FICTION
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, read by Simon Prebble (Audio Renaissance). The superb tale of two English magicians in the early 19th century, both expertly personified by Prebble.
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, read by Kimberly Schraf (Listen & Live Audio). A playful and intelligent audiobook that examines the lives and loves of six literature aficionados—and embodies the best of both the written and aural worlds.
Eventide by Kent Haruf, read by George Hearn (Random House Audio). An atmospheric portrait of a Colorado community, skillfully brought to life by Hearn’s restrained but nuanced performance.
The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips, read by Gianfranco Negroponte, Simon Prebble and Alyssa Bresnahan (Recorded Books). First-rate performances by all of the narrators involved make for a maddeningly suspenseful tale of death, betrayal and morbid self-absorption.
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, read by Ron Silver (Houghton Mifflin Audio). A pitch-perfect rendering of Roth’s extraordinary re-imagining of American history.
Quicksilver: Volume One of the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson, read by Simon Prebble and Stina Nielsen (Harper Audio). A literary tale that brings history, science and philosophy to life in a heartily entertaining fashion.
NONFICTION
Bob Dylan Chronicles: Volume I by Bob Dylan, read by Sean Penn (Simon & Schuster Audio). A look at Dylan’s intellectual and musical development and a surreal audio experience.
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, read by Ray Childs (Audio Bookshelf). A mid-century classic on race that brilliantly withstands both the test of time and translation to audio format.
Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson, read by Campbell Scott (Random House Audio). Kurson’s chronicle of an extraordinary deep-sea discovery—perfectly captured by Scott’s understated delivery.
The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough, read by Edward Herrmann (Simon & Schuster Audio). An outstanding audio adaptation that brings to life the Herculean struggles behind the creation of an enduring New York landmark.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris, read by the author (Time Warner AudioBooks). Even more hilarious and haunting as an audiobook, Sedaris’s collection of essays combine deadpan humor with insightful commentary.
MYSTERY
The Enemy by Lee Child, read by Dick Hill (Brilliance). Another excellent mystery featuring Child’s intrepid hero Jack Reacher and Hill’s accomplished narration.
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, read by Nick Landrum (Recorded Books). Refreshingly original and expertly narrated—an audiobook that details the travails of a serial killer who stalks serial killers.
NARRATION (FEMALE)
A Carnivore's Inquiry by Sabina Murray, read by Wendy Hoopes (HighBridge Audio). A twisted first-person narrative that’s complemented perfectly by Hoopes’s light-handed interpretation of Murray’s unreliable narrator.
Life Studies by Susan Vreeland, read by Karen White (Penguin Audio). A collection of stories on art and the role it plays in everyday life, enhanced by White’s lucid reading style and ease with French accents.
NARRATION (MALE)
The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer, read by Scott Brick (Time Warner AudioBooks). Meltzer’s breathless storytelling and Brick’s acumen for subtle nuance combine in a tale offering the highest level of audio suspense and entertainment.
Hark! by Ed McBain, read by Ron McLarty (Simon & Schuster Audio). An intricate thriller and an ideal platform for actor, playwright and author McLarty to show off his versatile voice.
AUTHOR READING
Absolute Friends by John le Carré (Time Warner AudioBooks). No one reads le Carré better than le Carré; his nuances, accents and inflections are as precise as his prose.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aaron Ralston (Simon & Schuster Audio). The compelling account of rock-climber Ralston’s life-changing experience in a Utah canyon, skillfully delivered in a direct, non-sensational manner.
BIOGRAPHY/ MEMOIR
My Life by Bill Clinton, read by the author (Random House Audio). A rare treat for audiobook listeners, one that captures not only the highlights of Clinton’s political career, but his legendary charisma.
Let Me Go by Helga Schneider, read by Barbara Rosenblat (Blackstone Audiobooks). A searing and provocative account of Schneider’s strained relationship with her mother, who is sensitively portrayed by versatile audiobook reader Rosenblat.
