missing person mystery from author Ian K. Smith. Ashe Cayne is called on to find Tinsley Gerrigan, a billionaire’s adult daughter. When Ashe finds her, she’s living her own secret life outside of her family’s sphere--and when her boyfriend is found dead, things start to heat up. Abdullah has a rich, expressive voice--his excellent performance makes the text compelling in the audio format. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Remembering Kobe Bryant. Hear firsthand stories about what it was like to go toe-to-toe with one of basketball’s greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actress and comedian Rachel Bloom narrates her own memoir showcasing her life story and her hilarious personality. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about Bloom’s story of growing up as someone who didn’t quite fit in, but discovered her own unique voice through theater. She goes on to become famous as the creator and lead actor in “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” a musical TV show that broke barriers and dealt directly with the subject of mental health. It’s an audiobook that bursts with Bloom’s personality and voice--she even breaks out into song with multipart harmony and music--making it a book you definitely want to experience on audio. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking full-cast original audiobook performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini anchors a full-cast performance of a story that takes place in Spokane, WA in the early 1900s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this Earphones Award-winning story centered on a difficult time in America’s history, and Jess Walters’s memorable characters. Young brothers Rye and Gig take dangerous jobs in the hopes of improving their station in life, but nothing is easy. Events take a turn when they get caught up in the free speech movement and with union organizing. Narrators jump in with spot-on portrayals of activists, detectives, and more, giving backgrounds and ultimate fates of key characters. The outstanding production captures the heart of this affecting snapshot of life during the Progressive Era. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of Dust, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zenia Starr narrates a lively start to an exciting mystery series starring Zaiba, a determined 11-year-old on the lookout for a case. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Annabelle Sami’s new mystery that is perfect for family listening. The Royal Star Hotel is bustling with guests for Zaiba’s cousin’s Mehndi party, and when clever Zaiba, her younger brother Ali, and her best friend Poppy hear of a VIP guest, they’re determined to discover who it is--little do they know they’re stumbling onto a burglary! Starr’s bright narration and ease with shifting between British, Pakistani, and American accents will keep young listeners hooked as they try to solve the case of the missing diamonds--and dog!--along with Zaiba. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Remembering Kobe Bryant. Hear firsthand stories about what it was like to go toe-to-toe with one of basketball’s greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Jane Wells narrates a sweetly humorous romance between an incognito duke and a woman determined to lead her father’s sauce business to success. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed all that she loved about Milan’s latest historical romance, one that listeners will find discovers both real-world truths and a promise of hope. Jeremy Wentworth loves Chloe Fong, but the awkward fact that she doesn’t know he literally owns her home & entire village makes romance difficult. Wells perfectly captures Chloe’s brisk focus and Jeremy’s charming fecklessness, and Wells shows the deep respect and profound bond between them, especially with regard to their Chinese heritage. There’s much to love about this audiobook. Published by Courtney Milan. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of Dust, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kwame Alexander delivers three of his poems about the struggles of Black Americans to make a potent combination of elegy, protest, and celebration of Black triumph. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the impressive impact of this brief audiobook, and Alexander’s powerful performance. He begins the audiobook with a stirring foreword recounting a time as a child when he joined his school in protesting police brutality, his fear of police violence, and the power he felt through communal protest and song. Listen to hear his wonderfully performed poems “American Bullet Points,” “Take a Knee,” and “The Undefeated,” set to original music. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Remembering Kobe Bryant. Hear firsthand stories about what it was like to go toe-to-toe with one of basketball’s greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Michael Bow expresses the cynical wit of Korean American “super mega nerd” Sunny Dae. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about all there is to love about David Yoon’s newest teen romance. When Sunny gets a new neighbor, the ultracool Cirrus Soh, he invents a fairly impressive fake rockstar persona that results in stealing his older brother’s clothes, music, and swagger. Sunny ropes his best friends into the act, and they form a band, discovering the thrill of making music together. Bow is able to reflect Sunny’s cynicism, anxiety, growing confidence as he manages to keep the wool over Cirrus’s eyes--but only to a point. Bow reveals Sunny’s true self as he ultimately questions his relationships with Cirrus and his family, and finds his own identity. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking full-cast original audiobook performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ijeoma Oluo, the bestselling author of SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE, is back, this time taking a closer look at the legacy of white male supremacy in America. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Oluo’s well-researched examination of how America’s systems have been built to prioritize white and male culture above all else--and that these systems can and must be rebuilt. Her narration is confident and clear, drawing listeners in with appropriate indignation and outrage, and listeners will be moved, disturbed, and inspired by her words. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of Dust, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adam Lazarre-White finds the distinct voice of each character in this seminal collection, written in 1938 by Richard Wright. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Wright’s collection that exposed the strange and coded universe of Jim Crow racism to the entire world with a hard-hitting essay and five remarkable and devastating short stories. Realistic, visceral, violent, and honest--these are stories that mattered and still matter today, and Lazarre-White reads them that way. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of DUST, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Feodor Chin reads this satirical novel with drama and wit. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Pete Beatty’s audiobook set in 19th-century Ohio and how the outsized characters make this tall tale an heir to the Western lore of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan. The listener is treated to all the hijinks--from a boat race to a bridge burning and a prodigious brawl. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Remembering Kobe Bryant. Hear firsthand stories about what it was like to go toe-to-toe with one of basketball’s greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff revisit Willa Cather’s classic, narrated by Robert G. Slade. He delivers the voices of Bohemians, Norwegians, and Russian immigrants with subtlety and captures the cadences of young and old--and most of all, inhabits the coming of age of the storyteller Jim Burden. Ántonia is one of American literature’s most striking heroines--strong, independent, spirited, and motherly, she survives and prevails. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking full-cast original audiobook performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Charlie Thurston embraces the fast pace of this entertaining cheese-focused romp. AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed about how Thurston’s cadence, rhythm, and ability to mimic make Joe Berkowitz’s informative audiobook special. It’s at once a cheese-centered travelogue, an appreciation of all things cheese, and a celebration of those who make cheese. And it’s also a journey into the nether world of cheese competitions. It’s a listen for food lovers, cheese makers, and anyone who wants to discover more about the American artisan cheese world. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of DUST, the first in the new Heirs of Neverland series, a dark and dramatic take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Lauren Redniss and a full cast of narrators transport the listener to the high, dry country of southeast Arizona’s Apache San Carlos Reservation. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this story of sacred lands threatened by development of their vast copper deposits. Lauren Redniss delivers the narrative that introduces listeners to the people and the issues, and this work of art celebrates the Apache culture and its close ties to the land. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Remembering Kobe Bryant. Hear firsthand stories about what it was like to go toe-to-toe with one of basketball’s greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices