It’s likely you have an actor, or several, who you can’t wait to see in a new movie or television series. Your favorite performer just might also be an acclaimed audiobook narrator. It’s always a delight to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth, especially when that celebrity has a spectacular talent for narration. From classics narrated by celebrities, such as Anne Hathaway’s magical rendition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, to modern favorites, like Wil Wheaton’s energetic take on Ready Player One, this list features some of literature’s greatest stories brought to life by some of Hollywood’s greatest talents. We’ve gathered the best celebrity narrated audiobooks to get you started.
(Oh, and if celebrity narrated memoirs are more your style, check out our collection of star-studded autobiographies.)
Claire Danes Narrates Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition
The Handmaid’s Tale is the chilling story of Offred, a woman who is stripped of her personal identity and forced to work as a surrogate for wealthy and powerful couples in a near-future dystopia, the Republic of Gilead. While it explores themes of misogyny, totalitarianism, and morality, Margaret Atwood’s master storytelling ability also elevates this story to a thriller. Emmy Award winner Claire Danes brings this unforgettable modern classic to vivid, eerie reality with her exquisite performance—but that’s not the only reason this audiobook is special. This listen also features exclusive extended material narrated by Atwood herself. Famously, the original novel ends with a question: "Are there any questions?"—and this exclusive edition might just offer some answers.
The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition
By Margaret Atwood, Valerie Martin - essay
Narrated by Claire Danes, full cast, Margaret Atwood, Tim Gerard Reynolds
The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition
Tim Robbins Narrates Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451
Burning books and torching the homes of people who hide them—that’s how Guy Montag makes his living. He takes pride and pleasure in his job as a fireman, until a young neighbor, Clarisse, introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and a present where reading opens up new worlds of ideas and possibilities. When Clarisse suddenly disappears, Guy begins to question everything he has been told to believe in and, despite the danger, starts hiding books of his own. Set in a bleak future, Fahrenheit 451 is a classic dystopian novel that, as book banning across the US surges, feels unsettlingly timely. Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins delivers a powerful, measured performance, pausing at the right moments to let the chilling weight of Ray Bradbury’s words sink in.
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury's internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of 20th-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future, narrated here by Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins....
Sissy Spacek Narrates Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee won a Pulitzer Prize—and the hearts of millions—for her deeply affecting novel of kindness and cruelty, prejudice and inclusion in the Deep South. Atticus Finch, respected lawyer and devoted single father, is the story’s hero, a man of honor who risks everything to defend an innocent Black man accused of a terrible crime. To Kill a Mockingbird is also a touching coming-of-age tale, told from the point of view of Atticus’s scrappy young daughter, Scout—and that’s where narrator Sissy Spacek shines. A native Texan, the Academy Award-winning actress brings her authentic Southern accent to tell the story in Scout’s voice. To quote The New York Times Book Review: "You forget you’re listening to the voice of an adult, so wholly do Spacek’s Southern rhythms embody the young tomboy as she witnesses the racial injustices of the Depression-era South unfold before her."
To Kill a Mockingbird
Reese Witherspoon Narrates Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman
The natural Southern accent of Louisiana-born superstar Reese Witherspoon is the heart behind this audio adaptation of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. Drafted three years before Lee set it aside to focus on To Kill a Mockingbird, this novel features characters and storylines that many listeners will be quite familiar with. The story is again told by Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, now 26 and living in New York City, who is jolted when she returns to her hometown. Like Mockingbird, the story is driven by a judicial case and Scout’s lawyer father’s handling of that case. But don’t expect to hear the message of inclusivity and equality Atticus Finch espouses in Lee's beloved classic. In Watchman, it seems he might have regressed in his thoughts about justice and racism since the trial that first made him a household name in Maycomb, Alabama.
Go Set a Watchman
An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, best-selling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic....
Maggie Gyllenhaal Narrates Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath, who was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1982, is well known for her confessional poetry, but The Bell Jar, her only full-length novel, is often considered her masterwork. Inspired in part by Plath’s lifelong struggle with both mental illness and the limitations of womanhood in mid-century America, this listen offers a raw, sometimes painful, look at the inner workings of a mind affected with major depression. Maggie Gyllenhaal is brilliant as the narrator; her performance is at turns lively, dull, and anguished as she follows troubled protagonist Esther Greenwood's ebb-and-flow while navigating the world around her. Gyllenhaal also lends her accomplished voice to Leo Tolstoy's celebrated story of doomed love, Anna Karenina. Her performance was recognized as Audible's Best of 2016, Classic. As Gyllenhaal shared: "I feel like performing this novel is one of the major accomplishments of my work life—it was so challenging and so deep, a real pleasure."
