Title: In the Water They Can’t See You Cry
Author: Amanda Beard, Rebecca Paley
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Length: 8 hours 13 minutes

Last week we kicked off the 2012 Games by recommending some Olympic-inspired titles, including In the Water They Can’t See You Cry. Check out the fantastic review below, written by one of our biggest audio book fans here in the office, the lovely Pam:

I’ve been watching the games all week and it’s clear to me that elite athletes have power, strength, and determination.  However, with the book In the Water They Can’t See You Cry, four-time Olympic athlete Amanda Beard, shows the world another kind of determination and strength.  The book starts out by throwing the listener right into the chaos of Amanda’s later life.  At first I thought I was listening to the wrong book, as Amanda describes a painful moment in her life that has nothing to do directly with swimming.  Shocking and unnerving, this introduction makes you wonder how she got to such a desperate place in her life.  The listener is then taken back to Amanda’s childhood where her love of swimming and her inner turmoil began to take its toll.

Amanda went to her first Olympics at age 14 and found it boring – something that honestly made me cringe to listen to as there are so many athletes that would have done anything to be in her spot.  She goes into a little detail about her early training and her times at the Olympics early on in the book, but this book is mainly about her struggle with self-doubt and troubled personal relationships that eventually lead her to cutting and bulimia.  We see Amanda’s story unfold as she achieved great success at a young age and then listen to her strive to maintain that success.  For me, what really hit home was the way she dealt with her body image issues and the way the media perpetuates impossible standards. Amanda’s willingness to come clean about all her personal battles was inspiring—especially since most people would have never guessed such a battle was being waged beneath the surface of her ‘perfect’ public life.   I am not an athlete, nor have I had to deal with the type of issues she’s faced but I was able to connect with her struggles and enjoyed the little glimpse of the swimming world Amanda brought to life in her book.

I have listened to many books narrated by Tavia Gilbert, and she again does an amazing job with this book.   Through Gilbert’s wonderful talents, Amanda becomes the young girl, the competitive athlete, the lost soul and the life champion you find yourself rooting for.

If you’re looking for a book that simply tells the story of the Olympics from an athlete’s perspective, I’m sorry but this book is not for you.  But if you want a Gold Medal performance of an Olympian’s true story about overcoming professional and personal hardships in the public eye, then In the Water They Can’t See You Cry is definitely the listen you’re looking for.

Title: The Stupidest Angel
Author: Christopher Moore
Narrator: Tony Roberts
Length: 6 hours, 18 minutes

Around Christmas, every little boy wants the same thing: to get a glimpse of Santa Claus. In the tourist town of Pine Cove, California, 7-year-old Joshua Barker finally gets a look at the old man, but the encounter does not go as Josh hoped it would. No, Joshua did not expect to witness Santa be murdered in cold blood by a woman wielding a shovel. Not realizing that what he saw was the abrupt conclusion to a domestic dispute between the town’s drunken mall Santa and his ex-wife, Josh heads home and starts to pray for somebody to come save Christmas.

The craziness that comes next won’t be a surprise if you’re a fan of Moore’s. A dimwitted archangel shows up to help Josh (truly a match made in heaven) by bringing Santa back from the dead, but accidentally causes a zombie plague led by the resurrected Santa. It’s up to Santa’s murderous ex-wife, the town’s stoned constable, a hallucinating b-movie actress, a rogue pilot, and his pet fruitbat Roberto to save the town.

Christopher Moore has already proven himself to be the king of horror-comedy mashups (in About.com’s opinion, he has done for the horror genre what Douglas Adams did for science fiction), and The Stupidest Angel is no exception. Moore takes hilarious characters from some of his other works (you might recognize the rogue pilot Tucker and his fruitbat from Island of the Sequined Love Nun, or Raziel from Lamb), creates a bunch of new but equally hilarious characters, and tosses them all into a zombie apocalypse in his iconic town of Pine Cove.

