Every month, AudioFile Magazine reviewers and editors give “Earphones Awards” to the best new audiobooks — the listens that combine blow-you-away narrations with standout writing. BookTrib, thanks to our partnership with AudioFile, offers this month’s picks of the newest do-not-miss titles.
From scary stories read by Wil Wheaton to sequels of fan-favorite series, these October picks have something for everyone.
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/butterfly-yellow.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/the-chestnut-man.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/coming-through-slaughter.jpg
Butterfly Yellow (Harper Audio) by Thanhha Lai, read by Lulu Lam
In this one-of-a-kind refugee story, narrator LuLu Lam gracefully maneuvers listeners through Hang’s efforts to reconnect her with her brother Lihn in Texas after the Vietnam War. With many parallels to today’s immigrant experience, the story includes moments of beauty, sorrow and hope.
The Chestnut Man (Harper Audio) by Søren Sveistrup, Caroline Waight [Trans.], read by Peter Noble
A chestnut man is a doll made in autumn by Danish schoolchildren. It’s also the creepy signature of a particularly devastating serial killer, for whom the fantastic Peter Noble will help you feel sympathy.
Coming Through Slaughter (Brilliance Audio) by Michael Ondaatje, read by Dion Graham
Dion Graham cranks the intensity and flows with the gentle moments in this involving historical novella about jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden. Originally published in 1996, it’s still wonderful.
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/find-me.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/full-throttle.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/the-man-with-no-borders.jpg
Find Me (Macmillan Audio) by André Aciman, read by Michael Stuhlbarg
Michael Stuhlbarg’s elegant delivery and raspy voice lends an intimacy to this sequel to Call Me by Your Name about 17-year-old Elio’s relationship with Oliver, a graduate student. This time, we spend time with Elio’s father, who finds himself attracted to a woman half his age.
Full Throttle (Harper Audio) by Joe Hill, read by Zachary Quinto, Wil Wheaton, Kate Mulgrew, Neil Gaiman, Ashleigh Cummings, Joe Hill, Laysla De Oliveira, Nate Corddry, Connor Jessup, Stephen Lang, George Guidall
A terrific cast of narrators lend their voices to 13 terrifying, occasionally gruesome stories by Joe Hill, two of which are co-written with his dad, Stephen King. Listeners will find their favorites, however don’t miss “Late Returns,” narrated by Wil Wheaton.
The Man With No Borders (Brilliance Audio) by Richard C. Morais, read by Thom Rivera
Thom Rivera delivers a compelling performance as José Ivarez, private banker and aristocrat near the end of his life. This is a man trying to make amends for his fascinating, yet difficult life with his family and restore his soul.
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/the-secret-commonwealth.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/talking-to-strangers.jpg
The Secret Commonwealth (Listening Library) by Philip Pullman, read by Michael Sheen
Listeners will be rapt as Michael Sheen throws himself into Volume 2 in THE BOOK OF DUST series about Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon. An expanding international cast of characters full Lyra’s adventures and give Sheen a chance to voice a myriad of accents in an entrancing fashion.
Talking to Strangers (Hachette Audio) by Malcolm Gladwell, read by Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is a fabulous narrator of his latest book, this one about the biases and blind spots people have when trying to understand people who are not like they are. His discussions of how people misread figures like Bernie Madoff and Amanda Knox are particularly riveting.
https://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/the-testaments-audiobook.jpghttps://booktrib.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/the-water-dancer.jpg
The Testaments (Random House Audio) by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood
Fifteen years after the conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale, we reenter the secretive lives of the women of Gilead. The talented cast of narrators add an entirely new dimension to a riveting tale. Atwood narrates section headings and her note, and Tantoo Cardinal and Derek Jacobi nail the scholarly conclusion.
The Water Dancer (Books on Tape) by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by Joe Morton
Joe Morton creates a cinematic listening experience in Coates riveting historical fiction novel set in pre-Civil War Virginia. Soon after Hiram Walker is moved from field labor to a plantation house, he is recruited to work the Underground Railroad. Then he discovers he has the power of “conduction” that enables him to transfer people through time and space. Whoa.
Which of these titles will you listen to next? Tell BookTrib below!
Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai
Butterfly Yellow (Harper Audio) by Thanhha Lai, read by Lulu Lam
In this one-of-a-kind refugee story, narrator LuLu Lam gracefully maneuvers listeners through Hang’s efforts to reconnect her with her brother Lihn in Texas after the Vietnam War. With many parallels to today’s immigrant experience, the story includes moments of beauty, sorrow and hope.
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup, Caroline Waight
The Chestnut Man (Harper Audio) by Søren Sveistrup, Caroline Waight [Trans.], read by Peter Noble
A chestnut man is a doll made in autumn by Danish schoolchildren. It’s also the creepy signature of a particularly devastating serial killer, for whom the fantastic Peter Noble will help you feel sympathy.
Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje
Coming Through Slaughter (Brilliance Audio) by Michael Ondaatje, read by Dion Graham
Dion Graham cranks the intensity and flows with the gentle moments in this involving historical novella about jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden. Originally published in 1996, it’s still wonderful.
Find Me by André Aciman
Find Me (Macmillan Audio) by André Aciman, read by Michael Stuhlbarg
Michael Stuhlbarg’s elegant delivery and raspy voice lends an intimacy to this sequel to Call Me by Your Name about 17-year-old Elio’s relationship with Oliver, a graduate student. This time, we spend time with Elio’s father, who finds himself attracted to a woman half his age.
Full Throttle by Joe Hill
Full Throttle (Harper Audio) by Joe Hill, read by Zachary Quinto, Wil Wheaton, Kate Mulgrew, Neil Gaiman, Ashleigh Cummings, Joe Hill, Laysla De Oliveira, Nate Corddry, Connor Jessup, Stephen Lang, George Guidall
A terrific cast of narrators lend their voices to 13 terrifying, occasionally gruesome stories by Joe Hill, two of which are co-written with his dad, Stephen King. Listeners will find their favorites, however don’t miss “Late Returns,” narrated by Wil Wheaton.
The Man With No Borders by Richard C. Morais
The Man With No Borders (Brilliance Audio) by Richard C. Morais, read by Thom Rivera
Thom Rivera delivers a compelling performance as José Ivarez, private banker and aristocrat near the end of his life. This is a man trying to make amends for his fascinating, yet difficult life with his family and restore his soul.
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
The Secret Commonwealth (Listening Library) by Philip Pullman, read by Michael Sheen
Listeners will be rapt as Michael Sheen throws himself into Volume 2 in THE BOOK OF DUST series about Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon. An expanding international cast of characters full Lyra’s adventures and give Sheen a chance to voice a myriad of accents in an entrancing fashion.
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Talking to Strangers (Hachette Audio) by Malcolm Gladwell, read by Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is a fabulous narrator of his latest book, this one about the biases and blind spots people have when trying to understand people who are not like they are. His discussions of how people misread figures like Bernie Madoff and Amanda Knox are particularly riveting.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The Testaments (Random House Audio) by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood
Fifteen years after the conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale, we reenter the secretive lives of the women of Gilead. The talented cast of narrators add an entirely new dimension to a riveting tale. Atwood narrates section headings and her note, and Tantoo Cardinal and Derek Jacobi nail the scholarly conclusion.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Water Dancer (Books on Tape) by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by Joe Morton
Joe Morton creates a cinematic listening experience in Coates riveting historical fiction novel set in pre-Civil War Virginia. Soon after Hiram Walker is moved from field labor to a plantation house, he is recruited to work the Underground Railroad. Then he discovers he has the power of “conduction” that enables him to transfer people through time and space. Whoa.
