Do you enjoy books in audio format? Have you experienced a time when you thought the audio format enhanced the story? Or was there an occasion when the audiobook narrator contributed to a disappointing reading experience? Do you prefer print, digital, or audio?
Ten Favorite Audio Books
***Titles are links to my reviews or Amazon affiliate links.
I’m sharing ten audiobooks with you today. The audio format for these books enhanced the reading experience for me! In fact, I’m so sold on the audio format for these books that I can hardly imagine reading them in any other format.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Science Fiction)
Ray Porter is the best, and his audio performance is ABSOLUTELY the way to read this story! Plus, “Rocky.” IYKYK
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Contemporary Fiction)
Fabulous full cast narration adds so much to this epistolary novel! After I read the print version, I heard how fabulous the audio was, so I reread the book within two weeks to exprience the audio format! You might be interested in the FREE Book Club Kit I created for The Correspondent.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (Contemporary Fiction)
Actor David Morse adds his thoughtful and expressive narration to this poignant story! As with The Correspondent, I read Theo first in print and was compelled to do a reread when the audio was recently released. You might be interested in the FREE Book Club Kit I created for Theo of Golden.
Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (Narrative Fiction)
Excellent narration by Emmy and Tony Award winner Edward Herrmann enhances this memorable true story!
The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (Narrative Nonfiction)
Ray Porter’s easy-listening narration adds the right personal touch to this account of 9-11 and the kindness/hospitality of the people of Gander, Newfoundland.
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
How often do you have a living astronaut narrate a book?! Fascinating first-hand account of his career and experiences!
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
I love when an author can narrate her own work. Host of the From the Front Porch podcast Annie Jones adds authenticity and earnestness to her reflective essays.
The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory by Thomas Fuller
A heartfelt and excellent narration by the author. FREE Book Club Kit I created for The Boys of Riverside.
Exiles by Jane Harper
An Australian narrator adds authenticity and atmosphere to this mystery!
Finding Me by Viola Davis
Actor Viola Davis won an audiobook award for the narration of her memoir/autobiography.
Speaking of celebrities, the audio format of Born a Crime, where Trevor Noah narrates his own story, is riveting as well.
One That Didn’t Work…
I jumped at the opportunity for the audio format of Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder when it became available on Libby (library app). I struggled through half the book when my husband entered the room and remarked that the audio narrator was awful! At that point, I hadn’t listened to as many books on audio as he had, and I didn’t realize how this narrator was affecting my reading experience. I returned the audio to Libby and waited for a print version. By then, I was growing bored with the latter half of the book and ended up skimming it. Not a great reading experience.
QOTD:
Do you have a favorite audio book listening experience?
I’m linking up with Deb @ Deb’s World and friends for the January installment of #WhatsOnYourBookShelf Challenge.
Happy Reading Book Pals!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.” ~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.” ~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.” ~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
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Hello Carol. I love audio books and have just finished Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton. He narrated his audiobook himself. I may be biased as he’s a favourite author but I loved his narration.
I’ll check that out Jennifer! A good narrator makes a huge difference and can enhance the book!
I do love audio books but haven’t listened to any of those!
I don’t read in audio format very often, but I do like a good audio book in the car!
Hello Carol.
I’ve been ‘burned’ too many times by ‘lousy narrators’ so I don’t even consider an audiobook now. There’s nothing worse than pressing play and then cringing at the sound of the narrators voice.
Paper ‘book in hand’ for me …….I’m slowly learning to appreciate ebooks
Audio isn’t my preferred format! But I do appreciate a good narrator who enhances the book!
As you know I love audiobooks, Carol, and have too many favourites to mention. Bono’s autobiography was excellent, because as well as reading his own book he also sang parts of his songs, which was wonderful!
I remember your review now! Thanks for the rec! I’ll put that on my tbr!
I absolutely LOVED the narrator for the Maisie Dodds series (historical fiction). So so good. She made me a fan of audio books but the first one I tried I never did manage to get through it as the narrator was awful (just like in your experience). I often listen to them at 1.25 speed. I am a fan of real paper books but often end up with digital ones as it is easier.
thanks for connecting into the #WBOYBS challenge. Nice to meet you Carol. Bernie
Thanks for the rec! I’ll add that series to my tbr because histfic is my first love! Thanks for commenting! I’m happy we’ve ’connected’! 📚🥂
Lucky you– 18 books in a row without having to wait! I was so sad when the series ended
I love to binge read a great series! 🙌
Oh man, hard to narrow down…can’t pick just one! Project Hail Mary was incredible, and although I’ve read The Correspondent twice, audio is next! Another one I thought was phenomenal was A Gentleman in Moscow, read by Nicholas Guy Smith—-he really made the book, I think if I’d just read it, I might have skimmed over good parts. And then there’s American Dirt, I loved hearing the Spanish words, it really flavored it. And speaking of that, I like almost anything in an accent! The Irish accent (Maeve Binchy, Patrick Taylor), The Australian (Liane Moriarty and Jane Harper and Sally Hepworth) and anything English! Also just listened to memoirs by Dick van Dyke and Michael J Fox, read by Themselves, and it was too perfect!
The audio for Correspondent is soooo good! Enjoy!
I wish I had read GiM via audio format! And YES to accents! 🙌 so atmospheric! I’m adding the Michael J Fox to my tbr! Thanks for the rec!
I used to listen to audio books regularly on my commute to work, on my business trips overseas and then in the gym. But I fell out of the habit when podcasts became more interesting/available.
Last year I thought I’d return to audiobooks and renewed my subscription to Audible. In the intervening years they had changed the model and on the basic plan you can no longer download the book to your own device. So that made it impractical to listen to unless there is a wifi connection. Also I objected to paying a large fee just to borrow the book. So now I am at the mercy of the library system.
That’s unfortunate and so inconvenient to not be able to listen to an audio book without WiFi. It should be yours to take with you wherever!
I just started listening to audiobooks a few years ago and it was a game changer. I love listening to them, but the narrator needs to be really good. I mostly like nonfiction or historical fiction, but am open to listening to anything.
The narrator is so important! I’m listening to more audio books now than in past years, especially while driving!
I tend to read more non-fiction and classics on audio. With the exception of the Richard Armitage novels (Geneva and The Cut and narrated by him) I haven’t really gotten into fiction on audio. Thanks for linking up with us.
I haven’t noticed a preference of fiction over nonfiction, but the narrator makes it or breaks it tor me! Thanks for commenting, and happy new reading year, Jo! 📚🥂
You have some great ones on here, Carol. I have Project hail Mary coming up soon. I bought it during the last audible sale.
Enjoy! Don’t worry about the technical/science/engineer/math content. The author is great about making sure readers know what they need to know!
I bet you’re glad to be in Mexico in light of the cold weather in Florida right now!
I sure am. We’ve had lots of snow and cold at home.
Hi Carol, I always love a good audio book for our long road trips and have listened to a few of the ones you mentioned here, mainly because you recommended them! Project Hail Mary has to be one of the best though. I’ll look though some of the others and see how they stack up for us. I think the reader is so important in these cases and am keen to listen to Trent Dalton read his latest. Thanks for joining us for #WOYBS, it’s great to have you!
PHM is unforgettable! Eager for the movie!