Controversial: I’m compiling a list of books that are better in audiobook version versus physical book form. Examples: Kitchen Confidential, Nora Ephron essay collections, Britney’s memoir. Let it rip.

Question

Nicole · Answer

Dracula: The version read by Alan Cumming and Tim Curry, it’s spooky and excellent, maybe a bit dated but it was written in 1897, after all. Dracula is written from several different perspectives, through diaries and letters. I always find that type of novel hard to get into, and the excellent cast (with Tim Curry as Dracula ❤️)really helps

pairofgeese · Answer

The Dutch House audiobook: This is perfectly narrated by Tom Hanks. Some friends and I picked this book for a little lockdown zoom book club, and it was wild how the group was split right down the middle—those who read the printed book thought it was too bleak, those who listened to the audiobook thought it was perfect.

Laurie Rockenbeck · Answer

Lincoln in the Bardo: The text is interesting, but difficult to read IMHO.  The audiobook is sooooo good.

Ginger · Answer

Any of Jenny Lawson’s books!:  Farm animal noises and humorous mental health insight ❤️

genine · Answer

Jeremy Denk, Every Good Boy Does Fine: https://www.jeremydenk.com/book

This book is especially wonderful as an audiobook because it includes recordings of Jeremy Denk's performances of passages he's discussing.

And as a side note, if you don't already use the library for audiobooks, I recommend downloading Libby or Hoopla, or Boundless, whatever system your library uses...not...that other service...

Lindsey Millikan · Answer

Broken Horses (Brandi Carlile): The audiobook version is interspersed with her song recordings- her own and her covers of Leonard, Dolly Parton and more.

Jessica · Answer

Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera: Mystery/thriller with an embedded faux crime podcast that makes the audiobook my preferred version. January LaVoy and Will Damron did a great job with all the voices, and I appreciated the extra production that went into the “podcast” with the intro/outro music and interviews.

Aya C · Answer

Daisy Jones & The Six (Taylor Jenkins Reid): This audiobook was read by a whole cast so the experience felt very rich and cinematic. The book is told from each band member and some side characters so having a cast read really lead to it feeling like you’re hearing interviews with many people in a way that I think might’ve been lost in reading alone.

Aya C · Answer

Project Hail Mary: I’m concurrently listening and reading Project Hail Mary and prefer listening. Being able to hear the different characters (especially Rocky!) adds so much.

2095fine · Answer

Demon Copperhead: The audiobook narrator added dimension and humor that the voice in my head didn’t and made the story at least 12%less sad

Nitabel · Answer

Nitabel - Great Listener: I recently started a similar collection — audiobooks with narrative performances that shook me

Genny McA · Answer

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum: Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins narrate.

Fun whodunit + friendship story + romance set in contemporary Los Angeles

Zoe Det · Answer

Andy Serkis reading the Lord of the Rings: I have tried and failed to read LotR so many times but this is a fully pleasurable experience. Obviously Andy Serkis does an amazing job. And there is so much singing!

Gab · Answer

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin: the narrator is a transcriptionist, and the recordings are voiced by actors-- you hear what the narrator hears

Elena · Answer

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir: Ohhh to laugh this hard from the first page feels so good!! I describe this book as The Hunger Games meets The Westing Game but with lesbian necromancers in space. Gideon is one of the most lovable characters I’ve ever met, and Harrow is obsession-worthy. My partner and I dressed as them for Halloween a couple years back (the photo is V as Gideon). Gideon and Harrow’s dynamic, all the way to the last page, rocked me to my core. I truly love every book in this series, but will always have a special place in my heart for Gideon the Ninth.

Also important to note that audiobook is fantastic!! I would absolutely recommend reading (rather than listening to) the second in the series Harrow the Ninth or you may become extremely confused, but listening to Gideon was even more enjoyable than reading it because the voices are so good.

Evangeline · Answer

Down the Drain. Julia Fox: If no one has recommended this, it’s fabulous. I “read” it in like 3 days. Her life has been so full and interesting, from Italian summers to a dominatrix hustle to, of course, Kanye.

