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The most entertaining audiobooks ever recorded
Sissy Spacek and Tom Hanks bring some of your favorite stories to life
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Audiobooks combine compelling storytelling with expressive narration that can transport listeners to another world. From classic literature to contemporary favorites, these are the most memorable audiobooks ever recorded.
‘A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin (2003)
George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series now has an HBO television adaptation, but fans first heard the story come alive when the audio version was released. Many audiobooks win awards, but this one has also “broken records,” said Good Housekeeping. It earned a place in the Guinness World Records for the most character voices in an audiobook, delivered in style by British actor Roy Dotrice. (Audible, Everand, Libro.fm, Spotify)
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‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya Angelou (2011)
Maya Angelou’s poetic autobiography is considered an American classic, and there are “few better ways to encounter the work” than through a “narration by Maya Angelou herself,” said Esquire. The seven-volume series chronicles her life from her childhood in Arkansas through motherhood. (Audible, Everand, Libro.fm, Spotify)
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee (2014)
For many, “To Kill a Mockingbird” elicits distant memories of school-assigned reading, but the audiobook of “Harper Lee’s magnum opus” is a “must-listen,” said Esquire. With actor Sissy Spacek “serving as your gateway” to such iconic literary figures as Scout and Atticus Finch, you are immersed in the “powerful tale of justice, hatred and America.” (Audible, Everand, Libro.fm)
‘The Dutch House: A Novel’ by Ann Patchett (2019)
Ann Patchett’s Pulitzer-nominated novel spawned a Grammy- and Audie-nominated audiobook, narrated by Tom Hanks. The actor brings his “customary warmth and sensitivity” to a “multigenerational tale” with “shades of ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ plus a dash of ‘Cinderella,’” said The Guardian. (Audible, Everand, Libro.fm, Spotify)
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Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