Best Work: The Bell Jar (1963)
Home State: Massachusetts
Sylvia Plath is an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Perhaps her most influential work, The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical novel that was released in 1963, just one month before the writer died by suicide. In 1982, Plath was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
Nicole Kidman Narrates Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse
To the Lighthouse, written by one of the world’s most acclaimed modernist authors, Virginia Woolf, is the story of a family’s seemingly insignificant vacations to the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Spanning more than 10 years, the narrative is told from the perspective of multiple characters, making the mood and tone shift frequently. The plot relies almost entirely on dialogue between characters, putting the focus of the novel on introspection over action. In 2003, Nicole Kidman won an Oscar for her lead role as Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s film, The Hours. Her narration of To the Lighthouse is a testament to her understanding of Woolf’s skillful prose and unique manner of presenting the inner struggles of her character.
To the Lighthouse
To the Lighthouse is Virginia Woolf’s arresting analysis of domestic family life, centering on the Ramseys and their visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland in the early 1900s....
Tom Hanks Narrates The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Given his talents as an Academy Award-winning actor and bestselling author, it’s no surprise that Tom Hanks excels as a narrator. His emotional range, from childlike wonder to grown-up resentment, complements Ann Patchett’s intricate, intimate, heart-wrenching novel about family and forgiveness. Spanning five decades, The Dutch House centers on Maeve and Danny Conroy, siblings bound by abandonment, loss, and a shared obsession with their childhood home—a stunning mansion in the suburbs outside Philadelphia, which their father snapped up, fully furnished, at an estate sale. Danny, who is several years younger and protected by his strong yet vulnerable sister, tells their story, and Hanks captures his voice in all its bemusement, bitterness, and tenderness. Troubled families are Patchett’s specialty—and Hanks brings the complicated, confounding Conroys to life unforgettably.
The Dutch House
Emma Thompson Narrates Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw
Henry James's enigmatic tale has been sparking speculation and debate since its debut in 1898. Centered on a young governess entrusted with the care of two children at an isolated country estate, The Turn of the Screw is a classic work of both Gothic and horror fiction. It's also a psychological thriller, blurring the line between forces supernatural and delusional. The immensely talented Emma Thompson, an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy winner, brings out the human emotion and passion in James's exploration of life, death, evil, madness, and the unknown. Her performance will keep you riveted and leave you haunted.
The Turn of the Screw
Thandiwe Newton Narrates Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre
Thandiwe Newton’s narration of Jane Eyre is a stunning testament to the power of a magnificent story paired with the perfect performer. The plot follows its heroine all the way from childhood to marriage in the English countryside, all composed in Charlotte Brontë's sprawling complex prose. Newton breezes through the Victorian storytelling, making the language digestible and the characters all the more relatable. Her deft narration of the complicated, multifaceted Jane is gorgeous—but it’s no surprise when you look at her resume. With roles in critically acclaimed films such as The Pursuit of Happyness and an adaption of Toni Morrison’s Beloved directed by Jonathan Demme, Newton is a masterful performer with an enviable skillset. Oh, and she also narrates an Audible exclusive, unabridged edition of Leo Tolstoy's epic War and Peace—clocking in at just over 60 hours.
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure....
Meryl Streep Narrates Nora Ephron's Heartburn
Nora Ephron, screenwriter of rom-com favorites like When Harry Met Sally… and Sleepless in Seattle, made her literary debut with Heartburn. The novel follows the complications that arise when Rachel Samstat, at seven months pregnant, finds out that her husband is in love with another woman. Throughout the story, Rachel teeters between wanting to win her husband back and hoping for his untimely death. The one constant that remains is Rachel’s love of food and her belief that a good recipe can solve any problem. Heartburn is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud audiobook, made even better by the endearing narration of living legend Meryl Streep. Streep, who holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations of any actor, performs with the perfect combination of heartbreak, agony, and self-deprecating comedy.