HUMOR
When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by George Carlin, read by the author (Hyperion AudioBooks). Foul-mouthed, funny and irreverent, this audiobook gives listeners a front-row seat to one of Carlin’s comedy shows.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Audiobook): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart and the Writers of The Daily Show, read by the authors (Time Warner AudioBooks). A stellar audio treatment of a mock textbook—complete with classroom bells and the expert comic delivery of Stewart and his Daily Show "correspondents."
CHILDREN'S SPOKEN WORD
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, read by Jim Dale (Brilliance Audio). The masterful Dale shines in this romp about pirates, treasure and magic; a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.
Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce, read by Simon Jones (HarperChildren’s Audio). How would you spend an instant million bucks? Young brothers Damian and Anthony face such a dilemma in this jaunty and taut page-turner. Jones is perfect in a heartwarming and humorous turn.
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, read by Brendan Fraser (Listening Library). Dragons, and brownies and dwarves, oh my! Fraser tackles them all with aplomb and creates numerous memorable characterizations.
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler, read by Finty Williams (Listening Library). In a spot-on performance, Williams wrings notes of excitability, trepidation and growing self-esteem from a debut novel about a 12-year-old girl who discovers she is half mermaid.
The Great Cheese Conspiracy by Jean Van Leeuwen, read by Daniel Bostick and the Full Cast Family (Full Cast Audio). A crew of inept rodent gangsters—with funny, believable accents, all—plan the cheesiest heist of their careers in this pleasingly silly tale set in New York City.
Geronimo Stilton Books 1–3 by Geronimo Stilton, read by Edward Herrmann (Listening Library). In Herrmann’s skillful rendering, fastidious mouse journalist and world traveler Stilton springs from the page in these vibrant adaptations—replete with copious sound effects and hilarious cheese puns—of a book series for early readers.
CHILDREN'S MUSIC
Mojo a Go Go: Real Rock for Kids by Daddy a Go Go (Boyd’s Tone Tunes). John Boydston returns with another rockin’ recording—one that will have adults keeping the beat, too.
Hey, Picasso! by Jessica Harper (Rounder Kids). Fine art inspires fine kids’ music in this collection of musical musings on famous paintings.
I Found It! by Brady Rymer (Bumblin’ Bee Records). An energetic, guitar-driven blend of alt-folk and rock for the whole family.
Way Out by Justin Roberts (Carpet Square Records). Sunny songs with witty lyrics and a toe-tapping beat tap into universal kid experiences like picture day at school or a visit to the doctor.
Caribbean Playground by various artists (Putumayo Kids). A catchy, multicultural blend of zydeco, reggae and the lesser-known (to American kids) bomba from Puerto Rico and zouk from the French Caribbean, among others. Listening to the songs performed by renowned world-music artists like Taj Mahal, Desmond Dekker, Asheba and Atlantik, one can almost feel a tropical breeze.
cELLAbration!: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins by various artists (Smithsonian Folkways). An all-star roster from Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer to Pete Seeger to John McCutcheon pays homage to a grande dame of children’s song.
Behind the Mic: Before coming to the U.S. in 1989, Prebble lived in west London and tried his hand at being a radio journalist, a BBC announcer, a voiceover artist and an actor. He even toured with Ian McKellen in Hamlet. When he hit the States, however, he added a new accomplishment to his résumé: he narrated his first audiobook, Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, for Recorded Books. Since then, he has narrated more than 275 audiobooks, while still maintaining a busy acting career.
Behind the Mic: British thespian Simon Jones caught the theater bug at a tender age, but truly blossomed at Cambridge University, where he participated in the esteemed Cambridge Footlights Dramatic Club, also the starting point for author Douglas Adams (a longtime friend), Monty Pythoners Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam and John Cleese, and actor Stephen Fry. Film parts and stage roles in both London's West End and on New York's Great White Way followed. Jones became well known in his native England for playing Arthur Dent in both the BBC radio series and BBC TV miniseries of Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, beginning in the late '70s.In 1986, while continuing his stage, film, TV and voiceover work, Jones began narrating audiobooks. Thus far he has more than 50 titles to his credit. 
Colin Farrell, Dallas Roberts, Blair Brown and Jennifer Van Dyck
Like Dylan, Penn is a fearless performer, and his own iconoclastic personality serves the narrative without ever threatening to upstage it.