One person trying to narrate for dozens of different characters involved in fast paced conversations is no easy task, but Tony Roberts nails it with his seemingly infinite supply of easily distinguishable voices. Moore’s humor is often quite subtle, but Roberts uses different tones to help emphasize jokes, and pauses at appropriate times to help these jokes sink in.

Good things usually happen when an author can put lively characters in absurd and interesting situations. The Stupidest Angel does just this, and is an excellent book by an author who’s at the top of his game. Whether or not you consider yourself a ‘zombie aficionado’, The Stupidest Angel is definitely a book worth your time. After all, how could you not enjoy a book that has a zombie Santa Claus doing battle with a domesticated fruitbat?

If you’re an audio book fan (or happen to work for an audio book company, like we do) you might be familiar with the phrase “an audio what?” We’ve spent many long conversations explaining what audio books are and why they’re so great, only to have the person be distracted by a shiny penny and forget the conversation before they can share with others. This got us thinking: there’s got to be a better way!

So we channeled our inner Spielberg, and put together a video to tell the Audiobooks.com story. We focused on all the good stuff, took out all the fluff, added in some awesomeness and voila – we created a video for you that gets to the heart of what Audiobooks.com is all about (and in 30 seconds, no less) – a service that lets you listen to your favorite books, anytime, anywhere.

Check it out below – we hope you enjoy!

The Olympic torch is doing a final lap around London today, sweeping through the city igniting excitement before it makes its last stop at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics tomorrow. While we appreciate the Olympics for the sense of spirit it brings with each country rallying behind their athletes throughout the games, what we really admire are the stories behind the athletes and how they’ve risen to the world stage—not to mention the very top of their sport. A lot of blood, sweat and tears go into their dream of one day participating in the Olympic Games (which makes for some really great listening entertainment).

Below are some great memoirs, written by some pretty amazing athletes. Each of them will give you an inside look at their long journey. For example, there is a candid and uplifting memoir written by Olympic medalist Amanda Beard (We happen to be listening to this one and it’s amazing! Check back for the review next week), a revealing look into the secrets behind Michael Phelps remarkable success, along with many other truly inspiring stories! Check them out below:

And here are a few more books for the history buffs in the crowd:

Title: Macbeth
Author: William Shakespeare
Narrator: Alan Cumming
Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes

For those of us not lucky enough to catch Alan Cumming’s one man performance of Macbeth at Lincoln Center in New York City, we have good news! Simon & Schuster Audio has just released an exclusive studio recording of Macbeth that captures Cumming’s excitement and passion.

We’re guessing most people are familiar with Shakespeare’s Macbeth (or at least the Coles Notes version: ambitious power couple get stabby to get ahead, witches pop by, “out, out damn spot.” Moral: not only does crime not pay, it can also make you nuts). Cumming’s adaptation isn’t the most avant-garde take on Macbeth to hit NYC lately – that title would go to Punchdrunk’s interactive Macbeth installation last year – but it is definitely a fresh, original view to the tale of desire, ambition and the supernatural, framing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as two of many multiple personalities of a single mental patient.

The story is set in a psychiatric unit where the lone patient relives the story of Macbeth, inhabiting each complex and troubled character. Cumming performs the roles of all the main characters, including Mr. and Mrs. McB, Macduff, King Duncan, Banquo and the three witches, all of whom belong to one shattered person.

Tony Award winning actor Alan Cumming is one of our favorite narrators and in this recording of his stage performance, he demonstrates full command as he subtly shifts from character to character. You’ll be hard-pressed not to cling to his every word.

However, if you happen to be encountering Macbeth for the first time, this interpretation may be baffling. Despite Cumming’s versatile performance, having some prior exposure to the drama is almost essential to keep track of the various characters and follow the action. But for listeners looking for something original and fresh, this version of Macbeth is a perfect choice.

We’ve welcomed a lot of new customers to Audioboooks.com recently, from audio book addicts to newbies who’ve never tried an audio book at all. If you’re new to audio books or new to our service,  we want to share a few tips and tricks that will help you take full advantage of your membership!

• Explore your options: Your listening tastes may be a little different from your print book tastes – and no matter how much you love a particular author, if the narrator isn’t working for you, best to try out an audio book that’s got a high all-around rating (like this one).

• Read what others are saying: While you’re browsing our library, be sure to check out our audio book and narrator reviews. Our members are always happy to share their honest (and sometimes brutal) opinions, which is helpful in finding a great story with equally great narration. You’ll also find helpful reviews and recommendations from our staff on our blog or you can check out our Staff Picks and Hot Titles.

• Abridged or Unabridged? If you love listening to a book in its entirety, exactly as the author intended it to be heard, unabridged is what you’re looking for. But, if the thought of spending 10-20 hours (or more) listening to a book sounds a little daunting, you might want to check out the abridged version.

• Take your books anywhere: Use your smartphone or tablet to stream audio books instantly and listen while you’re stuck in traffic, walking the dog, working out, cooking dinner, on the beach…you get the point. Our bookmarking feature even lets you pick up where you left off when you switch devices.

• Save books for later: With thousands of audio books to choose from, we’re guessing you’re going to come across more than just one book that you want to listen to. You can create a personalized bookshelf with our “Save for Later” feature. You’ll see your saved books every time you log in, making it really easy to pick your next listen.

• Download the app: If you’re an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch user, check out the App Store for the exclusive Audiobooks.com app. You can use it to download up to 2 audio books at a time automatically whenever you’re connected to wi-fi, or edit your Settings to download over your mobile network. It’s also loaded with expanded features and functionality to make listening better than ever before (If you’re an Android user, look for your app coming soon).

And remember, we’re always here for you. Our awesome customer service team is standing by to help you with any additional questions or concerns you have now or in the future. You can contact us from 8 am – 8 pm EST, 7 days a week. Call us at 1-877-554-4332 or send an email.

Happy listening!

Last week we filled you in on our 2012 summer must-listen list (which we’re already 4 books into, btw–gotta love summer!) Now we can’t resist recommending some awesome audio book series that we’ve listened to in summer days gone by. We’re talking about books with a sizzling combination of action, romance, drama and adventure that’ll have you glued to your beach chair, bike seat or rollerblades all summer long!

All of the top audio book series that we’re recommending are really fun and super addicting. The kind where you become so invested in the characters and storylines that you absolutely have to start listening the next book because you can’t stand a single minute of not knowing what happens next. They’re also pretty quick so you’ll have no trouble devouring an entire series during your trip to the cottage (or in a 35 hour marathon like we did with The Hunger Games trilogy).

Check out the first book in a few series that will keep you coming back for more (don’t say we didn’t warn you). We guarantee you’ll be taking full advantage of your unlimited Audiobooks.com membership this summer.

Top Picks for Grown-ups:
            

Don’t forget to check out these less sizzling but equally entertaining series for the kidlets:

Title: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Narrator: Scott Holst
Length: 11 hours, 4 minutes

Ok, so what do we really know about Abraham Lincoln from our history books? That he successfully led his country through its greatest constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union while ending slavery, and promoting economic and financial modernization? Sure, that’s all true. But did you also know that ‘Honest Abe’ was a slayer of the undead?

Seth Grahame-Smith generated a lot of buzz with his novel ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’. It was the first of the current trend of mash-ups, taking the original text from Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and mixing in zombie attacks and martial arts. Now he’s back at it, only this time it’s with vampires. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is another bizarre, fun and weirdly well-researched mash-up in which Grahame-Smith skillfully blends historical facts of Lincoln’s life with vampire-killing crusades and slave-trading ghouls.

Using Abraham Lincoln’s top secret diary, Grahame-Smith tells the untold story of one of America’s greatest presidents/axe-wielding super heroes. The death of his mother at the hands of a vampire when Abe was just a young boy turns him into a sworn enemy of vampires and he is inspired to be one of the premier vampire hunters (and killers) of his day.

