Have Audiobook - Will Travel

Whether it’s a couple preparing for a long car trip to a favorite vacation destination or someone just trying to make a long and frustrating commute more bearable, suddenly it seems that more and more people are asking for audiobook recommendations.

Recommending an audiobook can be tricky business. A well-reviewed print title may not always yield a satisfying listening experience. Not only does an audiobook need a compelling story, whether fiction or nonfiction, but narration is critical. A great narrator’s performance can make a book come alive, while a poor narration can make a great book fall flat. Quality production techniques are also critical to enhancing a high quality listening experience.

Below is just a sampling of recently published audiobooks that have been acknowledged for their excellence. Any one of them might be a great companion on your next car trip. All titles are available at the library in CD format. Most titles listed can also be downloaded. For additional audiobook recommendations, please stop by the Audiovisual Department desk. We'll be glad to offer further suggestions. Happy travels!

Biography/Memoir
Bossypants by Tina Fey, read by Tina Fey 
Fey's very funny memoir has received accolades from almost every organization that recognizes excellence in audiobooks.
Here Comes Trouble by Michael Moore, read by Michael Moore
Life Itself: a memoir by Roger Ebert, read by Edward Herrmann

History
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candace Millard, read by Paul Michael                          

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen, read by Annie Jacobsen   

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson, read by Stephen Hoye

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, read by Edward Herrmann

Literary Fiction 
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, read by David Pittu

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, read by Hope Davis  
The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht, read by Susan Duerden and Robin Sachs

Mystery/Suspense
Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke, read by Will Patton

From the Hackberry Holland series
Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva, read by Simon Vance
From the Gabriel Allon series
A Red Herring without Mustard by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle
The third book in the Flavia de Luce series. Look for the entire series, skillfully narrated by Entwistle.
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo, read by Robin Sachs

Robin Sachs also narrates the The Leopard in the popular Detective Harry Hole series.

Romance 

New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb, read by Susan Ericksen
From the In Death series.

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews, read by Isabel Keating

 

Science Fiction/Fantasy

The Magician King by Lev Grossman, read by Mark Bramhall
This title is the sequel to The Magicians, also available in audio and read by Bramhall.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton