THANK YOU so much for not degrading or insulting people who use audiobooks over physical books. I don’t think some people who read without issues understand just how important audiobooks are to a variety of people. From someone who suffers from a continuous migraine there are days I can not read or I can not understand what I am reading so audiobooks have been a blessing to me.
One of my favorites is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, narrated by Gary Sinise. The book is great, but the narration is just amazing. I frequently just listen to a bit before I go to sleep because it is so comforting!
Great points about audiobooks. My recommendation is When All is Said by Anne Griffin. It about an elderly Irish man telling his life story and the narrator made me feel I was in the room listening to this man tell his story. The narrator is Niall Buggy, an Irish actor, who was so good I considered listening to the book again as soon as I finished. Unfortunately I don't think he has narrated other books.
Great episode! There are two extraordinary audio experiences for me. I listened to Eudora Welty read her book The Optimist’s Daughter. I listened to it in the car and it was like having a best friend seated next to me, filling me in on all the goings-on in our little town. How fun! The other great listen is The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt, read by Rosalyn Landor. It is a captivating late Victorian era to WWI novel with a myriad of characters that range from the very young to the very old, both male and female. Landor does the narration so well that as you get into the book, you really don’t need to be told which character is speaking. That is how attuned to the story Landor is and how broad a voice range she has. Magnificent. Right now I’m listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. It is read by Meryl Streep, which is why I chose to listen to the book. It took me a while to warm up to Streep’s narration. It seemed so flat to me. Now that I am in the meatiest part of the story, I’m liking it a lot more. I actually think that reading it might have confirmed for me what a lot have people have said…it’s boring. I’m not commuting anymore, so I haven’t had a chance to finish it. I’m thinking that once I do finish it I’ll go back and listen to the beginning again to reassess just how Streep’s reading fits the story. Thank you for having such a great Booktube presence. I enjoy your videos immensely. I also appreciate your being a women’s basketball fan. I’m a Norte Dame fan so I follow the ND team religiously (pun intended) and all of it’s grads who seem to have a pretty dar good presence in the W!
Thank you for this video. I like audio books, too. But I have been unable to enjoy them lately and cannot decide if I should read a particular book in print or listen to the audio book. I would like to watch more such recommendation videos on audio books.
I've mentioned this book previously on a different video, but Remarkably Bright Creatures is an amazing audiobook. The man who reads for Marcellus, the octopus, has the perfect combination of tone and intonation. I absolutely fell in love with Marcellus in a large part due to his narration.
I got into audiobooks in 2021 when I dated a man who was legally blind and relied on audio technology. I fell in love with them, and now I pretty exclusively read by listening, which has been really great since I have an hour long commute to work. Love the hair!
Thank you for your review on your favorite audiobooks. I will definitely check them out. I love reading and I love audiobooks too. Some of my favs include: The Boys in the Boat, young readers adaptation. (Excellent)! The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (Very entertaining. A classic). Sarah, Plain and Tall. (Beautiful)! Old Babes in the Wood. Exit West. Just to name a few…
One of my all-time favorite audiobooks is "Endurance" by Alfred Lansing, about Shackleton's disastrous Antarctic expedition. It's a great survival story and the narrator, Simon Prebble, has a warm grandfatherly voice that makes it feel like you're being told the story next to a fireplace with a cup of cocoa.
Really appreciated getting these audio book picks. I'm primarily a devoted hard copy book reader but two audio books I thought were super well executed are Demon Copperhead by and The Personal Librarian. Again, thank you for putting out such great quality content for us readers ❤
I just love John Lee who has done some Dickens. Two that I can think of are Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities. Also some middle grade- Echo and The War That Saved My Life and A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. Can't think who read them right now.
Anything read by Jim Dale is fantastic! (Harry Potter & a few James Herriot stories), The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, Leave Only Footprints by Conor Knighton & read by him, Forever Young by Hayley Mills & read by her, Make it So by Patrick Stewart & read by him, Daisy Jones & the Six (honestly any Taylor Jenkins Reid is a great audiobook)
You are so right, a skilled narrator can significantly enhance an audiobook experience. On the flip side, a narrator that doesn’t mesh well with the story being told can detract from the experience. Recently, I listened to “The Wager” by David Grann. It was a jarring disappointment to hear a youngish, mid-range American voice narrating this tale of 18th C British seamen. I was definitely expecting to hear a deeper toned British accent. It distracted from the experience of this book which has been so highly praised in many reviews. Your new “do” looks great. It’s fun to reset for a new year.
I am currently listening to Absolution by Alice McDermott. James by P, Everett. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, narrated by Meryl Streep. When All Is Said by Anne Griffen narrated by Niall Buggy. The Boys In The Boat by Daniel James Brown. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, narrated by Tavia Gilbert. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia McLachian narrated by Glen Close. Some of my favorites that I recommend for a wonderful audiobook experience.
All the colours came out by Kate Fagan was one memoir which really worked in the audiobook. Also I loved The covenant of water narrated by Abraham Varghese
Thank you for these recommendations! My favourite audiobooks of last year are 'Under the Whispering Door' by TJ Klune narrated by Kirt Graves and Viola Davis' autobiography 'Findig Me' narrated by the author.
