It seems more and more celebrities are jumping on the exciting band wagon and lending their iconic voices to the growing genre of audiobooks. These fantastic celebrity-narrated audiobooks include modern tales, classical literature, as well as children’s stories.
Claire Danes
“‘It’s so poetic,’ Danes said of Atwood’s writing via Audible’s YouTube channel quoted by Tampa Bay Times. ‘I think the words are really served by being spoken out loud. It was just some phrases of hers that were exquisite. I would have to stop and go, how did she do that?’”
The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid’s Tale is the unusual story of a woman names Offred, who’s had her personal identity stripped and is being forced to work as a surrogate for rich and powerful couples in a near-future dystopia reality called the Republic of Gilead. This thrilling award winning story examines intense and timely themes of misogyny, tyranny, authoritarianism, and morality through poetic and exquisite narration.
The Odyssey By Homer
The Odssey centers on Odysseus and his journey to reach his home in Ithaca. Because of his long absence, Odysseus is presumed dead and after seven years of confinement by the nymph Calypso, Odysseus undertakes an taxing journey home. Along the way, he meets many creatures and Beings including; the six-headed monster Scylla, the witch-goddess Circe, the sea monster Charybdis and finds himself in the land of the Sirens.The Odyssey is an epic tale of an ordinary man’s battle against forces beyond his control which try to prevent him from being reunited with his family and home.
The Snow Queen By Michael Cunningham
The year is 2004 and Barrett Meeks’ heart is broken having, yet again, lost love. On a stroll through Central Park he is inspired to glance up at the sky; there he spots a translucent, pale light which seems to be looking back at him. Barrett doesn’t believe in apparitions, spirituality or God, however he can’t deny contest what he’s witnessing and feeling. Barrett, haunted by the light, turns unexpectedly to religion to seek answers.
At the same time, Tyler, Barrett’s older brother, a struggling musician living in Brooklyn, is trying to write a wedding song for his soon to be wife Beth, who is tragically very ill. Tyler is determined to write a song that will be a lasting proclamation of love. Frustrated with his lack of progress, Tyler starts to think that taking drugs is the only way to release his creativity. Meanwhile, Beth is trying to face her mortality with as much grace and courage as she can. This story follow these three conflicted characters with empathy and compassion as they all search for meaning, and a deeper understanding of life.
Miss. Rymphius by Barbara Cooney
This story centers around young Alice Rumphius, who has always wanted to see the world, live in a house by the sea, and participate in making the world more beautiful. As such, Alice decides to plant lupines in the wild, allowing the seeds to blow far and wide, making everything more bright, lovely and full of floral scents.
Viola Davis
Award winning actress and producer, Davis can also add voice narrator to her vast and impressive resume.
“Vanity destroys your work. That’s the one thing you have to let go of as an actor. I don’t care how sexy or beautiful any woman is. At the end of the day, she has to take her makeup off. At the end of the day, she’s more than just pretty.” —The New York Times Magazine
Corduroy, Corduroy Lost and Found, and Corduroy Takes a Bow By Don Freeman
These three books are part of a loveable series taking the hearts and minds of children and adults by a storm.
Corduroy is about a small teddy bear who is patiently waiting in a department store for a child to choose him and form a lastly friendship. Luckily, little Lisa sees his value, and they make a heart centered connection.
Corduroy Lost and Found: To find a birthday present for Lisa, Corduroy the teddy bear slips out very early one morning to go looking for the perfect gift. He see a yellow balloon up in the sky and chases it, sure it would the right present for his friend. However, as the sun comes up, the “balloon” is nowhere to be found. In his excitement, Corduroy has strayed far from home and is now lost. Can he find his way back home, reunite with his best friend and give her the perfect birthday present?
Corduroy Takes a Bow: When Lisa and Corduroy go to the theater for the very first time, it’s so amazing that Corduroy cannot help the urge to go exploring. From the dressing rooms, to the orchestra pit, Corduroy sees it all. Feeling empowered and entranced Corduroy cannot help but wonder if there could be a place for Corduroy on stage, too?
Jesse Eisenberg, Kaitlyn Dever, and Finn Wolfhard
“Writer, director, and Oscar-nominated performer Jesse Eisenberg brings his trademark intensity to this sharp and evocative story of an emotionally lost family in search of itself. Together, the narrators demonstrate how powerful and entertaining top-notch audio drama can be.” – AudioFile
When You Finish Saving the World by Jessie Eisenberg
This story is about family, connection and three individuals working to try to understand themselves and one another better. This tale follows Rachel, Nathan and Zigggy, wife, husband and son respectfully, through a varity of stages in their lives. The various shifts between time frames in these characters’ experiences manage to flow effortlessly and beautifully capture the complexities of having children, growing up and trying to fit in.
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep’s voice is iconic and can do no wrong. For a little laugh, check out this clip of Ellen Degeneres challenging Streep read a bland baking recipe and make it “sexy”.
“The 2013 audiobook, read by Meryl Streep, is what ‘Heartburn’ always ought to have been. ‘The novel was never really a novel, and certainly was never supposed to be a movie: it’s a five-and-a-half-hour comedic monologue.’”- Helen Rosner The New Yorker
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
This tale is about the complications that can arise when a shocking revelation comes to the surface. Rachel Samstat is seven months pregnant and is completely stunned to find out her husband is in love with someone else. Throughout the story, Rachel wobbles between wanting her husband to wither and die, and her deep urges to win him back. The one constant providing solace to Rachel is her intense love of food, and her faith that a great recipe can solve any problem! Heartburn is a laugh-out-loud audiobook, made even better by the captivating and beautiful narration of Meryl Streep.
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The post Celebrity Narrated Audiobooks Worth Exploring first appeared on Good e-Reader.