海角大神

Our picks for audiobooks include titles that invite contemplation, entertain with humor, excite with fast-paced action, and let you visit again with a favorite character.听听

鈥淚n the Country of Women鈥� by Susan Straight
Read by Donna Postel; HighBridge Audio; 10 hours and 49 minutes

Author Susan Straight begins her memoir by lamenting the fact that women are never given the hero鈥檚 journey 鈥� are never the subject of epic tales. She then details her ancestors鈥� life journeys, which have all eventually influenced her own discoveries and wanderings and creations. A standout among the growing mountain of audiobook memoirs, her story is entertaining, honest, humorous, insightful, and difficult to turn off. Narrator Donna Postel sounds both authoritative and friendly. She鈥檚 able to capture the warmth and appreciation Straight brings to a story that is part history lesson, part cultural observation, and part personal rumination on her multicultural and diverse family. Grade: A-

鈥淟ittle Weirds鈥� by Jenny Slate
Read by the author; Hachette Audio; 4 hours and 19 minutes

鈥淲eird鈥� is an apt description for Jenny Slate鈥檚 collection of essays, though it can also be described as imaginative, revelatory, insightful, and delightful. Slate鈥檚 stream-of-consciousness meditations cover a wide range of subjects, including her days as a 鈥渇ast bad baby,鈥� restaurant trips, dating, sexuality, family, Valentine鈥檚 Day, ghosts, and pets. Her topics are mundane, but her writing is poetic. As a successful comedian and screenwriter, she has a great sense of timing, and her high-pitched voice and fast delivery enhance this odd but enjoyable production. This collection is best heard one essay at a time, as her contemplative words should be savored. Grade: A-

鈥淭he Siberian Dilemma鈥� by Martin Cruz Smith
Read by Jeremy Bobb; Simon & Schuster Audio; 6 hours and 7 minutes

It doesn鈥檛 matter if you haven鈥檛 been following Martin Cruz Smith鈥檚 鈥淎rkady Renko鈥� detective series, because this installment 鈥� set in Russia and packed with action 鈥� stands alone. Renko is on the case of a missing journalist, and this time, it鈥檚 personal, because she鈥檚 also his girlfriend. Though the plot is gripping, the story lacks the finesse of Smith鈥檚 earlier novels; the ending is only mediocre and the pacing is subpar. Narrator Jeremy Bobb has a deep voice and a controlled, even meter. He easily changes his timbre for different characters, and his Eastern European accents sound authentic. Grade: B+听

鈥淥live, Again鈥� by Elizabeth Strout
Read by Kimberly Farr; Random House Audio; 12 hours and 14 minutes

Fans of 鈥淥live Kitteridge鈥� may be somewhat disappointed in these 13 loosely connected sequel tales about Elizabeth Strout鈥檚 famous character, Olive, and the people whose lives she touches. While the stories pick up where the original left off and the writing remains intimate and expressive, 鈥淥live, Again鈥� is full of sadness and carries an undercurrent of bitterness that destroys the goodwill and hope found in the original. The collection is also full of jarring political jabs. Narrator Kimberly Farr, however, is delightful, giving each character his or her own voice 鈥撎齟specially Olive, whose prickly demeanor and forthrightness can be heard in every utterance.听Grade: B-