by Matt Haig ; Read by Mark Meadows ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 2, 2013
Narrator Mark Meadows portrays the alien visitor at the heart of this fascinating story, adroitly vocalizing the creature's evolution. A native from the utopian planet Vonadoria is sent to Earth to take the place of a math professor and bury his discovery: the solution to a mathematical conundrum that promises to elevate humans--to the detriment of the rest of the universe. As voiced by Meadows, the ersatz professor, Andrew Martin, at first speaks with a clipped British accent as he describes what repulses him about humanity. But as he slowly goes native, his speech becomes, well, more human, including instances of slang and profanity. This production examines what it means to be human, and Meadows does a remarkable job of humanizing its extraterrestrial protagonist.
Pub Date: July 2, 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781442366497
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Lauren Francis-Sharma ; Read by Ron Butler & Bahni Turpin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2015
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
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An astonishingly unique historical novel, which begins in Trinidad in the 1940s, this is an example of the best that an audiobook can offer. The two narrators, Ron Butler and Bahni Turpin, are superb choices who move the listener smoothly between the two main characters. Farook and Marcia Garcia are star-crossed lovers who don’t have fate on their side. Turpin evokes the rhythms of English as spoken in Trinidad, lyrical, and rhythmic. Through her confident narrative style, Marica Garcia comes across as a strong, beleaguered young woman. Her trials evoke empathy in the listener. Butler establishes the contorted choices that face Farook as an Indian man who is prevented by racism from marrying his true love. This sprawling tale spans Trinidad and the United States, from the 1940s-1960s.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 13 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Elin Hilderbrand ; Read by Erin Bennett ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2020
Sometimes a book pulls you in and holds on tight--this is definitely one of those. Narrator Erin Bennett is warm, engaging, and enthusiastic as Mallory Blessing and a host of wide-ranging, multidimensional characters. As the story begins, Mallory is dying and her son, Link, is given instructions to call a strange number belonging to Jake McCloud. Listeners are soon taken on a journey back in time as their 28-year love story unfolds. Bennett's narration perfectly matches each stage of Mallory's life--and her unconventional "same time next year" relationship with Jake--as she finds her place on Nantucket. Best of all, each chapter opens with a list of "things we were talking about" during each of the 28 years, making the novel's journey back in time even more memorable for listeners.
Pub Date: June 30, 2020
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549117367
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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