Audiobooks to bring delight to the holiday season
Escapism and hope fill the top four audiobooks of December 2020, providing comfort for listeners as the end of a difficult year approaches. An intelligent fable, a seasonally appropriate mystery, and two uplifting memoirs are the perfect stories to usher in 2021.
鈥淎 Promised Land鈥� by Barack Obama
Read by the author; Random House Audio; 29 hours and 10 minutes
Sounding authoritative at times, and intimate and relaxed at others, Obama narrates his rather lengthy memoir with polished professionalism. His familiar unhurried cadence, well-known to so many across the world, is calming; listening is reminiscent of a conversation with an old friend. His writing is as deliberate as his narration, but it never feels slow or tedious, despite the memoir鈥檚 length. (And this is only the first volume!) The first quarter of the narrative is devoted to his personal life, and frankly, it鈥檚 the most interesting section. Topics include his relationship with his mother, his education, his romance with Michelle, and his children. But the parts of the memoir that deal with the former president鈥檚 tenure in the White House are also surprisingly engaging: He peppers his memories of policy discussions and political fights with opinionated observations, colorful backgrounds, and very wry humor. Well worth the long running time. Grade: A
鈥淧erestroika in Paris鈥� by Jane Smiley
Read by Suzanne Toren; Recorded Books; 8 hours and 20 minutes
Jane Smiley is back with another of her horse tales 鈥� this one a sweet fable set in Paris featuring a lovely filly named Perestroika, or Paras for short. Paras is a racehorse who, after wandering away from her stable with a purse filled with the day鈥檚 winnings in her teeth,聽 finds a new life and new friends in one of the city's parks. A cunning dog, a bookish and cultivated raven, and a couple of argumentative mallards help her survive at first, but she soon finds shelter with an unusual orphaned boy and his great-great-grandmother. Even if you aren鈥檛 a fan of anthropomorphized critters, this conceit works thanks to Smiley鈥檚 convincing world. As always, she paints a bigger picture with smaller stories. Narrator Suzanne Toren is a huge asset, imbuing each creature, big and small, with a distinct personality befitting its nature. Grade: A-
鈥淢urder at an Irish Christmas鈥� by Carlene O'Connor
Narrated by Caroline Lennon; Dreamscape Media; 9 hours and 19 minutes
Though marketed as a "cozy mystery," 鈥淢urder at an Irish Christmas鈥� has elements of a police procedural that add more detail, atmosphere, and humor than are often found in the cozy subgenre. Siobh谩n O鈥橲ullivan, a member of the Irish Garda, arrives in West Cork with her family for a Christmas holiday. But when the local celebrity conductor is murdered, it鈥檚 back to work for her. Multiple red herrings are unearthed as she pursues the killer, and listeners get to know the villagers, her family, and her fianc茅. Though it鈥檚 the seventh installment in the Irish Village mystery series, this title can easily stand alone. Caroline Lennon鈥檚 narration is sympathetic, funny, and rather endearing; her impeccable timing is enhanced by her lovely Irish brogue. Grade: B+
鈥淒olly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics鈥� by Dolly Parton
Performed by Dolly Parton; Recorded Books; 5 hours and 18 minutes
This delightful oddity is not really an audiobook in any traditional sense, but it is so entertaining and Dolly Parton is so charming that it doesn鈥檛 matter. Sometimes she speaks, sometimes she sings, and sometimes an unnamed man introduces the next topic. It鈥檚 a little offbeat, but past the nontraditional presentation is an enchanting, kind-hearted, philanthropic, and humorous performer. Parton gets a little earthy at times, but her candor, combined with her unique, chirpy voice, is entertaining 鈥� even for those who are not fans of country music. Grade: B
