Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

A new collection of essays from celebrated writer Toni Morrison moves from the aftermath of 9/11 to MLK to James Baldwin. She takes on current issues—from what defines a “foreigner” to racial issues and fascism. Inspiring and intellectual, these essays, speeches, and mediations can be savored by listeners for a long time. Narrator Bahni Turpin gives the works full power. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of THE SOURCE OF SELF-REGARD at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walter Mosley, the author of the acclaimed Easy Rawlins mysteries, knows the creative writing process.His well-ordered, straightforward “how to” tips offer a safety net for cautious novice writers. The tone overall is educational—it imparts knowledge and inspires listeners to action. Narrator Dion Graham captures it perfectly. Published by Hachette Audio. Read the full review of THIS YEAR YOU WRITE YOUR NOVEL at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ojibwe author Treuer deeply researched a work that greatly expands our knowledge of Native American history. We hear the histories and first-person accounts of indigenous people of North America that provide uncompromising accounts of the oppression and violence tribes have experienced. Published by Penguin Audio. Read the full review of THE HEARTBEAT OF WOUNDED KNEE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elsey, a painter and married mother living in China, has taken to drinking instead of creating art. Urged by her husband to find help, she attends a yoga retreat and discovers many truths, not the least of which about herself. Cassandra Campbell gives a finely tuned narration. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of ELSEY COME HOME at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College friends Wynn and Jack are lifelong outdoorsmen. The pair set out on a canoe trip in northern Canada, but instead of the leisurely paddling and nights of stargazing, the trip takes dangerous turn. They encounter a wildfire, and their safety and survival take center stage. Mark Deakins turns in a Earphones Award performance. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of THE RIVER at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An angel and a demon form an alliance to postpone the Apocalypse. Humor and wordplay know no bounds in this absurdly delightful comedy. The 1990 original collaboration between authors Gaiman and Pratchett has spawned a single-voice narration by Martin Jarvis and a dramatized adaptation with a full cast, and soon will debut as a streaming series. Published by Harper Audio (single voice), and BBC Worldwide (full cast). Read the full review of GOOD OMENS read by Martin Jarvis at audiofilemagazine.com Read the full review of GOOD OMENS performed by a full cast at audiofilemagazine.com For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The irrepressible Flavia de Luce is at it again, as the young sleuth is presented with a new mystery to solve—this one at her sister Ophelia’s wedding. Jayne Entwistle has delighted listeners with her portrait of Flavia, her querulous sisters, and the colorful characters of her English village for ten audiobooks—and never disappoints. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of THE GOLDEN TRESSES OF THE DEAD at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An alluring adaptation of the classic tale “Beauty and the Beast,” told from the point of view of the Beast. Jim Dale, narrator of the Harry Potter series, knows his magic and richly enlivens this full-length fantasy with extraordinary storytelling. Published by Penguin Audio Read the full review of THE BEAST'S HEART at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The unforgiving Australian Outback is the setting for a riveting mystery about the death of a son in ranching family. Richly drawn characters and the slow unfolding of clues are brilliantly presented. The collaboration between author Jane Harper (THE DRY) and narrator Stephen Shanahan gives unstoppable listening. Published by Macmillan Audio. Read the full review of THE LOST MAN at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An account of the Russian women in World War II who were combat pilots fighting against Nazi Germany. Pioneer aviator and adventurer Maria Roskova trained three regiments of female aviators and inspired the ranks of “1000 sisters.” Written for teens by Elizabeth Wein, author of CODE NAME VERITY. Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of A THOUSAND SISTERS at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Julia Whelan brought home the 2019 Audie Awards for Best Female Narrator and Autobiography/Memoir for her narration of Tara Westover’s EDUCATED, a memoir that has spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list. In our interview with Julia, she reflects on narrating this intense memoir of Westover’s childhood spent in a traditionalist and isolationist family. Plus, Julia shares insights into the work that goes into narrating an audiobook, her transition from acting to college to audiobook narration, her love of reading, and the difficulty of narrating her own book MY OXFORD YEAR. For more audiobooks narrated by Julia Whelan, browse her audiography at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and guest Julia Whelan. