Geoffrey C. Ward's audiobook version of the current Ken Burns documentary series recounts the history of the Revolution as a story, and Robert Petkoff delivers it as such. He matches its narrative flow with a polished performance that draws the listener compulsively and pleasurably along. Never calling attention to himself, he narrates the text deftly with a subtle but... Read More

Eric Altheide excels at projecting the tension in this compelling novel about a young fiction writer whose actions thrust him into dramas beyond any he ever imagined. Altheide portrays the ambitious writer David Trent, who is determined to publish and thrilled when an award lands him in the limelight. In order to retain his status, he becomes immersed in lies, cheating, and... Read More

An engaging performance by Cary Hite enlivens this accessible history of basketball for young listeners, with a focus on the men's game and an "overtime" section devoted to the women's. Hite narrates with relish and an audible appreciation for the sport's evolution from a glorified game of hot potato to today's fast-paced competitions. Hite gives listeners a courtside view of... Read More

Jesse Vilinsky gives a vibrant performance of this delightful cozy mystery featuring a fun romance. Emersyn, who is caring for her young niece after her brother's death, is struggling to keep afloat financially after being swindled by her ex-boyfriend, Hoffman. Emersyn's natural warmth and intelligence come through in Vilinsky's narration as she creates a fictitious detective... Read More

Rosa Escoda offers a warm, inviting narration of advice on living a well-read life. Hwang, author of the novel WELCOME TO THE HYUNAM-DONG BOOKSHOP, reflects on her relationship to books and suggests ways to fit more reading into our lives, as well as ways to read more broadly and more deeply. It's all done with a light and personal touch--Hwang talks about why a book club might... Read More

Bacon's book is significantly longer than Gordon Lightfoot's renowned song, so listeners will learn a lot more about the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. Johnny Heller presents fascinating details that include the physics of Great Lakes waves, the growth of their shipping industry, other notable wrecks, the commissioning and building of the Edmund Fitzgerald,... Read More

Desean Terry delivers a touching performance of this reimagining of "The Great Gatsby," in which the protagonists are gay Black prep school students. Aspiring journalist Nick Carrington leaves Oklahoma to begin school at Harlem's West Egg Academy. Out of his element, Nick keeps his gay identity a closely held secret, but love interest Jay Gatsby Jr.--the academy founder's... Read More

Historian and biographer Walter Isaacson takes on the additional role of narrator for this detailed analysis of one key sentence in the Declaration of Independence. From a contemporary perspective, the assertion that all humans are created equal rings hollow since we know all 13 thirteen colonies sanctioned slavery. Most interesting here is Isaacson's close examination of the... Read More

In her latest audiobook, Wilson explores everyday kitchen objects and how they become an extension of ourselves. Wilson's marriage unexpectedly ends around the same time that her mother is diagnosed with dementia. Wilson finds that she can't bear to be around her husband's left-behind belongings because they are so thoroughly a part of his identity. She then introduces... Read More

Reena Dutt delivers an impeccable performance, capturing the nuances of two mixed-race girls navigating adolescence in Wyoming and the unease that follows when their uncle and his family from India move in. Dutt moves deftly between American-born sisters Georgie Ayyar and Agatha Krishna's candid musings, and a growing dread as Uncle Vinny's presence turns intrusive. Sexual and... Read More

Obama candidly shares how she worked to define, control, and project her own identity as first lady by carefully choosing fashion collaborators who understood the pressures of public life and the scrutiny she faced. Farah Jasmine Griffin opens with a foreword that frames Obama's style within a historical and cultural context and highlights its lasting significance. Meredith... Read More

Narrator Sunny Lu creates a passionate voice for seventh grader Luna in this coming-of-age realistic fiction. Luna leaves her introverted life behind when she becomes a bibliotherapist for her fellow classmates, recommending books to help them in times of need and eventually writing her own zines with the assistance of her best friend, Scott. Lu perfectly captures Luna's... Read More

This audiobook blends manifesto, memoir, and myth. It alternates between first-person reflections from English author Winterson and performances of the stories of One Thousand and One Nights in English Iranian narrator Dana Haqjoo's deep, rich voice. They are linked by the conceit that clever bride Shahrazad spins each tale to her royal husband, who promised to kill her when... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya's bright tone and dynamic pacing pair well with Vincent's accessible prose to engage listeners. The audiobook is not quite as dramatic as its title implies, serving instead as an introduction to the art form that highlights occasional industry controversies. However, Vincent does make a strong case for opera as a living genre, arguing that newcomers should... Read More

Heller's penchant for salt-of-the-earth characters is reflected in Kate Marcin's narration. On an Edenic homestead in Vermont, Frith, a wild girl, is living an unconventional childhood with her bohemian mother, Hayley, a former academic, and their dog, Bear. They support themselves through picking their apples in the fall and tapping their maples in the spring. Marcin balances... Read More

Narrators Dion Graham and Fred Berman once again demonstrate their mastery of their craft in this James Patterson thriller. Graham returns as Alex Cross, fully embodying his multiple facets: loving family man, psychology scholar, and determined detective. Berman portrays serial murderer Gary Soneji to scarily calm perfection. Berman's performance allows listeners to inhabit... Read More

Narrator Elena Rey gives a solid performance of this story in which animal and plant spirits reign over an isolated desert town. Selena is still settling in, having just fled the city. It's a beautiful town, she thinks--except that she frequently feels she's being watched. Rey conveys the voices and emotions of all the characters, each easily distinguishable from the next. The... Read More

Multitalented biographer, journalist, and podcaster Gyles Brandreth has long been a fan of A.A. Milne--and was friends with Milne's son, Christopher Robin. Who better, then, to commemorate the 100th birthday of Winnie-the-Pooh with a view of childhood, Milne's family relationships, and shining moments from the Hundred Acre Wood? Though he covers Milne's many successes, at the... Read More

A dynamic ensemble of all-star narrators brings to life these stories assembled--and in one case, published--for the first time. Representing Sanderson's writing experimentation and growth over the course of 25 years, they feature worlds in which reality is unstable and characters move freely through simulations, universes, and bodies. The narrators are impressively well... Read More

A young adult holiday story is told through the perspectives of Dominique, portrayed by Eric Lockley, and Andy, portrayed by Khaya Fraites. On New Year's Day, Andy wakes up in a bathtub and then discovers her car is missing. The only person who can help her find it is Iris, whose family is responsible for the closing of Andy's family's store. While Andy and Iris search for the... Read More

Forty years after she wrote of her father's life in HOME BEFORE DARK, Susan Cheever, eldest daughter of renowned writer John Cheever, narrates her "sequel of sorts." Using the lens of her father's work, she analyzes and finds connections between his life and hers. Cheever's delivery gives equal weight to the strands she skillfully weaves. Excerpts from her father's literary... Read More

Michael Beck brings his best Southern drawl to his portrayal of a wealthy, eccentric widow, Eleanor, and her small-town debt-ridden lawyer, Simon, who is eager to handle her fortune. When Eleanor dies under suspicious circumstances, evidence strongly points to Simon, who must find the true killer before he loses everything. Beck infuses his characters with drawls befitting... Read More