Hari Kunzru narrates his disturbing novel at a deliberate pace in an eerily calm tone that mimics his protagonist’s diminishing mental state. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this dystopian novel that ends just at the moment of the 2016 election. The protagonist has arrived in Germany after receiving a writing fellowship, but instead of working on the book, he’s drawn into an alt-right filmmaker’s show that unnerves him. Kunzru’s softly intoned English accent gives the audiobook a sense of otherness, and the plot unfolds as the protagonist’s mind descends into paranoia. Published by Random House Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Blackstone Publishing, a 30-years plus strong independent audiobook publisher that is now also publishing print books and ebooks. This Fall, we are publishing an array of stellar titles -- Cecilia Aragon's memoir Flying Free which tells the odds-defying story of how she became the first Latina pilot on the US Aerobatic Team; the historical fiction novel Escaping Dreamland by NY Times bestselling author Charlie Lovett; the YA dystopian thriller The Key to Fear from NY Times bestselling author Kristin Cast, and Don't Move - a horror novel from Darren Wearmouth and television star James S. Murray. Learn about these and more titles from Blackstone's Fall 2020 list at BlackstonePublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Richards narrates his audiobook in a clear English accent that often sounds as if he’s telling the story on a late evening in a pub. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff talk about Richards’s self-effacing, witty, and intimate narration as he tells listeners about the value of remote and often romantic places. Much is to be learned and considered in his wandering to northernmost Norway, Iceland, Scotland, to the Mars Project, and to Desolation Peak. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Blackstone Publishing, a 30-years plus strong independent audiobook publisher that is now also publishing print books and ebooks. This Fall, we are publishing an array of stellar titles -- Cecilia Aragon's memoir Flying Free which tells the odds-defying story of how she became the first Latina pilot on the US Aerobatic Team; the historical fiction novel Escaping Dreamland by NY Times bestselling author Charlie Lovett; the YA dystopian thriller The Key to Fear from NY Times bestselling author Kristin Cast, and Don't Move - a horror novel from Darren Wearmouth and television star James S. Murray. Learn about these and more titles from Blackstone's Fall 2020 list at BlackstonePublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson embodies all of the joy and light of fourth grader Ryan Hart. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the start of this new series from Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Renée Watson. Ryan tries hard to be the leader her parents expect her to be, but her competitive streak keeps getting in her way. Despite struggles, Ryan finds a way to shine. Each family member and friend comes to life with a distinct, realistic voice, but it’s the boundless energy and compassion that Johnson gives to Ryan that steals the show. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Blackstone Publishing, a 30-years plus strong independent audiobook publisher that is now also publishing print books and ebooks. This Fall, we are publishing an array of stellar titles -- Cecilia Aragon's memoir Flying Free which tells the odds-defying story of how she became the first Latina pilot on the US Aerobatic Team; the historical fiction novel Escaping Dreamland by NY Times bestselling author Charlie Lovett; the YA dystopian thriller The Key to Fear from NY Times bestselling author Kristin Cast, and Don't Move - a horror novel from Darren Wearmouth and television star James S. Murray. Learn about these and more titles from Blackstone's Fall 2020 list at BlackstonePublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guy Lockard delivers an outstanding performance of Jacqueline Woodson’s brief, eloquent story of 12-year-old ZJ, whose father, a former pro football player, is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The story is set in the early 2000s when little was known about the dangers of repeated head injuries in football, and listeners will follow the story of one family’s painful, slow realizations of loss. Lockard gives voice to the exhilarating before time with happy football games and fun with friends, and he compellingly shifts his tone and tempo as ZJ’s dad succumbs to the agonizing effects of this terrible condition. The novel in verse is beautifully enhanced by Lockard’s emotionally connected narration. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Blackstone Publishing, a 30-years plus strong independent audiobook publisher that is now also publishing print books and ebooks. This Fall, we are publishing an array of stellar titles -- Cecilia Aragon's memoir Flying Free which tells the odds-defying story of how she became the first Latina pilot on the US Aerobatic Team; the historical fiction novel Escaping Dreamland by NY Times bestselling author Charlie Lovett; the YA dystopian thriller The Key to Fear from NY Times bestselling author Kristin Cast, and Don't Move - a horror novel from Darren Wearmouth and television star James S. Murray. Learn about these and more titles from Blackstone's Fall 2020 list at BlackstonePublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rumble of train tracks, warm twangs of a banjo, and soft humming set the scene for this children’s audiobook tracing a family’s journey north during the Great Migration. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about this skillfully layered audiobook that mirrors the richness found in the picture book’s moving illustrations. Narrator Shayna Small embodies Ruth Ellen, a young Black girl who is escaping life on a tenant farm for a new life in New York. Dion Graham calls out as the conductor in a booming voice, and listeners feel they are riding the train north along with Ruth Ellen. Published by Live Oak Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powerhouse author and narrator duo Nic Stone and Dion Graham return to create a moving and hopeful audiobook, a companion to Stone’s debut, DEAR MARTIN. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a beautifully delivered audiobook that is centered around 16-year-old Quan, a Black boy wrongly incarcerated in a juvenile detention center. Stone narrates her author’s note that frames her story and tells of her inspiration — teens she met who didn’t have the opportunities that her first book’s hero, Justyce, had. The audiobook is told in part through Quan’s letters to his childhood friend Justyce. Graham captures Quan’s plight in an unjust criminal system and the brightness and wit that thrive when he finds support. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ride through the market with Little Lobo and his friends as they gather up a delicious feast for hungry luchadors before their wrestling match begins. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about the fun and sweet audiobook that has been keeping her family happy (and hungry) together at home. Narrator Gary Tiedemann’s narration brims with delight as he zips young listeners from food truck to elote cart, perfectly matching the fun and busy energy of Raúl the Third’s sequel to ¡VAMOS! LET’S GO TO THE MARKET. Listeners will keep coming back to this perfect audio companion for its gusto and its goofiness. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Bathurst is just about perfect narrating the 16th Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novel — this time, in Paris. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss what might be the best Louise Penny mystery yet. The Gamaches have left Three Pines, Québec, for Paris for the birth of their newest grandchild. When Gamache’s godfather, billionaire Stephen Horowitz, is almost killed, Gamache works to uncover an elaborate conspiracy. Penny’s intricate plotting and colorfully drawn characters never disappoint. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new audio version of the classic novel by Thornton Wilder is good news. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Thom Rivera’s narration of this brief but engaging audiobook. The story is set in the eighteenth century in colonial Peru at the moment one of the astounding rope bridges that crisscrossed the Andean gorges of the Inca Empire collapses. The story examines the lives of the five people who die together that day, uncovering layer after layer of relationships and purpose. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin Bennett and Lisa Flanagan provide a smooth and entertaining narration of this historical mystery set inside the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Fiona Davis’s story featuring two timeframes set out like diary entries. Erin Bennett voices John Lyons, the library’s superintendent, and his wife Laura, a pioneering journalist and essayist, who lived and worked in the library in 1913. The story shifts to the granddaughter, Sadie, who curates the library’s rare book collection in 1993. Lisa Flanagan voices Sadie and Nick, a dashing detective who aids in Sadie’s investigation for missing books. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marin Ireland uses many theatrical gifts in her fine narration of this bittersweet novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the new audiobook from Fredrik Backman, the Swedish author of THE MAN CALLED OVE and BEARTOWN. To get the most out of this story, the reader must listen — Ireland is extraordinary. There are a multitude of characters, and each voice speaks in a sort of stream of consciousness. Ireland is able to capture the tone of each, showing a wonderful variety and range, inhabiting each individual. At a time when we are all anxious, this audiobook is just the respite. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The blustery wild coast and a spirit-filled sea cave make an eerie setting for the small, almost forgotten village of Burrowhead. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how Julie Maisey rises to the challenge of narrating Helen Sedgwick’s new brooding mystery. DI Georgie Strachan and her assistants manage a small police force who rarely see violent crime — but suddenly, there are murders. Maisy captures the moody setting, with its violent weather and suspicious birds, as well as the homophobia, racism, and superstition of the small-minded townspeople. Published by Bolinda Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to award-winning author Zadie Smith read her collection of six personal essays about life in the year 2020 is such a transcendent experience that when done, you’ll want to start again from the beginning. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Smith’s audiobook, which she reads with a smooth, warm, London-born voice and a quick but not too fast pace. The witty, observant, thoughtful essays touch on the pandemic, womanhood, America, families, classism and racism, reading and writing, and what makes life worthwhile. Published by Penguin Random House. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kerri Arsenault narrates her examination of Mexico, Maine, the mill town she grew up in, uncovering stories of corporate greed and malfeasance, communities torn between needing mill jobs and struggling to stay healthy, and so much more. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Arsenault’s narration and how her passion comes through with just the right amount of sincerity and caring. She never overdoes her heartbreaking depiction of the price a community must pay because of a corporation that cares only about the bottom line. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Dan Mathews’s entertaining memoir about caring for his elderly mother in a raggedy old Virginia house. His voice is full of quiet amusement as he recounts the ups and downs of life with his larger-than-life mom, which includes spontaneous costume parties, vegan feasts, and home improvement mishaps. His lively, heartfelt performance adds a lot of depth to a lighthearted but ultimately moving book about a complicated mother-son relationship. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Clarke’s authentic reading of her audiobook allows her humanity to shine and her written words to be transformed into a moving listening experience. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this memoir by a British doctor and former journalist who works with patients at the end of their lives. Her proper British articulation and relaxed phrasing are soothing, which softens the harsh physical realities she encounters in her end-of-life medical practice. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Taussig’s humor and passion shine through in her lively delivery of this illuminating collection of essays about disability. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discusses this new audiobook with host Jo Reed. Taussig captures the ups and downs of ordinary life in a disabled body: dating, navigating her first year of teaching, searching for an accessible apartment. Part wake-up call, part call-to-action, this audiobook will resonate with anyone who lives in a body, disabled and nondisabled alike. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seraphine Valentine narrates Alexis Daria’s charming romance where the two leads fall in love on the set of a new TV rom-com — and behind the scenes. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss costars Jasmine Lin and Ashton Suárez’s disastrous meet-cute and the roller coaster romance that follows. Both Jasmine and Ashton are hoping to make their new TV series a launching point for bigger steps in their careers, but they don’t count on falling in love. Valentine highlights all their complicated emotions and their intense connections when they finally give in. Perfect weekend listening. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethan Herisse narrates this poignant novel in verse with a soft, slow, and somber tone, conveying all the intense emotions of Amal, a teenage boy who was wrongly incarcerated. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about this powerful audiobook, co-written by author Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five. Both poets’ brilliance shines in every line, and as the verses build and deepen, Herisse increases the earnestness of Amal’s journey to hold onto hope. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole Lewis captivates as she narrates a story of greed, love, redemption, identity — and interdimensional travel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Micaiah Johnson’s thrilling sci-fi audiobook. Cara is a traverser who travels between alternate universes for a big tech company. When a routine job goes wrong, she discovers dangerous secrets that upend her understanding of her world, and all the others. Nicole Lewis inhabits Cara, and listeners will feel all the tension and drama as she navigates intrigue across dimensions. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nigerian-American author Akwaeke Emezi's lyrical and heartbreaking third novel is brought to life by the extraordinarily gifted pairing of narrators Yetide Badaki and Chukwudi Iwuji. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how Emezi’s prose comes to life in this audiobook centered around Vivek’s life and death in 1990s Nigeria. It’s an audiobook that explores grief, family, transgender identity, and societal expectations, with a vibrant third-person narration by Badaki and revelatory and powerful-first person narration by Iwuji as he portrays Vivek and his cousin, Osita. An impressive production of an unforgettable audiobook. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Miles’s powerhouse performance and Isabel Wilkerson’s excellent writing are perfectly matched in this stunning examination of the egregious effects of caste systems. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how hearing Miles’s clear, warm, and passionate narration helps listeners understand and resonate with this deep exploration of the caste systems in India, the United States, and Nazi Germany. A must-listen. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Butler’s narration of this mediation on the meaning of driving takes listeners by the lapels and gently shakes their preconceived notions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this treatise on all the reasons to hit the open road and explore by car. Author Matthew B. Crawford champions both driving and fixing cars as ways to exercise our freedom, and he takes a deeper look at technological advances such as driverless vehicles. Perfect for listening as you traverse the open road, or daydream about it. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Donovan smoothly narrates her memoir with a firm hold on its meaning and implications, reading with a clear, pleasing storytelling voice to reveal the twists and turns her life has taken as a pastry chef, wife, and mother. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff talk about her career successes and her real grievances about being underpaid and the commodification of her business. Donovan’s prose shimmers with sensory images and gustatory delights. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Cordileone narrates an accessible and highly informed audiobook all about voting in America. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the narrator’s explanatory yet interrogative tone used to deliver a text that ranges across centuries, covering the Know Nothings, gerrymandering, and the backstories for passing amendments on voting issues. Author Erin Geiger Smith’s focus is on invigorating the process of voting and encouraging voters to get to the polls. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicholas Boulton is simply a masterful narrator. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss Boulton’s tour-de-force performance that shows the full complement of his vocal ability: he does all manner of English accents and dexterously captures age, gender, and geographical idiosyncrasies. Dickens’s gifts as a storyteller are well served by Boulton. In this age of binging, here is an audiobook that can be listened to and enjoyed over time. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Hollywoodland Audiobooks, a new imprint celebrating the lives and works of Hollywood screen legends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian actress Michelle St. John narrates this exhilarating novel with a sure sense of pace and a grip on its intense emotions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss the nuanced narration of the new novel from Cherie Dimaline (Georgia Bay Métis). The story centers around protagonist Joan’s quest to bring back her wayward husband, who has been entranced by a rugaro (half-man, half-wolf). The rendering of the Indigenous descendants of Ontario’s Métis people is done expertly. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners join DCI Robert Kett, who is heading to Norwich to start a new life with his daughters after his wife’s disappearance. When a girl goes missing, he’s unwillingly dragged into the investigation. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Robin Whitten discuss this promising start to a new mystery series from Alex Smith, read with a skilled and straightforward style that suits the police procedural. Published by Zertex Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about a series of essays from award-winning crime novelist Laura Lippman, which consider her past and present choices in her life, her career, and on herself. She brings plenty of attitude and a distinct style to her audiobook’s narration, and is both candid and self-critical. Her soft, expressive delivery finds a spot between performance and storytelling, especially when she's focused on stories of her family. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a memoir that acts as a call to action about access for all communities to sports opportunities. Adam Lazarre-White delivers Arshay Cooper’s emotional and impressive true story of joining the first Black high school rowing team in the country in the 1990s. Cooper and his teammates create something great while navigating gang conflict, poverty, addiction, and systemic racism. A brand new documentary looks at this team’s success, and this audiobook makes for an excellent companion to the film. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rich historical fiction perfect for fans of Tudor history — complete with all the glamour, deceit, and tragedy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Rosalyn Landor’s one-woman full-cast performance of Alison Weir’s newest historical fiction audiobook. The story of Henry VIII’s fifth wife reminds listeners of how deadly dangerous he was, and Landor captures young Katheryn’s joy in youthful pleasures, the glittering life at court, and the inevitable tragedy. Exceptional storytelling, A+ listening. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's bonus episode of Behind the Mic, we're featuring a conversation between host Jo Reed and Dirk Maggs. Listen in as they discuss his decades of work bringing audio dramas to life. If you love audio theater, then you know the work of Dirk Maggs. As a producer, director, and writer, his productions immerse listeners in the worlds that he creates. In a career spanning 30 years, he's won many national and international awards. Dirk first made a name for himself turning DC comics into audio productions, and when Douglas Adams heard those adaptations, he pulled Dirk in to bring his HITCHHIKERS' GUIDE TO THE GALAXY series back to audio. Dirk has also had a longtime collaboration with Neil Gaiman, which most recently has resulted in an audio adaptation of THE SANDMAN, Gaiman's beloved classic comic book series. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com  Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a comprehensive study of the devastating 2018 Northern California fire. T. Ryder Smith narrates with dramatic pacing, speeding up during the nail-biting personal stories and slowing down when explaining the fire’s causes and behaviors. Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano have written an outstanding study of how humans create and respond to disaster, which calls to mind the continuing dangers of California’s fire seasons. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poet Natasha Trethewey’s emotional delivery adds to the impact of this harrowing memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s memoir about her childhood in Mississippi, and her mother’s childhood in the segregated South. Grief, shock, love, anger, and guilt are all palpable in Trethewey’s voice as she offers listeners a detailed account of her mother’s abusive relationship, her own understanding of it, and the events that led to her mother’s murder. Though it’s a hard and often viscerally painful listen, it’s a worthwhile one. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cassandra Campbell gives a stellar performance of this historical fiction audiobook, based on the life of 19-year-old mathematician Charlie Fisk who played a crucial role in creating the atomic bomb. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about Campbell’s performance of Stephen P. Kiernan’s novel, which blends romance, science, and heavier themes. Charlie has to leave his love, Brenda, so he can go manufacture the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, and the secrecy around his position puts a strain on their relationship as he struggles with the ramifications of his work. Campbell skillfully portrays a wide variety of characters, creating a vibrant portrait of an increasingly tense atmosphere. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Andrea Bang and Yuta Takenaka add refreshing vitality to the voices in this eclectic collection of stories showcasing the perspectives of young Asian-Canadians. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb share their thoughts on Doretta Lau’s debut collection of fiction stories from 2014 that are now available on audio. Bang and Takenaka’s performances turn these engaging slices of life into provocative listening experiences. Published by ECW Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three narrators deliver a tremendous performance of Kate Reed Petty’s remarkable debut novel about the long-term reverberations of a high school rumor about sexual assault. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the multiple voices and points of view. Combining multiple styles—thriller, letters, essays, and memoirs—the bulk of the story is carried by Kristen Sieh as Alice, who spends 15 years trying to figure out what happened to her at a party. Listeners hear Alexander Cendese narrating as a lacrosse player, and one of the boys involved in the incident, and Cassandra Campbell cameos as a college essay editor. Timely, timeless, and riveting, this is an astonishing listen, and an AudioFile Earphones Award winner. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Abel’s skilled performance of the famous story told anew from vampire Edward’s point of view is sure to delight fans of the series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this new take on Stephenie Meyers’s teen series. This is Jake Abel’s first audiobook, and his smooth voice and subtle shifts in tone convey all the emotions of each character. Edward’s frustration over monotonous vampire life changes to vitriol when he meets the tantalizing and challenging human Bella. Listeners will feel all the excitement and awe as they explore the story with new eyes. Published by Hachette Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts of the “Call Your Girlfriend” podcast are warm, open, and matter-of-fact narrators as they share personal details about the path their friendship has taken. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook that centers around relationships that rarely get their due — friendships. Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman sound comfortable and natural behind the mic as they trade off narrating their story and pull in the voices of friends and experts they interviewed during the course of writing their book. After you listen, call up a good friend for a chat. Published by Simon & Schuster. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morag Sims has a bright and lively voice that matches the mood of Olivia Waite’s historical romance perfectly. Agatha Griffin is a widowed owner of a print shop in 1820s London, and is visiting her countryside warehouse when she discovers an alarming surprise — bees have taken up residence. She is pointed in the direction of resident bee expert Penelope Flood, and the two women strike up a friendship. When their smoldering passions eventually ignite, Sims’s adept use of textural cues fan the flames. Their seaside town, Melliton, is a fictional community one wants to climb inside and inhabit, and listeners will enjoy following Agatha and Penelope’s journey as they come to understand themselves and their love for one another. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sisi Aisha Johnson creates a realistic and relatable cast of characters in a middle-grade audiobook about friendship, family, and moving out of your comfort zone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story centered around 11-year-old Jenae, who wishes she were invisible and fears public speaking. When she makes a new friend with an outgoing kid at school and is pushed to debate on a school name change, she learns to make her voice heard. Lisa Moore Ramée’s audiobooks feature relatable young protagonists learning more about themselves and their role in making a difference and make for engaging listening. Published by HarperAudio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Black teens vote for the first time in an audiobook that takes place all in one day. Host Jo Reed and AudioFIle’s Emily Connelly discuss how the dual narration adds to the fun in Brandy Colbert’s YA novel that features a satisfying blend of character development and lessons about voter suppression, grief, and activism. Robin Eller voices Marva, who is first in line at the polls. When she sees Duke, voiced by Cary Hite, turned away because he isn’t on the registration list, the two pair up to make sure his vote is counted. Listeners will fall for Marva and Duke even as they are falling for each other. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s evocative narration skillfully complements Jordan Ifueko’s vibrant multilayered fantasy. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed the many reasons she couldn’t hit pause on this audiobook, a coming-of-age story with magic, mystery, and adventure. Tarisai grew up isolated but discovers friends and found family when she joins the crown prince’s council. But she carries a violent secret — her mother has cursed her to kill the beloved prince. Abbott-Pratt’s richly expressive characterizations imbue a fascinating cast with warmth and complexity, making this a listen that fans of YA fantasy won’t want to miss. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFIle contributor Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed about his delight with Kristin Kimball’s story of going back to the land, and her expressive narration. Kimball and her husband farm in upstate New York, and the audiobook breathes with the sounds, sights, and smells of their farm. They plow with enormous horses, feed hundreds through their CSA, and act as mentors for young farmers. You’ll be drawn into the inner workings of the farm, and the intimate murmurs of Kimball’s heart. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Buford narrates his culinary journey, taking listeners with him to Lyon, France, as he seeks to learn classic French cooking methods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss Buford’s self-effacing, witty, and experiential narrative style, and listeners are treated to an exceptional tour of French food, its history, and the particular joys of Lyon. He narrates as a friendly storyteller who is revealing the hidden world of French cooking, drawing you into the kitchen to cook alongside him. Published by Random House Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria James narrates her inside account of her remarkable rise to prominence as a sommelier in New York’s fine dining world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss how James became the youngest sommelier in the U.S. at age 21, and her earnest and persuasive narration as she tells her story. Despite exploitation, harassment, and abuse, she perseveres and prevails, all while giving listeners an inside peek at the world of fine dining. Published by Harper Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss all the science and pseudoscience about what we eat, uncovered by Canadian author Dr. Joe Schwarcz. This audiobook collects essays on nutrition, diet, and eating, in an attempt to apply scientific information about the foods we eat and address some wild internet claims. Narrator Jonathan Yen provides a clear and intelligent narration, and has the right tone for all the science — and the humor — found in this work. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to this extraordinary history of salmon from Mark Kurlansky, the author of COD, SALT, and other focused and powerful examinations of the natural world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff discuss how salmon and the earth share fates, and threats to survival. Kurlansky narrates straightforwardly as he tells the story of the history of salmon, and how people have coexisted with salmon over time. In the end, the audiobook is a plea for the survival of the habitat where salmon still survive and thrive. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Dreamscape Media, your library-first publisher who prides themselves on offering high-quality and accessible entertainment for the entire family. Dreamscape is passionate about their content and continually strives for excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices