The hero of Elie Wiesel's A MAD DESIRE TO DANCE survived the horrors of WWII but is unable to live in peacetime. The novel is an intense journey into the mind of a miserable man who has suffered overwhelming personal loss and who is trapped by his fear of life itself. Narrator Mark Bramhall becomes Doriel, who moves the book along by talking, thinking, and philosophizing. His is a circular logic that ultimately leaves him powerless and fearful. Bramhall's timbre, inflection, and tone reveal the sadness of Doriel's soul and his desperate hope as he reaches out to a psychologist. He silently begs for her help even as he frustrates her. Kirsten Potter skillfully portrays the doctor’s calm encouragement of her patient—as much as she mentally screams in frustration.
Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2009
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dara Rosenberg returns to narrate Meltzer's latest heartwarming novel, a second-chance romance peppered with magical realism. To the shock of workaholic television producer Evelyn, her ex-husband, David, has been hired as on-set physician for her musical production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. As the frantically paced shooting unfolds, Evelyn is in a minor accident but declines medical care. She's then visited by eight "heartbreaks," or spectres, who show her moments in her past with David. Rosenberg skillfully portrays David's steadfast personality and concern for his ex-wife, as well as Evelyn's gradual recognition of her need to reorganize her priorities. This slow-burn romance will warm the hearts of listeners, who will also delight in its holiday theme.
Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488236075
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Rebecca Lowman imbues Kate Riley's parabolic prose with verve and urgency. This ambitious debut unearths universalities of feminine curiosity from within the walls of a strict insular community. Ruth--a relentlessly inquisitive, slightly brainwashed member of a Christian communist cult in rural Michigan--is irresistible. While not overtly rebellious, she is mischievous. Her thoughts and various events within the community construct an effectively plotless but intellectually seductive mosaic of language, which Lowman parses with methodical precision. Her sharp delivery meets the clever and quick-witted social commentary head-on, charging forward throughout the decades of Ruth's small, hilarious, human experiences as she follows her intuition with a hound's tenacity. This novel chronicles a divine, fullhearted struggle toward a happy, meaningful life.
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593951880
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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