ALA RUSA Listen List Winners 2023 The Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration

Unlikely Animals

A Novel

By: Annie Hartnett
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall & Kirby Heyborne
Length: 10 hours 41 minutes

“Small-town residents — dead, alive, missing, and four-pawed — are the heart of this unforgettable novel of Emma's quarter-life and family crises. Hartnett’s quirky humor makes dark stuff feel manageable, a skill we need these days. Read more

Take My Hand

By: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Narrated by: Lauren J. Daggett
Length: 10 hours 56 minutes

“This novel about sexual sterilization of poor, Black, women in the American South in the early 1970s raises important and timely questions about reproductive choice and explores intersections of class, race and gender. The narrator conveys the heartfelt emotion behind the story beautifully. The characters were well-developed and complex, and the... Read more

Stories from The Tenants Downstairs

By: Sidik Fofana
Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Nile Bullock, Sidik Fofana, Dominic Hoffman, DePre Owens, André Santana, Bahni Turpin & Jade Wheeler
Length: 6 hours 4 minutes

“The distinct voices of each narrator are the shining achievement of this collection of gently linked stories. Brought to life by a truly excellent cast of narrators on audiobook. Read more

River of the Gods

Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

By: Candice Millard
Narrated by: Paul Michael
Length: 10 hours 1 minute

“There’s nothing like real-life true stories of adventure and exploration! This is a really good read, one of my favorites of the year. Read more

Playing with Myself

By: Randy Rainbow
Narrated by: Randy Rainbow
Length: 7 hours 2 minutes

This program is read by the author with a special appearance from his mom.

An intimate and light-hearted memoir by viral sensation and three-time Emmy-nominated musical comedian Randy Rainbow that takes readers through his life—the highs, the lows, the lipstick, the pink glasses, and the show tunes.

Randy Rainbow, the man who conquered the... Read more

The Patron Saint of Second Chances

A Novel

By: Christine Simon
Narrated by: Tim Frances
Length: 7 hours 54 minutes

SELECTED FOR THE RUSA 2023 LISTEN LIST FOR OUTSTANDING AUDIOBOOK NARRATION!

The self-appointed mayor of a tiny Italian village is determined to save his hometown no matter the cost in this “charming farce that highlights the triumph of hope and community” (People).

Vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212)... Read more

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting

A Novel

By: Sophie Irwin
Narrated by: Eleanor Tomlinson
Length: 9 hours 39 minutes

“Bridgerton fans will swoon over this entertaining romp through Britain’s Regency-era high society.”
—People

"A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting is a sharp, modern, and absolutely delicious take on the marriage plot. Sophie Irwin's debut is one of the most fun, romantic books I've read in a long time. I cannot wait to see what she does next."
... Read more

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

A Novel

By: Clare Pooley
Narrated by: Clare Corbett
Length: 8 hours 37 minutes

“If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman) and Anxious People (Fredik Backman), you’ll love Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley. I want to be Iona, and I want all of her fellow commuters to be my friends. This is a cheerful read, laugh out loud funny, and just what I wanted to read in these crazy times.... Read more

An Immense World

How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

By: Ed Yong
Narrated by: Ed Yong
Length: 14 hours 17 minutes

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “thrilling” (The New York Times), “dazzling” (The Wall Street Journal) tour of the radically different ways that animals perceive the world that will fill you with wonder and forever alter your perspective, by Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist Ed Yong

“One of this year’s finest works of narrative... Read more

The Diamond Eye

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 12 hours 51 minutes

“Ukrainian-born sharpshooter Mila Pavlichenko, or 'Lady Death' was credited with over three hundred confirmed kills during WW2. She is sent to America on a goodwill tour where she becomes a lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt. A student, a mother, a soldier, and a hero, she is a force to be reckoned with. Based on a true story. Read more

Book Lovers

By: Emily Henry
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 11 hours 23 minutes

“This book is perfect. I was so happy to see Emily Henry return to enemies-to-lovers. Dare I say it, Book Lovers is even better than Beach Read! The editor vs agent drama, the small-town checklist, and god, the steamy scenes — read this book! Read more

The Bangalore Detectives Club

The Kaveri and Ramu Series: Book #1

By: Harini Nagendra
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
Length: 9 hours 16 minutes

The first in a charming, joyful cozy crime series set in 1920s Bangalore, featuring sari-wearing detective Kaveri and her husband, Ramu. Perfect for fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.When clever, headstrong Kaveri moves to Bangalore to marry handsome young doctor Ramu, she’s resigned herself to a quiet life.But... Read more

The Angel of Rome

And Other Stories

By: Jess Walter
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini & Julia Whelan
Length: 8 hours 9 minutes

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins and The Cold Millions comes a stunning collection about those moments when everything changes—for the better, for the worse, for the outrageous—as a diverse cast of characters bounces from Italy to Idaho, questioning their roles in life and finding inspiration in the unlikeliest... Read more