The audiobook industry continued to grow in 2013, and for listeners that meant one thing: the chance to hear a host of outstanding titles, read by the most talented narrators in the business. Of the many audiobooks PW reviewed this year, here are the best of the best.
Fiction
★The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, read by Jen Tullock (Penguin Audio)
PW said: “Jen Tullock gives a tour de force performance, creating authentic, distinct voices for each and every major character.... Tullock is especially impressive during heart-to-heart conversations or angry arguments, flipping effortlessly back and forth between character voices and, more importantly, conveying each character’s passionate, heartfelt point of view. This is a must-listen performance.”
Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron, read by the author (Listening Library)
Evil Eye: Four Novellas of Love Gone Wrong by Joyce Carol Oates, read by Donna Postel, Luci Christian, Chris Patton, and Tamara Marston (HighBridge Audio)
Heartburn by Nora Ephron, read by Meryl Streep (Random House Audio)
The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver, read by James Snyder, January LaVoy, and Edoardo Ballerini (Hachette Audio)
Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie, read by Marisa Calin (Macmillan Audio)
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, read by Ari Fliakos (Macmillan Audio)
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud, read by Cassandra Campbell (Random House Audio)
The Tell-Tale Start: The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe by Gordon McAlpine, read by Arte Johnson (Listening Library)
The Diviners by Libba Bray, read by January LaVoy (Listening Library)
Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection by Don Roff, read by Stephen R. Thorne (AudioGo)
Nonfiction
★Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin, read by Bobby Cannavale (Simon & Schuster Audio)
PW said: “Narrator Bobby Cannavale delivers a stellar reading, his gritty bass tone drawing in listeners and his driving delivery keeping them enthralled until the very end. This is an absolutely fantastic listening experience about a true American great.”
Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas, read by Bernadette Sullivan (Random House Audio)
Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal by Melanie Warner, read by Ann Marie Lee (Tantor Media)
Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr., read by Dion Graham (Mission Audio)
In the Eye of the Storm: Jesus Knows How You Feel by Max Lucado, read by Ben Holland (Oasis Audio)
Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou, read by the author (Random House Audio)
Pete Seeger: The Storm King by Pete Seeger, read by the author (Hachette Audio)
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh, read by John Lee (Tantor Media)
Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday! by Penn Jillette, read by the author (Brilliance Audio)
America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t by Stephen Colbert, read by the author, with Tim Meadows and Jordin Ruderban (Hachette Audio)
I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life by Joel Osteen, read by the author (Hachette Audio)
Afterlife: What You Really Want to Know About Heaven and the Hereafter by Hank Hanegraaff, read by John Gauger (Oasis Audio)
YA/Children's
★The Tell-Tale Start by Gordon McAlpine, read by Arte Johnson (Listening Library)
PW said: “Johnson’s delivery is stellar and his character interpretations colorful and endlessly creative. The narrator’s ability to grab listeners and lure them into this fantasy is a true treat, and his extensive vocal pallet is something to behold. Endlessly fun and ultimately very satisfying on every level.”
Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron, read by the author (Listening Library)
The Diviners by Libba Bray, read by January LaVoy (Listening Library)
Treasure Hunters by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, read by Bryan Kennedy (Hachette Audio)
Hold Fast by Blue Balliett, read by Bahni Turpin (Scholastic Audiobooks)
In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz, read by Jonny Heller (Recorded Books)
The Program by Suzanne Young, read by Joy Osmanski (Simon & Schuster Audio)
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra (Listening Library)
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente, read by S.J. Tucker (Brilliance Audio)
The Wells Bequest: A Companion to the Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman, read by Johnny Heller (Penguin Audio)
One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath, read by Kathleen McInerney (Listening Library)
Classics
★Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray, read by Jonathan Keeble (Naxos AudioBooks)
PW said: “Reading in a rich, accented voice and making use of understated narration, Keeble immediately transports listeners back to the 18th century. His tone is firm and commanding, and he digs deep into Thackeray’s prose to precisely capture the very essence of Lyndon.”
The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Stories by H.P. Lovecraft, read by William Roberts (Naxos AudioBooks)
Carrie by Stephen King, read by Sissy Spacek (Random House Audio)
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, read by Neville Jason (Naxos AudioBooks)
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, read by a full cast (Blackstone Audio)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, read by Tavia Gilbert (Tantor Media)
Read by the Author
★Pete Seeger: The Storm King, by Pete Seeger (Hachette Audio)
PW said: “Seeger’s words are blended with a variety of world music in what amounts to an unforgettable and groundbreaking listen.... Seeger captures listener attention from the very beginning and never lets go.”
Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Billy Crystal (Macmillan Audio)
Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron (Listening Library)
Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday! by Penn Jillette (Brilliance Audio)
America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t by Stephen Colbert (Hachette Audio)
Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou (Random House Audio)
Full-cast Production
★Earth Afire by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston (Macmillan Audio)
PW said: “From the very beginning of this audio edition, the almost-nonstop action is delivered perfectly, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. At the same time, the narrators manage to bring a large and diverse cast of characters to life with a sharply realized array of distinct voices and accents.”
Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder by Christopher L. Bennett (GraphicAudio)
The Cleansed by Frederick Greenhalgh (Blackstone Audio)
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Blackstone Audio)
The Power Trip by Jackie Collins (MacMillan Audio)
Audiobook Narrator of the Year
★January LaVoy for The Kill Room (Hachette Audio) and The Diviners (Listening Library)
PW said about The Diviners: “LaVoy provides lively, magnetic narration and gives unique voices to the book’s cast of fascinating characters. Listeners both young and old will enjoy this supernatural story and find this audio edition enthralling, irresistible entertainment.” PW said about The Kill Room: “The novel comes to life via a series of inspired performances, each as convincing and entertaining as the last.... A thoroughly enjoyable listen.”
Jen Tullock for The Interestings (Penguin Audio)
Bobby Cannavale for Bruce (Simon & Schuster Audio)
Arte Johnson for The Tell-Tale Start (Listening Library)
Cassandra Campbell for The Woman Upstairs (Random House Audio)
Pete Seeger for Pete Seeger: The Storm King (Hachette Audio)
Audiobook of the Year
★Pete Seeger: The Storm King by Pete Seeger, read by the author (Hachette Audio)
PW said: “One of the most original and inspired audiobooks of the last decade.”
The Tell-Tale Start by Gordon McAlpine, read by Arte Johnson (Listening Library)
Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin, read by Bobby Cannavale (Simon & Schuster Audio)
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, read by Jen Tullock (Penguin Audio)
Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr., read by Dion Graham (Mission Audio)
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud, read by Cassandra Campbell (Random House Audio)
