If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, you should take a look at the winners of the Audies. The Audie Awards, considered the premier awards program in the United States for audiobooks, are designed to highlight the best in spoken-word entertainment, celebrating the talent and artistry of narrators, producers, and publishers. I've highlighted the winners from some of the categories, but make sure to take a look at all the Finalists and Winners. You may find your next great listen!
Descriptions and reviews provided by AudioFile.
Audiobook of the Year Winner & Autobiography/Memoir Winner
My Name is Barbra, written by Barbra Streisand
Narrated by Barbra Streisand
48.25 hours
This is a nuanced, opinionated memoir written and narrated by one of the greatest entertainers ever, EGOT-winning Barbra Streisand. While the early chapters sound a bit tentative, she comes into her own quickly. Her voice is in a lower register than in many of her most famous recordings, and listeners will likely be charmed by the conversational style of both her prose and performance. The production is peppered with the briefest of recorded excerpts; through those musical interludes we see Streisand's evolution from Brooklyn housing projects to Malibu compounds. Listeners will also likely enjoy her highly personal reflections on working with and knowing others such as Brando, Redford, Wyler, and her husband, James Brolin. Ultimately, Streisand sounds content. For her, this is significant.
Fiction Winner
Rednecks, written by Taylor Brown
Narrated by Ramiz Monsef
11.5 hours
Ramiz Monsef performs this historical novel set during the Battle of Blair Mountain in the early 1920s. Lebanese American "Doc Moo" Muhanna serves as a medical doctor during the Mine Wars, tending to people in the camps and bandaging the wounds of those who were fighting against the bosses' hired guns. Monsef's narration enlivens the characters as they give listeners various perspectives on these historical events. Monsef skillfully performs many different accents, bringing the dialogue to life on audio. As the action of the novel increases, Monsef maintains the tension, keeping listeners on edge until the very last second.
Mystery Winner
Listen for the Lie, written by Amy Tintera
Read by January LaVoy, Will Damron
9.25 hours
January LaVoy and Will Damron give sterling performances in this audiobook about a woman who is suspected of committing a murder five years earlier and the popular true-crime podcaster who exposes her. LaVoy is simply outstanding as the often funny Lucy Chase; she adopts a sardonic, fatalistic tone that matches Lucy's character. LaVoy also is great in supporting roles, employing accents that reflect the small-town Texas setting of the story. Damron, as the fine-looking, deep-voiced podcaster Ben Owens, also is top-notch. The podcast episodes sound authentic, and Damron also brings a Texas twang when that is needed. This is an excellent, fun listen, filled with unusual and relatable characters. Listeners looking for a grin will enjoy it.
Literary Fiction & Classics Winner
James, written by Percival Everett
Read by Dominic Hoffman
7.75 hours
Dominic Hoffman narrates this reimagining of ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, but this time Jim tells his own story. When Jim learns that he’s going to be sold to someone downriver, he flees, leaving behind his wife and daughter. But he soon finds himself tangled up with Huckleberry Finn, a white boy who is always getting into the worst sorts of trouble. Jim is practiced at code-switching, changing his speech when he speaks to white people as a measure of protection. Hoffman’s performance captures the varying tone of Jim’s dialogue, highlighting the shifts in his vocabulary and rhythm. With its subtlety and attention to detail, Hoffman’s narration reinforces Jim’s character and narrative arcs as Jim takes back his agency in life.
Thriller/Suspense Winner
Lone Wolf, written by Gregg Hurwitz
Read by Scott Brick
13.25 hours
Narrator Scott Brick dons a trench coat and breathes life into a former black-ops government assassin code named Orphan X. When Evan Smoak left the Program, he reinvented himself into a righter of wrongs for victims needing a savior. Brick employs perfect timing and emphasis to portray Evan and plays him with heart. Initially asked to find a little girl's dog, he soon finds himself pursuing a case that involves international intrigue, AI, and evil technocrat billionaires. Eventually, Evan faces an assassin named Wolf in a deadly showdown. Brick shines in long passages of exposition, setting up the stakes with deft talent, and quickly shifts into periodic high action. Series fans will be eager to tee up this new Hurwitz blockbuster.
Non-Fiction Winner
There's Always This Year, written by Hanif Abdurraqib
Read by Hanif Abdurraqib
8.75 hours
Hanif Abdurraqib’s latest book is a transcendent feat of poetry, memoir, and—well, magic. His narration is as breathless and beautiful as his prose; this book is epic in every sense of the word. It’s an ode to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; a love letter to basketball; a meditation on home and belonging; and an exploration of faith, Blackness, music, and place. He delivers every word as if every word is a matter of life and death. You can hear the love in his voice; you can hear it get stuck in his throat. His narration is like music: rough and loud one moment, low and soft the next. A masterpiece from one of America’s most creative, generous, and rigorous living writers. Don’t miss it.
About the Author
Katherine is the Operations Coordinator and has been working at EPL since 2008. She loves books, especially ones with unique plots and those written so well that she can't put them down.
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