Best Christopher J Smith Podcasts (2024)

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FIRST LIE WINS: AudioFile Favorites 6:55

2h ago6:55

6:55

Listeners will be convinced there’s a full cast delivering this fast-paced thriller from Ashley Elston. Yet it’s just one narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, who masterfully voices all of the characters. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this mystery audiobook in their conversation from earlier in 2024. Evie Porter has many names and perso…

1
GRETA & VALDIN: AudioFile Favorites 7:15

2h ago7:15

7:15

This week, we’re revisiting discussions of favorite audiobooks from this year. Narrators Natalie Beran and Jackson Bliss portray queer Russian-Maori siblings Greta and Valdin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Rebecca K. Reilly’s wise, hilarious audiobook about a loving and chaotic New Zealand family. Beran depicts Greta, a 20-som…

1
Interview with J. Michael Straczynski 11:55

2h ago11:55

11:55

Author J. Michael Straczynski joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb for a conversation about his new audio original, EARTHLIGHT. Straczynski is well known as the creator of the “Babylon 5” TV series and has written comics for Marvel and DC. His newest book, EARTHLIGHT, is a high-stakes military sci-fi audiobook performed by Erik Braa and a full cast with …

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PINK GLASS HOUSES by Asha Elias, read by Stacy Gonzalez, Saskia Maarleveld, Andi Arndt, Helen Laser, André Santana, Amy Landon, John Pirhalla, Robin Miles, Michael Crouch, Jane Oppenheimer 8:57

5d ago8:57

8:57

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Asha Elias’s new audiobook, performed by an ensemble cast. The action centers around the PTA at an elementary school. Things get ugly when Melody Howard’s family moves from Kansas into the land of wealth and privilege for her husband’s new job in Miami. Melody, portrayed by Andi Arndt, gets sucked i…

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LEYLINES premiers Sept 3rd, 2024 1:00

15h ago1:00

1:00

Good Story Guild Presents: LEYLINES Premiering September 3rd, 2024 *** It began with disaster... It's been one year since Dr. Anthony Harbor's experiment caused a blast that ruptured the foundations of MIT, destroyed his reputation, and cost him his life. Now, estranged brothers Ethan and Milo Harbor come together to uncover the mystery of their fa…

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THE SONS OF EL REY by Alex Espinoza, read by Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, André Santana 7:50

1h ago7:50

7:50

Alex Espinoza’s riveting audiobook delves into the lives of three generations of luchadores, masked Mexican wrestlers, who are grappling with love and family secrets in Mexico City and Los Angeles. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this powerful story where narrators Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, and André Santana bring …

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NEPHEW by M.K. Asante, read by M.K. Asante, Dion Graham, Adenrele Ojo, Neph 7:58

8h ago7:58

7:58

M.K. Asante's performance captures the essence of what makes the audiobook medium vital: a living experience that grabs listeners from start to finish. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a book that Michele calls memorable and affecting. Asante unfolds the story of his nephew Nasir's emergency treatment in intensive care after multip…

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HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams, read by Helen Laser, Caroline Hewitt 7:38

1h ago7:38

7:38

Beatriz Williams’s new romantic audiobook is rendered perfectly by two narrators, Helen Laser and Caroline Hewitt. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story about two women who are separated by decades and continents but joined by blood, tragedy, and a jeweled cobra bracelet. Laser portrays the contemporary New England heroine, M…

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THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore, read by Saskia Maarleveld 8:40

3h ago8:40

8:40

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Liz Moore’s fascinating listen brought to life by Saskia Maareleveld. Thirteen-year-old Barbra Van Laar goes missing from her bunk at an Adirondack summer camp in 1975—and her brother vanished from the same location 16 years earlier. Maareleveld explores the impact the disappearances have on th…

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MIDNIGHT ROOMS by Donyae Coles, read by Georgina Campbell 7:31

9d ago7:31

7:31

Georgina Campbell performs Donyae Coles’s gothic tale set in 1840s England. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this sinister listen. Orabella Mumthrope finds herself marrying a mysterious, wealthy stranger to help settle her uncle’s debt. At her new husband’s historic home, she finds his family seems to have far too many secrets…

