I learned many years ago that with audio it's all about the narrator. A good narrator can make a mediocre book shine, and a bad narrator can completely ruin a great book. On audio, you may find that you gravitate toward books that you might never pick up in print. I find that I consume far more narrative non-fiction in audio than in print - and I enjoy it more with that touch of drama a good narrator can impart. It becomes a performance piece complete with a director and the interpretation of the work can make a sizable difference in reader enjoyment.
Which of course, brings me to the fun part! What to read! Who to listen to! I'll just start with the fact that my all-time favorite narrator is Katherine Kellgren. I have listened to books I never, ever, would have picked up for the sole reason that she was the reader. She's won every major audio award other than the Grammy for Spoken Word (a travesty, I tell you. Those seem to go almost exclusively to Hollywood actors and comedians. I call bias!). She is a marvel at accents, pacing, singing, and really everything else. She sets the standard. Start with the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer for swashbuckling adventure, or Connie Willis' Blackout & All Clear for gripping WWII-set time travel conundrums.
Some audio that I've enjoyed recently, in no particular order:
Don Tillman is brilliant, but he's never been on a second date. He doesn't pick up on social norms, and his impulse is always to tell the whole and unfiltered truth. He... doesn't have many friends. In fact, he has only two. Most of that will change as he initiates The Wife Project. This is a comedic romance that I found myself smiling all the way through. I'm looking forward to listening to the sequel, The Rosie Effect, also read by O'Grady. FYI: Australian accent alert.
You've probably heard of this one about the rowing crew UW put forth for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Herrmann reads this with such warmth; he's friendly and welcoming. I don't know whether it was the text or the narrator, but not only was this compelling, it was utterly moving as well. I'm not one for sports, and when it came to rowing, about the only thing I knew was that oars had something to do with it. I can't say that anymore. I'll never forget this read; especially since I listened to it TWICE. Oh, and I hear that Herrmann's versions of Hank the Cowdog are pretty great too! Don't forget that this is the Whidbey Reads title for 2015.
The Calamity was ten years ago, and whatever it was and whatever caused it is still unknown, but doubtless, the world will never be the same. Ever since then, Epics have controlled it all. These supervillans rule on a whim, but the remaining populace is literally powerless to resist. The Epic named Steelheart controls Chicago, and on the day he staked his claim, he killed David's father. Now a normal, but resourceful teen, David, will begin to mount his revenge and attempt to take down all the Epics. It's a fool's errand. But maybe that's exactly what is needed. This is one of those books were the shear intensity breaks into humor unexpectedly. Andrews handles all of the battles, mood shifts, and accents deftly, and I found my commute to be far more enjoyable.
Non-screw-up child actor, adult actor, and consummate awards show host (despite the sorta boring recent Oscar outing), Harris is just as charming and funny as you expect him to be in this unusual approach to autobiographies. As a reader who couldn't handle the pressure of Choose Your Own Adventures as a child (I needed all the options! I usually died.) the audio version of this is perfect for me, as it does not require any "Turn to page 56" instructions. It turns out Harris leads a pretty normal life. Except for being Elton John's pal. That's when things get... opulent.
On the surface of Mars, Mark Watney and his team were caught in a dust storm. Watney got knocked out, and his suit was damaged, ruining the sensors that connected him to their ship. There are no readings of his vitals, so his teammates, thinking he’s dead, leave without him. Stranding him on Mars, alone. When he wakes up, he’s only got the supplies he had on him, which wasn’t much, his own ingenuity, and the disco music the captain left behind. At first I thought the reader sounded a little to... masculine for a nerd like Watney, but I got over it, since the book is SO GOOD. Easily my favorite adult read of 2014. And it's possible I might have a crush on Mark Watney. That will probably work out well, since Matt Damon will be playing him in the movie version.
As a Sno-Isle Libraries user, you have three options to enjoy audiobooks: CDs, Overdrive digital, and Hoopla digital. I'm unable to link to a master record for all formats, so I tried to link to the audio version with the most copies or least number of holds. All of these are worth waiting for.
Who is your favorite audiobook narrator? What's your favorite audiobook?
Pro Tip: Unlike Overdrive, at the moment, Hoopla titles are not integrated into our catalog. There is never a waiting list for items borrowed through Hoopla. In addition to audiobooks, you can also stream and download movies, television shows, and music. None of the titles mentioned are available through Hoopla (although a handful of Kellgren's sizable oeuvre is), but many other audiobooks are.
