In a podcast format well suited to audio, the incomparable Stephen Fry gathers together familiar and little-known facts about those irrepressible Edwardians. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss this companion piece to Fry’s delightful exploration of VICTORIAN SECRETS, presented in 12 lively episodes. Frequently joined by a number of historians, authors, and reenactors, Fry seems to have a wonderful time recounting some of the fascinating arcana of the ostensibly tightly wound Edwardian era. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leighton Pugh offers an engrossing narration of Émile Zola’s 1883 cautionary tale of capitalism and consumerism. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss how Pugh immerses listeners into the drama surrounding the “Ladies’ Paradise” department store in Paris. Pugh’s Parisian French is faultless as are his voices for the many characters. A fascinating look at nineteenth-century capitalism and changes in culture, class relations, and sexual attitudes. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Atkins is a lively narrator for Ellen Wood’s 1861 melodrama. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss how Atkins handles the characters, plots, and subplots with aplomb. Lady Isabel Carlyle leaves her husband and children for a cad, and when she’s abandoned by her lover, returns in disguise as governess to her own children. Atkins juggles the love affairs, secrets, false identities and more and keeps the story fun for listeners. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adjoa Andoh delivers an intriguing epic journey through 50 years in the life of Charlotte Sophia, the first Moorish queen of England and wife of “mad” King George III. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss the engaging, theatrical narration Andoh brings to this new recording. Andoh shifts smoothly between emotions as she voices Charlotte caring for her sick husband, attempting to pass anti-slave-trade legislation, and dealing with blackmail, murder, depravity, and insanity. The audiobook is enlightening – Andoh is amazing. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alison Larkin makes listening to Jane Austen’s classic an experience not to be missed. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss the fun of Larkin’s narration; she sounds as if she can’t wait to tell a delicious story. Larkin’s sparkling performance is a perfect fit for audio. Starting on February 15th, you can hear the complete audiobook of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, WITH SONGS FROM REGENCY ENGLAND on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Subscribe now so you won’t miss a single chapter. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Alison Larkin Presents. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com  Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this newest audiobook from the always-inspiring Jason Reynolds. He deftly narrates “Take One” of this collaboration between himself and mixed-media collage artist Jason Griffin, bringing slam poetry sensibilities to a brief yet evocative glimpse into the life of an unnamed young Black narrator full of anxieties for his family. As Reynolds’s singular voice fades out, “Take Two” hands the same spare, moving words to a full cast of brilliant narrators. An amazing adaptation of a beautifully illustrated novel. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Upbeat, soulful jazz greets listeners as narrator Sullivan Jones’s warm, reassuring voice blends the lyrical rhymes and vibrant imagery in Andrea Beaty’s encouraging children’s audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this latest story in the “Questioneers” series, this time centered around Aaron Slater, a second grader full of courage and imagination who struggles with reading. Jones makes the most of the brief production, creating a hopeful, engaging experience with strong characterizations, a bold delivery, and deliberate pacing. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Landon’s lively narration unites present-day Ohio and Perceforest, a fairy-tale realm, in Alix. E Harrow’s immersive reimagining. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this novella that explores the Sleeping Beauty story from the perspective of Zinnia Gray, a chronically ill 21-year-old who has been given “weeks, not months” to live. On her birthday, Zinnia is transported into a world resembling one of her beloved Sleeping Beauty stories. The story is told through Zinnia’s perspective, and listeners absorb her sense of urgency as she and the Princess Primrose venture out into the fairy-tale world to change their fates. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Naudus narrates Sue Lynn Tan’s sweeping, romantic saga inspired by Chinese mythology. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Naudus’s skill at bringing this fantasy to life for listeners. Xingyin was raised on the moon by her mother Chang’e, but makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom to try and earn her mother’s freedom. Naudus captures Xingyin’s blossoming confidence and continued determination, even as she faces down mythical creatures and myriad threats in battle. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman delivers her collection of poetry with precision and purpose. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss listening to Gorman performing her work, which offers her perspective on current social and global issues and delves into history. Gorman calls forth hope and light amid every hardship that fills our present-day lives. Closing with a powerful recitation of her 2021 inaugural poem, she reminds listeners “to rise” and create a better tomorrow for America. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nineteen prize-winning crime and mystery short stories are narrated by nine highly experienced voice actors. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the fun of listening to stories published from 1985 to 2020, compiled by Maxim Jakubowski. While the deep tones of Stefan Rudnicki and John Lee may be the most familiar to listeners, all the narrators vocally embrace these stories filled with tantalizing twists and surprising conclusions. Revel in the mastery of short stories by outstanding writers of mysteries and thrillers. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January LaVoy narrates Ken Follett’s epic novel packed with interconnected plots and political intrigue. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss LaVoy’s skill capturing the voice of each character, keeping listeners engaged and attuned to the story. It’s a cautionary tale that strikes on a visceral level as global misunderstandings snowball into the threat of nuclear war. Listeners will be riveted as the unimaginable becomes possible, and LaVoy’s narration becomes unpausable. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fiona Hardingham showcases her great range in her enchanting and touching narration of Patti Callahan’s historical novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this must-listen for every fan of Narnia and C.S. Lewis. The story is set in 1950s Worchester and Oxford, England, and Megs Devonshire is on a mission to discover the origins of Narnia for her young brother, George. Hardingham’s heartfelt and emotive performance captures the power of books for the listener. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Muse. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasis audio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin Bennett’s spirited narration breathes life into Debby Applegate’s richly detailed biography of America’s most celebrated brothel keeper, Polly Adler. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine’s Robin Whitten discuss Adler’s life during the Jazz Age as told by Applegate. Adler is a fascinating, colorful figure, and Bennett, who clearly knows a good story when she has one, gives the narration her all. This lively slice of social history is sure to appeal to many listeners. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Bianca Amato, a South African actress, gives listeners an opportunity to once again enjoy the wit, warmth, and wisdom of Precious Ramotswe in the latest No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency adventure. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the fun of hearing a new narrator take on Alexander McCall’s Smith’s long-running series. Detective Mma Ramotswe deals with a shaky business plan, a son concerned about his inheritance, and child exploitation. A rewarding listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyla Collier delivers Kekla Magoon’s narrative of how centuries of abuse to Black Americans led to deep unrest and the founding of the Black Panther Party. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this National Book Award finalist for Youth literature. The Black Panthers’ “power to the people” was less about militancy and more about gaining equity in education, health care, justice, and politics and seeking gender equality. Listeners young and old alike will be affected by the audiobook’s emotive tone, tragic events, and parallels to recent events. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Sign up for a live talk with narrators about REVOLUTION IN OUR TIME and more excellent nonfiction audiobooks on January 25th. Register for Hearing History with Black Voices on Zoom. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karis Campbell narrates a chillingly familiar story taking place in an unexpected setting called Arcadia Gardens. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Catherynne M. Valente’s slim thriller that is expertly narrated and will definitely ramp up your heart rate. Sophia and her husband are perfect for each other. In fact, everything is perfect – or is it? As the story unfolds, Campbell shifts her narration from poised to frantic as Sophia unravels after discovering awful truths. A tense and compelling listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, and more. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alessandra Narváez Varela narrates her own poignant, evocative young adult novel in verse. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this expressive novel that is inspired by the author’s own life growing up in Juarez. Anamaria is a Mexican 13-year-old from Juarez who meets her 30-year-old self and wants nothing to do with her. Thirty gives strange advice, and isn’t the doctor that Anamaria wants to be, but a poet and teacher. This listen is resonant, transformative, and impactful. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Smith tells all in this memoir of his spectacular journey from growing up in Philadelphia to his career as a rap star, and then as a Hollywood movie mogul. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the surprisingly relatable story Smith shares, and the power of hearing his story in his own words. His charisma comes through as he narrates both lighthearted moments and deeper revelations. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Family Media, the home of Oasis Audio, Enclave Audio, Paperback Classics, and Hollywoodland audio books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fine example of an audio autobiography and biography from Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam, and Paul Simon. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this intimate and conversational audiobook that is full of music, letting listeners hear Paul Simon’s stories told through songs. Malcolm Gladwell intersperses historical and biographical facts that give greater context to the musician’s comments. The work is a window on one individual, and on the concept of musical genius. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Pushkin Industries Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Phantom Stallion, The Nancy Drew Diaries, The Boxcar Children, and other great children’s classics. Visit oasisaudio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Dion Graham delivers John Edgar Wideman’s discursive stream-of-consciousness stories in a powerful, resonant style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Wideman’s compelling combination of memoir, fiction, and essays, told sometimes in a stream-of-consciousness style that gives listeners insights into life as a Black American. Janina Edwards contributes to the narration as well, helping to bring these semi-autobiographical fictions luminously to life. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy Arthur strikes the right balance between dramatic storytelling and a journalistic tone in Porter Fox’s remarkable audiobook about climate change. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this audiobook that features author Fox’s globe-trotting climate reporting, which includes stops in the Cascades, Alaska, Greenland, and Switzerland. He interviews experts and aficionados ranging from glaciologists to alpinists to help him suss out the crushing facts of rising oceans, calving glaciers, and hottest temperatures. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bittner narrates Seth Kantner’s eloquent evocation of life in the Alaskan outback in the clearest of tones and an assured style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Bittner’s voice expresses the elemental beauty and fierce exigencies of growing up in the wilds of the tundra, accompanied by the planet’s vastest herd of caribou. Kantner bears witness to how his home state—and especially the noble arctic caribou—are being challenged by modernity and climate change. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Born in South Africa, narrator Peter Noble eloquently delivers an inspired performance of this compelling audiobook from Damon Galgut, which won the 2021 Booker Prize. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this novel that unpacks three generations of South African white people as they adjust—or don’t—to changes in their class system and political power. Noble is adept at voicing the characters, capturing the nasal tones and tight sounds, and he masterfully paces this novel. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Europa Editions. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for the podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikole Hannah-Jones, herself a persuasive narrator, has brought together a remarkable mosaic of voices, stories, and poems that tell the story of America through the lens of slavery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the impressive collection of history, journalism, and creative fiction works, all delivered on audio by outstanding narrations. The variety of voices and views deepens listeners’ understanding of U.S. history and how it has been presented. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Ian Mackenzie narrates a sweeping romance set against the early years of the Jacobite cause in the mid-1700s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss Susanna Kearsley’s tale rich in history, politics, and religion, as well as love and loyalty. A young widow’s claim to collect her husband’s death benefit sets off an inquiry into its legitimacy, and while investigating, Adam Williamson is taken by her beauty and seeming sincerity. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for the podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grover Gardner creates a wonderful narration for the final episode of Andrea Camilieri’s bestselling Inspector Montalbano series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss the metafictional twist that plunges Montalbano and author Camilieri into the heart of the novel’s action. Gardner deftly slips between “the author” whose books made Montalbano a famous TV detective and Montalbano himself as they are drawn into a murder mystery. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Shapiro deftly narrates this Chekhovian study of Sasha, a Russian-American writer; his Russian-American wife, Masha, a psychiatrist; and their precocious 8-year-old adopted daughter, Natasha. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel talk about this story set during the start of the Covid pandemic, when a group of friends is invited to stay at an upstate NY bungalow colony “until the threat of the virus is gone.” While the novel contains many elements of a comedy of manners, its impact is elevated by skillful presentations of the challenges facing first-generation Americans. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Marin Ireland takes listeners on a journey they won’t soon forget. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel discuss this novel concerning Diane, a woman whose long-awaited dream vacation to the Galapagos becomes something very different when the Covid pandemic hits. Ireland sounds truly flummoxed as Diana’s luggage is lost, her wi-fi becomes spotty, and money runs low. Ireland is utterly believable as Diana slowly connects with quarantined island locals, awakens to the beauty around her, and begins to reassess her life. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for the podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louise Erdrich never disappoints in this engrossing, beautifully written novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss Erdrich’s engrossing and often funny narration. Tookie works at Birchbark Books, Erdrich’s own bookstore, and Tookie is being haunted by the ghost of her most annoying customer, Flora. Erdrich chronicles the dwindling awareness of Native language and identity, the ever-present specter of white supremacy, George Floyd’s murder, and the Covid pandemic. A masterful performance of a marvelous novel. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cindy Kay masterfully narrates this unique audiobook, which combines a variety of genres to tell a moving story of self-acceptance and finding safety even in the bleakest of times. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about getting completely absorbed in Ryka Aoki’s audiobook featuring interstellar wars, a violinist’s deal with a demon, and donuts. Listeners dip into the minds of many characters over the course of the audiobook, but Kay keeps listeners on track with her melodic voice, spot-on pacing, and respectful, authentic accents. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Kinsale Hueston give lively, animated performances in this Young Adult fantasy celebrating friendship and the power of storytelling. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Darcie Little Badger’s new novel that centers around Nina, a Lipan Apache teenager, and Oli, an animal-person from the spirit world. Hueston voices Nina with a teenager’s bubbly energy, and Taylor-Corbett captures the otherworldly wisdom and humor of the cottonmouth snake-person and many other animal beings. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanne Lee Molinaro narrates her cookbook in a warm and welcoming voice, sharing both mouthwatering recipes and poignant, funny, and powerful stories of her family. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss listening to cookbooks on audio, Molinaro’s captivating family stories, and the delicious recipes within the audiobook. It is a sampling of her print book, giving listeners a taste of her recipes interwoven with family lessons on making food and caring for others. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ear Hustle, hosted by Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods, is an award-winning podcast produced inside San Quentin State Prison, and audio is the natural format for a book about a podcast. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this behind-the-scenes look at the making of Ear Hustle, which also includes new interviews not yet featured on the podcast. The conversations with incarcerated people reveal their innate humanity, coping strategies, regrets, and hopes. Listen, regardless of whether you’re a regular listener of the podcast or not. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for the podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With endless energy, verve, and style, Guy Lockard is a total superstar narrating this middle-grade novel about Portico Reeves, aka Stuntboy, supported by a full cast and a dynamic production. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the newest audiobook from Jason Reynolds, whose funny, smart, and empathetic writing meets kids where they are. Portico, voiced by Nile Bullock, loves living in his apartment building, but every time he catches his parents arguing, he feels “the frets.” So, he and his best friend Zola, voiced by Angel Pean, come up with his superhero alter ego who can help save his parents AND defeat their bully neighbor. A unique audio experience on AudioFile’s list of 2021 Best Audiobooks! Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Natalie Naudus joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to talk about THE HEART PRINCIPLE, Helen Hoang’s contemporary romance that Naudus co-narrated with Brian Nishii. THE HEART PRINCIPLE is one of AudioFile’s 2021 Best Romance Audiobooks, and it’s an emotionally demanding but ultimately rewarding audiobook. Natalie tells Michele about what she enjoys about narrating romance audiobooks, and how she prepared for the intense emotional journey of this title. Read AudioFile’s full review of THE HEART PRINCIPLE at audiofilemagazine.com Published by Dreamscape. 2021 Best Romance Audiobooks: THE HEART PRINCIPLE by Helen Hoang, read by Natalie Naudus, Brian Nishii PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry, read by Julia Whelan THE PERKS OF LOVING A WALLFLOWER by Erica Ridley, read by Moira Quirk REEL by Kennedy Ryan, read by Eboni Flowers, Jakobi Diem, Nicole Small THE SEGONIAN by Dianne Duvall, read by Kirsten Potter SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams, read by Mela Lee For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Louis Ozawa joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss FACING THE MOUNTAIN, Daniel James Brown’s examination of Japanese American heroes in World War II. FACING THE MOUNTAIN is one of AudioFile’s Best History & Biography Audiobooks of the year, and it shines much-needed light on the way those of Japanese heritage were treated during WWII. Louis’s deft narration makes the stories even more compelling and harder to forget. Louis tells Robin about what has stayed with him about narrating this audiobook and how he prepared for the performance. Read our full review of FACING THE MOUNTAIN at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Penguin Audio. 2021 Best History & Biography Audiobooks: FACING THE MOUNTAIN by Daniel James Brown, read by Louis Ozawa FOUR HUNDRED SOULS by Ibram X. Kendi, Keisha N. Blain [Eds.], read by JD Jackson, Kevin R. Free, January LaVoy, Robin Miles, Dion Graham, Angela Y. Davis, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and a Full Cast SOMERSETT by Phillip Goodrich, read by Robert Petkoff, Joe Morton, Simon Jones, Euan Morton, Nicola Barber, Phillip Goodrich [Note & Afterword] TOM STOPPARD by Hermione Lee, read by Steven Crossley TONY HILLERMAN by James Morris McGrath, read by George Guidall YOU DON'T BELONG HERE by Elizabeth Becker, read by Lisa Flanagan For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Amir Abdullah joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to talk about BLACK BOY JOY, edited by Kwame Mbalia and written by 17 Black male and non-binary authors. BLACK BOY JOY is one of AudioFile’s 2021 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks, and it’s a lively celebration of the power of joy in Black boys’ lives. Amir, who co-narrated the audiobook with Taj Leahy, tells Michele the fun of narrating audiobooks for kids and families and the special preparation that went into voicing so many characters and a variety of stories from incredible authors. The narrator’s engaging delivery of genres ranging from realistic fiction to poetry to sci-fi and fantasy will appeal to many middle-grade and YA listeners. Read AudioFile’s full review of BLACK BOY JOY on our website. Published by Listening Library. 2021 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks: ALWAYS by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman BLACK BOY JOY by Kwame Mbalia [Ed.], read by Amir Abdullah, Taj Leahy KALEIDOSCOPE by Brian Selznick, read by Gwendoline Christie, Brian Selznick [Note] STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, James Fouhey, Soneela Nankani, Leon Nixon, Chanté McCormick, Lamarr Gulley, DePre Owens THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle, read by Kevin R. Free, Eric Carle WE ARE STILL HERE! by Traci Sorell, read by Garrett Abel, Jacob Cummings, Mary Kay Henderson, Lauren Hummingbird, Don McClellan, Ella Mounce, Kaitlyn Pinkerton, Isobel Shults, Oliver Shults, Carlos Sorell, Tonia Hogner-Weavel, Traci Sorell For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Amir Abdullah photo by Patrick Maus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Karen Chilton joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to talk about narrating EARTHA & KITT, Kitt Shapiro’s memoir on her love of her mother. EARTHA & KITT is one of AudioFile’s Best Memoir Audiobooks of the year, and Karen gives it a superb and moving performance. Karen tells Robin about preparing to bring Kitt Shapiro’s words to life, and how her background in jazz informed her approach to this memoir about growing up with entertainment icon Eartha Kitt. Read AudioFile’s full review of the audiobook at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Dreamscape. 2021 Best Memoir Audiobooks: THE BOYS by Ron Howard, Clint Howard, read by Ron Howard, Clint Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard EARTHA & KITT by Kitt Shapiro, Patricia Weiss Levy, read by Karen Chilton JUST AS I AM by Cicely Tyson, Michelle Burford, read by Viola Davis, Cicely Tyson, Robin Miles MY BROKEN LANGUAGE by Quiara Alegría Hudes, read by Quiara Alegría Hudes SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER by Ashley C. Ford, read by Ashley C. Ford For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Karen Chilton photo by James Alexander. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Ray Porter joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell listeners about his experience narrating PROJECT HAIL MARY, Andy Weir’s newest sci-fi bestseller. PROJECT HAIL MARY is one of AudioFile’s 2021 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks, and it’s a thrilling interstellar adventure. Ray gives Michele an inside glimpse into preparing the many voices deployed in this space opera and tells her what has stayed with him about bringing it to life. Read the full review of the audiobook at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Audible, Inc. Curious listeners can take a peek into Ray's recording studio in his narrator video on PROJECT HAIL MARY. 2021 Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobooks: BLACK WATER SISTER by Zen Cho, read by Catherine Ho PROJECT HAIL MARY by Andy Weir, read by Ray Porter REMOTE CONTROL by Nnedi Okorafor, read by Adjoa Andoh RULE OF COOL by Matthew Siege, read by Felicia Day THE SANDMAN: ACT II by Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs [Adapt.], read by James McAvoy, Neil Gaiman, Kat Dennings, Michael Sheen, David Tennant, John Lithgow, and a Full Cast VAGRANT QUEEN 1 by Magdalene Visaggio, Jason Smith, read by Nanette Savard and a Full Cast For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Ray Porter photo by Travis Hodges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Isabella Star LaBlanc joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss Angeline Boulley’s thrilling debut, FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER, one of AudioFile’s picks for the year’s best Young Adult audiobooks. Isabella tells Robin about getting her start in audiobook narration and what has stayed with her about narrating this powerful audiobook. Set amid state and tribal lands in Michigan, this thriller, romance, and action-packed adventure is told with heartfelt compassion. For the full audiobook review, visit audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Macmillan Audio. 2021 Best Young Adult Audiobooks: ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS by Rainbow Rowell, read by Euan Morton CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas, read by Dion Graham FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc REDEMPTOR by Jordan Ifueko, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt SIX CRIMSON CRANES by Elizabeth Lim, read by Emily Woo Zeller WHEN WE MAKE IT by Elisabet Velasquez, read by Elisabet Velasquez For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Isabella Star LaBlanc photo by Nicole Feest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Richard Ferrone joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to talk about narrating OCEAN PREY, John Sandford’s 31st audiobook in his Prey series. OCEAN PREY is one of AudioFile’s 2021 Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks, and Richard tells Michele about