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of THE GOOD NEIGHBOR: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journey to the land of the Vikings with this Romance winner of the 2019 Audie Award. Greg Patmore narrates Olivia Norem’s HIS VIKING BRIDE, and listeners will vividly imagine icy seas and raucous laughter thanks to his atmospheric narration. This audiobook also won an AudioFile Earphones Award for its lively narration. Published by Olivia Norem. Read the full review of HIS VIKING BRIDE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Publisher Michele Cobb. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of THE GOOD NEIGHBOR: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Elizabeth George’s THE PUNISHMENT SHE DESERVES, a crime shakes a quiet, historic town in England. The audiobook, narrated by Simon Vance, took home the 2019 Audie Award for Mystery. It’s the 20th in the Detective Inspector Thomas Lynly series, and Vance is a rock star performing this complex and multifaceted murder mystery with a gaggle of characters. As our reviewer says, “A delightful puzzle, brilliantly read.” Published by Penguin Audio. Read the full review of THE PUNISHMENT SHE DESERVES at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Publisher Michele Cobb. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congratulations go to Edoardo Ballerini for being named Best Male Narrator 2019 Audie Awards for his narration of WATCHERS by Dean Koontz. Follow Edoardo into the woods and discover a world of genetic experiments and creatures with enhanced intelligence. Edoardo brings the suspense in a new recording of this 1987 thriller. Hear a sample and learn why it’s a winner. Published by Brilliance Audio. Read the full review of WATCHERS at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Publisher Michele Cobb. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of THE GOOD NEIGHBOR: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Whelan brings home the 2019 Audie Award for Best Female Narrator for her work on EDUCATED by Tara Westover — an audiobook which also won for Best Autobiography/Memoir last night. Julia truly gives an exceptional performance of this harrowing memoir. Westover was raised in rural Idaho with no schooling, no record of her birth, no access to doctors, and a father who distrusted the government. EDUCATED earned an AudioFile Earphones Award and was one of our Best Audiobooks of 2018. Published by Random House Audio. Don’t miss our bonus interview with Julia Whelan airing this Friday, where she’ll share her perspective on narrating EDUCATED and more compelling audiobooks. Read the full review of EDUCATED at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Publisher Michele Cobb. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which audiobook will win the coveted Audiobook of the Year recognition in the 2019 Audie Awards? Six fascinating audiobooks are up for the honor, and in today’s episode we’re highlighting two of them: AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE and BEASTIE BOYS BOOK. The Audie Awards are tonight, so be sure and tune in tomorrow to learn who took home the medal, and listen all week for our special coverage of the 2019 Audies winners. Audiobook of the Year Finalists: AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE: A Novel by Tayari Jones, read by Sean Crisden, Eisa Davis BEASTIE BOYS BOOK by Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, read by Michael Diamond (“Mike D” Diamond), Adam “Ad Rock” Horovitz and a Full Cast CALYPSO by David Sedaris, read by David Sedaris CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi, read by Bahni Turpin THE GOOD NEIGHBOR: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King, read by LeVar Burton I'LL BE GONE IN THE DARK: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara, read by Gabra Zackman, Gillian Flynn [Intro.], Patton Oswalt [Afterword] For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Publisher Michele Cobb. Support for AudioFile’s Sound Reviews comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, read by LeVar Burton and nominated for the 2019 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It starts small, with one college student falling into a deep sleep and never waking up. Her classmates are devastated — and then, it spreads. Cassandra Campbell elegantly narrates this character-driven story about contagion, with deep examinations into the most private inner worlds of those who succumb to sleep. Another beautiful novel from the author of AGE OF MIRACLES. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of THE DREAMERS at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from Oasis Audio, home to bestselling classic titles for all ages — from Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children to George MacDonald’s LILITH and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The audio adaptation of this middle-grade graphic novel uses a full cast and sound effects to draw listeners into Jordan’s story of starting 7th grade in a new private school. It’s always hard being the new kid in school — and that’s especially true if you’re feeling isolated in a school where you’re black, and mostly everyone else is white. You’ll hear narrator Jesus Del Orden’s bright, youthful voice as Jordan, Robin Miles and Guy Lockard as his parents, and a full cast animating classrooms full of bustling students in a story that’s funny, serious, and heartwarming. Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of NEW KID at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this highly anticipated follow-up to THE HATE U GIVE, Bri is a 16-year-old black girl who is desperate to make it big as a rapper. She’s also worried about getting targeted at her mostly white school, the very real potential of getting evicted, and the threat of gang warfare. Narrator Bahni Turpin makes this a raw, funny, and vulnerable listen. THE HATE U GIVE has spent 100+ weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, mostly in the #1 spot, and now ON THE COME UP is in the top spot. Don’t miss out on this new YA listen. Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of ON THE COME UP at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powerful ancient gods, a stolen throne, and revenge. This is the first fantasy book from Leckie, an author known for her space operas, and narrator Adjoa Andoah’s dynamic voices for the imaginative cast of characters make it an audiobook worth seeking out. The story is narrated by a god, the Strength and Patience of the Hill, who tells the story of the world it has observed for millennia. The god also addresses a certain human, Eolo, who is trans. Eolo and heir to the throne Mowat get caught up in political intrigue at court. Published by Hachette Audio. Read the full review of THE RAVEN TOWER at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SADIE won the 2019 Odyssey Award, the American Library Association’s highest honor for an audiobook. Part expository podcast, part vengeance road trip, this YA novel is guaranteed to suck you in. Nineteen-year-old Sadie is narrated with intensity by Rebecca Soler. She’s run away in pursuit of the man she thinks killed her 13-year-old sister, Mattie. Radio producer West McCray, narrated by Dan Bittner, records a true crime-style podcast working to track her down, and he discovers even more of a story than he anticipated. A full cast of more than 40 narrators brings the drama and mystery to life. Published by Macmillan Audio. Read the full review of SADIE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles is known for her powerful voice and has narrated hundreds of audiobooks, including important works of women's and Black History. She combines thoughtful and subtle reading with a chameleon-like ability to create a wide array of accents for titles including: Zora Neale Hurston’s BARRACOON A GIRL STANDS AT THE DOOR: by Rachel Devlin REFLECTIONS BY ROSA PARKS: THE QUIET STRENGTH AND FAITH OF A WOMAN WHO CHANGED A NATION by Rosa Parks, Gregory J. Reed THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS by Isabel Wilkerson, read by Robin Miles Listen in to our interview to hear about the work behind her narrations, and what she’s imagining as she sits “behind the mic.” She is known for her biographies, history and fiction and fantasy audiobooks. Robin has won numerous Earphone Awards and is an AudioFile Golden Voice. Among our favorites are THE STONE SKY, AMERICAN STREET, and ANOTHER BROOKLYN. Once you’ve heard her interview, explore her full audiography and find your next great listen. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and narrator guest Robin Miles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan Cox Gurdon, the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer, brings great insight and passion to her discussion about the importance of reading aloud, especially to children. She sprinkles this audiobook with accents and enthusiasm for “the miraculous power of reading aloud in the age of distraction.” Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of THE ENCHANTED HOUR at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dorothy Butler Gilliam was the first black female reporter and columnist for the Washington Post during the Civil Rights and Women’s movements. She had a front-row seat at some of the nation's most significant turning points. January LaVoy's soft, clear voice narrows the space between listener and author, and her fluid, expressive delivery expertly conveys Gilliam's determination, frustration, pride, and empathy. Published by Hachette Audio. Read the full review of TRAILBLAZER at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An account of the 544 days that Jason Rezaian, Washington Post Tehran bureau chief, was imprisoned in Iran, accused of spying for America. His harrowing story of arrest and imprisonment in Iran is also a detailed account of one Iranian-American's love affair with the land of his heritage and how it goes horribly wrong due to the suspicions of its government. Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of PRISONER at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two brothers have polar opposite takes on the responsibilities of family life. Thrown into the mix are the brothers’ bitter mother, her late husband (the boys’ father), bigamy, and a theme of interconnectedness through time. The author’s literary gifts show off dark humor and an exploration of modern American grief, searingly performed by Edoardo Ballerini. Published by Hachette Audio. Read the full review of THE PUNCH at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Famous Western lawman and scout Wild Bill Hickok is the subject of this new biography. Go beyond the legends and folklore--the real Wild Bill was more than a dime-novel titan and every bit a larger-than-life character. Published by Macmillan Audio. Read the full review of WILD BILL at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine reviewer Jonathan Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Alan Bradley and narrator Jayne Entwistle join us for a bonus episode to talk about the Flavia de Luce series. Flavia, Bradley’s 11-year-old sleuth, has just solved her tenth mystery, THE GOLDEN TRESSES OF THE DEAD. Flavia lives in the village of Bishop’s Lacy, in 1950s England. She’s passionate about poisons – although she’s almost as interested in old churchyards and the fascinating chemistry of decay. Jayne Entwistle inhabits the irrepressible and intrepid Flavia in all of the audiobooks. For listeners she IS Flavia, with all her bright-voiced curiosity and charming cleverness. Until AudioFile brought author and narrator together, the two had never spoken. They make an excellent team. Read the audiobook reviews of all 10 of the series titles. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four narrators, including the author, bring Deborah Eisenberg’s much-anticipated story collection to life, and listeners will be delighted with the variety of topics. Six tales take the listener through a range of emotions. Published by Harper Audio. Read the full review of YOUR DUCK IS MY DUCK at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zookeeper’s son Pi Patel is alone on a 26-foot raft with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger with the incongruous name of Richard Parker. Definitely not a Disney movie, this is a realistic, heart-thumping audiobook that Vikas Adam delivers with verve, intelligence, and sensitivity. Published by Audible, Inc. Read the full review of LIFE OF PI at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lee Israel was a writer who was down on her luck and turned to forging letters from celebrities, including playwrights Lillian Hellman and Noel Coward, in order to stay afloat. The recent film with Melissa McCarthy is based on this memoir of literary forger Israel. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Read the full review of CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tiny uninhabited island off the coast of Western Australia is the setting for this unusual novel that views the difficulties of the immigrant experience as seen through the eyes of nine asylum seekers. After a storm destroys their boat, the survivors drift on the ocean in a dilapidated skiff. They have no idea where they are. An Earphones Award winner, and a 2019 Audie Award Finalist. Published by Bolinda Audio. Read the full review of SANCTUARY at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Farris, a makeup artist in New York City, participates in a study of morals and ethics as a quick way to make money—but things get very personal very quickly. Psychologist Dr. Shields leads the study, but has other plans for Jessica. Two skilled narrators give alternating perspectives. Published by Macmillan Audio. Read the full review of AN ANONYMOUS GIRL at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Baldwin’s 1974 novel is the basis for Barry Jenkins’s recent film. Written from the perspective of 19-year-old Tish, the story of great love and great injustice is searing. Narrator Bahni Turpin delivers the raw power of Baldwin’s storytelling, and the sweet love of Tish and Fonny. Published by Blackstone Audio. Read the full review of IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Spielberg’s film of the story of industrialist Oskar Schindler was released 25 years ago. The acclaimed bestselling classic of Holocaust literature on which it was based is an involving listening experience through the brilliant narration by Humphrey Bower. It’s a fascinating, portrait of Schindler, the unlikely savior of hundreds of Jews, and a terrifying account of vicious Nazi officers. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Read the full review of SCHINDLER'S LIST at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dani Shapiro has written a “memoir of genealogy, paternity, and love” and the journey she began in 2016, at the age of 54, when DNA test results revealed her paternity was not what she had been raised to believe. Listening to the author present her own memoir adds to the impact of this personal self-reflection. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of INHERITANCE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burke’s detective Dave Robicheaux once more tangles with crimes in his district, and with personal relations in the backwoods and bayous of south Louisiana. Will Patton, longtime narrator of the Robicheaux audiobooks, shows his consistent brilliance with new and recurring characters and the evocative descriptions of the physical surroundings. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Read the full review of THE NEW IBERIA BLUES at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seventeen-year-old Sylvie and her family join a professor and his students for a two-week re-enactment of Iron Age Britons. The summer holiday goes awry as her father’s abusive, controlling tendencies find fertile ground in the ritualist history. Sylvie’s interior monologue makes this powerful listening. Published by Macmillan Audio Read the full review of GHOST WALL at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten, Editor & Founder of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover — or rediscover — Marie Kondo’s secrets to tidying up your home and sparking joy. Her audiobooks came out in the U.S. and started a tidying sensation a few years ago, and now with Marie’s new show on Netflix, we’re seeing a resurgence! While her show is delightful, you don’t want to start your tidying journey without first listening to the Earphones Award-winning audiobooks. THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, and SPARK JOY, narrated by Sumalee Montano, will get you on your way toward a tidy home full of joy. Published by Tantor Media and Random House Audio. Read the full reviews of Marie Kondo’s audiobooks at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a romance that starts with a forced marriage, Rosalyn Landor portrays two determined souls who sweetly fall in love, in spite of their best intentions. When Adrian Hunter agrees to do a favor for his uncle, he doesn’t expect to be married at gunpoint. When Camilla Worth meets a handsome valet, she is shocked by the marriage she is forced into. Landor performs exquisite renditions of the characters, particularly the lively secondary characters who pepper the scenes, making for a delightful listen. Published by Courtney Milan. Read the full review of AFTER THE WEDDING at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yetide Badaki’s dynamic narration returns with this sequel to AKATA WITCH. Sunny, an Igbo and American albino girl, has the power to save humanity. Sunny and her friends Chichi, Orlu, and Sasha push the rules as magical Leopard People to help save the world. Badaki skillfully switches between Sunny’s bright American accent and other characters’ Nigerian- and American-sounding voices. Encounters with river beasts, lake monsters, a giant spider, a flying leafcutter, and supreme beings are full of drama and excitement. Published by Tantor Media. Read the full review of AKATA WARRIOR at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. For more information on AudiobookSYNC’s free teen audiobook program, visit www.audiobooksync.com. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The full-cast audiobook adaptation of the Newbery Award-winning graphic novel ROLLER GIRL is full of the best kind of punk rock energy. Astrid falls in love with roller derby and loses her best friend to a mean girl all in one summer. Bright voices and sound effects, including tumbles, bottles of hair dye, and lots of roller skates, create vibrant scenes to help kids imagine the hard work and laughter that goes into learning a new tough sport. Middle school listeners will love this story of learning to be “tougher, stronger, fearless,” and a good friend. Published by Listening Library. Read the full review of ROLLER GIRL at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Assistant Editor Emily Connelly. Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A family isolates themselves on an island to protect their daughters from the toxicity of the wider world—until their father disappears and strange men and a boy wash up on the shore. This atmospheric dystopian fable is told through alternating perspectives of the three daughters. The eldest, Grace, is narrated in a cool, flinty voice by Morfydd Clark, which contrasts with the enthusiasm and longing Gemma Whelan imbues into Lia’s voice. Hannah Murray narrates chapters that tell the story of all three sisters. The poetic language and quick chapters will draw listeners in, as will the mysteries of the outside world and the cruel “therapies” performed on the girls by their parents. Published by Random House Audio. Read the full review of THE WATER CURE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Assistant