Welcome to November, and the eleventh month of the 2024 Read with MLC reading challenge! This month's prompt is to listen to an award-winning audiobook.
People listen to audiobooks for a lot of very different yet valid reasons. Some people can't see to read the words on the page, like those with blindness or visual impairments. Others, like those with dyslexia, have trouble processing the printed word. Still others, like people with arthritis or broken limbs, can't hold a book to read. Seriously, Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, the world's longest novel, clocks in at thousands and thousands of pages. (Incidentally, if you fall into one of these categories, you're eligible for MLC's Talking Book Services. You can learn more here.) Some people don't have time to sit and read a book, while others enjoy the experience of having someone read to them. Other people like to rest their eyes after a day staring at screens, and others find that the audiobook experience can be downright more enjoyable than a book that's slow or unwieldy. Truth be told, a lot of MLC staff love to listen to books! While not all of our suggestions below are "official" audiobook award winners, they are, in our hearts, exceptional audios.
Foundation: The History of England from Its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors
Peter Ackroyd
BARD
I love history and this audio was great.
Maddie Klutts, Reference and Archives Librarian
Red Rising
Pierce Brown
BARD
hoopla at MLC
Tanner May, TBS Patron Services Librarian
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
Becky Chambers
BARD
hoopla at MLC
This whole book is soft and soothing. The narration only added to the feels.
Elisabeth Scott, Reference Librarian
My Life
Bill Clinton
BARD
One of my favorite presidents narrates the story of his life. Perfect!
Shellie Zeigler, Library Consultant
The Midnight Feast
Lucy Foley
BARD
They have different narrators for each character and it's really well done.
Alex Brower, Information Services Director
Call Us What We Carry
Amanda Gorman
BARD
hoopla at MLC
Narrated by the
author—Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. Her voice
breaks through and seethes with emotions and powerful messages.
Shellie Zeigler, Library Consultant
Dune
Frank Herbert
BARD
I have read this entire series on audio. It's the best!
Tanner May, TBS Patron Services Librarian
The Cider House Rules
John Irving
BARD
hoopla at MLC
It’s a good movie, but it's also an amazing book with a main character who isn’t featured in the movie.
Shellie Zeigler, Library Consultant
Leonard da Vinci
Walter Isaacson
BARD
I've read some other Isaacson books, but this audio was spectacular.
Maddie Klutts, Reference and Archives Librarian
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive
Stephanie Land
BARD
hoopla at MLC
Narrated by the author, you feel her emotions in her perfect narration. Her story of overcoming poverty is real-world stuff.
Shellie Zeigler, Library Consultant
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
Trevor Noah
BARD
I'm not a late-night fan, but this memoir was utterly engaging, especially since it was narrated by the author himself.
Elisabeth Scott, Reference Librarian
London: The Novel
Edward Rutherfurd
BARD
I started reading this thinking it was nonfiction, but the superb story and narrator sucked me in.
Maddie Klutts, Reference and Archives Librarian
Men We Reaped: A Memoir
Jesmyn Ward
BARD
Top notch narration for a brutally honest look at Black lives in Mississippi.
Elisabeth Scott, Reference Librarian
If you'd like to listen to an official award-winning audiobook, you can check here to find previous Audie Award winners and here for previous Grammy Spoken Word winners. Still not sure which audiobook to read this month? Try MLC's BookMatch service! Fill out our short form letting us know your reading likes and dislikes, and we'll send you a list of recommended reads tailored to your tastes. Until next time, happy reading!
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