Looking For Audiobook Recommendations?

As I said in this post, I’ve finally discovered the joy of audiobooks. I joined Audible, which is slightly pricey at $14.99 a month, but at the moment it’s worth it while I’m listening to so many audiobooks.

I’ve enjoyed many of the books I’ve been listening to, and sometimes I’ll even follow along with a printed version of the book. This way, if I miss something because of my hearing loss I still have the text in front of me.

Audiobook recommendations are different than paper or ebook recommendations since it’s not just the book itself I’m recommending–I’m also recommending the narrators and their performances. My recommendations are based on the fact that I enjoyed both the story and the narrator.

As always, my list is eclectic because I have such varied reading tastes. In other words, I’ll read almost everything (yes, including the cereal box, though I haven’t found an audiobook for that yet!).

Middlemarch By George Eliot

Narrated By Maureen O’Brien

This isn’t the first time I’ve waxed poetic over Maureen O’Brien’s performance narrating this Victorian-era classic from George Eliot.

I read Middlemarch when I was getting my Master’s degree in English literature, and this is the first time I’ve read it since. O’Brien’s narration is wonderful. Her voices for the many characters make you feel as though you are sitting by a hearth in Middlemarch watching the characters struggle with the challenges of living in a village where everyone knows everyone else’s business. This is Victorian-era literature at its finest.

You can find this edition of Middlemarch here.

The Wind in the Willows By Kenneth Grahame

Narrated By Sir Derek Jacobi

I adored The Wind in the Willows as a child, and I still love it. I enjoy revisiting childhood favorites every now and then because these wonderful stories remind me why I fell in love with reading.

Every time I read about Mr. Toad of Toad Hall, I laugh so loudly that people look around to see what I’m doing. There is something magical about this group of animal friends that wins my heart every time.

The engaging voices Sir Derek Jacobi uses in this version, found on YouTube, are exactly what I always imagined the animals to sound like. His voice for Mr. Toad is perfection.

This is an abridged version, so it doesn’t include the side stories about Mole, Ratty, and Badger. But even with its shortened length, Jacobi makes this version worth a listen.

Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Narrated By Dan Stevens

This Gothic classic by Mary Shelley forces us to consider what makes someone human, and what makes someone a monster. Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens narrates this version, and his voice for Victor Frankenstein humanizes the doctor while making clear his neurosis as well as his horror at what he’s done.

I’ve listened to this version with high school English students, and if it can hold their attention then you know the story, and the narration, are compelling.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By J.K. Rowling

Narrated By Jim Dale

The Harry Potter series is another long-time favorite that I like to revisit occasionally. This is the first time I’ve listened to the audiobook version, and I loved every minute of it.

Jim Dale is adored by Harry Potter lovers of all ages. Once, listening to another audiobook, a student said, “That’s Jim Dale!” I asked how she knew and she said, “He narrates the Harry Potter audiobooks.” I loved Dale’s narration as well.

You can find Dale’s narration of Harry Potter here.

A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens

Performed By Sir Patrick Stewart

This audiobook is based on Stewart’s one-man play of A Christmas Carol. I was lucky enough to see Stewart perform this play at a small theater in Westwood near UCLA, and to this day it’s one of my favorite things I’ve seen in the theater.

The audiobook displays Stewart’s amazing work as he captures every character’s voice to perfection. I know it’s March, but I can listen to this version of A Christmas Carol any time of year.

Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise By Thich Nhat Hanh

Narrated By Dan Woren

I told you this list was eclectic.

Like many of us, lately I’ve been ruminating on the worries of the world. I’ve been reading about meditation and mindfulness as a way to learn to quiet my overactive brain. Even after his death, Hanh remains one of the foremost authorities on matters of mindfulness.

This book is simple and direct as it shares important ideas about what is truly important and what is just noise that we can leave behind. Dan Woren’s simple, direct narration works well since it matches the tone and message of this book.

You can find Woren’s narration of Silence here.

I hope you’ve found an audiobook or two that has caught your interest. If you have a favorite audiobook, let me know. I’m always looking for recommendations.