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THE BRIGHT SWORD by Lev Grossman, read by Nicholas Guy Smith, Lev Grossman [Note] 6:25

2h ago6:25

6:25

Nicholas Guy Smith evokes the Arthurian legends of old in Lev Grossman’s tongue-in-cheek Knights of the Round Table-inspired novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a story of Collum, who dreams of joining King Arthur’s knights, but when he arrives in Camelot, King Arthur is dead. Smith shines in this grand, ambitious novel, e…

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NO SON OF MINE by Jonathan Corcoran, read by Christopher P. Brown 7:44

9d ago7:44

7:44

Christopher P. Brown performs Jonathan Corcoran’s intimate memoir of his relationship with his mother after she discovers he’s gay. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this moving listen. Corcoran’s mother dies during the first years of the Covid pandemic, leaving him and his two sisters to handle her affairs. From there, Corcora…

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REDNECKS by Taylor Brown, read by Ramiz Monsef 7:36

15d ago7:36

7:36

Ramiz Monsef performs Taylor Brown’s historical novel set during the Battle of Blair Mountain in the early 1920s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this listen that will keep listeners on edge until the very last second. Lebanese American “Doc Moo” Muhanna serves as a medical doctor during the Mine Wars. Monsef’s narration enli…

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CALL FOR THE DEAD by John le Carré, read by Simon Vance 7:32

11d ago7:32

7:32

Simon Vance affably narrates George Smiley in this first novel by John le Carré, published in 1961. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the thrill of listening to Vance narrate this classic mystery and Smiley’s origin story. It centers around a faux suicide, East German espionage agents, and a Secret Service that prefers to sweep thi…

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SHANGHAI by Joseph Kanon, read by Jonathan Davis 7:24

19d ago7:24

7:24

Jonathan Davis digs deep into his narration toolbox in Joseph Kanon’s atmospheric audiobook set in 1939. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this tense listen. As the world prepares for war, displaced European Jews attempt a departure to parts unknown. Davis employs a stoic tone when describing Kristallnacht, the beatings, and the ro…

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OUR MAN IN HAVANA by Graham Greene, read by Matthew Lloyd Davies 7:13

6d ago7:13

7:13

Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies brings his considerable talent to one of Graham Greene’s best-known novels. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the story of how James Wormold, a vacuum cleaner retailer, invents a spy ring in order to cover his daughter’s extravagances. Davies manipulates accents, vocal tones, and pitch ranges to bring …

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THE LAST HOPE by Susan Elia MacNeal, read by Susan Duerden 9:04

7d ago9:04

9:04

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Susan Elia MacNeal’s 12th and final Maggie Hope novel. Susan Duerden gives a strong performance as the intrepid heroine takes on a frightening mission, meeting up again with Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer and Nazi collaborator. British concerns about the Germans acquiring a fission bomb l…

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A NEST OF VIPERS by Harini Nagendra, read by Soneela Nankani 7:38

8d ago7:38

7:38

AudioFile Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in 1920s India. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this third installment in Harini Nagendra’s Bangalore Detectives Club series that’s rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy. Nankani’s brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly distingu…

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HUDA F ARE YOU? by Huda Fahmy, read by Huda Fahmy, Aixa Kay, Ayman Samman, Christie Bahna, Rasha Zamamiri, and a Full Cast 7:22

15d ago7:22

7:22

Huda Fahmy’s hilarious graphic novel for teens will delight listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of listening to this lively audio adaptation. Huda’s having a bit of an identity crisis. Her family’s just moved from a small town to Dearborn, Michigan, and suddenly her personality can’t just be “the hijabi girl” beca…

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THE NIGHT OF BABA YAGA by Akira Otani, Sam Bett [Trans.], read by Cindy Kay 7:20

12d ago7:20

7:20

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this dramatic Japanese thriller from Akira Otani. Cindy Kay’s steely voice ensures the listener feels every bit of tension in this short and memorable audiobook. After Yoriko Shindo is kidnapped, she finds herself forced into working for an arm of the yakuza—she has to serve as the driver for Shok…

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A SHORE THING by Joanna Lowell, read by Ros Watt 7:57

20d ago7:57

7:57

Ros Watt’s narration highlights all the charm of Joanna Lowell’s queer historical romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story set in Cornwall’s countryside, complete with a bicycle race, a botanist, and a rake. Kit Griffith is a dashing bicycle shop owner who left his old life behind, in which he belonged to a sisterhood of…

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THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK by Megan Bannen, read by Nicol Zanzarella 7:52

24d ago7:52

7:52

Nicol Zanzarella brings heaps of charm to her narration of this engaging fantasy romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the sequel to Megan Bannen’s THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY. Twyla and Frank have been neighbors, then best friends, then partners in the Marshals, spending 8 years patrolling the dangerous Tanrian world t…

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BURY YOUR GAYS by Chuck Tingle, read by André Santana, Charlie Jane Anders, CJ Leede, Georgia Bird, Liz Kerin, Mara Wilson, Mark Oshiro, Sarah Gailey, Stephen Graham Jones, T. Kingfisher, TJ Klune 8:14

29d ago8:14

8:14

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how narrator André Santana skillfully performs Chuck Tingle’s thrilling Hollywood horror novel. Screenwriter Misha Byrne has just received an ultimatum from the studio executives — their algorithm says to kill off his beloved queer TV characters, or else. Misha refuses, and Santana captures Misha’…

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Interview with Author Lucy Strange 17:11

18d ago17:11

17:11

Author Lucy Strange joins host Michele Cobb for a conversation about Lucy’s award-winning audiobooks, which she narrates herself. Listen to their conversation to hear more about how Lucy’s background in acting and teaching influences her approach to storytelling, her experiences with narrating her own audiobooks and those by other authors, and what…

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THE UNWEDDING by Ally Condie, read by Christine Lakin 7:35

19d ago7:35

7:35

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Ally Condie’s engaging mystery that’s just right for summer listening. Christine Lakin captures Ellery Wainwright’s unsteady state of mind so effectively that the tension in this mystery builds exponentially. Ellery finds herself alone at an exotic Big Sur resort after her husband leaves her. As she…

1
COMING HOME by Brittney Griner, Michelle Burford, read by Andia Winslow, Brittney Griner 8:07

1M ago8:07

8:07

Andia Winslow narrates WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner’s memoir, which has a strong focus on her imprisonment in Russia. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Griner’s harrowing tale. Winslow’s delivery is outstanding; she recounts the fear and frustration that Griner went through and deftly projects Griner’s emotions every step of…

1
THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB by Griffin Dunne, read by Griffin Dunne 8:00

21d ago8:00

8:00

Griffin Dunne’s narration of his memoir pairs a tender conversational tone with occasional moments of drama that embrace his gifts as a writer and actor. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this engrossing listen chronicling Dunne’s life within an interesting family, sparing no details. Whether he’s telling stories of privileged, Holl…

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THE QUEEN OF FOURTEENTH STREET by Barrie Kreinik, read by Barrie Kreinik, Orlagh Cassidy, Imani Jade Powers, Elisabeth Rodgers, James Fouhey 7:58

1M ago7:58

7:58

A talented cast of voice actors, including playwright Barrie Kreinik, dazzles in this audio original. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the story of Eva Le Gallienne, a queer actor and director who founded The Civic Repertory Theatre in 1926. Her work revolutionized theater, but she struggled to keep her creation going in the Depres…

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FIRE EXIT by Morgan Talty, read by Darrell Dennis 7:54

1M ago7:54

7:54

Darrell Dennis navigates this touching novel about a family in distress; it’s a gritty story about addiction, dementia, and obligations. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this debut novel from the author of the short story collection NIGHT OF THE LIVING REZ. Charles Lamosway is a white man raised on Maine’s Penobscot reservation—an…

1
THE REAL EDUCATION OF TJ CROWLEY by Grant Overstake, May Wuthrich [Adapt.], read by Dani Martineck, Dion Graham, Tavia Gilbert, Johnny Heller, Shayna Small, Michael Crouch, Sheila Brown Kinnard, and ... 7:09

1M ago7:09

7:09

Grant Overstake’s audio drama details racial strife in Wichita, Kansas, in 1968. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the full cast and fine production values. A seventh-grade boy’s life becomes upended when a Black family moves in next door. The narrators of this fraught coming-of-age story are excellent. The audio drama has moments …

