Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine
1,567 episodes - English - Latest episode: 17 days ago - ★★★★★ - 123 ratingsFind your next great audiobook on our podcast, Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine. Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile Editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. All in 6 minutes or less. It’s short, sweet, and just what your ears need. Want more? Listen to our bonus episodes featuring conversations with the best voices in the audiobook industry.
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Episodes
OCEAN'S GODORI by Elaine U. Cho, read by Judy Alice Lee
June 26, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesHost Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how Judy Alice Lee narrates this action-packed space opera with skill. Ocean is a talented pilot and wicked shot working for the Korean space agency on the OHNEUL. Her best friend Teo’s ease and flirtatiousness shine through in Lee’s narration, shifting into desperation when his ship comes under attack. Haven is an outsider when he joins up on the OHNEUL’s crew, and Lee’s quiet voice reflects his thoughtful, cautious nature. Lee brings warm...
THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton, read by Vico Ortiz
June 25, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesVico Ortiz narrates a raucous space adventure rom-com with infectious energy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun and thrills of this lively story. It’s 2061, and Cleo and her three best friends—all scientists—sneak aboard to explore the neglected rocket PROVIDENCE I. Twenty years earlier, it failed to launch and its 203-person crew mysteriously vanished. But when Cleo inadvertently starts the dark matter engine, they’re launched into a seven-year mission with only Bil...
MIRRORED HEAVENS by Rebecca Roanhorse, read by Christian Barillas, Darrell Dennis, Cara Gee, Shyla Lefner, Nicole Lewis, Kairyn Potts, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
June 24, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesThe Meridian’s clans are at war, and alliances are shifting dangerously in this dramatic conclusion to Rebecca Roanhorse’s trilogy, brought to life by an ensemble cast. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how the narrators’ skilled performances slowly reveal the many entangled storylines. Shaun Taylor-Corbett skillfully portrays Serapio as he navigates prophecies and plots against him. Nicole Lewis voices Xiala, whose determination and desperation are palpable as she protects ...
In Conversation with Kate Reading, Golden Voice Narrator
June 21, 2024 09:00 - 41 minutesGolden Voice narrator Kate Reading joins host Jo Reed to discuss her career in audiobook narration. Her experience with audiobooks began with her first job at the Library of Congress’s Talking Books program, which gave her an education in audiobook narration. In their conversation, they discuss her process of narrating audiobooks, particularly the importance of embodying both characters and narrative prose, and also explore how her theater background informs her narration. They also discuss h...
THE HEADMASTER by John McPhee, read by Edoardo Ballerini
June 20, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesHappily, another of John McPhee’s classics has been brought to life with this finely narrated audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini performs the work with care for the author’s eloquent descriptions of Deerfield, Massachusetts, as it evolves over the twentieth century—as does its legendary headmaster, Frank L. Boyden, who took over the school in 1902 and stayed in charge for 66 years. McPhee called this work a portrait, and h...
THE BLACK BOX by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., read by Dominic Hoffman
June 19, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesAlan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed that what makes Golden Voice Dominic Hoffman such a fine narrator is the clarity of his delivery and his vocal agility. He sounds like he is inside Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s, brilliant mind, and he moves adroitly from the author’s knowing perspective to “signifying” in the style of African American folklore. Through this work, subtitled “Writing the Race,” historian, filmmaker, and PBS host Gates gives the listener a distinct frame through which to view African...
REDLINED by Linda Gartz, read by Robin Miles, Moe Egan
June 18, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesGolden Voice Robin Miles and Moe Egan do fine work narrating Linda Gartz’s revealing memoir of Chicago’s West Garfield Park and the author’s life, family, and experiences with race relations—especially during the 1960s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this story of family and policy. Egan voices the author and her timbre, tone, and style are just right. The supremely talented Miles narrates the many African American voices and does them very well. This is mostly a family st...
WITHIN ARM'S REACH by Ann Napolitano, read by Ray Porter, Marin Ireland, Gilli Messer, Kimberly Farr, Cassandra Campbell, Brittany Pressley, Ann Napolitano
June 17, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesA star-studded cast masterfully performs Ann Napolitano’s debut novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this stellar audiobook that tells the story of generations of an Irish American family. It’s hard to limit praise to just a few of the half-dozen sparkling narrations. But Brittany Pressley as Gracie, the lost-soul writer who works as a kind of “Dear Abby,” gives an empathetic and knowing reading; Marin Ireland captures the laconic tone of Gracie’s brilliant sister, Lila; ...
Interview with Maia Kobabe and Nick Martorelli on GENDER QUEER
June 14, 2024 09:00 - 38 minutesIn today’s bonus episode, AudioFile’s Michele Cobb spoke with author Maia Kobabe and audiobook producer Nick Martorelli from Penguin Random House. It’s a special conversation about GENDER QUEER, Kobabe’s award-winning graphic memoir, and how they adapted it into a full cast audiobook production. GENDER QUEER is Kobabe’s very personal story about gender identity, and it makes for an excellent audiobook. Listen to hear more about Kobabe’s personal relationship with audiobooks, how e and Nick wo...
MONA OF THE MANOR by Armistead Maupin, read by Mara Wilson
June 13, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesMara Wilson offers an admirable performance in Armistead Maupin’s tenth book in the Tales of the City series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this lively murder mystery that revives Maupin’s series well known from its PBS and Netflix adaptations. Mona Ramsey hosts American tourists Rhonda and Ernie Blaylock at her grand country home in the English countryside. Midsummer festivities approach, and dangerous secrets are discovered. Wilson builds snappy dialogue skillfully, and ...
FI by Alexandra Fuller, read by Alexandra Fuller
June 12, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesIn this memoir of the unexpected death of her son, Fi, Alexandra Fuller pulls off quite a feat by simultaneously filling her voice with both life and loss. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Fuller’s impressive narration, which has warmth and bite at the appropriate moments. Fuller grew up in Zimbabwe, and her rich, warm voice contains appealing traces of that accent. Fi died at 21 despite having no real health problems, and grief and incomprehension are clear in every word Ful...
LOVERS AT THE MUSEUM by Isabel Allende, read by Nicholas Boulton
June 11, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesGolden Voice Nicholas Boulton delights in Isabel Allende’s short story of passionate lovers. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss listening to this audiobook about a runaway bride who wakes up in Spain’s Guggenheim Museum wearing her wedding dress, in the arms of a stranger. The story is told from the perspective of a detective who is determined to charge the lovers with a crime following their torrid night of lovemaking in the museum. Boulton speaks brusquely as Detective Larram...
HOW TO READ A BOOK by Monica Wood, read by Eileen Stevens
June 10, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesEileen Stevens’s openhearted performance will warm listeners to the core and inspire a sense of true goodness in the world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Monica Wood’s newest audiobook, which tells a story of second chances. Violet Powell is determined to make the most of her time now that she’s out of prison and building a new life in Portland, Maine. She vows she won’t be the sum of her worst act—killing a woman while driving drunk. She finds two unexpected allies in Har...
In Conversation with Dominic Hoffman, Golden Voice Narrator
June 07, 2024 09:00 - 42 minutesDominic Hoffman joins host Jo Reed to tell listeners about his career in acting and in audiobook narration and being named a 2024 Golden Voice narrator. Dominic tells Jo about how his experience on stage informs his audiobook narration, and the unique challenges of serving both the author’s intent and the audience’s listening experience. They discuss his narrations of James McBride’s audiobooks, including THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE, which he says was “as fun as it was challenging,” wi...
Celebrating Robert Petkoff, Golden Voice Narrator
June 06, 2024 09:00 - 11 minutesToday AudioFile Magazine is celebrating Robert Petkoff as a 2024 Golden Voice narrator. Listen to host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten as they discuss Robert’s history in audiobook narration, his particular talents as a narrator, and Robert’s performances that they love to recommend. Essential listening: BAD CITY by Paul Pringle, read by Robert Petkoff BEING MORTAL by Atul Gawande, read by Robert Petkoff FIRE ON THE LEVEE by Jared Fishman, Joseph Hooper, read by Robert Petkoff LESS I...
Celebrating Kate Reading, Golden Voice Narrator
June 05, 2024 09:00 - 10 minutesWe’re celebrating Golden Voice narrators all this week, and today we’re thrilled to honor Kate Reading as a 2024 Golden Voice. Listen to Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discussing Kate’s many talents in the narrator booth, what favorite audiobooks of hers they recommend exploring, and what makes her a Golden Voice. Essential listening: A MEMORY OF LIGHT by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, read by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading DEATH AND THE MAIDEN by Ariel Dorfman, read by John Kapelo...
Celebrating Dominic Hoffman, Golden Voice Narrator
June 04, 2024 09:00 - 9 minutesAudioFile Magazine is proud to announce Dominic Hoffman as a 2024 Golden Voice narrator. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Dominic’s many talents, including his skill with bringing characters and stories to life for audiobook listeners. Listen to hear more about what makes Dominic a Golden Voice, his many accolades, and more. Essential listening: DEACON KING KONG by James McBride, read by Dominic Hoffman JAMES by Percival Everett, read by Dominic Hoffman I CAN'T BREATHE by M...
Announcing the 2024 Golden Voice Narrators
June 03, 2024 15:00 - 7 minutesAudioFile Magazine’s Golden Voice narrators are the stars of the audiobook universe. Today host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten are announcing the new Golden Voice honorees for 2024: Dominic Hoffman, Kate Reading, and Robert Petkoff. AudioFile Magazine has bestowed the Golden Voice honor on 50 audiobook narrators; it’s an accolade that honors those who have made significant contributions to the audiobook art form. We’re celebrating the iconic skills these narrators bring to their perfor...
JAMES by Percival Everett, read by Dominic Hoffman
May 31, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesDominic Hoffman narrates this reimagining of ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, but this time Jim tells his own story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this inventive story. When Jim learns he’s going to be sold to someone downriver, he flees, leaving behind his wife and daughter. Hoffman’s performance captures the varying tone of Jim’s dialogue, highlighting the shifts in his vocabulary and rhythm. With its subtlety and attention to detail, Hoffman’s narration reinforces J...
THE RED GROVE by Tessa Fontaine, read by Erin Moon
May 30, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesErin Moon performs this debut novel set in the 1990s against the backdrop of the California redwoods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of the Red Grove, a safe haven for women seeking refuge from patriarchal violence. Luce lives in the Red Grove with her mother, Gloria, and her little brother, Roo. When Gloria disappears, Luce is determined to find her and accidentally uncovers the Red Grove’s secret history. Moon maintains the tension in her voice throughout ...
EXHIBIT by R.O. Kwon, read by Ami Park, Sue Jean Kim
May 29, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesAmi Park, with additional narration from Sue Jean Kim, performs this engrossing novel from one of America’s rising literary stars. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of a photographer trying to make it as an artist in San Francisco. When she meets ballet dancer Lidija Jung, her entire world changes forever. Park’s performance keeps listeners on edge as we wonder what will become of this all-consuming affair. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s ...
A PLACE IN TIME by Wendell Berry, read by Lyle Blaker
May 28, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesLyle Blaker evokes the Appalachia of mid–twentieth century America in this short story collection by national treasure Wendell Berry. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss these stories centered around the residents of the fictional town of Port William, Kentucky. Blaker makes the snapshots of the characters’ experiences feel alive in a new way. The way he performs the dialogue creates a unique voice for each character, and his performance of the descriptions of the landscape...
BITE BY BITE by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, read by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
May 27, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesAimee Nezhukumatathil’s voice is warm and inviting as she performs her essay collection celebrating all things food. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this intriguing follow-up to WORLD OF WONDERS. In each work, the author, who is Filipina and Malayali Indian, centers her thoughts on one of her favorite foods, giving listeners glimpses of her life. Nezhukumatathil’s narration is filled with such joyful enthusiasm for each food. Lychee, mango, jackfruit, rice, vanilla, waf...
WELCOME TO THE HYUNAM-DONG BOOKSHOP by Hwang Bo-reum, Shanna Tan [Trans.], read by Rosa Escoda
May 24, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesRosa Escoda’s narration of this slice-of-life audiobook is cozy, like being wrapped in a blanket still warm from the dryer. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Hwang Bo-reum’s story, translated by Shanna Tan, of a woman and her bookshop. Frustrated by her indifferent marriage and burned-out by her competitive career, Yeongju leaves both behind to open a bookstore that becomes a refuge to those seeking peace and renewal. Escoda’s brisk pace and gentle tone carry listeners along...
SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN by John Wiswell, read by Carmen Rose
May 23, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesCarmen Rose narrates John Wiswell’s sapphic horror/romance with a sardonic wit that makes for an immersive listening experience. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this delightfully weird fantasy audiobook and Rose’s skilled narration. Shesheshen is a shape-shifting monster who, weary of devouring an endless line of hunters seeking to eradicate her kind, constructs a makeshift human body and infiltrates the human world. What she doesn't expect is to fall for Homily, a kindly ...
Celebrating 30 Years of Naxos AudioBooks
May 22, 2024 10:00 - 44 minutesIn today’s bonus edition of Behind the Mic, host Jo Reed is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Naxos AudioBooks with narrators David Timson and Rupert Degas. Naxos has been publishing their audiobooks with a focus on classic literature and classical music since 1994. Hear more about the extraordinary history of Naxos from narrators who have been with the publisher for decades. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the start of the publisher, favorite productions Timson and Degas have worked on, an...
LAKE OF SOULS by Ann Leckie, read by Adjoa Andoh
May 22, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesAdjoa Andoh narrates a short story collection of speculative fiction by Ann Leckie. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this collection that includes works in the worlds of the Imperial Radch and the Raven Tower, as well as stand-alone pieces. Andoh’s stellar skills are on display in every piece, making the stories of gods, humans, and other assorted beings incredibly compelling. A stunning performance by a master narrator. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s ...
MAYBE THIS TIME by Cara Bastone, read by Zoë Chao, Noah Reid, Josh Hurley, and a Full Cast
May 21, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesZoë Chao and Noah Reid bring a delightful goofiness to this time-travel romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun and talent that goes into Cara Bastone’s latest full-cast romance. Five years ago, June stumbled into a wormhole, falling decades into the future. When her ancient phone turns on and lets her make a call, she finds Mikey, her bewildered colleague from the past, on the other end. Chao sounds thrilled—and desperate—as June urges Mikey to keep past-June out...
CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz
May 20, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesAlejandro Antonio Ruiz embodies all of the roiling emotions in this compelling queer teen love story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Jonny Garza Villa’s dynamic audiobook and Ruiz’s skilled narration. Rafie learned his love of mariachi from his abuelo. He’s devastated when his abuelo dies yet is determined to bring home another first-place trophy from the Mariachi Extravaganza. But now he’s at a new school in San Antonio, and his new school already has a lead singer—Rey, ...
LESSONS FOR SURVIVAL by Emily Raboteau, read by Emily Raboteau
May 17, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesEmily Raboteau reads with purpose, a clear voice, and a conversational tone that works well for the personal essays on “Mothering Against ‘the Apocalypse’” in this satisfying audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Raboteau moves her prose and delivery between her varied subjects; a sense of wonder at identifying birds, exasperation at dealing with New York City real estate, and empathy for a water-starved Palestinian family. The lessons in this text are hard earned ...
VICTIM by Andrew Boryga, read by Anthony Rey Perez
May 16, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesAnthony Rey Perez has just the right tone for this satirical debut novel, especially as he aptly mimics the protagonist’s self-justifying voice and truth twisting. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Perez’s pace moves the story forward—no matter the circumstance. Javi Perez succeeds until he doesn’t by playing the victim “trifecta”: tragic circumstance (his drug-dealer father is gunned down); struggling economics; and being a person of color. This first-person novel about ...
AIRPLANE MODE by Shahnaz Habib, read by Deepa Samuel
May 15, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesDeepa Samuel reads crisply and does well with the various languages in this globe-spanning audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minksoff discuss how her carefully articulated style makes this history/memoir with travel stories vivid. The author, a Muslim Indian woman now living in Brooklyn, brings a unique point of view to this “irreverent history of travel.” As a woman of color, she has experienced what she describes as distinctly inferior treatment as compared to her white-skinned h...
CHASING HOPE by Nicholas D. Kristof, read by Nicholas D. Kristof
May 14, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesJournalist Nicholas Kristof delivers his monumental memoir—by turns harrowing (think gunfire, rats, Darfur) and inspiring (he mentors young journalists, starts a nonprofit, and champions rural America). Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Kristof’s thoughtful narration as he covers his long and distinguished career. He’s worked four decades as a reporter, foreign correspondent, bureau chief, and, indelibly, an opinion writer for THE NEW YORK TIMES. A compelling and satisfying a...
THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES by Julia Alvarez, read by Alma Cuervo
May 13, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesAlma Cuervo’s warm, rich timbre and measured style suit Julia Alvarez’s captivating audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this story of an author with a magical twist. A novelist leaves Vermont and returns to her native Dominican Republic to bury her untold (unfinished) works. She creates a cemetery for the stories, and their imaginary characters take over. Alvarez has crafted a fantastical world, packed with local color and expressions, and Cuervo ensures that it’s en...
KNIFE by Salman Rushdie, read by Salman Rushdie
May 10, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesNarrating his own work, Salman Rushdie offers an emotionally resonant account of the shocking knife attack that almost ended his life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Michele Cobb discuss his memoir of the attack, its immediate aftermath, and the difficult recovery. Interwoven throughout are musings on literature, writing, politics, friendship, religion, and more, delivered with passion and more than a little humor. Wide-ranging and deeply insightful, this meditation on life, love, and resilienc...
HERE AFTER by Amy Lin, read by Amy Lin
May 09, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesAmy Lin’s performance of her memoir is so staggeringly beautiful it will break your heart. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Lin’s story of loss. Lin’s husband Kurtis was running a virtual half-marathon when he dropped dead for no discoverable reason. He was 32 years old. She was left absolutely broken. She tells her memoir in vignettes of meeting and losing Kurtis, and her grief is so obviously raw and her memories of their life together so full of love that it’s astonishing ...
BURN BOOK by Kara Swisher, read by Kara Swisher
May 08, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutesJournalist Kara Swisher specializes in reporting on the Internet, and she narrates her memoir with urgency and focus. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this history of Silicon Valley from Swisher’s perspective. With more than a decade of podcasting experience, Swisher has developed a well-honed, rapid-fire delivery; an aura of journalistic integrity; and a firsthand knowledge of tech history. Swisher serves as the Valley's outlier conscience—fearful of the future and optimisti...
BITS AND PIECES by Whoopi Goldberg, read by Whoopi Goldberg
May 07, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesEntertainer Whoopi Goldberg’s raspy timbre and amused tone make her the only person appropriate to narrate her memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss what Michele calls an “audio must.” The story of Goldberg’s career is skillfully woven into anecdotes featuring her exceptional mother, Emma Johnson, and her unique older brother, Clyde. All will remain in listeners’ thoughts after hearing this singular memoir and performance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFil...
GRIEF IS FOR PEOPLE by Sloane Crosley, read by Sloane Crosley
May 06, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrating her memoir, Sloane Crosley delivers ironic humor that balances the horror of back-to-back traumas. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the bite that Crosley brings to her memoir. Admitting the unlikelihood and disorientation of what happened, Crosley links the vulnerability she felt at a burgled apartment and, a month later, at the suicide of her boss and friend, Russell Perrault. Crosley’s wit and sometimes witlessness are as reconcilable and relatable as her raw reac...
THE KAMOGAWA FOOD DETECTIVES by Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood [Trans.], read by Hanako Footman
May 03, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesHanako Footman performs this quiet novel featuring Koishi and her father, Nagare. They run the Kamogawa Diner, a small restaurant on a side road in Kyoto. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Hisashi Kashiwai’s story of food and connections. Koishi and Nagare help customers find lost meals from their past, researching down to the most minute details. Footman’s narration captures the story’s cozy atmosphere and nostalgic tone as Nagare and Koishi track down each customer’s un...
MEMORY PIECE by Lisa Ko, read by Eunice Wong
May 02, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesEunice Wong performs Lisa Ko’s novel about a decades-long friendship between three Asian American women. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss what Kendra calls one of the must-listens of the year. Giselle Chin, Chackie Ong, and Ellen Ng come of age in the ’80s and ’90s, trying to make their way in the world. Wong’s performance captures the friends’ perspectives, giving each a unique narrative voice. In Wong’s narration, one friend sounds brusque and efficient, while another’...
ALL THE WORLD BESIDE by Garrard Conley, read by Pete Cross, Garrard Conley
May 01, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesPete Cross performs Garrard Conley’s debut novel of a star-crossed love affair. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this beautifully devastating story of love between minister Nathaniel Whitfield and physician Arthur Lyman in Puritan New England. Cross’s narration captures the intense relationship between the two men; he performs their dialogue with deep emotion. As the two men’s families begin to suspect their secret, Cross imbues his performance with tension, communicatin...
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR by Morgan Parker, read by Morgan Parker
April 30, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesWriter Morgan Parker, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, performs her collection of essays that revolve around religious trauma, mental health, racial justice, and life as a single person in America. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this intimate collection. Parker’s performance expresses her complex feelings, giving her ideas additional emotional weight. A beautiful example of the magic that can happen when an author personally performs her essays. Read ...
THE REDISCOVERY OF AMERICA by Ned Blackhawk, read by Jason Grasl
April 29, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesJason Grasl performs Ned Blackhawk’s National Book Award-winning history of the Native peoples of what is now known as the United States. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this sweeping work that illuminates the histories of Indigenous peoples, from contact with early conquistadors of New Spain to the Indigenous activists of the mid-twentieth century. A must-listen for any history lover. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Me...
HARVEST HOUSE by Cynthia Leitich Smith, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Charley Flyte
April 26, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesShaun Taylor-Corbett seamlessly narrates the majority of this haunted novel with a masterful assist by Charley Flyte. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a magical addition to Cynthia Leitich Smith’s young adult novels. Hughie Wolfe, an avid actor, is asked to volunteer at a Halloween haunted house near the crossroads of his small Kansas town. Hughie and a group of friends have begun to learn of odd happenings and intimidating ghostly presences at the crossroads, and they star...
A TEMPEST OF TEA by Hafsah Faizal, read by Maya Saroya
April 25, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesMaya Saroya gives an expressive performance in Hafsah Faizal’s thrilling YA historical fantasy filled with vampires, action, romance, and tea. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this compelling story set in a richly built world packed with secrets—performed beautifully. Saroya portrays Arthie Casimir in a smooth, deadly tone that highlights her fierce determination to protect those she loves. Arthie’s an outsider in Etenia, but she’s created a safe haven in her tearoom, Spind...
THERE'S ALWAYS THIS YEAR by Hanif Abdurraqib, read by Hanif Abdurraqib
April 24, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesHanif Abdurraqib’s latest book is a transcendent feat of poetry, memoir, and—well, magic. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Abdurraqib’s mesmerizing narration and rich writing. His narration is as breathless and beautiful as his prose, and you can hear the love in his voice as he performs it. It’s an ode to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; a love letter to basketball; a meditation on home and belonging; and an exploration of faith, Blackness, music, and place. He delivers eve...
FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry, read by Julia Whelan
April 23, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesJulia Whelan performs Emily Henry’s funny story, much like a Shakespearean comedy is a funny story, of a woman who falls in love with her ex-fiancé’s new girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the joy of getting to hear another excellent Emily Henry and Julia Whelan audiobook pairing. When Daphne’s fiance, Peter, realizes he’s in love with his formerly platonic best friend, Petra, just days before their wedding, Daphne’s world falls apart. Desperate for...
GRETA & VALDIN by Rebecca K. Reilly, read by Natalie Beran, Jackson Bliss, Eilidh Beaton, Nico Evers-Swindell, Gary Furlong
April 22, 2024 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrators Natalie Beran and Jackson Bliss portray queer Russian-Maori siblings Greta and Valdin in this wise, hilarious novel about a loving and chaotic New Zealand family. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Rebecca K. Reilly’s novel, now released in the U.S. Beran depicts Greta, a 20-something PhD student in a perky, wry tone that is dripping with millennial angst. Bliss narrates Valdin’s sections with a mix of earnestness and detachment. A year after being dumped by his boy...
REZ BALL by Byron Graves, read by Jesse Nobess
April 19, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesHost Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a celebrated YA novel that is featured in AudioFile’s new Audiobook Club. Narrator Jesse Nobess establishes a determined voice for high school sophomore Tre Brun. After losing his older brother who was a star on their high school basketball team, he finds his own passion for the game. Nobess captures Tre’s emotions as he pushes himself to reach his maximum potential on the court, where he feels pressure to succeed not only for himself, but al...