Little Bee
by Chris Cleave
“And then the men came…” This is the recurrent opening to the story told by every traumatized refugee that Little Bee talks to while waiting in an immigration detention facility outside of London. The charming narrator of this original novel is sixteen-year-old Little Bee, who barely escaped from her Nigerian village with her life, after losing her family and home in a vicious attack. When released from detention after two years, she finds the one person in London she knows of — Sarah, a new widow who once met Little Bee during an ill-fated Nigerian vacation with her husband, two years earlier. The relationship forged by these two women (and one delightful little boy), the way they change each other, and their precariously intertwined fates, form a touching and compelling personal story set against a backdrop of an ocean of refugees moving around the globe in search of safe homes. Check this one out.
- Julie
Peace Like a River
by Leif Enger
Read by Chad Lowe
Wow! This book already seems like an American classic, and it’s only a few years old (2001). Listening to it was like traveling west, possibly back in time, following a dream. But in reality it takes place in current times, with a father, son and daughter traveling into the badlands in a search for the oldest son, who is running from the law. It is told in first person by the younger brother. Enger has woven a tale with threads of humor, poignancy, spiritual mystery, miracles and suspense; also with clever allusions to Zane Grey stories of the Wild West, complete with outlaws and heroes.
- Julie
The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant
Read by Carol Bilger
This is the imagined story of Dinah, one of the daughters of Jacob, sister to Joseph, and daughter to four mothers, from the Old Testament story. Dinah is actually mentioned only briefly in the Bible, when her rape is referred to, as the incitement to a major tribal battle. But Diamant has created a rich and moving tale focused on a strong woman who endured terrible tragedies and yet survived, gaining her strength from other women who taught her skills, rituals, and provided comfort via a female society separate from the dominant patriarchy of the times. The Middle Eastern music interspersed in the recording contributes to creating the atmosphere for this powerful story.
- Julie
The Bonesetter’s Daughter
by Amy Tan
Read by Amy Tan and Joan Chen
Amy Tan has written a moving story based in part on her own mother and grandmother’s histories, and it is told from the points of view of Ruth, a first-generation Chinese-American who lives in San Francisco, and her mother, who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In the process of reading her mother’s writings, Ruth learns truths about her mother’s life that had previously been untold, and gains a new empathy and respect for her. The Chinese-accented voices of Tan and Chen bring authenticity and emotional resonance to the recording.
- Julie
His Dark Materials
by Philip Pullman (trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass)
This theatrical production of this marvelous three-part fantasy has won awards and has many fans. This is a masterpiece suitable for most children aged 10+, as well as adults with imaginations, and it will carry you away to other times and lands, where magic, theology and physics intersect. The cast includes the author, Philip Pullman, and the drama that unfolds is intriguing, complex, suspenseful and utterly engrossing (drivers beware!).
- Julie
Motherless Brooklyn
by Jonathan Lethem
Read by Frank Muller
Now here’s a unique twist – a private investigator with Tourette’s Syndrome. Set in Brooklyn, this is a mystery tale told with pathos and self-deprecation by a native Brooklynite trying to resolve a crime and in the process uncovering a personal betrayal. If any book is a “must-listen,” rather than a must-read, this is it, as the narrator does a wonderful job portraying someone struggling to control his Tourette’s outbursts. Lethem’s power to evoke feelings is such that by the end of this noir story, I was ready to travel to JFK airport to get a particular kosher sandwich that is described in detail.
- Julie
A Series of Unfortunate Events
by Lemony Snicket
Read by Tim Curry
Curry portrays the most dastardly villain to ever greet your ears in this wonderfully suspenseful and sinister (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) children’s series which is also suitable for adults who can suspend disbelief. Curry reads all the parts with considerable theatric skill. The first installment, The Bad Beginning, relates the tragic story of how three orphans ended up in the care of a terrible man who only wants their inheritance, but nevertheless it will leave you craving more, more, more distressing developments!
- Julie
Big Cherry Holler
by Adriana Trigiani
Read by Grace Bennett
This is the second of Trigiani’s charming Big Stone Gap series, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and it is a bit more serious in theme. Ave Maria is struggling with tensions in her 11-year old marriage, and after an exciting trip to Italy to visit her heritage with her daughter, she returns home reconsidering everything. Reader Grace Bennett’s Appalachian accent is perfect, as she creates nuanced changes in voice for different characters.
- Julie
Mother of Pearl
by Melinda Haynes
Read by Nana Visitor
This novel, an Oprah Book Club pick from years ago, was my absolute favorite of 2006. Mississippi author Melinda Haynes is a superbly talented writer and storyteller. The reader, Nana Visitor, captures the voices of so many characters that one forgets she is only one person. Set in Petal, Mississippi, late 1950’s, Mother of Pearl delves into themes of community, family, race relations, faith, love, and (especially) the mysteries of nature, the divine feminine, life and death – all the elements needed for a rich and captivating tale. The unique characters, reflected in some of their names – Even Grade, Joody Two Sun, and Valuable Corner – all face challenges. The absorbing plot matched the beautiful writing. If you are a fan of The Secret Life of Bees and wish there were other books like it, read this one!
- Julie
Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen
I have a strong feeling that this audio book will be my favorite of 2007! Water for Elephants was a marvelous tale all the way through to the last page, without lagging once. There are two narrators, who are both top notch, each performing the voice of the same man, Jacob Jankowski, at two very different ages.
The story, told in flashbacks, is of his stint as the veterinarian for a struggling traveling circus in the 1930s, and it is packed with drama, action, romance, and especially, circus lore. There is a menagerie of animals to tend to, and Jacob, who unknowingly hopped a circus train after dropping out of Cornell in despair when his parents died, faces a steep and fast learning curve to understand the strictly enforced class strata and the unwritten rules governing the circus community. While trying to fit in to such an unfamiliar environment, he also finds himself falling in love with a very special elephant, and then, with the performer Marlena, whose paranoid and sadistic husband is the equestrian director.
Marlena and Jacob share a strong empathy for the animals, which are often neglected or abused, and they take risks to protect them as the tale unfolds. When the story reached its very satisfying and surprising conclusion, I was sorry it had to end. I will be spreading the word about this one. Gruen has a new novel coming out in October.
- Julie
Demolition Angel
By Robert Crais
I just discovered this author and his detective series featuring Elvis Cole. This one is a stand-alone title centering on a physically and psychologically traumatized female bomb squad expert-turned-detective who teams up with an ATF agent who is in a similar state of recovery, as they chase down “Mr. Red”, bomb making fanatic extraordinarie. The setting is L.A., and the action is fast, the plot is gripping, and the character development makes you care what happens.
- Julie
L.A. Outlaws
By Parker, T. Jefferson
I first discovered T. Jefferson Parker because he had won more than one Edgar Award for his mysteries. So far, all I’ve read have been utterly satisfying. He creates a strong sense of place, usually somewhere in California, and he delves into his characters’ psyches and emotions, which naturally enriches the storyline. L.A. Outlaws (2008) features a female masked bandit who adores stealing cars and robbing fast food joints, and whose alter-ego is a public school history teacher and mother, Suzanne Jones. Her bandit persona (she also donates generously to charities) intrigues the public, the media, and also a young L.A.P.D. cop who gets more involved with her than he should while trying to simultaneously unmask her and protect her. If you like well-written mysteries, try this author!
- Julie
Comments (0) 