Heartburn
After I listened to Heartburn – one of my favorite audiobooks of all time – Nora Ephron became my patron saint of what to do when life serves you up a steaming pile. At seven months pregnant with their second child, Ephron caught her husband cheating on her with a British Baroness. Not one to take a hit sitting down, she got her revenge by writing a thinly veiled comedy (a comedy!) about the whole affair before the ink had even dried on the divorce papers. Heartburn is, indeed, about a pregnant woman who catches her husband cheating on her, and it’s filled with all the sharply observant wit and heart that made Ephron one of the most beloved filmmakers of all time.
With Heartburn, Nora Ephron wrote the narrative of her own story – because of it, the world will always remember her ex as a cheating rat. She also got the last laugh while running all the way to the bank. (The best revenge is your paper.) But, above all, Heartburn launched Ephron’s epic screenwriting and producing career. Three years after she published the book, she wrote the screenplay for the Hollywood film starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson. It was one of her first screenplays, and gave her the momentum to write and produce her next film, which was the breakout hit When Harry Met Sally. How badass is that?! Heartburn taught me about the healing power of being able to laugh through tragedy, and that the greatest power of all lies in writing your own story.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo Narrate Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Oscar Wao, an overweight Dominican teenager living in New Jersey, has always dreamed of being the next J. R. R. Tolkien, but a multi-generational curse that’s followed his family for centuries is making his dream seem out of reach. Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tracks Oscar’s struggles and triumphs, from falling in love to getting beat up in the streets. The Tony Award-winning actor and playwright behind hits like Hamilton and In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda becomes Oscar Wao, giving the listener a window into his deepest desires and fears. Miranda is joined by Karen Olivo, another Tony winner, who rounds out the love story at the core of this tender, funny tale.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
There are very few books in my life whose lasting impact has drastically changed the way I saw things. Maybe it’s the juxtaposition of humor and reality in this story that feels close to my heart, despite having zero similarities to my own family’s story. Following Oscar feels like I’m following someone in my own life, even though I know nobody exactly like him. His story forces empathy, even on those who are not empathetic. Born into a family that is cursed, yet determined to conquer the odds, Oscar wins over readers’ hearts with an earnest and genuine desire for love. He just wants to fit in. We see his character develop between the Dominican Republic and New Jersey.
Anne Hathaway Narrates The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is so universally treasured that it’s actually recorded in the Library of Congress as "America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale." The classic follows Dorothy, a small-town girl from Kansas, who is swept up into a tornado that leaves her stranded in a new and strangely wonderful universe: Oz. Anne Hathaway’s audiobook performance puts the tale’s original beauty on display with her enchanting, dreamy retelling of Dorothy’s journey. Hathaway has captured the hearts of moviegoers in roles including Mia in The Princess Diaries, Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada, and Fantine in Les Misérables, a performance that won her an Academy Award. This listen showcases her exceptional narrative chops—her performance earned her an Audie Award nomination for Best Female Solo Narration in 2013, and it’s easy to understand why.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
In this fairy tale so magical that it seems every child is born knowing it, a tornado transports Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, from the flat prairies of Kansas to the marvelous Land of Oz. A fantastic journey soon follows, as Dorothy travels a yellow brick road in search of a sorcerer with the power to send her home. Joining her are the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, each of whom has a wish just as important as Dorothy's. All of their dreams will come true if they can only make it to the Emerald City and the wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Anne Hathaway narrates.
Rachel McAdams Narrates Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a coming-of-age classic that shows how a rebellious outsider can bring a stagnant community together. Anne, a free-spirited orphan, is sent off to beautiful Green Gables when she is adopted by brother and sister duo Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. The story follows her path towards accepting the idiosyncrasies that make her special and the town’s acceptance of the important life lessons she has to offer. Rachel McAdams, a native Canadian like Montgomery and the book’s title character, narrates Anne with a youthful and fast-paced, yet eloquent voice. She is the perfect performer for bringing to life a fresh, energetic young woman with the drive to be taken seriously.
Anne of Green Gables
When an aging brother and sister adopt an orphan boy to help with chores around their farm, neither is prepared for the feisty and imaginative redheaded girl who is mistakenly brought to them....
Tim Curry and a Full Cast Narrate The Bad Beginning, Book One in A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The first in Lemony Snicket's 13-novel series, The Bad Beginning follows the lives of the orphaned Baudelaire siblings—Violet, Klaus, and Sunny—who are adopted by the story’s villain, the odious Count Olaf. It starts with a devastating fire, and the plot only gets more traumatic (and darkly humorous) from there. A Series of Unfortunate Events has inspired adaptations into video games, films, and a critically acclaimed Netflix series. But nothing shines quite like this audiobook, which has earned nominations for several Audie and Grammy Awards. Its lead narrator, English icon Tim Curry (of Clue, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and It fame), lends a voice that is in turns disturbing and entrancing as he teams up with a full cast of performers for a grim Gothic romp sure to leave you utterly transfixed.
The Bad Beginning, A Multi-Voice Recording
Like a car alarm, bagpipe music, or a doorbell ringing in the middle of the night, hearing this all-new audio edition of The Bad Beginning will only upset you....
Nick Offerman Narrates Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
A natural storyteller in his own right, Nick Offerman brings his distinctive baritone and comic versatility to narrating Mark Twain's enduring classic. More than simply reading a story, the famed actor, comic, and carpenter delights in the hijinks of Tom—whom he lovingly refers to as a "great scam artist" and "true American hero"—while conveying the tenderness and care Twain invested in his characters. "Being paid to perform such a gratifying activity as reading Mark Twain aloud felt powerfully akin to Tom Sawyer hoodwinking other boys into paying him for the privilege of whitewashing a fence," says Offerman of the experience. Listen with an open mind and prepare to get swept up in the fun and excitement of boyhood along the Mississippi.
Best Work: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
Home State: Missouri
A writer, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer, Mark Twain is considered America's greatest humorist. In fact, a humor award is handed out each year in his name.
Brendan Fraser Narrates Inkspell by Cornelia Funk
Cornelia Funk is one of today’s most beloved writers of magical stories for children. Her 2003 fantasy novel Inkheart kicked off the adventures of 12-year-old Meggie and her bookbinder father Mortimer, and inspired a film adaptation. Academy Award-winning actor Brendan Fraser, who played "Mo" in the 2008 movie, returns to the enchanted world of books-come-to-life as narrator of the novel's sequel, Inkspell. With his trademark whimsy, Fraser enlivens the next chapter of Meggie's saga, leading listeners on a wild journey with enthusiasm and heart. Audible listener Barbara raves, "I have been listening to audiobooks for several years now, and I have never heard a book so excellently rendered as this one by Brendan Fraser. The trilogy centers around the ability of certain people to read so well that they can literally bring a world to life. For me, Fraser did that."
Inkspell
Scarlett Johansson Narrates Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Filled with whimsical characters—the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, Humpty Dumpty, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Queen of Hearts—whose behavior baffles a curious little girl, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland remains beloved by children. Over the nearly 160 years since its original publication, the story has inspired numerous films (both animated and live action), TV shows, comic books, and video games while continuing to be deconstructed, reinterpreted, and debated by serious grownups. In her performance of Lewis Carroll's classic, actress Scarlett Johansson imbues each madcap character with a distinct voice and personality. Oh, and she embodies Alice to a T. Audible listener Laura raves, "Scarlett Johansson brings such incredible depth and wonderment to this timeless tale that this just may be my new favorite interpretation."
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Phillipa Soo Narrates The Comeback by Lily Chu
On top of her acclaimed talent for musical theater, Phillipa Soo—the original Eliza in Broadway's Hamilton—has a gift for romantic comedies. That gift shines in her performance of Lily Chu's The Comeback. Soo perfectly captures the romantic tension and all the well-drawn characters but especially the smart, driven, and conflicted Ariadne Hui. Intent on making partner at Toronto's most prestigious law firm and making her father proud, Ari doesn't have time for distractions—even if he's as gorgeous as her roommate's cousin, Choi Jihoon. Freshly arrived from Seoul to mend a broken heart, Jihoon is genuinely kind ... and kind of a mess. But when Ari falls for this captivating stranger, she isn't prepared to be thrust in the spotlight as the mystery woman on the arm of South Korean's hottest star.
The Comeback
Rosamund Pike Narrates Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility is Jane Austen’s first published novel, a gem that set the stage for the rest of the author’s successful career. It is the story of two sisters as they navigate the difficulties of womanhood in Georgian England. They hope to fall in love and find marriages worthy of society’s expectations, but, as one of the sisters says (and many listeners may agree!): "The more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love." The perfect narrator for this classic, Rosamund Pike is a British actress perhaps best known for her leading role in David Fincher’s Gone Girl. She also played Jane Bennett in the 2005 film adaptation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and narrates that audiobook as well. A bona fide Austen aficionado, Pike delivers the author’s words in a thoughtful, understanding tone, crafting a heartful and wholly believable performance.
