Narrators

The Australian voice that envelops listeners with vivid storytelling. Adept at capturing attention, he makes unfamiliar accents fit perfectly in place. SHANTARAM , BUTTERFLY MAN , AND HOPE TO DIE are a few recent titles.

Australian actor Humphrey Bower finds a natural pleasure in narrating that connects with the natural pleasure of being read to. “Someone tells us stories before we read them,” he says. “It’s the primary experience of literature, and it stimulates the imagination.” Humphrey’s early experience of listening to Homer’s Odyssey on the radio set him on a path, via a literature degree from Oxford University and theater work in Melbourne, to his career in audiobooks. He recorded for the Australian Talking Book Library before getting his first commercial audiobook from Bolinda Audio. Shortly thereafter, he was picked by bestselling author Bryce Courtenay to record all of his books. In a most unusual marathon of narration, Humphrey recorded five Courtenay novels in weeks of continuous sessions. The result was a series of stunning performances of THE POWER OF ONE , TANDIA , THE POTATO FACTORY , TOMMO AND HAWK , and SOLOMON'S SONG --with four Earphones Awards among the five titles! He says Bryce’s stories are so vivid, so red-blooded that they lend themselves magnificently to audio. (And because many Courtenay novels are unavailable in print in the U.S., audio is the primary way American listeners can experience them.) Humphrey’s acting life in Perth and Melbourne accompanies writing and directing radio plays. Still, audiobooks hold a special appeal because he gets to enter so many worlds and play a multitude of characters. His performances are exceptionally vivid: Using his voice with great range and variety, he engages listeners emotionally and imaginatively. --2004 Narrator Yearbook