Did you know there is a yearly awards ceremony for audiobooks? While you won’t find Sean Penn or Cameron Diaz at the Audies, you will find many audiobook recommendations from fiction to biography. The award was first established in 1996 to honor excellence in production and performance, as well as in the actual writing. Categories range from Audiobook Adapted from Another Medium to Multi-voiced Performance.

Here are some winners from the 2008 Audies (links go to DCPL’s audiobook in the catalog):

• Literary Fiction: Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson as read by Will Patton
• Mystery: The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke as read by Will Patton
• Mystery and Suspense: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill as read by Stephen Lang
• Romance: Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips as read by Anna Fields
• Classic: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson as read by Alfred Molina
• Non-fiction: Roots by Alex Haley as read by Avery Brooks
• Children (8-11): Clementine by Sara Pennypacker as read by Jessica Almasy
• Children (12+): Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer as read by Katherine Kellgren
• Inspirational/Spiritual: Inspired By… The Bible Experience: Old Testament as read by a cast of over 400 performers
• Humor: I Am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert as read/shouted by the author
• Solo Narration (Male): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling as read by Jim Dale

We have many more audiobooks available through the NetLibrary eAudiobooks service, where you can download audiobooks onto your home computer.

Other relevant links:

• The Audies official website
• Bookreporter website has a list of past winners and nominees

1. Listen Good
2. Neil Gaiman on Audiobooks
3. Recommended Reading for Children and Teens
4. Accessories for the Road
5. Book Awards for Children