It’s time to talk about my favorite Audiobooks. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.
As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.
(in alphabetical order by author)
Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations
by Alton Brown
If you’re a fan of Brown, this is essential. It’s part memoir; it’s part behind the scenes of Good Eats, Iron Chef America, and more; it’s part musings on the state of cooking, food television, eating, etc.; and there’s even some cooking tips. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn a little more than that is covered.
The audiobook brings his signature style, snark, and passion to the material–which really doesn’t need anything to raise the level–but it doesn’t hurt. I had a blast reading it–I don’t know how many people I’ve pushed it on, either.
Sunrise on the Reaping
by Suzanne Collins, read by Jefferson White
I thought I was over the whole Panem/Hunger Games thing. I loved the original trilogy, but just couldn’t bring myself to read the prequels. A review or two and a co-worker convinced me to try this one.
As messed up as you may think that Haymitch was when we first met him…he deserved to be. He earned that–and more. Collins made that clear in the book, but Jefferson White brought that to life–with all the heartbreak, anger, and grief.
It was the audiobook that kept this from being something I checked off to satisfy an itch (and that itch would’ve been greatly satisfied, don’t get me wrong), and turned it into an experience that unsettled me in all the right ways.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
by Ian Fleming, read by David Tennant
I remember precious little about the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and most of that is just the car. But some fellow-blogger mentioned Tennant doing this audiobook (and I’ve lost track of who that was, I feel lousy for it). Curious, I gave it a shot.
I came away with this with two firm impressions: when Fleming let his hair down, he could spin a fun tale. Not one that necessarily makes a lot of sense–but it’s fun. Second–David Tennant was as fantastic at this as I imagined.
I don’t know what else to say–I’m sure I’d have been entertained by just about anyone reading this book. But very few (if any) could’ve made me relish the experience the way I did.
Future Boy:
Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum
by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry
I was a huge Michael J. Fox fan at the time this book is set (okay, I’ve pretty much been a huge Michael J. Fox fan since then, too), I was definitely part of the target audience for this. Throw in Fox as narrator, and you know I’m in.
As far as the narration goes, age and disease have impacted his voice—but it’s still Fox, and he delivers it well. The quick audio clips from others involved in the productions Back to the Future and Family Ties are fun bonuses.
This is a fun—and fast—look at a madcap time in Fox’s life with enough of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Fox’s trademark self-deprecation is on display as well.
The only problem with this book is its brevity. Beyond that, I have no complaints—fans of the actor or the film should enjoy this book. I sure did.
I See You’ve Called in Dead
by John Kenney, read by Sean Patrick Hopkins
Hopkins did a great job of bringing this very strange book to life and convinced me that an outrageous character like Bud Stanley could not only exist, but be someone I wanted to spend several hours with. Not just Bud Stanely, either–there’s a pretty diverse and wide cast of supporting characters that Hopkins did an equally convincing job with (the little neighbor boy was one of his best).
It’s not just the performance, obviously, I really got into this funny and heartfelt novel about friendship, mortality, and thinking about mortality. But it’s what pops to mind as I’m talking about audiobooks.
This was the whole package.
Songs for Other People’s Weddings
by David Levithan with songs by Jens Lekman, read by Jefferson Mays
I found the resolution of this novel disappointing, but I enjoyed a lot of the journey worth the time. This is a novel about a pop musician of some (small) renown who is much sought after as a Wedding Musician–it’s more than I can get into here, but alone is a charming story.
A bonus to this book is that Jens Lekman wrote and performs songs to go with the weddings. I don’t know what this looks like in the text version of the book–maybe just the lyrics, which is nice enough. But a novel about a singer that contains actual songs (purportedly by this singer) is a great bonus and adds something to the book.
Sure, I’m not crazy about most of the songs–just not my vibe. But that they’re there is really nice.
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science
by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)
My original post
(Edging out the sequel, Secrets of the Purple Pearl, by a hair–I did go back and forth on it a bit)
Would I enjoy this in print? Yeah—especially the illustrations. But the performance by McKinnon & Lynne makes these things you have to listen to. And likely re-listen to.
These are silly, silly, silly adventure novels about three sisters who wind up at The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette because they can’t manage to stay in other schools without being disruptive by being themselves. Quibb introduces them to a world of pizza, self-expression, curiosity, mystery, danger—and the chance to save the world from mad scientists.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. The plot is insane, the text are ridiculous, and the jokes are a great balance of silly enough for children but clever enough for adults. They’re perfect for young or young-at-heart readers. McKinnon and Lynne make a good book a great audio experience.
How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future
by Maria Ressa, read by Maria Ressa & Rebecca Mozo
Ressa’s story–from childhood up through the present–is mind-blowing, and the kind of thing one might be skeptical about in a novel. And I’m not going to say more about it now.
But it’s her delivering this material–the raw emotion, the pride, the anger, the conviction–that makes this audiobook. It’s a great story, it’s a powerful call to action–and a strong dose of hope for the future.
The Accidental Joe
by Tom Straw
It is difficult to explain just how entertaining this is–and I’m not sure if the narration or the text gets the majority of the credit. Tom Straw did both, so he gets all the credit.
This is the story of a celebrity chef with a travel show who is recruited by the government to use his show as a way to conduct espionage. Which totally makes sense, right? Well…with an iron-clad plan like that, things get out of control.
The book is a hoot. The jinks are hi. And Straw’s narration is perfectly suited to the material.
The Bang-Bang Sisters
by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)
My original post
So, this is a story about a touring rock band–and after their shows at various bars around the country, they occasionally slip away to kill some criminals that the judicial system can’t put away. Totally normal, stuff right.
Youers fills it with humor, heart, and so, so much violence. It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.
And Kristen Sieh? She’s just the lead vocalist that this album needed. I believed the music, I believed the vigilantism, I believed the sisterly-tie between the bandmates/friends/allies; I believed every second of the trap they were caught in and the way they got out of it.
It’s the kind of audiobook that leads me to overhyping.
Grab a book, any book.