narrating this long-running audiobook series, including how to keep all the tough guys as unique characters for the listener. Sandford’s action-packed scenes, as delivered by Richard Ferrone, keep listeners on edge. For a full review of the audiobook, visit audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Penguin Audio. AudioFile’s 2021 Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks: BLOOD GROVE by Walter Mosley, read by Michael Boatman THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides, read by Louise Brealey, Kobna Holdbrick-Smith THE MURDER ON THE LINKS by Agatha Christie, Kate McAll [Adapt.], read by Alfred Molina, Simon Helberg, and a Full Cast THE NIGHT GATE by Peter May, read by Peter Forbes OCEAN PREY by John Sandford, read by Richard Ferrone VELVET WAS THE NIGHT by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, read by Gisela Chípe For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Richard Ferrone photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty-Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Rebecca Lowman joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss UNDER A WHITE SKY: The Nature of the Future, written by Elizabeth Kolbert. UNDER A WHITE SKY is one of AudioFile’s Best Nonfiction & Culture Audiobooks of 2021, and Rebecca Lowman narrates with the sense of immediacy required while also bringing energy and intelligence to the task. Rebecca tells Robin about what has stayed with her about narrating this audiobook, and what goes into narrating a nonfiction work about our environmental future. For a full review of UNDER A WHITE SKY, visit audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. AudioFile’s 2021 Best Nonfiction & Culture Audiobooks: BEGINNER'S MIND by Yo-Yo Ma, read by Yo-Yo Ma FUZZ by Mary Roach, read by Mary Roach THE SECRET OF LIFE by Howard Markel, read by Donald Corren UNDER A WHITE SKY by Elizabeth Kolbert, read by Rebecca Lowman YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK by Michele Wucker, read by Tavia Gilbert For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Dion Graham joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to talk about HARLEM SHUFFLE, Colson Whitehead’s historical heist novel and one of AudioFile’s picks for the best in this year’s fiction audiobooks. Graham tells how his own knowledge of the neighborhoods and locations in New York City informed his performance, and how he got the 1960s speech patterns down to make the story come to life for listeners. Graham embodies the audiobook’s many characters vividly, hitting all the rhythms and nuances of Whitehead’s outstanding period novel. Read the full review of HARLEM SHUFFLE on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile’s 2021 Best Fiction Audiobooks: THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET by Lawrence Durrell, read by Nicholas Boulton APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty, read by Caroline Lee CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr, read by Marin Ireland, Simon Jones HARLEM SHUFFLE by Colson Whitehead, read by Dion Graham THE LOVE SONGS OF W.E.B. DU BOIS by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, read by Adenrele Ojo, Karen Chilton, Prentice Onayemi MATRIX by Lauren Groff, read by Adjoa Andoh For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks and sound clips from each title, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Dion Graham photo by Max Flatow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile Magazine is celebrating the Best Audiobooks of 2021! Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten give a peek behind the scenes into the making of this year’s list of Best Audiobooks. We commend all of the narrators and all those working behind the scenes to create memorable and moving audiobooks for us all. Tune in to our podcast all this week and next for interviews with some of the voices behind this year’s audiobook winners. For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor, humorist, woodworker, and writer Nick Offerman narrates his wandering and insightful travelogue with self-effacing wit and an engaging style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the fun and funny audiobook packed with stories and insights. His storyteller’s voice is just right for an audiobook focused on hiking, running, walking, and road-tripping during the pandemic in an enormous Airstream. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tovah Ott delivers this unique narrative with focused intelligence, skillfully sharing Mayukh Sen’s stories of seven immigrant women who influenced American cooking and dining. AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed that the audiobook is an eye-opening revelation. Narrator Ott reveals the personalities, travails, and successes of each of the women, and author Sen ably tells their disparate stories with rich details of how each came to food and evolved their specialities. Don’t listen hungry! Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three distinguished narrators tell this cross-country adventure from the celebrated author Amor Towles. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the exceptional performances from Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland, and Dion Graham. Billy Watson, a precocious 8-year-old portrayed by Ballerini, dreams of traveling to California on the Lincoln Highway. He and his brother hit the road, but life takes more turns than any roadway ever could, and they begin a series of adventures involving sundry characters. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind. Try a radically different audiobook! Dramatized adaptations produced with a full cast, cinematic music and sound effects. Action packed productions like you never heard before. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices