Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Jamie Renell’s narration of Ted Gioia’s sprawling work on music is confident and fast paced, which is just what this serious tome needs. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss the author’s exploration into the many ways music touches our lives and culture. The author argues that for all of human history, the most important music starts out as subversive and only later is embraced by the establishment. The work crescendos as it moves from the Classical era into its discussion of twentieth-century jazz, blues, and rock musicians who have touched our own lives. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madhuri Shekar’s truly original and entertaining play won a well-deserved Audie Award in 2020. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss this story told through a series of phone calls and voicemails. It centers around a mother in New Delhi who is desperately trying to steer her Americanized daughter into a proper marriage. But when the daughter thinks she’s found the perfect match, the fine vocal symmetry between British-Indian actress Rita Wolf and American newcomer Annapurna Sriram intensifies as the story evolves from rom-com to ghostly thriller. The production is everything that contemporary audio drama should be. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh voice talent Dana Dae leads a cast of 15 actors who deliver a cinematic atmosphere in this intricate story set in a Caribbean resort. Host Jo Reed talks with AudioFile contributor Brian Price about how the multicast narration enhances this atmospheric listen, written by Alexis Schaitkin. A family is vacationing at an exclusive resort, and their teenage daughter goes missing. Her body is found washed up on the beach two days later and her death is never solved. Seventeen years later, her younger sister, portrayed by Dae, tries to make sense of her sister’s tragic death — and here is where the ensemble approach shines. Separate distinct voices deftly magnify the complex issues of race, class, and gender that come together in the heartrending conclusion. Published by Macmillan Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYNC: Audiobooks for Teens has started its 2020 season! AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed share the excitement about AudioFile’s 11th season partnering with publishers and OverDrive to bring free audiobooks to teens across the globe. This year SYNC includes 26 titles available over 13 weeks using Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive. Two new titles are free to download each week. Visit www.audiobooksync.com for the full season of titles. Michele shares audiobook samples from two titles in particular. SISTERS MATSUMOTO by Philip Kan Gotanda is brought to life by a cast live on stage. Published by L.A. Theatre Works. Octavia E. Butler’s KINDRED is skillfully narrated by Kim Staunton, and her story, originally published in 1979, still resonates today. Published by Recorded Books. Learn more about SYNC: Audiobooks for Teens at audiobooksync.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed discuss a murder mystery that’s sure to delight film buffs everywhere. Marissa Dahl is a film editor who is hired to replace a recently fired editor and stumbles into a murder on a resort island off of Delaware. Julia Whelan is a magnificent narrator and delivers all the many emotional shifts—fear, comedy, romance, anxiety—with absolute certainty. The audiobook succeeds as both a witty send-up of the film industry and a lively mystery full of mayhem. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food writer Michael Pollan investigates how we all became addicted to the most commonly used drug in the world — caffeine. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Pollan’s persuasive narration and writing as he mixes personal experimentation and historical research into the impact of caffeine around the world. Listeners will come away with a potful of information on the worldwide economic importance of coffee and tea, and the ubiquitous presence of caffeine in the world. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this true tale of Russian espionage from Gordon Corera, the BBC’s Security Editor. Derek Perkins is the perfect narrator, with engaging storytelling skills and the believability of a broadcast narrator. Listeners learn about Russian tradecraft: coded radio messages, bag-drops of cash, private wireless networks, and stenography. These incidents might be intriguing to spycraft fans, but the listener is reminded of the chilling reality of cyber-espionage and poisonings. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alison Larkin is a narrator, comedian, actress, and novelist, and she joins host Jo Reed to share the ways English light verse has been a comfort to her in our present time of social isolation. Alison has narrated a wide range of award-winning audiobooks, including many classic favorites. She spoke with Jo about the limericks and nonsense poems she grew up with in Britain, many of which she’s narrated embedded within classic works for children. She reads favorite limericks and poems with all of her signature lively wit, sure to delight listeners of all ages. Find more of Alison’s narrations at AlisonLarkinPresents.com Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Fiona Shaw reads A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, the original feminist manifesto, written by Mary Wollstonecraft; Wollstonecraft was the mother of Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney Patterson’s lively delivery hits all the right tones of both humor and melancholy in this charming novel about a 50-year-old woman, Judy, who is trying to cope with too much change. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about Judy’s unusual solution to dealing with anxiety—wearing her pet dog in a baby sling. We all deal with stressful times; why not face life’s struggles with a dose of absurdity? Listeners will feel Judy’s all-too-familiar pain while laughing at how she handles everything life throws her way. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos invites you to enjoy David Shaw-Parker’s AudioFile Earphones Award-winning performances of the works of Anthony Trollope, one of the most successful, prolific, and respected novelists of the Victorian era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the new memoir from Bess Kalb, a writer for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show. Listeners will hear the admiration in Kalb’s voice as she expresses the determined spirit of her beloved grandmother, Bobby Bell, with whom she shared a special bond. Bobby was the primary caregiver for Bess for the first year of her life, and she was a woman with strong opinions who gladly shared those opinions with Bess. There are many fun nuggets to find in these sketches, stories, and voicemails that jump around through time periods. Bobby faced enormous difficulties growing up, and her remembrances will bring comfort to listeners facing today’s struggles. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks and David Timson offer a collection of the best of Shakespeare’s love sonnets in From Shakespeare – with love, read by David Tennant, Juliet Stevenson, Anton Lesser, and many more. A winner of AudioFile's Earphones Award: "They’re perfect for audio." (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cameron Esposito invites listeners along as she recounts her journey from self-identified “Little Gay Kid” to an established comedian. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed about Esposito’s skill at telling her own story in her voice, with an ability to move from snarky to serious. Espositio is the host of the LGBTQ+ interview podcast Queery, and with this audiobook, she provides longtime fans and new listeners with fortifying encouragement and starting points for meaningful conversations. Listen and discover an engaging author performance. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. The Yosemite, John Muir's ode to nature and the magnificence of the outdoors, and Christina Hardyment’s collection The Pleasures of the Garden, containing the work of classic writers on the theme of horticulture, are two good listens for Earth Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to an audiobook about the ultimate escape room — no one can leave until someone dies. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this psychological thriller read with intensity by Kate Rudd. Six teens are locked together in a room and have to choose which one must die. Rudd continually turns up the heat—quite literally at a party where the thermostat is stuck on high and a bomb is ticking, and metaphorically as the protagonist has a series of epiphanies about what is actually going on. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Neville Jason performs The Periodic Table by Primo Levi, an impassioned response to the Holocaust. It consists of twenty-one short stories, each possessing the name of a chemical element. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The listener is taken through Natalie Wood’s life from child star to mysterious death. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Suzanne Finstad’s updated biography of Natalie Wood, read with an intelligent interpretation by Rose McGowan. McGowan’s reading of Wood’s intense and abusive childhood is matter-of-fact, unbiased, and doesn’t over-dramatize. Finstad conducted hundreds of interviews, examined Wood’s unpublished memoir, and reveals stunning details about what really happened the night Natalie Wood drowned. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue, generally considered to be the first detective story, first appeared on today's date. "Naxos ties up a great package of dramatic performances with a wonderful selection of classical music between chapters for this tale” (AudioFile). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Shiromi Arserio and Jason Carpenter are perfectly matched in this modern-day fairy tale with a forbidden romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this delightful start to a new series by Sandhya Menon that relocates Beauty and the Beast to the Colorado mountains. Princess Jaya is a new student on a mission to avenge her younger sister and is unexpectedly drawn to her target — the brooding Grey Emerson, son of a rival family. Together, Arserio and Carpenter bring this story of a cursed love to life. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Adamson narrates as a friendly guide to Bernd Heinrich’s insights into the natural world. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed how this audiobook centered around the many ways animals find their homes brought her comfort in these trying times. Heinrich dives into the research around how animals find their homes, how they make their homes, and how they learn how to return to their homes year after year. Adamson’s varied inflections draw listeners into the curious mind of Heinrich. These tales of natural history are well suited to a wide audience. Published by HMH Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Today we remember John Millington Synge, best known for his play, The Playboy of the Western World, which caused riots on its opening night. This timeless recording stars the Irish actors who made it a classic, including Siobhan McKenna and Cyril Cusack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan Moore’s cool, smooth narration carries listeners through this story of deception, betrayal, and the cost of guilt. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Emily St. John Mandel’s newest audiobook centered around a fictional Ponzi scheme and the impact of its inevitable collapse. This is a novel that drifts from one point of view to another, and Moore’s narration guides listeners through subtle shifts in tone and accent. It’s a quiet ghost story and a carefully crafted mystery. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Observe the birth of Henry James with a winner of AudioFile's Earphones Award, What Maisie Knew, performed by Juliet Stevenson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Miles gives voice to everything New York in this fantastical celebration of the city’s spirit. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the latest audiobook from renowned author N.K. Jemisin and Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles. New York City is going through a transformation—it’s becoming sentient, embodied by six human avatars who represent the city’s five boroughs plus New York as a whole. Those avatars must find each other to reject a viral alien threat. Miles creates distinct voices and accents for the diverse cast of characters and goes all-in with her energizing performance, making listening a joy. An ideal audiobook companion in a time of uncertainty. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, A pivotal moment in our nation's history, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, happened on April 14th. Through a balance of biography and Lincoln's key speeches and letters, The Essential Abraham Lincoln demonstrates his keen intelligence and determination, which were maintained all the way to his tragic death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini joins host Jo Reed to honor National Poetry Month and shares his thoughts on the power of poetry, especially in trying times. Edoardo has loved poetry from a young age, and it has a special place in his life as both a reader and a narrator. In this episode, Edoardo also narrates a poem for our podcast listeners, bringing a bit of brightness and hope into our dark spring with William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Samuel Beckett, one of the great avant-garde Irish dramatists and writers of the second half of the twentieth century, was born on 13 April 1906. Sean Barrett leads a full cast in the production of Waiting for Godot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator George Guidall bestows his abundant gifts on this sprawling audiobook about the history of Texas. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about Stephen Harrigan’s audiobook, which covers thousands of years of history and the people—famous, the infamous, and the obscure—who made Texas what it was and what it is today. Guidall’s melodious tone serves the outsized events and unusual folklore of the Lone Star State. By turns travelogue, political treatise, and thoughtful guide to personalities, this audiobook leaves the listener fully satisfied. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear and mistrust are pervasive in an alternative Europe at the end of the 1980s. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about how this listen makes for a great escape into the past while still maintaining enough of a parallel to today to engage listeners. Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt brings the wide cast of characters alive and builds the tension as the plot develops. His voicings of key protagonists are strong and packed full of individuality, making for a thrilling and fun presentation of an early novel that at one time author Ian Rankin wanted to disown. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kirsten Potter expertly narrates this teen biography of the famed and controversial aviator Charles Lindberg. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the many facets of Lindbergh’s public and private life, making this a biography that will hold listeners’ attention. Kirsten Potter’s strong and lively performance imbues the narrative with emotion, and it earned her AudioFile’s Earphones award. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, observe National Poetry Month with William Wordsworth’s The Prelude, an autobiography in verse read by Nicholas Farrell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten celebrate all things poetry on today’s episode. April is National Poetry Month in the U.S., and there is a wealth of poetry on audio worthy of celebration. Choose from numerous excellent audio editions of collections from classic poets. Contemporary poets now record their own audiobooks beautifully and with intense emotion, with AudioFile’s favorites including works by Joy Harjo (Muscogee Creek Nation), Richard Blanco, Tracy K. Smith, and Maya Angelou. We consider poetry to be a good remedy in trying times, and author William Sieghart agrees in THE POETRY REMEDY, where he suggests a poem for a specific emotional condition. Hear a clip from a Wendell Berry poem he prescribed for anxiety, stress, and worrying. Published by Penguin Audio. Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, April is National Poetry Month. Join the celebration with The Great Poets series from Naxos AudioBooks. Anton Lesser reads Joseph Auslander's translation of the works of poet Francesco Petrarch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Naudus keeps listeners on the edge of our seats with her luscious voice and her clearly delineated characters. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the many dangers of small towns on the coast of Maine found in fictional worlds. Tess Henshaw is a teacher at the elite boarding school where she was once a student. When a teen is discovered dead on the seaside cliffs, Tess’s carefully constructed life begins to crack. This novel weaves setting, history, and a mythical connection to unsolved disappearances into a compelling audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, enjoy a collection of short stories from America’s first professional author, Washington Irving. Adam Sims performs some of the earliest examples of American fiction, Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Pride of the Village & The Spectre Bridegroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Mallory Ortberg’s narration is undeniably powerful as he combines memoir, Biblical exegesis, and a trans retelling of fiction and myth into a book about gender and transition unlike any other. His narration is multilayered and alive, and even listeners who are unfamiliar with the author’s writing will be drawn in. It is a fresh listen—and odd in the best possible way. Every moment of this audiobook is a joy to listen to. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, celebrate the birth of two authors born on April 2nd: Giacomo Casanova, the infamous libertine who wrote The Story of My Life, an explosive and exhilarating autobiography, read by Peter Wickham, and Émile Zola, whose Nana receives a “beautiful and devastating” performance by Leighton Pugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Louise Erdrich gives a rewarding listening experience based on historical events of the 1950s, when the U.S. government sought to dissolve its treaty with the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed why she enjoyed hearing the characters portrayed by the author herself, and how she was drawn into the minutiae of everyday life as the story’s mounting crisis builds. It is a fictional tale, but the factory night watchman at the center of the story is based on Erdrich’s own grandfather, and his character spends each night writing letters to politicians to maintain the location of his tribe. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Happy April Fool’s Day! Enjoy a laugh with David Timson’s delightful anthology of some of the funniest extracts in English literature, 1000 Years of Laughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Fass narrates this compelling and timely guide to eating a balanced diet to reduce our risk of disease. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about how Mark Bittman and Dr. David L. Katz put food fads and trends into perspective and encourage common-sense decision-making when it comes to food. The audiobook is presented as an easy-to-digest “multi-course Q & A” to shatter myths about diet and examine the food industry’s role in society’s unhealthy eating habits. Fass’s calm and well-spoken narration keeps this audiobook enticing and easy to hear. Published by HMH Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed how this beautiful combination of text and performance makes for a wonderful listening escape. Casey is a young writer who is drowning in college debt and getting by as a waitress as she watches her friends find financial success. Narrator Stacey Glemboski disappears into the characters in this surprisingly funny story, and her warm voice has great narrative appeal as she populates the wealth of interesting characters with believable, imaginative voices. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Weber returns to narrate the newest Harlan Coben thriller, and it’s a suspenseful listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith talk about this audiobook that goes beyond just a missing person story to explore terrifying depictions of the vulnerability that arises from our reliance on social media for facts. Narrator Weber is perfectly in step with the pace of the action. When his classmate goes missing, Matthew Crimstein turns to his grandmother, Hester, for help. Hester engages a private detective to help her with the case. Weber masterfully gives Hester a big attitude and strong New York accent, and his acting talents also shine in his performance of sulky, awkward teenagers and class bullies. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fascinating account of the industry of reuse, running the gamut from local thrift stores to Japanese vintage shops to used-goods enterprises in Ghana. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith talk about the mystery of what happens to our unwanted, discarded, and donated stuff. Daniel Henning is a capable narrator who is easy on the ear, and he always sounds both interested and educational. It’s a lively production that will stick with listeners, inviting them to consider—or reconsider—their choices as consumers. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The famously hoarse, hesitant, and always interested voice of renowned public radio host Diane Rehm is a trustworthy guide for listeners to her excellent new audiobook about allowing terminally ill patients control the time and manner of their deaths. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this audiobook that blends personal anecdotes, reportage, and interviews with patients, doctors, advocates, and opponents. Interviews are read by Rehm and several talented narrators, as well as Rehm’s grandson, and they make for compelling listening. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An absorbing audiobook with vivid stories that bring each American president’s struggles with his writing (or ghostwriting) alive. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith and host Jo Reed discuss this surprising audiobook packed with tales of presidents and their writing habits, and how the reading public evolved over our country’s history. Fred Sanders narrates with a warm voice and clear diction, revealing the presidents’ insecurities, intellect, and often, ego. A rich political and social history of the republic, seen through the prism of books, their presidential authors, and readers. Published by Simon & Schuster. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will be on the edge of their seats while listening to John Lee’s superb narration of Winston Churchill’s first year as Britain’s prime minister, 1940-41. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this most perilous year in Britain’s history, as told through Erik Larson’s captivating writing and Lee’s polished and expressive narration. The German invasion was expected at any moment, and listeners gain a new appreciation for the perilous state England was in as they faced Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, and the Blitz. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billie Fulford-Brown narrates this enemies-to-lovers romance that is above all an ode to skilled professionals doing their jobs amazingly well. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed why she loved escaping into this audiobook by Lucy Parker, a new sequel to THE AUSTEN PLAYBOOK. Set in London, the story centers on two competitive television hosts, Sabrina and Nick, who have to combine their efforts to help revive their station’s failing morning show—or lose their jobs. Fulford-Brown perfectly captures the way Sabrina and Nick’s relationship shifts from frosty to passionate and ramps up the on-air and behind-the-scenes chemistry between the characters. Published by Harlequin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

R. Eric Thomas is known for his essays on current events and for his talents with storytelling live on stage. He narrates his own memoir in a warm and familiar voice. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Thomas’s essays, which touch on the complexities of identity, faith, and internet culture. His perspective comes from his intersecting identities—he is a gay black man, a writer in the digital world, and a person married to a pastor and brought up in an anti-gay faith. Listeners will find a level of seriousness in the mix of pop-culture references and humor. Thomas’s curiosity, hope, and love for the world are apparent in every word he speaks. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Ron Butler lends expertise, elegance, and expressiveness to his heartbreakingly beautiful performance of King, a black tween whose older brother has died. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Kacen Callender’s must-listen audiobook for middle graders. Butler’s narration mirrors all of King’s emotions as the story sensitively explores racism, homophobia, child abuse, death, and sexuality. Each character, and most especially King, comes to life through Butler’s voice. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will want to have a pen and a journal at the ready as they work through Layla F. Saad’s 28 days of examining the ways white supremacy is acting through them. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about the impact of this workbook that requires real listener participation. Saad first shared the Me and White Supremacy challenge on Instagram in 2018, and the challenge went viral. When she repackaged it as a free downloadable workbook, it was downloaded nearly 100,000 times. Now Saad has added new content, providing more personal and historical context as she helps listeners reflect on their relationship with white privilege, white fragility, and more. Saad narrates clearly and smoothly and keeps listeners in line—you will want to push back against being held accountable, and she knows just what to say to counter that impulse. This is life-changing work. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glennon Doyle opens her heart to listeners in her vivid new memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the power of Doyle’s writing and her moving narration. Doyle is a bestselling author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist, and she narrates with passion as she gets incredibly personal with her storytelling. She speaks about how society has “tamed” women to act and live in certain prescribed ways, stuffing every aspect of their true selves away. She shares insights on why it is so essential to listen to our inner voices, and how her life has changed as a result. No one but Doyle herself could read this memoir. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An extraordinary production of Pulitzer Prize-winner Elizabeth Strout’s novel of the same name. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this dramatic adaptation of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON, voiced by actor Laura Linney, who also stars in the Broadway play. Linney alternately transforms herself into tough yet fragile Lucy and Lucy’s croak-voiced mother. Rona Munro’s exquisite adaptation pares the story to its core. Lucy, waking from an operation during a long hospital stay, finds her estranged mother keeping watch. This surprise triggers a flood of memories, and listeners hear the desperation, fury, fear, and yearning of those years of poverty-stricken childhood. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The plot of EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS is ready-made for classic mystery buffs. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this twisty and surprising audiobook. Narrator Graham Halstead is genuine with his dialogue, especially as Malcolm Kershaw, the crime fiction bookstore owner who seduces listeners into trusting him. Kershaw posted a blog describing eight mysteries in which the murderer succeeds in committing the perfect unsolvable crime. Now, several years later, the FBI is in touch because someone seems to be imitating those murders in real life. A clever audiobook by an author who truly appreciates the genre. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into an alternative history where Princess Elizabeth and Margaret were sent to Clonmillis Hall in Ireland during the London Blitz. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this new look at World War II from Benjamin Black. Barrie Kreinik narrates with admirable skill, giving the secreted away “Ellen” and “Mary” believable voices, with an imperial no-nonsense voice for the future queen, while Mary vibrates through a range of voices, always letting her feelings show. The unwilling hosts, their help, and the townspeople all come to life with distinct Irish lilts. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Josephine Reed spoke with author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds about STAMPED, a remix of Ibram X. Kendi’s STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING for young people. Highly recommended as a work for young readers, STAMPED, which Reynolds also narrates, is accessible to anyone interested in learning about how racism and antiracism developed in America. In all of his work, Reynolds is known for writing and speaking directly to young listeners, meeting them where they are, and helping young Black readers see themselves reflected in books they are excited to read. In this bonus episode of the Behind the Mic podcast, Reynolds speaks about the importance of writing for younger readers, the power of audiobook listening, and how he came to work on STAMPED. Find more audiobook recommendations, including reviews of Jason Reynolds’ audiobooks, at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed talk about a revelatory new work about older people and Western medicine. Don’t skip on! You too will be old one day, and you likely have friends and family who are older now. Eliza Foss offers a masterful narration of the audiobook, giving voice to Aronson’s humane and engaging reflection on what she has learned during her decades as a gerontologist and primary care physician. Foss keeps listeners tuned in through subtle engagement and sustains the long form, keeping our interest and maintaining the pace and momentum. The audiobook is full of stories and data that will enlighten, amuse, infuriate, and arm you to go forward into the land of wrinkles and self-advocacy. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com https://audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 2020 Audie Finalist is told in the voices of the women interviewed. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about the feeling of genuine interaction that personalizes the audiobook format. For those looking for something new in inspirational listening, this audiobook is a creative experiment worth exploring. Two hundred women from many backgrounds were asked the same five questions. Interviewees range from actress Ashley Judd to chef Alice Waters to Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú, all of whom speak passionately on the unifying theme of the importance of social justice. Published by Chronicle Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb share details about the winning audiobook in this Audie Awards category. Hearing directly from the author can increase the emotional impact of an audiobook, whether it’s compelling fiction or a memoir that you just can’t put down. Hear a sound clip from this year’s winner as we wrap up our week of Audie Awards coverage with Michele and Jo. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Narration by the Author are: BECOMING by Michelle Obama, read by Michelle Obama, published by Penguin Random House Audio INSIDE OUT by Demi Moore, read by Demi Moore, published by HarperAudio MADAME BADOBEDAH by Sophie Dahl, read by Sophie Dahl, published by Bolinda Publishing SHORTEST WAY HOME by Pete Buttigieg, read by Pete Buttigieg, published by HighBridge Audio, a division of Recorded Books TOUGH LOVE by Susan Rice, read by Susan Rice, published by Simon & Schuster Audio WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Elizabeth Acevedo, published by HarperAudio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Autobiographies and memoirs are a favorite genre in audiobooks, and the subject matter in this category can be wide ranging. Hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the impressive finalists and the winner who took home the 2020 Audie Award home in the Autobiography/Memoir category. Listen in for a clip from the winning audiobook, too. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards in Autobiography/Memoir are: BECOMING by Michelle Obama, read by Michelle Obama, published by Penguin Random House Audio FROM SCRATCH by Tembi Locke, read by Tembi Locke, published by Simon & Schuster Audio ME by Elton John, read by Taron Egerton, Elton John, published by Macmillan Audio MOTHERSTRUCK! by Staceyann Chin, read by Staceyann Chin, published by Audible Studios TOO MUCH IS NOT ENOUGH by Andrew Rannells, read by Andrew Rannells, published by Penguin Random House Audio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re celebrating the 25th annual Audie Award winners all week with host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb. Today they’re featuring the winner of the Best Male Narrator category, which was surely a tough choice for the Audies judges among so many skilled performances. Listen for their reveal of the winner, and hear a clip of the winning audiobook. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Best Male Narrator are: THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks, published by HarperAudio EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer, read by Robert Petkoff, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt KINGDOM OF THE BLIND by Louise Penny, read by Robert Bathurst, published by Macmillan Audio THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead, read by JD Jackson, published by Penguin Random House Audio WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams, read by Peter Capaldi, published by Blackstone Publishing Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss the biggest night in the audiobook world, the Audie Awards. Last night was the 25th annual celebration of audiobook excellence. Tune in today as we reveal the winner of the Best Female Narrator award, a category that includes some of the best narrators in the industry, recognized for their excellent work on compelling audiobooks. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Best Female Narrator are: ALL THE LOST THINGS by Michelle Sacks, read by Cassandra Morris, published by Hachette Audio THE BOY by Tami Hoag, read by Hillary Huber, published by Brilliance Audio NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson, read by Marin Ireland, published by HarperAudio PRIME SUSPECT by Lynda La Plante, read by Rachel Atkins, published by Zaffle THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow, read by January LaVoy, published by Hachette Audio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the 2020 Audie Awards, one of the biggest events of the year in the audiobook world. Tonight, March 2, is the 25th annual Audie Awards gala, where the big winners will be announced. Today Jo and Michele are discussing the finalists in the Audiobook of the Year category, titles with high-quality content and production values that are recognized as benchmarks of excellence for the industry and serve as worthy ambassadors to new and current listeners. The finalists for the 2020 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year are: ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner, read by Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Susan Brown, Denise Gough, and a Full Cast, published by Penguin Random House Audio BECOMING by Michelle Obama, read by Michelle Obama, published by Penguin Random House Audio CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E.B. White, read by Meryl Streep, January LaVoy, Kirby Heyborne, MacLeod Andrews, and a Full Cast, published by Penguin Random House Audio THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks, published by HarperAudio THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff, read by Holter Graham and a Full 45-Person Cast, published by Simon & Schuster Audio THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood, published by Penguin Random House Audio Find a full list of 2020 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards finalist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this deliciously grisly full-cast recording that captures the campy horror of EC Comics’ 1950s stories. The cast features Phil Proctor, Denise Poirier, and an outstanding performance by Kevin Grevioux as the Vault Keeper, whose rumbling voice and wicked laugh nearly steals the show. A multilayered soundscape including creepy period music and carefully engineered sound effects (footsteps that advance ominously out of the darkness, screams that echo in an abandoned house) contributes to the unsettling atmosphere that marks each tale. Published by The AudioComics Company. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Looking for a bookish community that focuses on positivity and inspiration? That’s Page Chaser’s mission: to have conversations with avid readers who believe that everything is worthy of discussion – from Mister Rogers to the Hunger Games to Little Women. Join the Page Chaser crew at www.PageChaser.com, where you can read articles, watch videos, sign up for amazing bookish deals, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners get a sense of 19-year-old Sally Miyake’s curiosity and intuition about the world in a new mystery for children from NPR’s Scott Simon. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss Lauren Fortgang’s skill at bringing the residents and staff of Sunnyside Plaza to life. The author draws on his own experiences working in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities. Sally and her friends have independence and community, and when a disturbing pattern emerges, she becomes enlisted by detectives to help solve the case. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com If you’re looking for some bookish positivity, visit the crew at Page Chaser for conversations about everything from the Hunger Games to Mister Rogers to Little Women. Join the Page Chaser crew at www.PageChaser.com. While there, be sure to sign up for Page Chaser Deals, which will give you a daily dose of the best inspirational audiobook and ebook deals on the internet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices