Library Journal and BookList, two top library trade publications,
are thrilled to welcome 2022 with a listen back at the past year’s top titles!
Throw the confetti, pour the coffee, sit back and press play on these
incredible audiobooks!
As Library Journal shared,
“In a year that has seen reader, listener, and viewer engagement soar, these
picks provided vehicles for escape, moved us, and made us think critically and
reflect upon the society in which we live.
Author: Syed M. Masood
Read By: Pej Vahdat and Hend Ayoub
“Both narrators modulate the novel’s notable shifts in tone,
reminding listeners to consider the vantage points by which Masood’s book
observes America, as both a destination and an actor on the world stage.
Insightful, entertaining, and warmly recommended.”—Library Journal, starred
review
Bring
Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light
Author: Helen Ellis
Read by: Helen Ellis
“Ellis’s collection of essays on friendship is poignant and
emotional as well as facetious, dirty, sassy, and laugh-out-loud funny…The
audiobook is enchantingly narrated by the author herself, which makes it even
more relatable and hilarious.”—Library Journal, starred review
Author: Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Read by: Various
“This is an outstanding collection of essays on being Black
in the U.S. from 1619 to 2019…Most essays are read by their author. Essential
for library collections.”—Library Journal, starred review
Author: John Green
Read by: John Green
“This collection of essays began as a podcast (The
Anthropocene Reviewed), where Green covered topics of his choosing but also
those suggested by listeners, resulting in the eclectic list of subjects…Fans
of the podcast will recognize some of its topics in the audiobook (with minor
updates), but many other essays are brand new; several essays touch on the
COVID-19 pandemic or refer to events from 2020 and early 2021. Green himself
narrates the audiobook, in a performance that brings nuance to the essays;
listeners can clearly hear the transitions between humor, sorrow, joy, and
wonder in each short section. A must-buy for public or secondary school library
collections.”—Library Journal, starred review
In celebrating their Editors’
Choice: Adult Audio, 2020, Booklist shared: “From genre fiction to
classics, memoir to literary criticism, these titles all offer deep resonance
through their memorable audio production.” In addition to The Anthropocene
Reviewed written and read by John Green, already named above, check out
more of Booklist‘s Editors’ Choice Adult Audio BOT picks below:
Author: Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times
Magazine, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake
Silverstein
Read By: Nikole Hannah-Jones and Full Cast
“The audio adaptation is a splendiferous, full-cast
recording featuring some of the greatest names in both literature and
narration.”—Booklist, starred review
Author: Michelle Zauner
Read by: Michelle Zauner
“Printed or recorded, Zauner commands one of the best
memoirs of the year.”—Booklist, starred review
Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
Read by: Emily Ellet
“In this radio-station setting where voices are so often
described, and with a main character so attuned to others’ voices, Ellet does a
wonderful job of voicing characters as they are pictured, differentiating
characters and even controlling for variations for their on-air and off-air
tones… An emotionally present, superbly aware performance.”—Booklist, starred
review
Author: Colson Whitehead
Read by: Dion Graham
“The gritty plot is flawlessly narrated in Graham’s deep,
expressive voice. He pays particular attention to the timing of dialogue, which
lends to a performance that immediately draws the reader into Ray’s chaotic
world. Character differentiation is expressed through both the tone and pitch
of the narrator. Graham is hands-down perfectly paired as the voice of Harlem
Shuffle.”—Booklist, starred review
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Read by: Sura Siu
“Klara is the child-like narrator of this story, and
audiobook narrator Siu has precise pronunciation that, while not robotic, has
an almost unnatural pace and tone that is fitting for the robot. Klara’s
narrative is also meant to be moderately paced, and Siu gives the reader ample
time to absorb Klara’s words, just as she is absorbing the unfamiliar world
around her. This book will not only appeal to fans of dystopian fiction but to
readers looking for that elusive something different. Ishiguro’s title,
classified as adult fiction, will also appeal to young adults for the
coming-of-age element played out with AF Klara. All public libraries will
absolutely want to add this title to their collection and anticipate its
popularity with book clubs.”—Booklist, starred review
A
Lady's Formula for Love (Audio version not offered by the Public Libraries
of Jefferson County)
Author: Elizabeth Everett
Read by: Elizabeth Jasicki
“Victorian women of science—and their gruff Scottish
bodyguard—provide Jasicki with a broad canvas. Whether voicing sultry moments
or judgmental biddies, she delights…Romance fans will laugh at the dry
witticisms, delight in the genteel eroticism, and look forward to the
sequel, The Secret Scientists of London.”—Booklist, starred review
Author: Amor Towles
Read By: Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland and Dion Graham
“Award-winning narrator Edoardo Ballerini leads a stellar
production of this beautifully written and absorbing story…Ballerini delivers a
perfect performance with his versatile, silky voice, demonstrating that this
latest gem from Towles is meant to be heard…The story is told from multiple
points of view that change between third-person and first-person perspectives,
which the narrators transition between seamlessly, creating different levels of
intimacy for the listener.”—Booklist, starred review
Author: Erik Larson
Read By: Julian Rhind-Tutt and Erik Larson
“As ghost stories are best told aloud, the author’s first
novel—an eerie, atmospheric, history- and science-infused, locked-room ghost
story—is exclusively available as an audiobook…Rhind-Tutt’s is just the voice
for the tale and a balm to new listeners…Larson narrates the author’s note,
explaining how he wove fact and fiction together, and why that was critical to
executing his vision. A blockbuster production for audiobook fandom.”—Booklist,
starred review
Author: George Saunders
Read By: George Saunders, Phylicia Rashad, Nick Offerman, Glenn
Close, Keith David, Rainn Wilson, BD Wong and Renée
Elise Goldsberry
“In this fascinating meld of literary criticism and
anthology, each story is introduced with a snippet of Russian music and
narrated by a renowned actor… Saunders’ connecting thoughts—narrated by the
author in the easy manner of a practiced professor who knows his subject and
points of interest like the back of his hand—provide the grounding base that
elevates this work from simple collection or strictly criticism to a
well-rounded must-listen for short-story readers, writers, and lovers of the
spoken word.”—Booklist, starred review
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