My favorite narrator is Edoardo Ballerini and my two favorites of his are Beautiful Ruins and Return to Valetto. Frank Muller now deceased was another earlier and amazing audio narrator. His Trustee from the Toolroom and King's The Green Mile are something special. I shy away from author read in general and celebrity readers but I'm slowly changing my mind. Tom Lake was excellent with narrator Meryl Streep. I would never have gotten through David Copperfield without the golden voice of Simon Vance. I could go on and on since the majority of my reading is by audio due to sight problems. i've been listening for over 40 years and boy was I glad to see this genre explode. thanks for your recommendations. I'm always looking for my next great listen.
I just read What Happened to You? by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey. The audiobook is amazing! Both authors narrate it and it is more like Oprah is interviewing the other author. It's super conversational as well as informative!
The very best audiobooks I have listened to in a long while were the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Andy Serkis (the voice of Gollum in the movies) performs these books. I use the word "perform" deliberately rather than narration. The books really come alive on audio. I would classify these in your special category.
I love your channel. I am a devoted audio book reader. 90% for sure I have many standouts. Recent Dutch House read by Tim Hanks made that book for me. I enjoyed Lessos in Chemistry The absolute best read book this year was Demon Copperhead because of the reader and the beautiful writing Absolutely unbelievable how the reader told “his” story. You loved him. His friends his communities. This book was Painful no question. The reader pushed you through with Demon
I have just finished my first ever audiobook - EDUCATED by Tara Westover - absolutely superb and gripping. Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ About to start THE RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore. I read 146 books last year (I'm retired)! Having discovered audiobooks is a delight for me as I am in training to hike to Everest Base Camp in May so listening to great books as I stride out is bliss😊
Project Hail Mary. The narrator’s voice was beautiful to listen to, and the sound effects (I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll leave it at that) added a lot to the building of a certain character. ❤
I LOVE this audiobook! Ray Porter's narration was amazing. I even listened the whole Bobiverse series of audiobooks because I loved his narration so much.
As an American (US) I often like to listen to books by foreign (e.g., UK) authors set in their countries, read by native narrators because I can't read/"hear" the accents right in my internal voice. Currently listening to Great Expectations, for example, and enjoying that. A nonfiction memoir-type essay collection book narrated by the author that was life-changing for me: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series (I've only gotten to the first book so far, but I think it's the same throughout) is delightfully narrated by a husband/wife team. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield was a good listen because it's essentially a story that's also partly about oral storytelling - it just feels like the perfect story to have read/told to you.
I’m listening to a great audiobook now Tom Lake by Ann Patchett I love audiobooks with multi voice cast Deluge & Ohio by Stephen Markley Lincoln in the Bardo I also love narrators who do accents really well. The Bee Sting ( especially the character PJ) Anne Enright reading the part of Carmel in her book The Wren, The Wren
I loved Brandi Carlisle reading her memoir and singing along. And, I am with the group of Trevor Noah fans of his reading Born a Crime. Fabulous. Also, Simon Vance…I do searches at the library just looking for his narrations.
Thank you for sharing these! I’ve added to my tbr after watching this.😅 one of my all time favorites is A Brief History of Seven Killings. Last year a favorite was The Wager.
I love audiobooks! These days I usually prefer to listen to nonfiction while I’m walking or driving, or to fiction that I’ve already read before. For many years, I used audiobooks of favourite novels to fall asleep, so trying to listen to new-to-me fiction can be weird in my brain, but not impossible; last year I binged the entire Murderbot series via audio and had a blast. Some of my favourites are Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand, narrated by George Newburn (also one of my favourite books, period); Neil Gaiman narrating any of his own work; Caitlin Doughty (Ask a Mortician on TH-cam) narrating her memoir, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, or her other books about death; and John Scalzi’s Lock In and Head On, whose protagonist’s gender is never specified, so there are two audiobook versions of each, narrated by Amber Benson or Wil Wheaton. Both are great, though if I had to choose, I’m slightly more partial to Amber’s rendition.
I have never been an audiobook enthusiast, maybe because my mom had severe vision issues so by the time I was born she couldn't read books anymore and I learned to read very young. So books have always been in my mental voice when I read nonfiction or the voices I imagine when it is fiction. Also, I read quite fast and despite knowing you can listen the audiobooks faster it became unnatural, so they are boringly slow or weirdly fast, but in my head they are just right. The only time I listen a bit to an audiobook is when I want to know how to pronounce some character's name 😝 All that being said, I appreciate that the audiobooks could bring so many people to the world of books. And I have enjoyed a couple of chapters at times from Harry Potter or Sherlock Holmes in the magnificent rendition of Stephen Fry 😉 Charming new haircut by the way! ❤
I love audiobooks, especially after a long workday when my eyes are too tired to read. For nonfiction, Malcom Gladwell and Michael Lewis are terrific. They often narrate their own books, which adds a lot to the experience. Also this year I've been reading a middle grade series called Nevermoor, which has a charming narrator and some wonderful made-up words that makes the story world come to life. And Helen Johns' narration of Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher is not to be missed. Happy reading! :)
I always listened to audio books while I commuted to work. Now I work at home and I miss that time. My two favorite have been Smoke Gets in your eyes (stories from the crematorium) read by the author, Caitlin Doughty. And also A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I plan to listen to that again, all 17 1/2 hours of it!!
My fave audios: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Milkman by Anna Burns Moby Dick narrated by William Hootkins (there are a million recordings of this, this is the one to pick!)
I read most of my books on audio. Mary Jane and Rules of Civility were both amazing. One of my all time favorite books is The Power of One by Bryce Courtney. The audio is just brilliant.
It was interesting to watch this video. I am not fun of audiobooks. I can't listen to it. I can concetrate only when I read books. I can read them on my telephone or simple books. I do not know why but I just can't concetrate=(.......
Hamilton: The Revolution, text read by Mariska Hargitay and footnotes read/explained by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown, read by author Anais Mitchell, Fosse by Sam Wasson read by Jim Meskiman, memoirs by Billy Porter, Chita Rivera, Barack Obama.
I have been listening since they were on cassette tape! Easy to gobble them up commuting. Give Shakespeare and Dickens a try. Hearing them read by trained actors brings them to life!
Loved this video. I have always struggled with Audio books as my mind tends to wander, but you inspire me to try some of these. You have inspired me to read more non-fiction just finished A Rome of One’s Own by Emma Southon. Have you read it? Love your hair! So cute!
I’m listening to Hunchback of Notre Dame. I cannot read it! But listening to it is great. Also do you know about LibraVox? It’s free and only has books in the public domain. I’ve found some great things there! The people who voice the books are volunteers but most of them do a great job!
I love audiobooks too. Some of mine are Muppets in Moscow by Natasha Lance Rogoff, The Field of Blood by Joanne Freeman, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray, Red Notice by Bill Browder, The Russian Affair by David Walsh, Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen, Trotsky in New York by Kenneth Ackerman, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, and Hero of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan.
Booktube needed this video! I would have made it myself if I had that many favorite audiobooks. I look forward to listening that all of these! Specially The unbearable Lightness of being -which I didn’t love on my first read-, and of course, Rules of Civility!
You should listen to Mary Gauthier’s “Saved by a Song.” Mary is an extraordinary singer songwriter. Her book has all of the things you said you enjoy - Mary narrates the book, the words to her songs are at the beginning of every chapter, and she sings her songs at the end of each chapter. She has had a fascinating life which she shares with us. She meets with veterans and helps them write their own songs. She’s my favorite female singer and I know you will love her, her music, and her book.
The Flatshare is probably my favorite audio book. Beth O'Leary's latest book, The Wake Up Call, looks to be well cast as well. (I've had it on hold for months, even though I have read the print version.) Kal Penn's memoir is the first one I listened to that put actual original audio into the narration, which made me wonder/hope that other books would do this too. Memoirs are great on audio. Of course, Viola Davis's memoir is great, but some that are less professionally -- that's not the right word -- done have stuck with me more. All In by Billie Jean King sticks with me because of where she laughs or gets choked up. And Unprotected by Billy Porter -- he does not hold back just because he is narrating a book. Love the new 'do!
Joshua Jay was a student of the author Michael Kardos who wrote a book about one of Joshua's experiences called Bluff which, wait for it, is an outstanding audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan. Truly, one of my favorites. If you love a great con with magic, you would adore this. It's our January MomAdvice Book Club selection.❤️ Love your haircut, my friend!
11) Lastly... There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora N. Hurston with the one and only Ruby Dee as narrator. This reading forever changed my attitude towards contemporary match ups. The story is mana and Mrs. Dee is the plate.
For roughly forty-six years, I was into what is fashionably labeled now as "immersive reading." Being a retired professional musician, etc. most of my audible books have to be way above average to exceptional. I love my physical books most but....but...audio books coupled with physical (for many works) is the preferred journey. Exceptional audible books: 1) Dolores Claiborne by S. King. The narrator is made for this work. The narrator is Frances Sternhagen is without doubt fantastic! 2) Americanah by Chimamanda N. Adichie The narrator captures the essence of the black immigrant struggle. Proper vocal inflections and spot-on alteration of speed (which is culturally correct for the characters). 3) The Book of Harlan by Bernice McFadden. The narrator is Robin Miles. Need I explain? 4) The Complete Sherlock Holmes with Simon Vance as narrator. Again...a gift! 5) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury with Tim Robbins. Cadence is perfect, story telling matches the tone of the work... exceptionally. 6) Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin with Dion Graham as narrator. Few narrate Baldwin in a believable way. 7) Notes from The Underground by F. Dostoevsky with Stefan Rudnicki...absolute bullseye in every way! 8) Betty by Tiffany McDaniel. Dale Dickey is the narrator. An amazing pairing of narrative and narrator. 9) When The Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen with Kara Young as narrator. Unique timbre, captures the emotional landscape. Even when I physically read....I only hear her voice within me. 10) Playing The Cards You are Dealt with Dion Graham as narrator. Author is Varian Johnson. The range ....the range. Outstanding story teller.
One of the best audiobooks I listened to last year was The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker, read by Phil Gigante. I think it might overlap with your taste!
I really loved the audiobook of Daisy Jones and the Six. I would've liked to hear the songs, but I was so caught up in the story itself, that not hearing the songs didn't make that big of a difference to me. I went on to listen to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and that audiobook was fantastic as well. Some favorite fantasy audiobooks i listened to last year were The Bone Witch trilogy by Rin Chupeco. There's two narrators in that series -the main character narrates the past and a bard she hires to tell her story narrates the present. The narrator for the main character was absolutely fantastic. The emotions felt so real. The audiobooks for The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whallen Turner were just amazing. Steve West was the narrator and he is incredible. This was the first time I really enjoyed a political fantasy series and he's a big part of why I loved it. The Nevermoor series which is middle grade fantasy is another series where the audiobook narrator is fantastic. For nonfiction books I loved listening to Trevor Noah read Born a Crime. It shouldn't be a surprise that he did an excellent job. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton was one of my favorite books last year and listening to him talk about his family, filming the Harry Potter movies, and his mental struggles later felt special. Another favorite was Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. She kept me laughing during my commutes.
I have the audiobooks for 'Moon of the Crusted Snow' and 'Moon of the Turning Leaves' and I love hearing the indigenous narrator pronounce names and words in this way that conveys belonging.
I love the trend of science writers reading their own book. Astronomer Dr. Becky Smethurst is an utter delight reading A Brief History of Black Holes, and Dr. Kevin Hand is great with Alien Oceans, about the search for life on places like the moon Europa. My favorite multi-reader book is Dracula, with Alan Cummins and Tim Curry, among others. The book is all letters, diaries, and other documents, with half a dozen main characters, so the division between narrators is just a perfect fit.
A few of my favorite audiobooks: 1. BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah - - Trevor narrates his book, and he is excellent (of course). I love Trevor's admission that he set out to "write his own story" but realizes he has really written his mother's story. What is not to love about that? Lots more to appreciate about Trevor's writing, his story, and learning about South Africa and apartheid. 2. BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey - - a series of essays about Tina's life. Interesting, funny, and personal. Fey narrates and she is a superb. 3. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS by Minnie Driver - - Actress & surfer Minnie narrates her own book. Love a British accent, and Minnie is an excellent writer, a talented storyteller, and has had an interesting life. Her parents never married. I would have LOVED to have attended the school she went to as a child. I adore Minnie. 4. TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICCHU by Mark Adams - - I read this before traveling to Peru and it is an excellent book about Peru, Machu Picchu and the Incas. Adams, an American, gently and with humor, writes about the supposed "discovery" of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham. My favorite fact is how during an earthquake the Inca structures that were built with "dry" (no mortar) stone work, the stones will "dance" around and then settle back into the way they were fitted ... and those structures survive to this day (those not destroyed by humans). I really do read a wide range of books, although this list is not representative of that fact. I am realizing from my list here that although I have a bunch of audiobooks that I really prefer reading physical books. Unlike you, Olive, I cannot comprehend enough audibly. UNLESS, apparently, it is a memoir. I am going to have a think on this, and why that is?
THANK YOU so much for not degrading or insulting people who use audiobooks over physical books. I don’t think some people who read without issues understand just how important audiobooks are to a variety of people. From someone who suffers from a continuous migraine there are days I can not read or I can not understand what I am reading so audiobooks have been a blessing to me.
I am legally blind and so grateful for audio books! Every one of your suggestions sound great! Thank you! I plan to add them all to my TBR. ♥️☮️
One of my favorites is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, narrated by Gary Sinise. The book is great, but the narration is just amazing. I frequently just listen to a bit before I go to sleep because it is so comforting!
Thank you Olive! Now I have books to download with the gift card I got for Christmas.❤
Great points about audiobooks. My recommendation is When All is Said by Anne Griffin. It about an elderly Irish man telling his life story and the narrator made me feel I was in the room listening to this man tell his story. The narrator is Niall Buggy, an Irish actor, who was so good I considered listening to the book again as soon as I finished. Unfortunately I don't think he has narrated other books.
I am listening to this now on my Libby app and loving it. Thanks for this recommendation. 😊
Great episode! There are two extraordinary audio experiences for me. I listened to Eudora Welty read her book The Optimist’s Daughter. I listened to it in the car and it was like having a best friend seated next to me, filling me in on all the goings-on in our little town. How fun!
The other great listen is The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt, read by Rosalyn Landor. It is a captivating late Victorian era to WWI novel with a myriad of characters that range from the very young to the very old, both male and female. Landor does the narration so well that as you get into the book, you really don’t need to be told which character is speaking. That is how attuned to the story Landor is and how broad a voice range she has. Magnificent.
Right now I’m listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. It is read by Meryl Streep, which is why I chose to listen to the book. It took me a while to warm up to Streep’s narration. It seemed so flat to me. Now that I am in the meatiest part of the story, I’m liking it a lot more. I actually think that reading it might have confirmed for me what a lot have people have said…it’s boring. I’m not commuting anymore, so I haven’t had a chance to finish it. I’m thinking that once I do finish it I’ll go back and listen to the beginning again to reassess just how Streep’s reading fits the story.
Thank you for having such a great Booktube presence. I enjoy your videos immensely. I also appreciate your being a women’s basketball fan. I’m a Norte Dame fan so I follow the ND team religiously (pun intended) and all of it’s grads who seem to have a pretty dar good presence in the W!
Thank you for the audiobook recommendations. Love your new hairdo!
A great narrator can certainly add to the experience. Best wishes for 2024.
Just started enjoying audio books- thank you!! And love your new look!
Thank you for this video. I like audio books, too. But I have been unable to enjoy them lately and cannot decide if I should read a particular book in print or listen to the audio book. I would like to watch more such recommendation videos on audio books.
16 hours per week commuting for my job. LOVE audio books!
I've mentioned this book previously on a different video, but Remarkably Bright Creatures is an amazing audiobook. The man who reads for Marcellus, the octopus, has the perfect combination of tone and intonation. I absolutely fell in love with Marcellus in a large part due to his narration.
Michael Urie! He's fantastic. You can catch him as a regular on the show Ugly Betty, among other things.
I got into audiobooks in 2021 when I dated a man who was legally blind and relied on audio technology. I fell in love with them, and now I pretty exclusively read by listening, which has been really great since I have an hour long commute to work.
Love the hair!
Thank you! I listened to Lorraine Bracco’s memoir - she read it and it was a fantastic experience!
I listen to a ton of of memoirs on audio and love them. It really does add something extra when the author narrates it.
I love your new haircut, Olive!
Thank you for your review on your favorite audiobooks. I will definitely check them out. I love reading and I love audiobooks too. Some of my favs include: The Boys in the Boat, young readers adaptation. (Excellent)! The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (Very entertaining. A classic). Sarah, Plain and Tall. (Beautiful)! Old Babes in the Wood. Exit West. Just to name a few…
One of my all-time favorite audiobooks is "Endurance" by Alfred Lansing, about Shackleton's disastrous Antarctic expedition. It's a great survival story and the narrator, Simon Prebble, has a warm grandfatherly voice that makes it feel like you're being told the story next to a fireplace with a cup of cocoa.
Really appreciated getting these audio book picks. I'm primarily a devoted hard copy book reader but two audio books I thought were super well executed are Demon Copperhead by
and The Personal Librarian. Again, thank you for putting out such great quality content for us readers ❤
Demon copperhead is superb! I loved the narrator so much’ he voice adds so much more fun to the book
I just love John Lee who has done some Dickens. Two that I can think of are Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities. Also some middle grade- Echo and The War That Saved My Life and A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. Can't think who read them right now.
I highly recommend the audiobook for Know My Name by Chanel Miller, and The Only Plane In The Sky.
Love your shorter hairstyle. Fun change. I've never listened to an audio book. Maybe someday.
Anything read by Jim Dale is fantastic! (Harry Potter & a few James Herriot stories), The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, Leave Only Footprints by Conor Knighton & read by him, Forever Young by Hayley Mills & read by her, Make it So by Patrick Stewart & read by him, Daisy Jones & the Six (honestly any Taylor Jenkins Reid is a great audiobook)
Thank you for this. I added a few to my TBR. Love the hair.
Yay Audiobooks! One of my favourite ones is Breakfast at Tiffany's narrated by Michael C. Hall.
My all-time favorite audio book is The Elegance of the Hedgehog and a few runners up are A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Only Play in the Sky.
I love anything narrated by Julia Whelan, but specifically my favorite of hers is The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
You are so right, a skilled narrator can significantly enhance an audiobook experience. On the flip side, a narrator that doesn’t mesh well with the story being told can detract from the experience. Recently, I listened to “The Wager” by David Grann. It was a jarring disappointment to hear a youngish, mid-range American voice narrating this tale of 18th C British seamen. I was definitely expecting to hear a deeper toned British accent. It distracted from the experience of this book which has been so highly praised in many reviews.
Your new “do” looks great. It’s fun to reset for a new year.
I am currently listening to Absolution by Alice McDermott. James by P, Everett. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, narrated by Meryl Streep. When All Is Said by Anne Griffen narrated by Niall Buggy. The Boys In The Boat by Daniel James Brown. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, narrated by Tavia Gilbert. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia McLachian narrated by Glen Close. Some of my favorites that I recommend for a wonderful audiobook experience.
Love the hair. And I love when a book lives rent free in my head. 💖
All the colours came out by Kate Fagan was one memoir which really worked in the audiobook. Also I loved The covenant of water narrated by Abraham Varghese
Beautiful haircut! Thanks for the recommendations, love audiobooks =) Lab Girl sounds fascinating
Many people really enjoyed Lab Girl but I did not.
Thank you for these recommendations! My favourite audiobooks of last year are 'Under the Whispering Door' by TJ Klune narrated by Kirt Graves and Viola Davis' autobiography 'Findig Me' narrated by the author.
My favorite narrator is Edoardo Ballerini and my two favorites of his are Beautiful Ruins and Return to Valetto. Frank Muller now deceased was another earlier and amazing audio narrator. His Trustee from the Toolroom and King's The Green Mile are something special. I shy away from author read in general and celebrity readers but I'm slowly changing my mind. Tom Lake was excellent with narrator Meryl Streep. I would never have gotten through David Copperfield without the golden voice of Simon Vance. I could go on and on since the majority of my reading is by audio due to sight problems. i've been listening for over 40 years and boy was I glad to see this genre explode. thanks for your recommendations. I'm always looking for my next great listen.
Would love to hear this list but exclusively Non-Fiction Audio books!
I just read What Happened to You? by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey. The audiobook is amazing! Both authors narrate it and it is more like Oprah is interviewing the other author. It's super conversational as well as informative!
Finding Me by Viola Davis , read by her was exceptional
The very best audiobooks I have listened to in a long while were the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Andy Serkis (the voice of Gollum in the movies) performs these books. I use the word "perform" deliberately rather than narration. The books really come alive on audio. I would classify these in your special category.
I love your channel. I am a devoted audio book reader. 90% for sure I have many standouts. Recent Dutch House read by Tim Hanks made that book for me. I enjoyed Lessos in Chemistry The absolute best read book this year was Demon Copperhead because of the reader and the beautiful writing Absolutely unbelievable how the reader told “his” story. You loved him. His friends his communities. This book was Painful no question. The reader pushed you through with Demon
Agree about the audiobook of Demon Copperhead. You said it perfectly.
I just finished listening to Demon Copperhead! It was an excellent listen!
And Tom Hanks really added an extra star to my rating for The Dutch House.
Demon Copperhead, Kinfolk, and The Violin Conspiracy are favorite audiobooks that really stand out for me.
I have just finished my first ever audiobook - EDUCATED by Tara Westover - absolutely superb and gripping. Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ About to start THE RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore. I read 146 books last year (I'm retired)! Having discovered audiobooks is a delight for me as I am in training to hike to Everest Base Camp in May so listening to great books as I stride out is bliss😊
I loved listening to Radium Girls - hope you enjoy it!
Project Hail Mary. The narrator’s voice was beautiful to listen to, and the sound effects (I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll leave it at that) added a lot to the building of a certain character. ❤
I LOVE this audiobook! Ray Porter's narration was amazing. I even listened the whole Bobiverse series of audiobooks because I loved his narration so much.
As an American (US) I often like to listen to books by foreign (e.g., UK) authors set in their countries, read by native narrators because I can't read/"hear" the accents right in my internal voice. Currently listening to Great Expectations, for example, and enjoying that. A nonfiction memoir-type essay collection book narrated by the author that was life-changing for me: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series (I've only gotten to the first book so far, but I think it's the same throughout) is delightfully narrated by a husband/wife team. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield was a good listen because it's essentially a story that's also partly about oral storytelling - it just feels like the perfect story to have read/told to you.
I’m listening to a great audiobook now
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
I love audiobooks with multi voice cast
Deluge & Ohio by Stephen Markley
Lincoln in the Bardo
I also love narrators who do accents really well.
The Bee Sting ( especially the character PJ)
Anne Enright reading the part of Carmel in her book The Wren, The Wren
I loved Brandi Carlisle reading her memoir and singing along. And, I am with the group of Trevor Noah fans of his reading Born a Crime. Fabulous. Also, Simon Vance…I do searches at the library just looking for his narrations.
"Still Life" both written and narrated by Sarah Winman is a definite favourite!
Check out The Autobiography of Malcolm X narrated by Laurence Fishburne.
Thank you for sharing these! I’ve added to my tbr after watching this.😅 one of my all time favorites is A Brief History of Seven Killings. Last year a favorite was The Wager.
I love audiobooks! These days I usually prefer to listen to nonfiction while I’m walking or driving, or to fiction that I’ve already read before. For many years, I used audiobooks of favourite novels to fall asleep, so trying to listen to new-to-me fiction can be weird in my brain, but not impossible; last year I binged the entire Murderbot series via audio and had a blast.
Some of my favourites are Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand, narrated by George Newburn (also one of my favourite books, period); Neil Gaiman narrating any of his own work; Caitlin Doughty (Ask a Mortician on TH-cam) narrating her memoir, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, or her other books about death; and John Scalzi’s Lock In and Head On, whose protagonist’s gender is never specified, so there are two audiobook versions of each, narrated by Amber Benson or Wil Wheaton. Both are great, though if I had to choose, I’m slightly more partial to Amber’s rendition.
You hair cut is so cute!!!!!!
I love your new hair style! So chic and pretty!
I have never been an audiobook enthusiast, maybe because my mom had severe vision issues so by the time I was born she couldn't read books anymore and I learned to read very young. So books have always been in my mental voice when I read nonfiction or the voices I imagine when it is fiction. Also, I read quite fast and despite knowing you can listen the audiobooks faster it became unnatural, so they are boringly slow or weirdly fast, but in my head they are just right. The only time I listen a bit to an audiobook is when I want to know how to pronounce some character's name 😝 All that being said, I appreciate that the audiobooks could bring so many people to the world of books. And I have enjoyed a couple of chapters at times from Harry Potter or Sherlock Holmes in the magnificent rendition of Stephen Fry 😉 Charming new haircut by the way! ❤
You ALWAYS look so beautiful
Awwww. Your hair is super cute💇🏼♀️😊
I love audiobooks, especially after a long workday when my eyes are too tired to read. For nonfiction, Malcom Gladwell and Michael Lewis are terrific. They often narrate their own books, which adds a lot to the experience. Also this year I've been reading a middle grade series called Nevermoor, which has a charming narrator and some wonderful made-up words that makes the story world come to life. And Helen Johns' narration of Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher is not to be missed. Happy reading! :)
This video came at the perfect time. I have Audible credits expiring soon.
Thank you, great list. Did you listen to Tom Lake with Merril Streep? Not my favorite book but thought she helped the book
Euphoria sounds very interesting! I’ve always been interested in Margaret Mead’s work.
Hugh Frasier, who frequently narrates Agatha Christie’s novels, is an excellent book narrator.
Thank you for these- trying to listen to more books! Your bob is adorable! I bob mine off every couple of years😅
I know that this book is apparently divisive but American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a fantastic listen. At least, the ensemble cast version is!
I totally agree with Mary Jane. That song at the end of the book made complete sense to the story. It was so catchy! I loved it.😀
I always listened to audio books while I commuted to work. Now I work at home and I miss that time. My two favorite have been Smoke Gets in your eyes (stories from the crematorium) read by the author, Caitlin Doughty. And also A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I plan to listen to that again, all 17 1/2 hours of it!!
Love the new haircut!
My fave audios:
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Milkman by Anna Burns
Moby Dick narrated by William Hootkins (there are a million recordings of this, this is the one to pick!)
I read most of my books on audio. Mary Jane and Rules of Civility were both amazing. One of my all time favorite books is The Power of One by Bryce Courtney. The audio is just brilliant.
I don’t see The Power of One recommended very often. Absolutely agree that the book and audio are exceptional!
@@cheryllovestoread did you read Tandia? I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first
@@Georgesmomsu I did read it but felt the same. Not quite as good.
I love the haircut! Great video - I loved listening to The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi - it was read by Sneha Mathan and it was awesome.
Born a crime by Trevor Noah narrated by the author was one of my favorite
Very sophisticated haircut looks great!
Beautiful hairstyle! You've lost 15 years! Well done!
Now, I need help not falling asleep when listening to a book!
It was interesting to watch this video. I am not fun of audiobooks. I can't listen to it. I can concetrate only when I read books. I can read them on my telephone or simple books. I do not know why but I just can't concetrate=(.......
wishing you wellness! 💖
Hamilton: The Revolution, text read by Mariska Hargitay and footnotes read/explained by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown, read by author Anais Mitchell, Fosse by Sam Wasson read by Jim Meskiman, memoirs by Billy Porter, Chita Rivera, Barack Obama.
I have been listening since they were on cassette tape! Easy to gobble them up commuting. Give Shakespeare and Dickens a try. Hearing them read by trained actors brings them to life!
Loved this video. I have always struggled with Audio books as my mind tends to wander, but you inspire me to try some of these. You have inspired me to read more non-fiction just finished A Rome of One’s Own by Emma Southon. Have you read it? Love your hair! So cute!
I’m listening to Hunchback of Notre Dame. I cannot read it! But listening to it is great. Also do you know about LibraVox? It’s free and only has books in the public domain. I’ve found some great things there! The people who voice the books are volunteers but most of them do a great job!
I love audiobooks too. Some of mine are Muppets in Moscow by Natasha Lance Rogoff, The Field of Blood by Joanne Freeman, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray, Red Notice by Bill Browder, The Russian Affair by David Walsh, Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen, Trotsky in New York by Kenneth Ackerman, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, and Hero of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan.
Thank you! Great list. My favorite audio book is Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Booktube needed this video! I would have made it myself if I had that many favorite audiobooks. I look forward to listening that all of these! Specially The unbearable Lightness of being -which I didn’t love on my first read-, and of course, Rules of Civility!
Hi Olive, thanks for great recommendations. What speed do you listen to audiobooks at?
The Pecan Man is my all time favorite audiobook but also Finding Me read by Viola Davis and The Invention of Wings!
You should listen to Mary Gauthier’s “Saved by a Song.” Mary is an extraordinary singer songwriter. Her book has all of the things you said you enjoy - Mary narrates the book, the words to her songs are at the beginning of every chapter, and she sings her songs at the end of each chapter. She has had a fascinating life which she shares with us. She meets with veterans and helps them write their own songs. She’s my favorite female singer and I know you will love her, her music, and her book.
-The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero
-Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
-When Breath Becomes Air
-The Bassoon King
-Me Talk Pretty One Day
Great suggestions
Love the haircut!!
Lab girl doesn't seem to be available in my country. Sucks that publishers do that.
The Flatshare is probably my favorite audio book. Beth O'Leary's latest book, The Wake Up Call, looks to be well cast as well. (I've had it on hold for months, even though I have read the print version.) Kal Penn's memoir is the first one I listened to that put actual original audio into the narration, which made me wonder/hope that other books would do this too.
Memoirs are great on audio. Of course, Viola Davis's memoir is great, but some that are less professionally -- that's not the right word -- done have stuck with me more. All In by Billie Jean King sticks with me because of where she laughs or gets choked up. And Unprotected by Billy Porter -- he does not hold back just because he is narrating a book.
Love the new 'do!
I LOVE YOUR HAIRCUT! It suits you so nicely!
The Britney biography narrated by Michelle Williams was great.
Joshua Jay was a student of the author Michael Kardos who wrote a book about one of Joshua's experiences called Bluff which, wait for it, is an outstanding audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan. Truly, one of my favorites. If you love a great con with magic, you would adore this. It's our January MomAdvice Book Club selection.❤️ Love your haircut, my friend!
11) Lastly...
There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora N. Hurston with the one and only Ruby Dee as narrator. This reading forever changed my attitude towards contemporary match ups. The story is mana and Mrs. Dee is the plate.
Sissy Spacek reading a To Kill A Mockingbird. 5 Star!
I’d be interested in your thoughts on AI affecting voice actors, in the future.
For roughly forty-six years, I was into what is fashionably labeled now as "immersive reading." Being a retired professional musician, etc. most of my audible books have to be way above average to exceptional.
I love my physical books most but....but...audio books coupled with physical (for many works) is the preferred journey.
Exceptional audible books:
1) Dolores Claiborne by S. King. The narrator is made for this work. The narrator is Frances Sternhagen is without doubt fantastic!
2) Americanah by Chimamanda N. Adichie The narrator captures the essence of the black immigrant struggle. Proper vocal inflections and spot-on alteration of speed (which is culturally correct for the characters).
3) The Book of Harlan by Bernice McFadden. The narrator is Robin Miles. Need I explain?
4) The Complete Sherlock Holmes with Simon Vance as narrator. Again...a gift!
5) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury with Tim Robbins. Cadence is perfect, story telling matches the tone of the work... exceptionally.
6) Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin with
Dion Graham as narrator. Few narrate Baldwin in a believable way.
7) Notes from The Underground by F. Dostoevsky with Stefan
Rudnicki...absolute bullseye in every way!
8) Betty by Tiffany McDaniel. Dale Dickey is the narrator. An amazing pairing of narrative and narrator.
9) When The Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen with Kara Young as narrator. Unique timbre, captures the emotional landscape. Even when I physically read....I only hear her voice within me.
10) Playing The Cards You are Dealt with Dion Graham as narrator. Author is Varian Johnson. The range ....the range. Outstanding story teller.
One of the best audiobooks I listened to last year was The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker, read by Phil Gigante. I think it might overlap with your taste!
Are you related to the budget dermatologist? You honestly look like twins and your mannerisms are the same.
I really loved the audiobook of Daisy Jones and the Six. I would've liked to hear the songs, but I was so caught up in the story itself, that not hearing the songs didn't make that big of a difference to me. I went on to listen to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and that audiobook was fantastic as well. Some favorite fantasy audiobooks i listened to last year were The Bone Witch trilogy by Rin Chupeco. There's two narrators in that series -the main character narrates the past and a bard she hires to tell her story narrates the present. The narrator for the main character was absolutely fantastic. The emotions felt so real. The audiobooks for The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whallen Turner were just amazing. Steve West was the narrator and he is incredible. This was the first time I really enjoyed a political fantasy series and he's a big part of why I loved it. The Nevermoor series which is middle grade fantasy is another series where the audiobook narrator is fantastic. For nonfiction books I loved listening to Trevor Noah read Born a Crime. It shouldn't be a surprise that he did an excellent job. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton was one of my favorite books last year and listening to him talk about his family, filming the Harry Potter movies, and his mental struggles later felt special. Another favorite was Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. She kept me laughing during my commutes.
I have the audiobooks for 'Moon of the Crusted Snow' and 'Moon of the Turning Leaves' and I love hearing the indigenous narrator pronounce names and words in this way that conveys belonging.
One of my favs is The Storyteller by Dave Grohl. Read by Dave Grohl himself.
I love the trend of science writers reading their own book. Astronomer Dr. Becky Smethurst is an utter delight reading A Brief History of Black Holes, and Dr. Kevin Hand is great with Alien Oceans, about the search for life on places like the moon Europa.
My favorite multi-reader book is Dracula, with Alan Cummins and Tim Curry, among others. The book is all letters, diaries, and other documents, with half a dozen main characters, so the division between narrators is just a perfect fit.
A few of my favorite audiobooks:
1. BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah - - Trevor narrates his book, and he is excellent (of course). I love Trevor's admission that he set out to "write his own story" but realizes he has really written his mother's story. What is not to love about that? Lots more to appreciate about Trevor's writing, his story, and learning about South Africa and apartheid.
2. BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey - - a series of essays about Tina's life. Interesting, funny, and personal. Fey narrates and she is a superb.
3. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS by Minnie Driver - - Actress & surfer Minnie narrates her own book. Love a British accent, and Minnie is an excellent writer, a talented storyteller, and has had an interesting life. Her parents never married. I would have LOVED to have attended the school she went to as a child. I adore Minnie.
4. TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICCHU by Mark Adams - - I read this before traveling to Peru and it is an excellent book about Peru, Machu Picchu and the Incas. Adams, an American, gently and with humor, writes about the supposed "discovery" of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham. My favorite fact is how during an earthquake the Inca structures that were built with "dry" (no mortar) stone work, the stones will "dance" around and then settle back into the way they were fitted ... and those structures survive to this day (those not destroyed by humans).
I really do read a wide range of books, although this list is not representative of that fact. I am realizing from my list here that although I have a bunch of audiobooks that I really prefer reading physical books. Unlike you, Olive, I cannot comprehend enough audibly. UNLESS, apparently, it is a memoir. I am going to have a think on this, and why that is?