Narrator Jason Culp relies on careful modulation to convey this nuanced, comprehensive examination of a dangerous time in twentieth-century history—the period of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Culp’s approachable performance of Albert Marrin’s nonfiction audiobook for teens. Culp delivers the words of famous leaders with slight accents or impressions and narrates the most blatant examples of propaganda with a suitable hint of sarcasm. As for everyday communists, Culp successfully infuses them with humanity, underscoring that they genuinely believed, albeit often mistakenly, that the end justifies the means. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com A growing collection of Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts, featuring our readers, producers and directors introducing a wide variety of titles at naxosaudiobooks.com/category/podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten dive into Kim Todd’s accomplished history of the female “stunt reporters” of the late nineteenth century. The audiobook is a sensational adventure for the ears, and narrator Maggi-Meg Reed is the ideal choice to deliver the narratives of women journalists who donned disguises and alternate identities to go undercover. Reed’s intelligent and fully engaged tone makes clear the significance of their investigations as vehicles for societal change, and as positive representation of women of this era. A terrific pairing of an impressive work of nonfiction and a splendid performer. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com A growing collection of Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts, featuring our readers, producers and directors introducing a wide variety of titles at naxosaudiobooks.com/category/podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A great example of the magic that happens when a masterful author and a talented narrator come together to deliver a captivating story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Peter Forbes’s skill at performing the prolific Scottish mystery author Peter May’s latest. When forensic scientist Enzo Macleod is drawn out of retirement to advise on the body of a WWII soldier that was exposed by an uprooted tree, he happens into a current murder investigation. The two stories, set 70 years apart, are seamlessly woven together. Listeners will hang on till the end and then wish it weren’t over. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Quercus Editions Limited. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com As an English writer who reflected and highlighted the social issues of his time, Charles Dickens has no equal. Naxos AudioBooks salutes his towering gift with a remarkable series of audiobooks, providing an unmatched picture of his time as he breathed life into the myriad issues of the Victorian era through his vast range of entertaining, sympathetic, and frightening characters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The inviting performances of Marisa Calin, Shiromi Arserio, Katherine Littrell, Danielle Cohen, and Siobhan Waring add to the immersive pleasure of this engaging historical novel by bestselling author Julia Kelly. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss an intriguing story setting: the English garden at Highbury House over three generations, complete with romance, tragedy, and secrets. Set alternately in 1907, 1944, and the present day, the plot follows compelling written characters with affecting lives and interesting personal challenges, all connected to one another by Highbury’s gardens. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Shakespeare inspired over 25 titles for Charles Dickens writings. Like the story of Hamlet, David Copperfield is the story of the boy trying to control his own destiny despite the duties he feels obligated to fulfill. Listen at Naxos AudioBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Jane Wells wrote and performed this play, now audiobook, based on the life of Danna Davis, U.S. soldier, veteran, and survivor of military sexual trauma during the Iraq War. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about this moving audiobook, originally performed as a play at the Kennedy Center. Wells vocally becomes this ten-year veteran with vibrant and graphic, disturbing accounts of battles and other military experiences, PTSD, and bouts of grief interspersed with healing. Her voice is primary, and she is backed by a small cast with sounds effects and music to heighten the tension. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Mary Jane Wells. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com On the day we remember William Shakespeare, it is fitting to recognize an author Shakespeare inspired: Herman Melville. The Great American Novel Moby Dick draws on both Biblical and Shakespearean myths. Just as Macbeth and Lear subvert the natural order of things, Ahab takes on Nature in his determination to kill his prey…doomed from the start (The Guardian). Visit the Naxos Spoken Word Library to hear William Hootkin’s Audie and Earphones Award winning presentation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners are invited to an intimate chat with Jamie Kern Lima on how she went from starting IT Cosmetics on a budget to selling the company for more than a billion dollars. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss her candid narration of her sacrifices and successes. The author conveys her emotions during personal and professional challenges, along with her awe at finally meeting Oprah. Lima leaves listeners with a toolbox of vital lessons learned as well as an inspiring meditation to get started on the path to their dreams. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com William Wordsworth’s The Prelude is his personal journey to a belief in Nature as the great moral and spiritual force which shapes human life, but on which human society all too often turned its back. “Nicholas Farrell's narration is intimate, not pompous, or bombastic. He articulates Wordsworth's ideas without forgetting this is verse but without overstressing the metrical regularity and variations.” (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout this absorbing memoir-in-essays, there are moments where you can hear laughter beneath author Randa Jarrrar’s narration. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this journey across the U.S., told by Palestinian American writer and professor Jarrar. Her warm, no-nonsense tone adds levity to the heavy subject matter, which includes domestic abuse and sexual violence. But her laughing voice, sly asides and obvious affection for friends and lovers also highlight what make this a memorable listen: her exuberance, self-love, and pride in her identity as a fat, queer, Arab American woman. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Religions of the World tells the remarkable story of some of the faiths which have helped to shape the way we live today. Aimed at younger listeners, it introduces the history and scriptures, beliefs and customs of some of humanity’s most enduring religious traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Irish actor Gabriel Byrne’s smoky voice whispers in your ear, gets in your head, and takes you on a deeply personal journey of his life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this memoir written in a style that feels like stream-of-consciousness poetry, with a gorgeous narration. Byrne reveals his attraction to the rituals of the Church, his desire to become a priest—until he was molested by a priest—finding his way into acting, and his struggles with addiction. A fantastic recording of a well-written book, this memorable autobiography is outstanding. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Edgar Allen Poe’s story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, first appeared on today's date. "Naxos ties up a great package of dramatic performances with a wonderful selection of classical music between chapters for this tale (AudioFile)"...generally considered to be the first detective story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and podcast Luvvie Ajayi Jones narrates her second manual for authentic living with flair. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss her straightforward approach and conversational style that will have listeners nodding along. According to Jones, to be a professional troublemaker is to have a clear sense of personal identity and the ability to act without fear. She guides listeners through the many common pitfalls of fear and how to combat them. Jones lovingly references her Yoruba heritage, especially her boisterous grandmother, as a source of wisdom and fearlessness. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com From David Copperfield: My father had left a small collection of books in a little room upstairs, to which I had access…They kept alive my fancy, and my hope of something beyond that place and time.” While you are waiting for your next Audiobook Break, come visit David’s “glorious host” - Roderick Random, Tom Jones, the Vicar of Wakefield, Don Quixote, and Robinson Crusoe at the Naxos Spoken Word Library unlimited streaming service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s warm and vibrant voice embodies Marti Greenwood in Rachel Howzell Hall’s chilling and fast-paced suspense novella. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this new audiobook that is perfect for your weekend listening. Marti, a writer, is trying to carve out a new life for herself away from her ex-husband, Emery. She’s just moved into a new home in L.A. with fresh oranges and cheerful neighbors—mostly. When she’s attacked in her home, Abbott-Pratt has listeners sharing Marti’s terror and her lingering trauma afterwards. Listeners won’t want to put the audiobook down while Marti is determined to find her attacker. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com The Lyrids meteor shower can be seen April 16 -25, great family fun! In Jen Green’s The Planets and The Solar System, narrator Ruth Sillers treats young listeners and their families to an impressive scope of space information. “Given Sillers’s lively sense of wonder, the listener can’t help but be impressed by the vastness of the universe and our newfound knowledge of it.” (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soneela Nankani narrates Farah Heron’s delightful contemporary romance with her whole heart, drawing listeners in with her enthusiasm. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss her skill at embodying the main character, Reena Manji, who has a job she doesn’t love and anxieties about her meddling Indian Muslim family. When she bumps into her new across-the-hall neighbor Nadim Remtulla, she’s initially intrigued by his British accent and easy charm--and then appalled when she learns her parents have arranged their marriage! Nankani takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Reena and Nadim navigate their growing attraction, a fake engagement scheme, a Canadian reality-TV cooking contest, and explosive family secrets. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Observe the birth of Henry James with The Spoils of Poynton, performed by Juliet Stevenson. "Juliet Stevenson's love of reading aloud is obvious to anyone lucky enough to hear her." (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Emily Connelly and host Jo Reed discuss Angeline Boulley’s stunning debut and Isabella Star LaBlanc’s powerful narration. Set on state and tribal lands in Michigan, the story of Daunis, who has grown up between two cultures, is told with heartfelt compassion. While Daunis is an unenrolled tribal member, she has strong connections to her community and has chosen to stay home and take classes at the local community college to be near family. When tragedy strikes, she is suddenly caught up in an FBI investigation into a new form of meth tearing through her town. LaBlanc’s compelling narration, including skilled pronunciations of words in the Anishinaabe language, combined with the riveting plot truly makes this a young adult audiobook not to miss. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com In April, 1963, Winston Churchill was the first foreign national to receive honorary United States citizenship. An elegantly written tribute to the man and his place in history can be heard in Farewell the Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat; “Roy McMillan’s reading glows with the same infectious passion for the subject as Jan Morris’s own.” (The Observer). On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss A.E. Ali’s sweet and comforting picture book, which Almarie Guerra narrates with a warm voice, perfect for young listeners. On Musa’s first day of kindergarten, his welcoming teacher, Ms. Gupta, promises the class that they will all become friends. Sweet-voiced Musa is worried, but Ms. Gupta provides a fun topic for the class—what is everyone’s favorite day of the year? Musa is surprised and delighted to find that the other children all have their own favorite days, and each enjoys getting a turn in the spotlight sharing their favorites, including Edi al-Fitr, Rosh Hashanah, Las Posadas, and Pi Day. It makes for a comforting listen for children, especially in this tumultuous school year. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, narrator David Rintoul sweeps listeners into historian Alistair Moffat's tapestry of memoir, journalism, and religious history in To the Island of Tides: A Journey to Lindisfarne. “…a perfect blend of narrator, author, production team, and unique subject.” (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xe Sands narrates with a quiet tension that suits the slow creep of Sarah Gailey’s sci-fi domestic thriller. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Sands’s skill with delivering all of the slowly building suspense in a smooth first-person narration. Evelyn Caldwell is an accomplished scientist in the field of cloning human adults, although her victories feel bittersweet. Her husband, Nathan, is having an affair, but the sweet-voiced Martine isn’t just another woman--Nathan has used Evelyn’s own research techniques to create a domestic and illegal clone of Evelyn herself. It makes for a satisfying, if disturbing audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Galileo was convicted of heresy for holding the belief that the Earth revolves around the sun: Younger listeners learn more about scientists and their impactful discoveries in the Junior Classics series Great Scientists and their Discoveries by David Angus, his companion volume to Great Inventors and their Inventions from Naxos AudioBooks. “Clare Corbett and Benjamin Soames narrate conversationally, making the information vibrant.” (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Cass vividly reads this captivating audiobook from Anthony M. Amore. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this true story of a 1970s aristocrat turned revolutionary. Wealthy Rose Dugdale, who begins as a conservative debutante who attends Oxford and earns a Ph.D in Economics, transforms into a radical supporter of the IRA She not only becomes a political revolutionary but masterminds a world-class art theft, including a Vermeer. Cass situates the listener with her apt English and Irish accents. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Earphones Award Winner Bill Homewood talks to Raymond Bisha about the story of King Arthur and Thomas Malory’s much-loved reinterpretation Le Morte d’Arthur at Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Kathe Mazur carefully crafts the diverse characters in this entertaining novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Mazur’s talented narration of Carol Edgarian’s VERA, a riveting story set in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake. Mazur’s rendition of whip-smart 15-year-old Vera captures her ability to see all sides of people, good and bad. Listeners will vividly imagine turn-of-the-century San Francisco, replete with scoundrels and kindly prostitutes. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com April is the month that birds migrate north to settle down for the summer. Revive in yourself that old spring feeling, the passion for wild nature, with W.H. Hudson’s Birds in Town and Village, read with an easy, relaxed tone by Neville Jason: which Goodreads called “It is unfailingly charming…” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss David Sadzin’s performance of this classic 1912 novel which is described as evocative, even poetic. James Weldon Johnson tells the unnamed man’s story in the first person, and Sadzin re-creates the character’s intimate and intelligent tone and catches the cadence of his self-conscious yet assured voice. Race, race relations, and the complex story of passing for white provide the sociological underpinnings of this short but compelling audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com April 2021 marks the 25th annual celebration of poets and poetry with National Poetry Month. Nicholas Farrell delivers an inspiring work of imagination from the William Wordsworth autobiography in verse, The Prelude: according to our reviewer at AudioFile The Prelude “ is an essential listen for anyone interested in the roots of Romanticism.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Performed with grace and care, Daniel Henning’s outstanding narration of this fine biography reveals, warts and all, the larger-than-life James Beard. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss John Birdsall’s biography of the renowned chef who is considered the dean of American cookery. Henning narrates with intelligence at a good pace, and gives the elegant prose its due. It’s an audiobook filled with luscious descriptions of places, meals, and people, and the author deftly handles the essential truth of Beard’s life: He rose to fame as a closeted gay man in homophobic postwar America. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by HighBridge Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com After a fifteen hundred year break, the first Olympics of the modern era took place on April 6, 1896 in Athens. A History of the Olympics is a unique audiobook, our review at AudioFile said: “Barry Davis announces the history in an enjoyable, breezy manner.” Written by sports journalist John Goodbody, with a fascinating personal documentary featuring one of Britain’s leading Olympians, Sebastian Coe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how this audiobook absorbs the listener from its prologue to its end. Narrator Rebecca Lowman presents the many complex characters with just the right pace and carefully acts the various voices. Lowman particularly illuminates the character of Hazel Saltwater, an introspective, damaged seer whose life is indelibly marked by events that take place on the night of February 6 during the Blizzard of ‘78. Jack Livings’s novel has mystery, mayhem, and sci-fi, flashing forward and back as it revels in the lost world of late 1970s Manhattan. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States, Booker T. Washington is remembered today. Hear his 1908 Atlanta Exposition Address in the Naxos AudioBooks production, Voices of Black America, now on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Cassandra Campbell, Tom Taylorson, and Rachel Jacobs channel each member of the close-knit Senter family. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Meredith Hall’s audiobook, told with stunning performances that put listeners in the heart of the family before, during, and after a tragedy that changes the family forever. Set in the years spanning 1933 to the 1960s on a family farm in Maine and told in individual monologues, this beautiful, haunting story, performed with sensitivity, is best enjoyed on audio. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Lew Wallace's Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ could be said to be the first American blockbuster. Jeff Harding’s vivid reading combines all the best elements of popular classic, epic and action story against a background of authoritative historical detail. Celebrate this Easter season with a “heart-of-the-book” production from Naxos AudioBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan Morris’s piquant, irreverent daily diary about life as a nonagenarian in the 21st century is brought to vibrant life by narrator Jennifer M. Dixon. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the late Morris’s observations on everything from world politics to neighborhood birds, aging, and family. Dixon is skilled at mirroring the author’s humor and essential kindness, encouraging us to savor her wisdom and honor her “equilibriumist” approach to life. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com April is SCOTTISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. Some of our most iconic American literature, including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Raven, are credited to tartan proud Scottish Americans. Adam Sims performs examples of early American fiction from Washington Irving and Edgar Allen Poe’s only complete novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, at naxosaudiobooks.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kathe Mazur narrates Walter Isaacson’s clear and well-researched biography of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna. She, along with colleagues, advanced biochemistry by employing CRISPR technology to improve and simplify genetic engineering—ultimately leading to a safe and effective COVID vaccine. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this audiobook that explores Doudna’s scientific achievements and the broader contexts. Mazur’s personable delivery and measured pace help listeners access the science and connect to Doudna’s research. 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 Real Hergé, the true story of the inspiration behind cultural phenomenon Tintin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an extraordinary audiobook about four extraordinary women who were war correspondents—the three women who are the subject of Becker’s book, as well as the author herself. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Lisa Flanagan’s skill with her pitch-perfect narration in this account of trailblazing women. Flanagan moves from the harrowing action on the battlefields of Vietnam to the high-society backgrounds of the future journalists. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Orlagh Cassidy returns to transport listeners back to bomb-shattered London of 1941. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this long-running series, which has followed Maisie Dobbs from her time as a WWI nurse to her role working with the Special Operations Executive. Jacqueline Winspear’s attention to the details of time, place, and speech, paired with Cassidy’s spot-on performance, make for an engaging and authentic listening experience. In the 16th in the series, Maisie is investigating a murder, and she finds herself in a complex situation involving British and French intelligence agents. She struggles between her duty to serve her country and her dedication to her child. A deeply moving listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final look at the 2021 Audie Awards, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about some of the funniest audiobooks in the Audies competition--the nominees for the Humor award. It’s a category where comedians shine, full of audiobooks that will make you laugh out loud. The finalists for the 2021 Audie Awards Humor audiobooks are: THE NEW ONE by Mike Birbiglia, J. Hope Stein, read by Mike Birbiglia, J. Hope Stein, published by Hachette Audio NOTHING LIKE I IMAGINED by Mindy Kaling, read by Mindy Kaling, published by Brilliance Audio SMALL DOSES by Amanda Seales, read by Amanda Seales, published by Audible, Inc. SURRENDER, WHITE PEOPLE! by D.L. Hughley, Doug Moe, read by D.L. Hughley, published by Harper Audio A VERY PUNCHABLE FACE by Colin Jost, read by Colin Jost, published by Random House Audio WOW, NO THANK YOU. by Samantha Irby, read by Samantha Irby, published by Random House Audio Congratulations to this year’s winner, A VERY PUNCHABLE FACE written and narrated by Colin Jost. Hear a clip from the winner and more about the audiobook in today’s episode. Find a full list of 2021 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb share details about the winner of the Best Young Adult audiobook. This year’s nominees include audiobooks that were beautifully narrated by the authors themselves as well as those brought to life by professional narrators. Be sure to watch our discussion with the celebrity judges of the Young Adult Audies category, authors Jerry Craft, Melissa de la Cruz, and V.E. Schwab, on our website. The finalists for the 2021 Audie Award for Young Adult audiobooks are: CLAP WHEN YOU LAND by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Elizabeth Acevedo, Melania-Luisa Marte, published by Harper Audio EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE by Daniel Nayeri, read by Daniel Nayeri, published by Listening Library POISONED by Jennifer Donnelly, read by Rosie Jones, published by Scholastic Audiobooks A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow, read by Jennifer Haralson, Andrea Lang, published by Macmillan Audio THIS IS MY AMERICA by Kim Johnson, read by Bahni Turpin, published by Listening Library Congratulations to Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte for their win for CLAP WHEN YOU LAND, a beautiful and heartbreaking story of two sisters united by tragedy. Hear more about the winning audiobook, which also won in the Multi-Voiced Performance category, in today’s episode. Find a full list of 2021 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed are discussing the 2021 Audie Awards all week. In today’s episode, they are celebrating the excellent nominees for Best Female Narrator, recognizing them for their excellent work on compelling audiobooks‚ and toasting this year’s winner. The finalists for the 2021 Audie Award for Best Female Narrator are: THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin, read by Robin Miles, published by Hachette Audio THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker, read by Samira Wiley, published by Audible, Inc. THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS by Elena Ferrante, read by Ann Goldstein, published by Random House Audio ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware, read by Imogen Church, published by Simon & Schuster Audio SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid, read by Nicole Lewis, published by Penguin Audio Congratulations to this year’s winner of Best Female Narrator, Robin Miles for THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin. Hear a clip from the winning audiobook and learn more about this captivating title that also took home the Fantasy award. Find a full list of 2021 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re celebrating the Audie Awards all week with host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb. Today they’re discussing last night’s virtual gala and the winner of the Audie Award for Best Male Narrator, a category full of skilled performances. The finalists for the 2021 Audie Award for Best Male Narrator are: ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE by Louise Penny, read by Robert Bathurst, published by Macmillan THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X by Malcolm X, Alex Haley, read by Laurence Fishburne, published by Audible, Inc. THE GLIMME by Emily Rodda, read by Andrew Scott, published by Bolinda Audio A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman, read by George Newbern, published by Dreamscape SQUEEZE ME by Carl Hiaasen, read by Scott Brick, published by Random House Audio And congratulations to the winner, Laurence Fishburne’s stunning performance of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. Hear a clip from the winning audiobook--which also won in the Autobiography/Memoir category--and learn more about the impact of this new recording of a powerful work. Find a full list of 2021 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Real Hergé, the true story of the inspiration behind cultural phenomenon Tintin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss their excitement over the 2021 Audie Awards, the Audio Publishers Association’s annual celebration of audiobook excellence. Tonight is the 26th Audie Awards—watch the virtual gala starting at 8:30pm ET at the APA’s YouTube page. Today, Jo and Michele are discussing the finalists in the Audiobook of the Year category, which are titles with high-quality content and production values and are recognized as benchmarks of excellence for the industry. Tune in tonight to hear the winner! The finalists for the 2021 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year are: THE DECISION: Overcoming Today's BS for Tomorrow's Success, by Kevin Hart, read by Kevin Hart, published by Audible, Inc. MORE MYSELF: A Journey, by Alicia Keys, read by Alicia Keys, America Ferrera, Bono, Clive Davis, Craig Cook, DJ Walton, Jay-Z, Krucial, Leigh Blake, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Swizz Beats, Terri Augelo, published by Macmillan Audio THE MOUNTAINS SING by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, read by Quyen Ngo, published by Dreamscape PIRANESI by Susanna Clarke, read by Chiwetel Ejiofor, published by Bloomsbury Publishing WE'RE BETTER THAN THIS: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy, by Elijah Cummings, James Dale, read by Nancy Pelosi, Laurence Fishburne, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, published by Harper Audio Find a full list of 2021 Audie Award finalists and winners at theaudies.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four narrators create a striking collection of voices that explore and celebrate little-known poems of Black women from the Harlem Renaissance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this collection from poet Nikki Grimes that alternates a Harlem Renaissance poem with an original poem based on the work, using the golden shovel composition form. Bahni Turpin narrates Grimes’s poems, as well as her introduction, with a lively and youthful voice. Karole Foreman, Zakia Young, and Janina Edwards alternate reading the historical poems. Turpin’s light tones for Grimes’s poems serve as a contemporary counterpoint to the deeper, more somber tones of the historical works. Both Emily and Jo highly recommend seeking out the print book to listen and read along, as the print book is packed with original illustrations from Black women artists. An excellent book for classrooms and families to explore. Read the full review of the audiobook. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Woo Zeller’s melodic narration transports listeners to 1950s San Francisco in this coming-of-age novel about family, first love, and a Chinese American teenager discovering herself. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Malinda Lo’s YA historical fiction full of characters, places, and moments that Zeller beautifully brings to life. When Lily sees an ad for a male impersonator performing at the Telegraph Club, she is captivated by the idea and recognizes a longing within herself. Soon she’s sneaking out for heady nights at the Telegraph Club and falling for her friend Kath. As Lily becomes more comfortable in her own skin, Zeller’s narration becomes bolder and more confident. Be forewarned, this audiobook will break your heart—and mend it. Read the full review of the audiobook. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quincy Surasmith narrates this middle-grade work of nonfiction which depicts, in detail, the harrowing rescue of a youth soccer team stuck in a flooded cave in Thailand. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Christina Soontornvat’s impressive work and the skills Surasmith needed to bring it to life. The narrative swings from emotional tension when the author focuses on the boys or their parents to tactical precision when she explains the inner workings of the cave system. Surasmith navigates these changes expertly in his narration. This Newbery and Sibert Honor book makes for an informative and engaging yet pithy audiobook that is suitable for all audiences. Read the full review of the audiobook. Published by Brilliance Audio/Candlewick Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cindy Kay narrates a violent retelling of Romeo & Juliet set in the underworld of 1926 Shanghai with a cool voice that matches the tone of the story. Host Jo Reed & AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this captivating YA audiobook. Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov are members of opposing gangs who must work together to save their city from a horrifying new threat. Juliette is a fierce and angry young woman constantly defending her position in the Scarlet Gang, and Kay leans into the rage that Juliette experiences. Roma also faces threats to his role as the heir to the White Flower Gang, and listeners hear the weariness he feels. Roma and Juliette were in love years ago, before a betrayal tore them apart, and coming back together to discover the source of a madness sweeping the city brings up old feelings of longing. Read the full review of the audiobook. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of The Real Hergé, the true story of the inspiration behind cultural phenomenon Tintin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fall in love with Eve and Jacob in Talia Hibbert’s final Brown sisters novel, narrated with warmth and enthusiasm by Ione Butler. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this sweet, steamy, and hilarious romance. Eve has a hard time sticking to a career, and when her parents confront her, she drives off and stumbles across a picturesque B&B with a help wanted sign. Despite initially butting heads with the B&B’s owner, Jacob, Eve gets the job as the chef and discovers a love for taking care of others. Eve and Jacob slowly become friends, and then lovers, and they share a compatibility that sparkles thanks to Butler’s engaging narration. This is an audiobook that will have you laughing out loud, and it’s a delightful end to the trilogy. Read the full review of the audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you listened to a Victorian novel lately? Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the joy of this ensemble narration of Wilkie Collins’s classic NO NAME. The talented Nicholas Boulton is the primary narrator, and his ability to mimic the elite and humble and capture their cadence and tone is unrivaled. His subtle inflections shape this long but satisfying performance. The stalwart cast transports listeners to 1840s London and the countryside. The novel is filled with unforgettable characters, and like his friend Dickens, Collins writes in torrents of descriptive prose and crafts a clever plot. Published by Naxos AudioBooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This four-character production from L.A. Theatre Works and playwright Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota Nation) is a send-up of woke culture, a satire of political correctness, and a most entertaining listening experience. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this production that captures the zeitgeist with controlled mayhem. Liza Weil plays well-meaning Logan, who is directing an elementary school drama production and trying her best to stitch together a “culturally sensitive” play about Native Americans with four white players, no script, and historical references that make every issue “an issue.” Ellis Greer’s Alicia, Josh Stamberg’s Jaxton, and Mark Jude Sullivan’s Caden give life to woke stereotypes. There’s an insightful interview with FastHorse, a MacArthur Fellow, at the audiobook’s conclusion. Published by L.A. Theatre Works Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A practiced narrator and elegant stylist, Gretel Ehrlich delivers her memoir in a poetic voice. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how the author of THE SOLACE OF OPEN SPACES narrates in a conversational tone, making for a relaxed listening experience that belies the intense adventures she recounts. She travels to some of the most remote places on earth, mapping the ravages of climate change as she visits outposts in Greenland, Alaska, Zimbabwe, and Japan. She finds hope in the “re-wilding” efforts in Siberia and comfort in her Wyoming ranching life. This is a personal and soul-searching work, and a love song to places remote and forgotten. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Rebecca Lowman is an excellent choice for Elizabeth Kolbert’s report on the future of our environment. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Lowman’s clear, precise narration that brings a sense of immediacy while bringing energy and intelligence to her narration. The audiobook examines the sinking of New Orleans, carbon capture in Iceland, invasive carp on the Mississippi river, and more. Kolbert, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is both an engaged writer and thoughtful witness to the daunting challenges ahead. Science writing has never been more important, and Kolbert’s audiobook deserves a wide audience. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An outstanding cast of 87 narrators brings these essays and poems vividly to life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this stunning audiobook collection of essays and poems covering 400 years of African American history. Of the many incandescent narrators called upon to bring the stories to life, JD Jackson (“Upon Arrival”), Kevin R. Free (“Cotton”), January LaVoy (“Sally Hemmings”), and Robin Miles (“Marroons and Maroonage”) are masterful. Ninety entries, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, encapsulate the African American experience from 1619 to 2019, and the authors tell stories both little and well known that together give the listener a symphony of voices that bring the complex, often horrific, history of Black people in the U.S. into relief. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Julia Whelan brings vivid characterizations to Kristin Hannah’s saga about the 1930s Dust Bowl, from the perspective of Elsa Wolcott. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Whelan’s skill at becoming characters and making us ache, smile, and cry for them, their hardships, and their grit. Elsa Wolcott is tall, gangly, unloved by her family, and trapped in a spinster’s life in a Texas panhandle town. An encounter with handsome Rafe Martinelli leads to a shotgun wedding, and they are unexpectedly content until the Depression, drought, and wind decimate the land and the people. With forceful narrative drive, Whelan delivers a compelling performance of Hannah’s memorable new novel. Published by Macmillan 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 Real Hergé, the true story of the inspiration behind cultural phenomenon Tintin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Lamott’s reading sounds relaxed at first, but as the audio unfolds and listeners come to know how she sees the world, her tone and pacing begin to sound beautiful. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Anne Lamott’s narration of her memoir and how her stream of consciousness style is well suited to audio. She’s a snappy storyteller who charms with her self-effacing perspectives and humanitarian sensibilities. Lamott’s observations, heard in her own voice, are a wonderful way to tap into some of her warmth and wisdom. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Petkoff narrates a thriller that ricochets listeners from a Florida swamp to the wilds of northern Maine. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about Petkoff’s skill narrating this fast-paced listen. Nina once testified against her wealthy boss when his lethal crimes were revealed, and she was forced to leave her husband and young kids behind in order to protect them. Ten years later, her husband is killed in a car accident, and her children follow instructions to find her. Soon two groups of hired guns come after them--but who’s hunting whom? Petkoff keeps listeners engaged through myriad plot twists. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of The Last Queen. Simon Vance narrates a revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and the royal Windsor family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zeno Robinson returns to narrate the fifth in Ide’s IQ series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Robinson’s skilled narration that grounds this audiobook using his gift for dialogue and skill with action sequences. Robinson eases listeners inside Isaiah Quintabe’s (IQ’s) weary mind as he departs L.A. to look for peace and rejuvenation in Northern California. But trouble follows, and Robinson accelerates the tempo as IQ traps a blackmailer, catches a serial killer, and prevents corporate backstabbing. Robinson is terrific with dialogue, and thankfully there’s lots of it. 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 Real Hergé, the true story of the inspiration behind cultural phenomenon Tintin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morven Christie’s limpid, Scottish-inflected voice and gentle, enticing tone combine to lure listeners into Sarah Moss’s astonishing seventh novel as effectively as mermaids tempt sailors into the sea. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this memorable tale set at a Scottish holiday camp over the course of a long, rainy day, written in a series of linked vignettes. Each is its own vivid, heartfelt, mysterious, or humorous story that builds with the others toward an unexpected and shocking final drama. Christie’s narration keeps listeners rapt while maintaining rhythm with the action. An outstanding performance. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Frankenstein, a breathtaking Audie-nominated full-cast performance of the stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lex tries hard to ignore her past, when she was known as Girl A in the aftermath of escaping her abusive parents. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Lex’s story, narrated by Ell Potter with a strong yet subtle performance that helps build the psychological tension in the story. The narrative shifts time frames, and Potter’s characterization helps to distinguish the young Lex from the highly accomplished but flawed adult Lex. Potter’s careful pacing allows listeners to use their imagination without feeling the horror is being overly dramatized. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar are sisters and co-narrators on a hilarious, rapid romp through a series of unfortunate events with the racially ignorant. Host Jo Reed and Michele Cobb discuss the comedic tone of the audiobook’s narration, which also simultaneously peels back the layers of how often and how absurdly poorly Lacey is treated. It is simultaneously infuriating and laugh-out-loud funny, thanks to the sisters’ sharp wit. Fun and educational, this is an engaging listen. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a deeply touching foreword by Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis and an introduction from Cicely Tyson herself, narrator Robin Miles picks up the torch and delivers 16 riveting, thought-provoking hours of the life and times of the author. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed how this was one of her favorite celebrity autobiographies that she’s ever listened to, and especially poignant given the recent loss of the actress. This honest account of Tyson’s life also tells of the history and trials of Black women over generations. A must-listen audiobook thanks to the combined brilliance of Robin Miles’s performance and the genteel grace that pervades Tyson’s prose. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this collection of Katherine Anne Porter’s fiction, which brings three of her novellas to audio. Until now, her only fiction on audiobook has been SHIP OF FOOLS. Chelsea Stephens gives this matchless storyteller her due in a precise, subtly nuanced performance. These three novellas, among the best in American literature, live as vibrantly here as they did 80 years ago. Porter’s Pulitzer prize-winning story of the 1918 flu pandemic gives the collection its title, and that somber image links the very different “Old Morality” and “Noon Wine.” Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from Page Chaser, www.pagechaser.com, a book loving community that celebrates uplifting books with regular book sweepstakes, book clubs, great book deals, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices