Great Listens:
Audiobook Titles Our Staff Have Enjoyed

Fiction

World War Z
by Max Brooks; read by an ensemble cast including Max Brooks, Alan Alda, and Carl Reiner. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 6 hours).
A gruesomely compelling tale of a zombie apocalypse told in an enthralling “oral history” format that sounds like a NPR documentary. Author Max Brooks acts as interviewer, talking with military personnel, government officials, and civilians ten years after the official end of the zombie war. The star-studded cast won a 2007 Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Narration.* AUDIO BOOK FIC BRO

Room
by Emma Donoghue; read by Michal Friedman, Ellen Archer, Suzanne Toren & Robert Petkoff. CD/eAudiobook/Playaway (approx. 11 hours).
Narrator Jack is turning five. His entire world has only ever consisted of himself, his mother and “Room” − their tiny, 11-foot-square soundproofed cell. Slowly we learn that Jack’s mom was kidnapped seven years earlier when she was a 19-year-old college student and has been held prisoner ever since. Now, however, she has planned a daring escape − but successfully leaving Room sets off a whole new round of trauma and adjustment. Edgy and riveting, this story will stay with you long after listening. AUDIO BOOK FIC DON

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing
by Jasper Fforde; read by Emily Gray. CD/Playaway (approx. 12 hours).
A newly reorganized BookWorld faces political unrest as several genres (primarily Racy Novel and Women’s Fiction) start making threats towards each other. Alas, the one person who could easily broker a peace deal – the real-world Thursday Next – is missing. That’s when the written version of Thursday is tasked with finding out what happened to her counterpart, whilst simultaneously pretending to be her. Satire, literary allusions, outrageous puns and a mind-bending look at what goes on when books aren’t being read make this another hilarious offering from Fforde. AUDIO BOOK FIC FFO

The Likeness
by Tana French; read by Heather O’Neill. CD (approx. 22 hours).
Dublin Murder Squad detective Cassie Maddox arrives at a murder scene only to find the deceased looks exactly like her. With no leads, Cassie is asked to take on the dead girl’s identity – a task which enmeshes her (and the reader) in the secret-filled lives of a group of friends. The escalating psychological tension “really grabs you.” AUDIO BOOK FIC FRE

Pompeii
by Robert Harris; read by John Lee. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 10 hours).
In 79 A.D. a water engineer arrives in Pompeii to inspect the aqueducts, not realizing that within days Mount Vesuvius will erupt, burying the city and many of its inhabitants. The historical, cultural, and social details should please listeners, while the edgy, dark tone perfectly captures the mood and reflects the sense of impending disaster from the very first. As tension builds, listeners will be pulled into the story.* AUDIO BOOK FIC HAR

The Hot Kid
by Elmore Leonard; read by Arliss Howard. CD/Cassette (approx. 8 hours).
Welcome to Prohibition era Oklahoma − a world of dust, ranches, bank robbers, lawmen, gun molls, speakeasies, and heaps of trouble. The kid of the title is Deputy U.S. Marshal Carl Webster, an ultra-cool young officer who’s hot on the tail of Jack Belmont, an equally brash millionaire’s-son-turned-outlaw. Listeners will be hard pressed to tear themselves away from Howard’s wildly entertaining vocal performance; great fun, even for those who don’t consider themselves fans of Westerns.* AUDIO BOOK FIC LEO

The Book of Fate
by Brad Meltzer; read by Scott Brick. CD/Cassette/eAudiobook
(approx. 18 hours).
Wes is the personal assistant to the president when there is an assassination attempt on the president’s life, during which Wes is seriously injured and a Cabinet member, Ron Boyle, is killed. Flash Forward eight years when Wes, while traveling overseas, sees the supposedly dead Boyle. So begins a fast-paced story fully of many twists that leads Wes, his friends, and a newspaper reporter on a whirlwind journey to uncover a deadly conspiracy that goes straight to the top reaches of government. Award-winning audiobook reader Scott convincingly captures the wide range of characters.* AUDIO BOOK FIC MEL

One Day
by David Nicholls; read by Anna Bentinck. CD/eAudiobook
(approx. 16 hours).
Set in London, this humorous and romantic story follows the changing relationship between Dex and Em, from their initial meeting at college in the mid-80s to the present day. “Bentinck’s narration will have you laughing and crying; thoroughly enjoyable.” AUDIO BOOK FIC NIC

Lush Life
by Richard Price; read by Bobby Cannavale. CD (approx. 13 hours).
Price’s New York Times Notable Book follows the police investigation of a mugging-turned homicide. From the cops to the criminals and the family of the victim to the wrongly accused witness, Price creates spot-on dialogue. The pacing is deliberate and the focus is not on detecting “who done it,” but on describing the world in which the deed was done. Award-winning actor Cannavale’s deep New Jersey voice makes listening to this audiobook an engaging theatrical experience.* AUDIO BOOK FIC PRI

Devil’s Corner
by Lisa Scottoline; read by Barbara Rosenblat. CD/Cassette (approx. 11.5 hours).
Vicki is a petite but gutsy prosecutor who is determined to hunt down a ruthless killer, even in a dangerous, drug-riddled Philadelphia neighborhood. Intelligent heroines, twists and turns, a bit of humor and romance, and a story based on true events make this another compelling stand-alone thriller from Scottoline. AUDIO BOOK FIC SCO

How to Build a House
by Dana Reinhardt; read by Caitlin Greer. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 5 hours).
In the wake of her parent’s divorce, 17-year-old Harper decides to spend the summer volunteering in storm-ravished Tennessee. The construction of homes for tornado victims provides a meaningful backdrop for this subtle but frank exploration of love, family, sex and friendship that will ring true to mature teens and adults. Reinhardt’s A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life also is recommended as a touching coming-of-age story which addresses issues of belonging and identity. YA AUDIO BOOK FIC REI

Maisie Dobbs
by Jacqueline Winspear; read by Rita Barrington. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 10 hours).
This is the first in an enjoyable series starring an unconventional female private investigator in WWI England. A “cozy” historical mystery series that will appeal to everyone, including families with older children. AUDIO BOOK FIC WIN

Nonfiction

A Significant Life: Fulfilling Your Eternal Potential Every Day
by Jim Graff; read by Arthur Morey. CD (approx. 7 hours).
Drawing from his own experiences, as well as Biblical characters such as King David, Graff explores the meaning of true significance and how to live significantly each day in this challenging, enriching and inspiring book. AUDIO BOOK 248.4 GRA

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
by Gabrielle Hamilton; read by the author. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 10 hours).
Hamilton, a well-known chef and owner of notable New York City restaurant Prune, tells an interesting and straightforward story about her life experiences. “The story hooks you right away, and the reader’s voice grows on you.” AUDIO BOOK 641.5 HAM

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip − Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
by Steve Dublanica AKA the Waiter; read by Dan John Miller. CD. (approx. 9 hours).
Once anonymous, Steve Dublanica is a former waiter who created the award-winning blog, www.WaiterRant.net. Both insightful and irreverent, this entertaining book tells the story of waiting tables at an upscale New York restaurant from the server’s point of view. A true guilty pleasure, this book was nominated as a 2009 Audiofile Award Finalist.*
AUDIO BOOK 647.95 DUB

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflections
by Carol Burnett. CD/eAudiobook (approx. 6 hours).
Burnett, who has led an interesting life, reads her own memoir and fills the listener with fond nostalgia for all the characters you remember from her show, plus reminiscences of funny episodes and stories about how she got started in entertainment. AUDIO BOOK 792.7028 BUR

Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town
by Warren St. John; read by Lincoln Hoppe. CD (approx. 13 hours).
Moving and fascinating account of a feisty Jordanian woman who began to coach a soccer team of young refugees whose families had been resettled in a small town in Georgia. More than just a book about sports, it explores the refugee experience as well as themes of community, cultural misunderstanding and the complex impact of globalization.
AUDIO BOOK 796.334 STJ

My Reading Life
by Pat Conroy. CD (approx. 7 hours).
An enjoyable array of anecdotes about the power of books and reading, compellingly read by the author, who is both a wonderful storyteller and a voracious reader. “Outstanding!”
AUDIO BOOK 813.54 CON

Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
by Ben Macintyre; read by John Lee. CD (approx. 11 hours).
This true story of Eddie Chapman, a charming criminal, con man and womanizer, who became a double agent during World War II is a great mix of history and espionage. “It grabs you from the start and entertains like the best fiction spy thriller!”
AUDIO BOOK 940.548641 MAC

Unfamiliar Fishes
by Sarah Vowell; read by the author and various readers. CD (approx. 8 hours).
From the bestselling author (Assassination Vacation, The Wordy Shipmates) and regular contributor to NPR, comes a very engaging, as well as educational, history of Hawaii. Vowell concentrates mostly on the early interaction of Hawaiian natives and New England missionaries, to sometimes surprisingly comic effect. Vowell is the master of the droll aside, and her experience in performing on radio is clearly evident. Guest voices include some famous names, including Keanu Reeves. This is a great choice for anyone who wants their history to be entertaining. AUDIO BOOK 996.9 VOW

A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation
by Catherine Allgor; read by Anne Twomey. CD (approx. 16 hours).
Dolley Madison’s contributions to American history—and particularly to the role of First Lady—were numerous. She helped create a vibrant Washington social scene, in which politicians could make the unofficial connections that allowed them to carry out their official work with greater ease. In many ways Madison set the standard for First Ladies who followed, particularly for those who have disguised their own political savvy by emphasizing their ceremonial role. The easy elegance of the narration perfectly matches the tone of the book. Those who enjoy watching historical documentaries are likely to find that listening to this audiobook provides a similar experience.* AUDIO BOOK B MADISON

More audiobook ideas:

• Try a food (AUDIO BOOK 641.5) or travel memoir (AUDIO BOOK 914 – 919)
• Peruse the audio collection in YA (on the Mezzanine)
• Check out a copy of Audiofile Magazine in Reader Services
• See our past lists of enjoyable audiobooks
• Find out about our downloadable audiobook collections

* Annotation adapted from one provided by Librarians on the Adult Reading Round Table.

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