The Listening Books Podcast
28 FOLLOWERS
For every kind of reader, but especially for fans of audiobooks. Featuring conversations with the authors and narrators of your favorite books, as well as reading round-ups and the odd lighthearted literary game.
The Listening Books Podcast
4M ago
A special festive episode discussing books that feature celebrations. Amy and Edward return for a final a face-off as Jess attempts to foil them with her literary quiz.
Books mentioned:
Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers
The Party, by Elizabeth Day
Bridget Jones’s Diary, by Helen Fielding
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
Who Are We?
The Listening Books Podcast is hosted by audio producer Jessica Stone and is a production of Listening Books, a UK ch ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
5M ago
Emily Woo Zeller is an American voice actress and audiobook narrator whose work has earned heaps of awards, including AudioFile’s prestigious Golden Voice Award. You may have heard her reading fantasy books like R.F. Kuang’s Poppy War series, romance novels like Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test, or perhaps a spy thriller like Chloe Gong’s Foul Lady Fortune. Today she tells us what she appreciates about those books, and a little of what she’s learned about creating a well-balanced life.
Other books mentioned:
Phoenix Extravagant, by Yoon Ha Lee
The Stress Prescription: Seven Days to More Joy ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
5M ago
Stephanie Cannon is an American voice actor, circus performer, and audiobook narrator living in England. In this conversation with host Jessica Stone, she tells us what that’s like, how walking on stilts complements reading in a box, which kinds of books she loves to narrate, and conversely which ones she'll take a pass on. We also discuss Kate Dylan’s cyberpunk dystopian novel Mindwalker and its sequel Mindbreaker, both narrated by Stephanie.
Books and other recommendations:
The Sharp Edge of Silence, by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, narrated by Stephanie Cannon
Mindwalker, by Kate Dy ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
5M ago
Jane McDowell is a talented actress and narrator with many credits to her name, including the Dr Ruth Galloway mystery series by Elly Griffiths. In this conversation with host Jessica Stone, Jane tells us what it was like to record the last book of the series The Locked Room during a Covid lockdown, how animals help her create character voices, and what book was so moving that she wrote the author to thank her.
Books mentioned, all narrated by Jane: The Locked Room, by Elly Griffiths Delicious, by Nicki Pellegrino Snow Widows, by Katherine MacInnes Curlew Moon, by Mary Colwell The Hidden ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
6M ago
Polly Lee is an award winning actress and narrator of over 200 fiction and non-fiction books. She has also narrated over 200 romance novels under the name Ashford McNab/MacNab. Raised in the UK, she has lived in the US now for 25 years working equally in both her British and American dialects. Today she tells us about some of the books that have stayed with her, including Soman Chainani’s School for Good and Evil series, and the voices she would have done differently if she’d known how the series would play out.
Other books mentioned:
A Place to Hang the Moon, by Kate Alb ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
10M ago
Gordon Griffin has narrated over 900 audiobooks and in 2017 received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth for his services to audiobooks. He tells us about that experience, how the industry has changed over the years, how he prepares for each audiobook, and what the secret is to being a truly good narrator.
Books Mentioned
Rooftoppers, Katherine Rundell
Billy Elliot, Melvin Burgess
The New Woman, Charity Norman
The Final Testimony of Raphael Ignatius Phoenix, Paul Sussman
For more about Gordon Griffin's work and workshops, visit gordongriffin.com.
Who Are We?
The Lis ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
1y ago
Annie Aldington has voiced hundreds of audiobooks, and among them are some of the most popular titles in the Listening Books collection, including novels by Dilly Court, Martina Cole, Katie Price, Aoife Walsh, and Kitty Neale. Here Annie tells us how she happened into audiobook narration, shares her secret tricks for conquering difficult accents, and reveals just how much fun peripheral characters can be.
Books Mentioned
Adams Family Series, Mary Jane Staples
Polly of Penn’s Place, Dee Williams
Voice and the Actor, Cicely Berry
The Tulip Tearooms, Pam Evans
The Good Time Girls, Fiona Ford
Wool ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
1y ago
Clinical psychologist and author Dr Julie Smith joins Jess to share some of the practical wisdom from her bestselling book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
Want to know one of the most versatile tools to have in your mental health tool kit? Do you ever wish you could summon motivation when you need it most? Julie warns us of the pitfalls of chasing self-esteem and the rewards of living your life in line with who you want to be.
You can find more of Julie's content on social media and on her website.
Who Are We?
The Listening Books Podcast is hosted by audio producer Jessica Ston ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
1y ago
Author Jonathan Whitelaw joins Jess for a cosy chat about cosy crime. He tells us how he landed such a fantastic narrator in Sid Sagar, how he approached character development in The Bingo Hall Detectives, why he chose the Lake District for the setting, and what we should be reading while we wait for his next book, The Village Hall Vendetta.
Books Mentioned
The Bingo Hall Detectives and The Village Hall Vendetta, Jonathan Whitelaw
Rivers of London: Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch
A Spoonful of Murder, J.M. Hall
Her Majesty the Queen Investigates (series), S.J. Bennett
The Marlow Murder Cl ..read more
The Listening Books Podcast
1y ago
Author Florence Wilkinson talks about her book Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, giving lots of suggestions for noticing and encouraging the wildlife right on our doorstep.
Books and Apps Mentioned
Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution by Menno Schilthuizen
Warbler
Picture This
Who Are We?
The Listening Books Podcast is hosted by audio producer Jessica Stone and is a production of Listening Books, a UK charity that provides an audiobook lending service for over 115,000 members who find that an illness, mental health, physical or learning disability ..read more