Sense and Sensibility
In this Audible Exclusive production, Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) narrates one of Jane Austen’s most beloved works, Sense and Sensibility....
Samira Wiley Narrates Alice Walker's The Color Purple
Winner of a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, Alice Walker's The Color Purple has inspired a film, directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for 11 Oscars, and a Broadway musical. Set in rural Georgia between 1910 and 1940, the novel, told through a series of letters, follows the coming of age and awakening of Celie, a Black woman who has been demeaned, abused, and oppressed her whole life. Ultimately, guided by three strong women, she finds her own voice and realizes that she deserves to be loved. An actress known for her roles in Orange Is the New Black and The Handmaid's Tale, Samira Wiley brings Celie's wrenching and ultimately uplifting journey to life with genuine emotion and heart. Audible listener Shannon raves, "Samira Wiley's performance is beyond engaging ... it is breathtaking."
The Color Purple
Wil Wheaton Narrates Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
In his 2011 bestseller Ready Play One, Ernest Cline creates a futuristic dystopian paragon. In the year 2044, the universe is plagued by a grim, lifeless existence. The only way to escape the over-encompassing tedium is by entering a virtual world that allows people to experience life on other planets and fictional realms, fall in love ... and search for a life-changing puzzle hidden somewhere inside the virtual universe. But when young Wade Watts unlocks this mystery, his life—virtual and otherwise—becomes a nightmare. Wil Wheaton, perhaps best known for his turn as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, narrates this fun, fast-paced listen appropriately, with evident excitement and increasing anxiety.
Ready Player One
At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut - part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera...
Dennis Quaid Narrates Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff
In 1972, author and journalist Tom Wolfe was assigned by Rolling Stone to cover the final moonshot of NASA’s Apollo mission. His article sparked within him a new curiosity, as he wondered how a man could possibly be willing to undertake such a daring endeavor. Tackling this question, The Right Stuff gets inside the minds of the astronauts who chose to be launched into some of the most dangerous conditions in order to make truly incredible discoveries. Dennis Quaid narrates this aeronautical adventure story with a steady tone and authoritative yet inviting voice. Quaid also appeared in the Academy Award-nominated film adaptation of this listen, making him uniquely qualified to bring Wolfe’s words to life.
The Right Stuff
Tom Wolfe describes the inner life of astronauts with almost uncanny empathetic powers....
Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, and a Full Cast Narrate Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
How do we go on living when we know that everything we love must end? That's the timeless question at the heart of George Saunders's bold, imaginative novel about familial love and loss. Starting with a historical fact—President Abraham Lincoln's profound grief over the death of his beloved 11-year-old son— Lincoln in the Bardo focuses on Willie Lincoln, who, after succumbing to an illness, finds himself in a strange purgatory, where an array of ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, and grapple over his young soul. That monumental struggle in the spirit realm is brilliantly rendered by a 166-person cast, featuring award-winning actors and musicians, as well as Saunders himself. Led by Nick Offerman and David Sedaris, the notable voices include Lena Dunham, Ben Stiller, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Bradley Whitford, Megan Mullally, Rainn Wilson, Kat Dennings, and Jeff Tweedy. The result is "a metaphysical masterpiece ... a tour de force of audiobook production" (Booklist) that won the 2018 Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year. What's more, this astounding listen will leave you thinking.
Lincoln in the Bardo
By George Saunders
Narrated by Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, George Saunders, Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Lena Dunham, Bill Hader, Kirby Heyborne, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller, Various
Lincoln in the Bardo
Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, and a Full Cast Narrate Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, Dracula is riveting in its own right, but the audiobook brings together a cast of award-winning narrators to make the listening experience even more thrilling. The large cast is especially beneficial because the story is told through a series of letters written (and voiced) by its many characters. Alan Cumming and Tim Curry, both Emmy Award-winning actors, voice Dr. Seward and Van Helsing, leading a full cast in a production that won the 2013 Audie Award for Multi-voiced Performance. Tim Curry’s chilling, ominous tone and eloquent delivery fit perfectly into a vampire story, while Alan Cumming voices Seward with a very fitting doctoral polished, slightly posh cadence. The contrast of these two performances underscores each actor’s embodiment of his character, highlighting their singular, masterful talents.
![Dracula [Audible Edition]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81iTqQPxj7L._SL800_.jpg)
Dracula [Audible Edition]
By Bram Stoker
Narrated by Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley
Dracula [Audible Edition]
I used to be super intimidated by the classics, but eventually I realized that you don’t have to read or like all of them, you just have to find the ones that do it for you. Dracula is one of those classics I’ve devoured time and time again. Even with all the film adaptations out there, Stoker is still the best source to go to for a dark vampire tale.
Richard Armitage Narrates Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Framed as a detective story, Robert Louis Stevenson's chilling novella has become famous for its exploration of the interplay of good and evil—in fact, the phrase "Jekyl and Hyde" is now commonly used to describe an individual with a dual nature. In this Audible Original rendition, acclaimed British actor Richard Armitage underscores the classic's deeper themes while capturing the transformation of a man who has lost his better self to his monstrous alter ego. Audible listeners unequivocally praise his performance as "brilliant," "fantastic," and "powerhouse." To quote listener Dave: "His narration is the most delightful kind of wickedness and a pure win." If you only know about The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde from pop culture and pop psych references, give Armitage's reading a listen. We promise: you won't regret or soon forget it.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Stephen Fry Narrates Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by British author Douglas Adams became an instant sensation when it was first broadcast as a radio comedy on BBC 4 in 1978. The story’s protagonist, Arthur Dent is taken by surprise when his friend Ford Prefect declares that the world is about to end, so they must leave the planet immediately. From there, the two enter into an intergalactic search for the answers to life’s most enigmatic questions, such as "What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?" and "Where have all the ball-point pens gone?" Stephen Fry, who is one of the world’s most well-known voice actors and audio performers, narrates with the perfect dry, droll English humor that his fans have come to expect. Though the story has been adapted into films and a television series, it was originally created for radio, so listeners can be confident that audio is the best way to experience it.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Ship: Heart of Gold
Quote: "In the beginning, the Universe was created. This had made many people very angry and was widely regarded as a bad move."
One of our favorite, most frequently quoted sci-fi/humor franchises, and my first foray into the genre.
Dan Stevens Narrates Ian Fleming's Casino Royale
It’s hard to think of a fictional character as illustrious as British Secret Service agent James Bond, code name 007. He is the beloved, roguish sport you can count on to beat the bad guys and win the girl—and always do so in style, with unmatched wit and charm. In Casino Royale, the first in the series of Bond novels, author Ian Fleming illustrates 007 in one of his most gripping adventures as he must neutralize the Russian operative, Le Chiffre. Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey narrates the story with a captivating and seductive voice, channeling the same suave energy that made household names of the film-star Bonds before him. Stevens’s cool, slick performance gives Fleming’s spy classic an edgy, modern feel, making it perfect for any listener with a taste for espionage.
Casino Royale
For James Bond the stakes couldn't be higher. 007's mission is to neutralize the Russian operative Le Chiffre by ruining him at the baccarat table, forcing his Soviet masters to "retire" him....
Michael C. Hall Narrates Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's
Though widely known for its much-adored film adaptation starring the iconic Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany made its debut in 1958 as novella by Truman Capote. It’s the account of an unnamed writer’s relationship with his downstairs neighbor, Holly Golightly. Holly, the archetype of the American beauty, struggles with internal strife as she balances upon the pedestal she’s been placed on. Michael C. Hall, an actor known for his titular role on Dexter, displays an impressive understanding of the story’s narrator and the woman Capote attempts to sketch. Hall’s nuanced performance offers listeners a far less idealized window into Holly’s character, instead highlighting a thoughtful and subtle appreciation of her true self.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Golden Globe-winning actor Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under) performs Truman Capote's provocative, naturalistic masterstroke about a young writer's charmed fascination with his unorthodox neighbor....
Michael Sheen Narrates Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust
The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage is Philip Pullman’s first expansion on his beloved His Dark Material trilogy. It follows a young spy named Malcolm Polstead, whose family owns an inn on the banks of the River Thames in Oxford. When Polstead finds a secret message at the inn describing a dangerous substance called Dust, he decides to enter into the mystery. While BAFTA-winning actor Michael Sheen is widely known for roles such as Tony Blair in The Queen, William Masters in The Masters of Sex, and Aziraphale in Good Omens, his audiobook credits are also impressive. He has narrated almost 20 full-length novels and plays, ranging from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot, and he is a winner of multiple Earphones Awards. He brings that expertise to Pullman’s vivid, vast world, filling each word with a sense of wonder and intrigue.
The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage
Renowned storyteller Philip Pullman returns to the parallel world of Lyra Belacqua and His Dark Materials....
Jake Gyllenhaal Narrates F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the shoes of narrator Nick Carraway, voicing the often too-dreamy-to-be-real world of the wealthy and well-connected in a lush 1920s landscape. Though the story is told from Carraway’s point of view, it centers on the enthralling life of Mr. Jay Gatsby, and Gyllenhaal’s subtle yet captivating performance highlights both the glimmering surface of Gatsby’s life and the heartache, despair, and eventual tragedy that lurks beneath. He illustrates the people, places, and parties of West Egg with a voice that oozes refinement and style—a perfect complement to the grandeur of Gatsby’s story—while never losing sight of the morals and critiques Fitzgerald layered throughout.
The Great Gatsby
This new audio edition, authorized by Fitzgerald's estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal....
James Franco Narrates Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five is one of celebrated American author Kurt Vonnegut’s many satiric masterpieces. It starts with the bombing of Dresden, Germany, but from there, all sense of realism and chronology disappears. The story’s main character, Billy Pilgrim has the unfortunate fate of experiencing historical events in no particular order. Sometimes, he’s an actor in these events and other times, simply a witness—but they always seem to make his life a bit more chaotic. James Franco is an actor well-known for his ability to switch from comedy to drama, a valuable trait to wield while narrating a story like Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut is a master of burying deep psychological and sociological commentary into his literary comedies, and Franco does a superb job of showcasing this balance in his performance.
Slaughterhouse-Five
Traumatized by the bombing of Dresden at the time he had been imprisoned, Pilgrim drifts through all events and history, sometimes deeply implicated, sometimes a witness....
Jonathan Pryce Narrates Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist follows the misadventures of a young orphan in his desperate search for a sense of belonging and basic human kindness. Filled with memorable characters, including The Artful Dodger, a plucky young pickpocket, and the terrifying Bill Sikes, the novel is deeper, fuller, and much darker than the famed musical version. Exposing the cruel and inhumane treatment of orphans in 19th-century England, Oliver Twist cemented Charles Dickens's reputation as not only a talented author but also an influential social activist. Jonathan Pryce, an award-winning stage and screen actor known for roles ranging from High Sparrow in HBO's Game of Thrones to Pope Francis in The Pope, masterfully performs this classic and its diversity of complex characters with the nuance and realism Dickens intended.
Oliver Twist
Joanne Froggatt Narrates The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
A British actress best known for her Golden Globe-winning and three-time Emmy-nominated role as Anna Bates in Downtown Abbey, Joanne Froggatt is no stranger to historical narratives filled with tension and drama. She brings her command of different accents and personalities, both men and women, to Kate Morton's sweeping, richly layered story of art, beauty, love, and murder. The Clockmaker's Daughter spans 150 years and clocks in at 17 hours in audio. Froggatt's precise diction makes it easy to keep track of all the characters and their secrets, while her lively performance helps to build suspense as the pieces start to fit together.
The Clockmaker's Daughter
Jesse Eisenberg, Kaitlyn Dever, Finn Wolfhard Narrate When You Finish Saving the World by Jesse Eisenberg
Academy Award nominee, playwright, and author Jesse Eisenberg steps in as co-narrator of his When You Finish Saving the World, a stirring tale of family, future, and connection. This listen follows Nathan, Rachel, and Ziggy—a husband, wife, and son—at various stages of their life as they seek to better relate with and understand one another. Told in three parts marked by dramatic shifts in time and perspective, the story is intimate and universal in a way that’s effortlessly engaging and incredibly charming. Eisenberg’s cast is rounded out by two buzzy up-and-coming stars: Finn Wolfhard, of Stranger Things and It, and Kaitlyn Dever, star of Booksmart and Unbelievable. Together, the trio craft a genuinely affecting tale that will break your heart—and give you hope—over and over again.
When You Finish Saving the World
By Jesse Eisenberg
Narrated by Kaitlyn Dever, Jesse Eisenberg, Finn Wolfhard
When You Finish Saving the World
From playwright, author and Oscar-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg, When You Finish Saving the World tells the moving and evocative story of three individuals working to understand each other and themselves....
