Hola, audiophiles! Welcome to November! It’s Dia de los Muertos which means I *will* be watching Coco through my tears at some point. It also means it’s time for new audiobook releases! Let’s not waste any time. To the books!
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Latest Listen
I’m about 75% through with The Library Book by Susan Orlean and have so many library loving feelings. Seriously: the fact that the most devastating library fire in U.S. history isn’t more widely known about is bananas! That is of course what happens when your library fire happens at the same time as Chernobyl.
In April 1986, an arson caused the Central Library branch of the Los Angeles Public Library to burn for over seven hours. Hundreds of thousands of books were either damaged or destroyed. Yep, I said it: hundreds… of thousands… of books. I’d have been one of the hysterical crying people on the sidewalk, yelling “MURDERER!” in my most dramatic telenovela Spanish at anyone who even looked like they might enjoy a cigarette.
This lovely listen is not only a riveting history lesson but also a love letter to libraries. Written and narrated by the acclaimed author of The Orchid Thief, it’s a perfect read for history buffs, true crime lovers, and anyone with a serious case of bibliophilia.
Listens on Deck
Eek! My audiobook queue is getting un poquito out of hand. I’m still trying to decide what to listen to next, but the two top contenders are Nic Stone’s Odd One Out and How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England: A Guide for Knaves, Fools, Harlots, Cuckolds, Drunkards, Liars, Thieves, and Braggarts by Ruth Goodman. One is YA fiction about friendship, love, and self-discovery told from three perspectives and one is a history of the “offensive language, insolent behavior, slights, brawls, and scandals” of Elizabethan England. Super different, super interesting. Will report back.
New Audiobooks: November
Gah, so many new books! Here are just five new releases to check out now.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, narrated by Caroline Lee, release date 11/6/18
“Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amid all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these 10 days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next 10 days are going to be.” The bestselling author of Big Little Lies is back with another twisty, turny, and smart piece of fiction.
Becoming by Michelle Obama, narrated by author, release date 11/13/18
“In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites listeners into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her – from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address.” What else is there to say? We heart you, Michelle.
Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom i Howard Hughes’s Hollywood by Karina Longworth, narrated by the author, release date 11/13/18
“In this riveting popular history, the creator of You Must Remember This probes the inner workings of Hollywood’s glamorous Golden Age through the stories of some of the dozens of actresses pursued by Howard Hughes, to reveal how the millionaire mogul’s obsessions with sex, power, and publicity trapped, abused, or benefited women who dreamt of screen stardom.”
Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, narrated by Simon Vance, release dat 11/20/18
Brace yourselves. In this 26+ hour listen, “the thrilling history of the Targaryens comes to life in this masterly work by the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO’s Game of Thrones. With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally best-selling author George R. R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros.”
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny, narrated by Robert Bathhurst, release date 11/27/18
In Louise Penny’s latest Chief Inspector Gamache audiobook, a cryptic letter arrives inviting Armand Gamache to an abandoned farmhouse – totally normal, right?! “The former head of the Sûreté du Québec discovers that a complete stranger has named him one of the executors of her will. Still on suspension, and frankly curious, Gamache accepts and soon learns that the other two executors are Myrna Landers, the bookseller from Three Pines, and a young builder.” The will’s bequests are bizarre so the woman must have been delusional… or was she? When a dead body turns up, the will starts to make unsettling sense.
Over at the Riot
21 Incredible and Prolific Audiobook Narrators – My hardcore audiophiles know all too well that even the most beautifully written stories can lose their luster is their narration is off. Here are some narrators who got their narration game on lock.
6 Romances Coming to Audiobook in November – I know what you’re thinking: how the %#*^ is it November already?! Know what’ll make you feel better about the whirlwind passage of time? This list of romance audiobooks to get cozy/sexy/cool with this month.
10 Canadian Audiobooks – I had no idea that a lot of Canadian books aren’t available in audio format! Look on the brightside, Canadian friends: you have Justin Trudeau, healthcare that doesn’t suck AND these 10 audiobooks by Canadian authors out now.
Thanks for hanging with me today! For tips and tricks for all of your book club needs, make sure to subscribe to the In The Club newsletter edited by yours truly. You can find me on the Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd or by email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com. Say hola and give me your feedback and questions!
Stay bad & bookish, my friends,
Vanessa