Editor Emily Connelly Support for AudioFile's Podcast comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Novelist Adriana Trigiani joins us to talk about her latest audiobook, TONY’S WIFE, and narrator Edoardo Ballerini’s engaging performance. In a story about the music of the last century—the Big Band music of the 1940s—two talented working class kids, Tony & Chi Chi, marry and become a successful singing act until time, temptation, and the responsibilities of home and family derail their dreams. Inspired by Adriana’s father’s record collection, the music of Henry Mancini, and the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Adriana astutely notes what audiobook narrators bring to the party of an audiobook experience. She shares thoughts on how hearing a story differs from a text reading, and the importance of hearing stories aloud. We learn about Adriana’s career as a dramatist and playwright, and her work in films and on the stage. She explores how her rich Italian-American-Appalachian heritage informs and influences her work. Adriana and Jo talk about the importance of literacy, and Adriana shares her work on The Origin Project, an in-school writing project for students to find their voices about their Appalachian origins. Read the full review of TONY’S WIFE at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Harper Audio. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s bonus episode are host Jo Reed and novelist Adriana Trigiani. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Pulitzer Prize-winning author who’s been called a master of creative nonfiction, McPhee presents a collection of essays and stories. He reveals a boundless curiosity about all that surrounds us—from the natural world and sports to icons in entertainment and those with an interesting story to tell. Published by Recorded Books Read the full review of THE PATCH at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who was Beyoncé before Beyoncé, or Madonna before Madonna? Entertainer Josephine Baker led a life that sounds more like that of a character in great literature than a groundbreaking entertainer, civil rights champion, and possible spy. Narrator Adenrele Ojo enthalls and inspires listeners with this fictional biography. Published by HighBridge Audio. Read the full review of JOSEPHINE BAKER'S LAST DANCE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rusbridger, editor in chief of THE GUARDIAN during the 20 years when newspapers were struggling to figure out a business model for the digital age, witnessed firsthand the disruption of the news business by the internet. British narrator Samuel West conveys the author's concerns about trying to balance deep research and a 24/7 news cycle in a measured tone. Published by Macmillan Audio. Read the full review of BREAKING NEWS at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A dramatic presentation of poet Natasha Trethewey’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection staged by The Alliance Theatre of Atlanta. Two narrators bring deep understanding of the poems—January LaVoy narrates those Trethewey wrote for and about her mother, and Thomas Neal Antwon Ghant represents The Native Guard, men who traded service in the Union army for freedom from slavery. Listeners will be immersed in this dramatic performance, amplified by music. Published by L.A. Theatre Works Read the full review of NATIVE GUARD at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biography of Douglass, an escaped slave who became a prominent activist, author, and public speaker at the time of the Civil War, shares many details of his personal life but also reflects the drama and emotion of the times. Known for his leadership of the anti-slavery movement, Douglass emerges as a “Prophet of Freedom” in historian David Blight’s celebrated portrait. Narrator Prentice Onayemi involves and engages listeners throughout the audiobook. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio Read the full review of FREDERICK DOUGLASS at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Reviewer Jonathan Smith Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to be a good creature in the world? Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery explores this question through the stories of 13 animals that have shaped her life. Hearing about Octavia the octopus and good pig Christopher Hogwood, listeners will be drawn in not only by Montgomery’s stories but also by her voice, emotions, and her ability to create a sense of suspense. Perfect for animal lovers. Published by HighBridge Audio. Read the full review of HOW TO BE A GOOD CREATURE at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb, Publisher of AudioFile Magazine Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from GraphicAudio, featuring series such as The Stormlight Archive, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen, Demon Cycle, and over 1,000 more A Movie In Your Mind full cast productions available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices