We love books. We appreciate them, can’t imagine our lives without them, and thank our lucky stars that we’re fortunate enough to immerse ourselves in great stories day-in and day-out. But, what makes us sad (we’re an emotional bunch…) is that there are still millions of people in this world who don’t get to experience the joy of books because they’re denied access to the resources or education they need to learn how to read.

Four years ago, the amazing people over at LitWorld organized World Read Aloud Day. Their mission? To motivate children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, and to foster resilience, hope, and joy through the power of story.

Today, we encourage you to join the community of people who are “Reading It Forward” by reading aloud, giving away a book, or taking action any way you can on behalf of the 793 million people who can’t read.

One of our favorite quotes goes a little something like this:

“Books are a uniquely portable magic” – Stephen King

Books possess the magic to help build confidence, promote leadership and strengthen communities and everyone should have the opportunity to feel that magic.

We’re “Reading It Forward” by sharing our favorite audio books that possess some of that magical quality we’ve been talking about:

The Oscars have come and gone once again – the red carpet has been rolled up, the diamonds returned to Harry Winston, and the unsuccessful nominees have stopped crying (we hope). But just when you thought awards season was over – think again. The “Academy Awards” of audio books is just around the corner and the excitement all started this past week when the nominees for the 2013 Audie Awards were announced.

For the newbies in the group, the Audie Awards (more affectionately known as The Audies) are handed out to the best-of-the-best in the audiobook biz. In May, the incredibly talented members of the audio book industry will have their turn to glam it up, hit the red carpet and be recognized at the fabulous Audie Gala hosted by the Audio Publishers Association (APA).

There were many, many amazing audio books this year, and we don’t envy the APA who had the impossible job of narrowing it down to only 5 audio books in each category (we’re sure glad it wasn’t up to us). Kudos to them for rising up to the challenge and selecting, most definitely what we would also consider, the best audio books of the year, all completely deserving of taking home an Audie this year.

Here are a few of our favorites nominated this year:

We tuned in this past Sunday to watch the glamorous  55^th Annual Grammy Awards. As much as the focus was on the music, the gowns, and the celebrity gossip, let’s take a minute to give some (much deserved) attention to our favorite nominee in the Best Spoken Word category. She may not have taken the award home this year (fellow nominee Janis Ian did), but we would have awarded it to none other than Ellen Degeneres for “Seriously…I’m Kidding”. Her book and her narration were both outstanding and totally deserving of the Grammy this year.

We fell in love with Ellen after listening to her first audio book, “The Funny Thing is…” Since then, we (and her insanely large fan-base) have only fallen more in love with the day-time show host for her bubbly, candid nature – and her inarguable ability to bust a move.  ”Seriously…I’m Kidding” is a series of cute and funny stories, centered mainly around politeness (simple things that are often forgotten like, “be nice and be on time”) and after listening to this book, it’s very clear why Ellen left American Idol all because she didn’t like being mean to the singers who were a little um, how do we say this, vocally-challenged (we’re taking a kindness cue from Ellen).

Why was Ellen our pick? Well, for starters, her narration is fantastic. On top of that, she doesn’t just read the words, she performs them. Her delivery is hilarious, relatable, and heartfelt; she’ll leave you laughing out loud.  If you’re a fan of the The Ellen Degeneres show, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Ellen does a great job at combining her clever sense of humour with her philosophy on life and provides stories that will leave you feeling optimistic and really, really happy.

But don’t just take our word for it. Give it a listen and see for yourself! Or, check out our favorite previous winners in this category:

Jon Stewart (2010)	Michael J. Fox (2009)	LeVar Burton (1999)

Title: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
Author: Chelsea Handler
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Length: 6 hours 16 minutes

If you’ve read our blog before, you’ll know that we’re huge fans of Chelsea Handler, aka Chelsea Lately, one of the hottest (albeit, a tad bit crude) comedians in Hollywood right now. If you’re new to the blog (or Chelsea), pay very close attention to this next line.

Warning: If this quote offends you, DO NOT listen to this audio book (or any book by Chelsea Handler): “His name was Buck. It was easy to remember because it rhymed with what we were going to be doing later.”

My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler is exactly what it claims to be. It’s a memoir detailing Chelsea’s sexual escapades over the years in a series of quirky and jaw-dropping short stories. She shares it all, the good, the bad and the ugly, from a one night stand with an Adonis of a stripper known only as Thunder to an awkward tryst with a cruise ship performer (we repeat, this audio book is definitely not for the easily offended or delicately sensible).

Cassandra Campbell gives a great performance, but we have to be honest, this audio book would have been even better if Chelsea narrated it herself. After listening to Chelsea’s other self-narrated books like Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea or other bios read by the comedians themselves (like Tina Fey’s Bossypants), it’s clear that Chelsea’s personal touch would have brought this audio book up a notch.

Whether you’re headed to the tropics for March Break and looking for a good beach read, or just looking for a laugh-out-loud listen, you’ve gotta check this one out. It delivers tons of witty one-liners, observations about dating and life, interesting characters, and hilarious bedroom (or cruise ship) stories. Chelsea unabashedly hands you her life in a way that could only make the listener feel better about their own, with the weird twist of truly wishing you had a friend like her in your life. And we love her for it.

Listen to some other comediennes at their finest and check out reviews of their audio books (or any other book on your must-listen list) at The Audiobook Store:

So, we’re 4 days into the New Year – how are those resolutions going? If you’re like some of the people we’ve talked to, then you might already be hanging your head in shame…but chin up, there’s still hope!

It’s a tough world out there – a world full of work, school, kids…life. You need to arm yourself with the proper tools to succeed.  You play hockey, you wear skates. If you sky dive, you wear a parachute. When you make a resolution, you listen to an audio book!

We’ve got books that will help you on your way to becoming a master chef, a yoga guru,  a super athlete, or a highly effective person.  Whatever it is that you’ve set your sights on this year, we’ve got a book to help you finally stick your resolution (at least past the first week).

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again – people are decking the halls, dashing through the snow and having a few cups of cheer. Fa la la la la la la la la!

This year, while you’re trimming the tree, driving to Grandma’s house, or cooking up the turkey, turn off the carols (we know you’ve got to be a little tired of Jingle Bell Rock by now) and try something new – holiday audio books! They’re the perfect way to keep you and the kids entertained throughout the holiday season.

Here are a few of our favorites to get you started:

Title: The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Narrator: Rob Inglis
Length: 11 hours, 7 minutes

We can’t remember the last time we’ve been so excited about one of our favorite books being adapted into a movie—well, maybe we can…The Hunger Games! And now, we’re counting down the days until The Hobbit hits the big screen. It’s one of the best known and best loved fantasy books, and one of our personal favorites. We’ve just finished re-listened to the audio book to make sure we’re fully prepped for the premiere.

There are few worlds more richly imagined than J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. You’ll find yourself caught up in the exquisitely imaginative details and nonstop adventure. The Hobbit is far more light-hearted than The Lord of the Rings and introduces the world to the unforgettable Bilbo, Gandalf and Gollum. It’s a book that can be enjoyed by children and adults (fun fact: Tolkien actually wrote this book for his kiddies).

Rob Inglis’ narration perfectly balances the whimsical, childlike aspects of the book with the darker moments that foreshadow events to come later in The Lord of the Rings. Taking us on an exciting ride, Inglis’ performance is rich with colorful descriptions and shows off his awesome singing chops. Listeners are treated to a performance that is engaging, fun, gripping, and, at times, a little scary.

This is a great book, full of adventure, heroism, song and laughter—a classic favorite that will be fondly remembered by anyone who makes the brilliant decision to listen to it. The Hobbit is the first stop listeners should make as they venture into Tolkien’s Middle-earth – and definitely a must-listen before you head to the movies.

And after you’ve finished loving The Hobbit, you’re gonna want to check out The Lord of the Rings Trilogy:

We’ll be sitting around the table this Thursday, holding hands and giving thanks for many, many things. Family, friends, health, the food on our plates—we could go on, but the game’s about to start.

One thing in particular that we wanted to point out (being the book nerds that we are) is that we’ll definitely be taking some time out to be thankful for books. Books have the power to inspire, educate and entertain. They break down barriers, comfort us, and keep us connected. We love ‘em and we’re thankful for them.

We think Dr. Seuss sums it up pretty nicely:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Amen.

The 2012 National Book Awards have been announced and this year’s honorees include writers who explored real life in the slums of India, told tales of extraordinary goblin troupes, and more.

This year, judges were given the almost impossible task of choosing 4 winners—in fiction, nonfiction, young people’s literature, and poetry— from a stack of more than 1,300 books. The competition was fierce, with the award-winning authors taking home respect, recognition, oh, and a $10,000 prize!

And the winners were (drum roll please) …

Fiction: The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Young People’s Literature: Goblin Secrets by William Alexander

Poetry: Bewilderment: New Poems and Translations by David Ferry

Non-Fiction: Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo

We couldn’t be happier with this year’s winner in Fiction. We’ve been rooting for The Round House ever since the finalists were announced in October. It’s a powerful audio book, narrated by Gary Farmer, who compassionately tells the story of a woman who’s attacked on a North Dakota reservation, and her 13-year-old son who sets out with his friends to get to the truth. This book is deeply moving, impossible to forget and you need to check it out.

Title: My Mother Was Nuts: A Memoir
Author: Penny Marshall
Narrator: Penny Marshall
Length: 8 hours 32 minutes

We’ve been a little, let’s say ‘dark’ in our last few posts—lots of creepy murders, mysteries, ghosts…ya, we think it’s time for some fun!

Most famous for being the tough-talking tomboy on Laverne and Shirley, Penny Marshall shares a lot of laughs, her loves and some crazy stories in her tell-all memoir, My Mother Was Nuts, proving that her life off-camera has been just as wild as what we’ve seen on the screen. Warning for the parents out there: the ‘f-word’ makes an appearance in this audio book…several times.

In her memoir, Penny drops enough names and reveals enough personal stories to keep you listening for hours. She doesn’t hold anything back, talking about Calvin Klein tearing up the dance floor at high school parties, dropping acid with Princess Leia, hanging out with John Belushi, and riding on Dennis Rodman’s motorcycle after the famous Chicago Bulls three-peat. Who knew Laverne was so cool?

Penny Marshall reads her own memoir and as you listen, you feel like you’re sitting and gossiping with an old friend. She’s honest, unapologetic and above all, hilarious. At times, it’s also a very intimate listen as she chronicles her struggles including her battle with drugs, a shotgun wedding at 19, her cancer diagnosis, and her mother’s passing. When Penny speaks of her mother, her voice cracks and you feel her emotion. Her narration is very genuine.

Penny bares it all in this interesting and funny look back at her whirlwind life. If there is one thing that she wants you to take from her book, it is to live by these four simple rules: “try hard, help your friends, don’t get too crazy, and have fun.”

If you enjoyed My Mother Was Nuts, check out these great listens by some other funny ladies: