Listeners who are interested in some of the year’s biggest literature prizes of the year can explore the winners and finalists on audio. Interestingly, several titles are narrated by the authors themselves, which is less common with fiction. MARTYR!, CREATION LAKE, ORBITAL, and JAMES all won AudioFile Earphones Awards, and Percival Everett’s JAMES also performs the feat of appearing on both the National Book Award and the Booker Prize finalist lists.
National Book Award 2024 Fiction Winner
JAMES
by Percival Everett, read by Dominic Hoffman
Random House Audio
AudioFile Earphones Award
Dominic Hoffman’s performance captures the varying tone of Jim’s dialogue, highlighting the shifts in his vocabulary and rhythm. JAMES also appears on The Booker Prize 2024 shortlist.
National Book Award 2024 Fiction Finalists
ALL FOURS
by Miranda July, read by Miranda July
Penguin Audio
GHOSTROOTS: Stories
by ’Pemi Aguda, read by Délé Ogundiran, Ore Apampa-Araba
Audible, Inc.
These stories set in Lagos shine a light on Nigerian culture and society.
MARTYR!
Kaveh Akbar, read by Arian Moayed
Random House Audio
AudioFile Earphones Award
Arian Moayed captures the earnestness that makes this novel shine: He’s dramatic, ebullient, and wildly expressive.
MY FRIENDS
Hisham Matar, read by Hisham Matar
Audible, Inc.
Fans of international literature will sink into this complex, layered story as told by a passionate narrator.
The Booker Prize 2024 Winner
ORBITAL
Samantha Harvey, read by Sarah Naudi
Recorded Books
AudioFile Earphones Award
This delicately narrated audio, layering the otherworldly with the ordinary, makes for a transfixing, unputdownable listen.
The Booker Prize 2024 Shortlist
CREATION LAKE
Rachel Kushner, read by Rachel Kushner
Simon & Schuster Audio
AudioFile Earphones Award
It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Rachel Kushner narrating her gripping and highly original novel about an unconventional spy.
HELD
Anne Michaels, read by Anne Michaels
Random House Audio
AudioFile Earphones Award
Author Anne Michaels narrates this novel that spans four generations and addresses the trauma of war.
THE SAFEKEEP
Yael van der Wouden, read by Stina Nielsen, Saskia Maarleveld
Simon & Schuster Audio
This slow-burn work of historical fiction packs a powerful punch.
STONE YARD DEVOTIONAL
Charlotte Wood, reader TBA
Penguin Audio
Coming to audio in the U.S. in February 2025, Wood’s novel follows an Australian woman who takes refuge in a remote religious community.
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