audio

from August 2021 BookPage

the hold list

H Empire of Pain

New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe’s exhaustive research for Empire of Pain (Random House Audio, 18 hours) makes him the natural choice to narrate his own audiobook. Keefe knows which points to stress for listeners of this story, which he calls “the taproot of the opioid epidemic” in America—not that added emphasis is really needed, as the book’s content is shocking enough. In jaw-dropping detail, Keefe recounts the greed, deception and corruption at the heart of the Sackler family’s multigenerational quest for wealth and social status. The 18-plus hours that it takes to listen to this history may seem intimidating at first, but Keefe’s masterful storytelling makes it worth every minute. —G. Robert Frazier

How Y’all Doing?

Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan is making the most of his sudden internet superstardom with his new book, How Y’all Doing? (HarperAudio, 4 hours). In the early days of the COVID-19 quarantine, Jordan began posting funny videos to his Instagram account, gossiping into the camera and gaining millions of new fans. His knack for storytelling transfers beautifully to this new audiobook. His twangy Tennessee drawl adds so much personality to the stories; you can hear the laughter and joy in his voice. —Anna Zeitlin

Facing the Mountain

Daniel James Brown’s enthralling Facing the Mountain (Penguin Audio, 17.5 hours), narrated by American actor Louis Ozawa, describes the heroism of Japanese Americans who joined the Army to fight for the U.S. after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Ozawa’s ability to speak both English and Japanese serves him well as he tells the true stories of four soldiers who proved their dedication to their country despite the bigotry they faced. —G. Robert Frazier

H The Anatomy of Desire

L.R. Dorn’s debut novel, The Anatomy of Desire (HarperAudio, 8 hours), updates Theodore Dreiser’s classic 1925 crime drama, An American Tragedy, by using the documentary format to explore whether Instagram influencer Cleo Ray murdered her ex-girlfriend. With interview transcripts, director commentary and courtroom clips, this narrative structure is perfect for the audiobook format, and it’s compellingly performed by an ensemble cast. Tony Award winner Santino Fontana stands out as the documentary director, and Marin Ireland portrays a formidable defense attorney, but Shelby Young absolutely shines as Cleo.

—Deborah Mason

We Are Each Other’s Harvest

Natalie Baszile’s We Are Each Other’s Harvest (HarperAudio, 13.5 hours) explores farming by Black Americans through essays, interviews and poetry from farmers and historians, wordsmiths and activists. Narrated by actor Tina Lifford, this audiobook empowers and enlightens through the spoken word. —Mari Carlson