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THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali, read by Mozhan Navabi, Nikki Massoud 6:54

1M ago6:54

6:54

Mozhan Navabi performs Marjan Kamali’s audiobook with the right tone and tempo. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how this audiobook evokes the contemporary history of Tehran and Iran, from the 1950s to 1970s. Navabi captures the guilt-ridden Ellie, who is tormented by her past. Ellie’s best friend Homa, voiced with a younger sound…

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SOLDIER SAILOR by Claire Kilroy, read by Simone Collins 6:23

1M ago6:23

6:23

Claire Kilroy’s novel details a young mother’s fatigue, frustrations, and joys at raising a trying infant who becomes a willful toddler. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this dramatic monologue on motherhood and marriage, narrated with an intimate and persuasive tone and lovely Irish lilt by Simone Collins. Her performance resonat…

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THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES by Nadina Galle, read by Eileen Stevens 7:18

1M ago7:18

7:18

Listeners will find much to learn in Nadina Galle’s audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss a study from the ecological engineer who coined the term Internet of Nature. Galle has a refreshingly positive and heretical assertion that nature and technology can be allied. Eileen Stevens earns high praise for her thoughtful, almost…

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In Conversation with Robert Petkoff, Golden Voice Narrator 45:14

2M ago45:14

45:14

Golden Voice narrator Robert Petkoff joins host Jo Reed to discuss his talented performances of hundreds of audiobooks, spanning a wide range of genres. Robert has brought to life everything from thrilling mysteries and science fiction epics to deeply researched nonfiction. He’s able to create distinct and memorable voices for each character, and h…

1
ALL FOURS by Miranda July, read by Miranda July 9:36

2M ago9:36

9:36

Miranda July perfectly delivers the overanxious voice of her quirky, unnamed protagonist who realizes, too late, that she’s having a midlife crisis. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of a solo drive across the country that turns into a bizarre stay in a motel close to home. That one decision sends the protagonist on …

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GAY THE PRAY AWAY by Natalie Naudus, read by Natalie Naudus 8:17

2M ago8:17

8:17

Earphones Award-winning narrator Natalie Naudus performs her debut young adult novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how Naudus shines performing her own novel. Valerie Danners realizes two things almost at the same time: She’s probably bisexual, and she’s most definitely in a cult. Naudus’s performance captures Valerie’s te…

1
HORROR MOVIE by Paul Tremblay, read by Ari Fliakos, Dani Martineck, Micky Shiloah, Michael Crouch, Frankie Corzo, Stacy Gonzalez, Tyla Collier, Ariel Blake, Johnathan McClain, Dan Bittner, Eva Kaminsky ... 8:03

2M ago8:03

8:03

Ari Fliakos and a full ensemble perform Paul Tremblay’s gripping story of movie making gone wrong. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester talk about this suspenseful listen. “The Thin Kid,” performed by Ari Fliakos, played a pivotal role in a never-released indie horror movie filmed in the ’90s. Now, he’s been asked to reprise his role in t…

1
HOUSEMATES by Emma Copley Eisenberg, read by Marin Ireland 7:49

2M ago7:49

7:49

Golden Voice narrator Marin Ireland performs Emma Copley Eisenberg’s debut novel, which features two queer artists. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this heartfelt and delightful audiobook. Housemates Bernie and Leah set off on a road trip to capture the heart of Pennsylvania in photographs and words. While they travel across …

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OLIVETTI by Allie Millington, read by Christopher Gebauer, Simon Vance 8:00

2M ago8:00

8:00

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a charming children’s story about Olivetti, a typewriter spilling his tapestry of tales in order to find his missing owner. Golden Voice Simon Vance brings a gentle, snarky tone to Olivetti as he dismisses books as “one-hit wonders” and the laptop as a “show-off.” Ernest is an angsty 12-year-old po…

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IT HAD TO BE YOU by Mary Higgins Clark, Alafair Burke, read by January LaVoy 8:23

2M ago8:23

8:23

In the last of the Under Suspicion audiobooks, Golden Voice January LaVoy introduces listeners to the perfect family: Sara Richard Harrington and their twin sons. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this audiobook that begins with a flashback to the eve of the twins’ college graduation party. Before the party ends, Sara and Richard a…