This was the first book narrated by Scott Holst that we’ve listened to and we were big fans. We were especially impressed with his flawless portrayal of Lincoln’s Midwestern accent. His voice was soothing, his pitch was perfect and, with the help of a funny and fast-paced story, he created a unique listening experience.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is an engaging and entertaining listen. Even if you think you know what’s going to happen next (assuming you paid attention in history class), the vampire twists will keep you guessing throughout the entire book. So, if you like vampires, historical fiction, biographies and mash-ups or just want to be thoroughly entertained, save this book to your shelf.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, but vampires aren’t really your thing, check out these other great listens:

The sweet, sweet summertime is finally upon us! With its beach days, road trips, vacation time and long warm nights, summer just feels like it was made for listening to audio books. Considering the giant virtual stack of books we have waiting to be listened to, we’re more than happy to oblige.

While the thought of indulging in audio books all summer long has us on a major high, we also know that the warm days won’t last forever. We’ll be taking some extra-long bike rides, early morning runs and a lot of weekend trips to the cottage to maximize our listening time (and our summer fun)!

So what books will we be taking on our many adventures this summer? Well we did a roundup of this season’s hottest listens, mixed in some of our favorite classic audio books and created one of the best summer must-listen lists of all-time.

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about the young’uns. School’s out for summer and audio books are a great way to keep their brains and imaginations occupied on road trips to the beach, lazy afternoons and rainy days. Check out these great summer listens that will keep your kids entertained all summer long.

Happy summer listening!

Title: 8
Written by: Dustin Lance Black
Read by: Brad Pitt, George Clooney & an All-Star Cast
Length: 2 hours, 8 minutes

We love following politics so we’re always excited to throw a great political audio book into the listening mix. When we heard about the new audio book ‘8’ by Dustin Lance Black—which happens to focus in on a very hot topic in the US presidential race right now—we had to check it out. It also didn’t hurt that a certain Mr. Brad Pitt was part of the star-studded cast that narrated the book. ‘8’ is a fantastic story that will hit close to home for many, no matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on.

‘8’ takes a look at the controversial case filed by the American Foundation for Equal Rights to overturn Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that eliminated the rights of same-sex couples to marry in the state of California. Drawing on actual transcripts of the 2010 trial, as well as first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families, ‘8’ tells the story of Kris Perry and Sandy Stier and their groundbreaking court case.

Academy Award-winning writer Dustin Lance Black felt compelled to craft the actual trial transcripts into a one-night only production in order to shed some light on what went on throughout the duration trial for all of us who were unable to see inside the courtroom. Black frames the story around the trial’s closing arguments, but also features all of the influential arguments and witness testimonies presented by both legal teams as well as each eye-opening moment throughout the case. The audio recording of that performance, featuring Brad Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Martin Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Jane Lynch and many other talented actors, is what’s now been released as the ‘8’ audio book.

Not only do the stars provide their A-list acting chops, they also perform brilliantly. The entire cast gives a genuine account of what went on in the courtroom and gives an intimate look at what unfolded throughout the monumental trial. Some noteworthy performances include Jamie Lee Curtis and Christine Lahti in their heartfelt portrayal of Perry and Stier and Martin Sheen brings the house down with this brilliant performance of the closing arguments.

In addition to the play, the audio book also features exclusive backstage interviews with Black, director Rob Reiner and many of the actors, including John C. Reily and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. So, all politics aside, we definitely recommend listening to this production of ‘8’—it deserves a standing ovation.

When you’ve finished listening to ’8′, here are a few more great political listens to check out:

P.S. We’re almost half way through Audio Book Month! Keep up this year’s momentum by tweeting, Facebooking and blogging about all things audio books and tell anyone, anyway you can about why you love to listen to audio books—and why they’ll love listening to them too!