AudioFile Earphone Awards

“The genius of Max Porter is that he can write a village in its entirety—a mother’s love for her son, a brilliant artist’s loneliness, a young boy’s whimsical adventures, a mythological creature’s inner monologue, a whole village worth of secrets and wishes and terrible thoughts—and make it into a bizarre but highly enjoyable little novel. You’ll find yourself thrilled by the dark humor Porter captures in his story of one village and its characters, both real and mythologized, as Lanny follows the eponymous young boy and the lives he impacts around him.”

“The Guest Book is an exquisitely written multi-generational novel about the Milton family. They are a family of wealth and privilege. Through the generations, the money dwindles away and the last generation is faced with the only option of selling it. The house sits on its own island and holds many secrets from the past generations. The characters are multi-dimensional and the relationships are complex. The narration of this book is pitch-perfect. The reader has a graceful, soothing voice that carries a tone of good breeding. Although I am glad that I listened to this book, I often found myself wishing that I could highlight some phrases and beautifully constructed sentences. This book was a delight to my ears. Sarah Blake is an extremely gifted writer. I look forward to reading many more of her books in the future. ”

“This is a beautifully rendered, historically compelling exploration of the idea that the powerful and unseen gravitational force acting on what we know to have been a complicated courtship between Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd was Lincoln’s ambiguous friendship with Joshua Speed. Bayard’s complex characters live believably on these pages, reminding us that love is not—and never has been, even for the iconic figures of history—a this-or-that thing, but instead takes on many forms, depending on its circumstances. A great book club selection!”

“The courage of youth and the beauty of faith are crystallized in this story of love, loss, and acceptance. Ilya and his older brother, Vladimir, may have been thick as thieves, but while Ilya’s high marks in school offered him a way out of their depressing Russian town, Vladimir’s path has led to more illicit activities. Now, as Ilya navigates his new life in Louisiana, he is determined to save his brother, who is accused of murder back in Russia. Lydia Fitzpatrick’s stunning debut brings these vastly different cultures to life and imbues every scene with empathy and understanding. A brilliant and thrilling novel that shouldn’t be missed!”

“What a treat to discover Sally Rooney! This novel stands out shining from the current onslaught of mediocre prose and less-than-suspenseful thriller plots. Normal People is the story of a relationship between two high school classmates in a small town in Ireland, and how it changes over time, through their last year of college in Dublin. Rooney’s spare and brilliant writing illuminates her insight and makes the unfolding of these two personalities completely compelling.”

“In her new memoir, trendsetting food writer and editor Ruth Reichl writes lovingly of the full-blast creativity of her 10 years as editor-in-chief of Gourmet. By book’s end, you’ll miss the storied and groundbreaking magazine, but you’ll be grateful she shared the tale of how its outstanding roster of writers, photographers, designers, and cooks transformed how we look at food. Reichl takes readers behind the scenes as chefs became rock stars, as writers like David Foster Wallace reshaped food writing, and as she fought to save the magazine she adored. A beloved writer with an enviable career, Reichl reminds us that although things may change, simple, honest pleasures — like a perfect plum — endure and make life rich.”

“The Pioneers is a fascinating look at our nation trying to find its way in the years after the Revolutionary War. After securing our liberty, at the cost of thousands of lives, we turned our attention westward and to the promise held there. Of course, we were not the first to explore these lands west of New England. These new pilgrims met with both violence and hospitality from native people they encountered, and they returned both - perhaps not in equal measure. This is not just the story of how the Midwest was won, but also how the venture was financed. These expeditions were the Tesla & Uber stock of their day: high risk, and high reward. Also like today, those that profited the most were not always those placed in the most peril. Ultimately, you are left in awe of the perseverance of these settlers and the sacrifices that they made to establish our nation as it is today.”