1
THE COMFORT OF GHOSTS by Jacqueline Winspear, read by Orlagh Cassidy 8:01

2M ago8:01

8:01

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten say goodbye to Maisie Dobbs after 18 of Jacqueline Winspear’s mystery novels, narrated beautifully by Orlagh Cassidy. Listeners will appreciate the tender way the characters’ closing stories are treated. Cassidy's use of accents lends credibility to Winspear’s fully developed characters and well-researched…

1
ONE OF OUR KIND by Nicola Yoon, read by Nicole Lewis 8:00

2M ago8:00

8:00

In an engrossing, well-characterized performance, Nicole Lewis captures the anguish and suspense in acclaimed YA author Nicola Yoon’s first adult novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this story of a fictional gated community of Liberty, California, hailed as a Black utopia. Jasmyn Williams assumes she and her husband, King, wil…

1
OFF THE TRACKS by Pamela Mulloy, read by Jennifer Wigmore 7:46

2M ago7:46

7:46

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss an audiobook that explores the history and meaning of train travel. Canadian actor Jennifer Wigmore has a lovely narrating voice and a pleasing tone. She narrates in an informational yet personal style that fits this immersive and deeply researched meditation on the delights of watching the landsca…

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DEATH IN THE SPIRES by KJ Charles, read by Tom Lawrence 6:51

2M ago6:51

6:51

Listeners will be drawn into KJ Charles’s atmospheric and compelling historical mystery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this story of friendship—and betrayal. In 1895, Oxford University student Toby is murdered—and his close friends know that one of them must have done it. Ten years later, Jem sets out to solve the mystery that…

1
BIRDING WITH BENEFITS by Sarah T. Dubb, read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Evan Sibley 8:29

2M ago8:29

8:29

Narrators Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Evan Sibley are a winning team in this charming romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Sarah T. Dubb’s story that’s a perfect mix of birding and falling in love. Mom and teacher Celeste is trying to find herself again after a divorce; John is a woodworker and amateur birder. Celeste is a compl…

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OCEAN'S GODORI by Elaine U. Cho, read by Judy Alice Lee 7:09

2M ago7:09

7:09

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how Judy Alice Lee narrates this action-packed space opera with skill. Ocean is a talented pilot and wicked shot working for the Korean space agency on the OHNEUL. Her best friend Teo’s ease and flirtatiousness shine through in Lee’s narration, shifting into desperation when his ship comes under a…

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THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton, read by Vico Ortiz 7:45

2M ago7:45

7:45

Vico Ortiz narrates a raucous space adventure rom-com with infectious energy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun and thrills of this lively story. It’s 2061, and Cleo and her three best friends—all scientists—sneak aboard to explore the neglected rocket PROVIDENCE I. Twenty years earlier, it failed to launch and its 203-per…

1
MIRRORED HEAVENS by Rebecca Roanhorse, read by Christian Barillas, Darrell Dennis, Cara Gee, Shyla Lefner, Nicole Lewis, Kairyn Potts, Shaun Taylor-Corbett 7:36

2M ago7:36

7:36

The Meridian’s clans are at war, and alliances are shifting dangerously in this dramatic conclusion to Rebecca Roanhorse’s trilogy, brought to life by an ensemble cast. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how the narrators’ skilled performances slowly reveal the many entangled storylines. Shaun Taylor-Corbett skillfully portrays Ser…

1
In Conversation with Kate Reading, Golden Voice Narrator 41:44

2M ago41:44

41:44

Golden Voice narrator Kate Reading joins host Jo Reed to discuss her career in audiobook narration. Her experience with audiobooks began with her first job at the Library of Congress’s Talking Books program, which gave her an education in audiobook narration. In their conversation, they discuss her process of narrating audiobooks, particularly the …

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THE HEADMASTER by John McPhee, read by Edoardo Ballerini 8:21

2M ago8:21

8:21

Happily, another of John McPhee’s classics has been brought to life with this finely narrated audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini performs the work with care for the author’s eloquent descriptions of Deerfield, Massachusetts, as it evolves over the twentieth century—as does its l…

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Christopher J Smith Podcasts

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