Daniel Rogna · Answer

Notes from an Apocalypse: Mark O’Connell’s reading is perfect.

Zabe Giles · Answer

Room to Dream - David Lynch: It is a call and response of his life in his own memory and then via the memory of others read by him - feels perfect for him to read both perspectives back to back to you the reader.

Elyse · Answer

My personal audiobook hall of fame: burgeoning collection of exactly what you’re asking for! I would also add the graphic audio version of the acotar series but that rec comes to you from horny jail 🤡

BRETTE P · Answer

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? (Séamas O'Reilly): Truly the best. I recommend to everyone.

Annie Pontarelli · Answer

Even the Good Girls Will Cry (Melissa Auf der Maur): Hearing the shift in Melissa’s voice while talking about her father’s death was heartbreaking. Also loved the bonus track talking about all the images in the book. Interesting to hear about the business of being in bands as well.

Annie Pontarelli · Answer

Actress of a Certain Age (Jeff Hiller): I laughed, I cried, I appreciated that Jeff is a listener of audiobooks (especially celebrity memoirs) and made a few audiobook only jokes for us.

A.M. Golden · Answer

I Regret Almost Everything (Keith McNally)

dhblikes · Answer

Careless People, read by the author who FaceBook tried to shush: It literally answers the question,

”How did we get here?” —it was recommended by my memoir writing teacher who listened to it and offered it as a great example of  writing when it came out last Spring .  Sooooo gooood!!

Sarah Kennedy · Answer

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin: He plays the banjo in-between chapters :)

amy groome | mid-flight · Answer

Shuggie Bain | Douglas Stuart: This audiobook is a commitment and graduate level listening material. Tackling the brogue alone will make the plaque fall away from your brain. But you’ll stay for the riveting story. Great for a long drive.

EmmaJ · Answer

Tom Lake narrated by Meryl Streep! She gives it such humour and I swear you can hear the summer in her voice.

Robby O’Connor · Answer

Priest Daddy (Patricia Lockwood): Nonfiction works best for me for audiobooks and this memoir is an absolute banger. Read by the author, it will certainly make you laugh, but it’s more than just a ha-ha book. Highest of high recommends.

Chad Nelson · Answer

The Future of Truth (Werner Herzog): A series of essays by Herzog ranging from Ancient Rome to baroque Opera to AI. Funny (if you like his brand of dry absurd humor) and at points profound, hearing them in his unmistakable timbre instills the storytelling with a comforting sense of intimacy. I deeply enjoyed this book.

emma · Answer

Down the Drain: I love a memoir as an audio book. Julia’s is everything you love about a memoir—juicy, emotional, soul-baring—while also at points listening like a gossip girl episode. It feels true, but there are moments, constantly, of “I cannot believe that happened.” Julia narrates, and it feels like a juicy, juicy gossip sesh.

Sam · Answer

My Year of Rest and Relaxation: The book is such a propelling read on its own, but Julia Whelan, GOAT of narrators, narrated the audiobook and adds even more to it somehow. This is a master class in bringing voice to the written word.

Babuji · Answer

The Kid Stays in the Picture (Robert Evans): If you’re interested in the movie business, the 1970s, and larger than life characters, you should listen to this memoir.

Jenni · Answer

murderbot diaries on audio!: The Murderbot Diaries are excellent reads no matter what, but I need to give a special shoutout to the audiobooks. Kevin R. Free is iconic as Murderbot and has so much depth and dry humor in his performance. If you’re planning on reading these, please do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobooks.

travis duong · Answer

dungeon crawler carl!!: i’ve been listening to this series throughout work. genuinely amazing voice acting — brings a new element of storytelling into the medium.

Evan McAvenia · Answer

martyr!: actually listened to this and thought it worked really well in audiobook format. the narrator was incredible and really embodied the characters. one of the best books i have “read” recently and one i will most likely come back to.

Claire · Answer

Night Night Fawn (Jordy Rosenberg): The absolute greatest narration of any audiobook of all time and yes this includes Michelle Williams voicing Britney Spears relating Justin Timberlake imitating Ginuwine