Ah, it’s that time of year again. The time for all the Best Of book lists! I love a good book list, y’all. They are terrible for my wallet but gold for my reading life. So, today I’m bringing you my first faves list for 2019—favorite audiobooks.
I haven’t always been an audiobook listener, but over the past few years, I’ve really gotten into listening to non-fiction in this format. I’m still not a huge fan of listening to fiction on audio. My brain doesn’t pay attention as well for some reason. But non-fiction is like listening to a really long podcast and that works for me. So, I’m bringing you my top five listens of 2019. Note: this doesn’t mean that the books were published this year, just that I listened to them this year.
For the True Crime Reader or Podcast Listener:
I’m going to recommend both of these with a caveat. If you haven’t read I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, read that first. Billy Jensen (who wrote the first rec below) worked with Michelle on researching the Golden State Killer case before Michelle passed away. He finished the book for her. So this audiobook talks about him looking into a number of cold cases, but he also talks about working with Michelle on that case.
And the second rec is by Paul Holes who is the retired detective and forensic criminologist who spent 20 years working the Golden State Killer case. So both of these recs are tied to the same case, and I think McNamara’s book should be read first to get the full impact of these.
Chase Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen
About the book:
Have you ever wanted to solve a murder? Gather the clues the police overlooked. Put together the pieces. Identify the suspect.
Journalist Billy Jensen spent 15 years investigating unsolved murders, fighting for the families of victims. Every story he wrote had one thing in common - it didn't have an ending. The killer was still out there.
But after the sudden death of a friend, crime writer Michelle McNamara, Billy became fed up. Following a dark night, he came up with a plan. A plan to investigate past the point when the cops have given up. A plan to solve the murders himself.
In Chase Darkness with Me, you'll ride shotgun as Billy identifies the Halloween Mask Murderer, finds a missing girl in the California Redwoods, and investigates the only other murder in New York City on 9/11. You'll hear intimate details of the hunts for two of the most terrifying serial killers in history: his friend Michelle's pursuit of the Golden State Killer which is chronicled in I'll Be Gone In The Dark which Billy helped finish after Michelle's passing, and his own quest to find the murderer of the Allenstown 4 family.
And Billy gives you the tools - and the rules - to help solve murders yourself.
Gripping, complex, unforgettable, Chase Darkness with Me is an examination of the evil forces that walk among us, illustrating a novel way to catch those killers, and a true crime narrative unlike any you've listened to before.
Evil Has a Name by Paul Holes, Jim Clemente, and Peter McDonnell
About the book:
The Golden State Killer. The East Area Rapist. The Original Night Stalker. The Visalia Ransacker.
The monster who preyed on Californians from 1976 to 1986 was known by many aliases. And while numerous police sketches tried to capture his often-masked visage, the Golden State Killer spent more than 40 years not only faceless, but nameless.
For his victims, for their families and for the investigators tasked with finding him, the senselessness and brutality of the Golden State Killer's acts were matched only by the powerlessness they felt at failing to uncover his identity. To be sure, the chances of obtaining closure-or any form of justice-after so many years were slim to none, at best.
Then, on April 24, 2018, authorities arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., based on DNA evidence linked to the crimes. After a decades-long hunt, a suspect was behind bars. Could it be that evil finally had a name?
Delivering all-new details about the investigation and a stunning final act to the events of Michelle McNamara's haunting bestseller, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, this is the true story of how the suspected Golden State Killer was captured, as told, first-hand, by those closest to the case:
Paul Holes-the forensic criminologist and retired Costa County detective who spent 20 years trying to crack the Golden State Killer case, and finally did.
Jim Clemente (Host)-a retired FBI profiler and former New York City prosecutor who has investigated some of the highest profile criminal cases in U.S. history, including the Unabomber.
Please note: This work contains descriptions of violent crime and sexual assault and may not be suitable for all listeners.
For a Laugh & Great Storytelling by a Familiar Voice
After all the dark, dark listening above, you may want something to lighten things up and make you smile. If you’re of my generation or before it, you probably are familiar with this next narrator. Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up is an autobiography about his stand up career—before he became a movie star. This was such a fun listen, and Martin’s voice is like listening to an old friend. Also, if you’re in a creative field, there were lots of great tidbits about the creative life. I really enjoyed this one.
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
About the book:
In the mid-70s, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. Born Standing Up is, in his own words, the story of "why I did stand-up and why I walked away".
At age 10 Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott's Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory.
Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times: the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late 60s, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the 70s.
For My Fellow Children of the 90s/Early 00s and Movie Enthusiasts
I love a movie list almost as much as I love a book list, but this was such a fun listen because I was 19 and in college in 1999 (also the year I met my husband) so I remember this era very clearly and loved a lot of these movies already. But I hadn’t seen all of them, and hearing the author go into depth about each of them was so fascinating. In addition to providing backstories about the movies, he also tied the movies in with what was going on culturally and politically at the time. So interesting! It made me want to watch them all. This was an engaging and fun listen that will make you run to your nearest streaming device to queue up the movies. I wish I had an audiobook for other years of movies. It was such a fun format.
Best. Movie. Year. Ever. : How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raftery
About the book:
From a veteran culture writer and modern movie expert, a celebration and analysis of the movies of 1999 - arguably the most groundbreaking year in American cinematic history.
In 1999, Hollywood as we know it exploded: Fight Club. The Matrix. Office Space. Election. The Blair Witch Project. The Sixth Sense. Being John Malkovich. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. American Beauty. The Virgin Suicides. Boys Don't Cry. The Best Man. Three Kings. Magnolia. Those are just some of the landmark titles released in a dizzying movie year, one in which a group of daring filmmakers and performers pushed cinema to new limits - and took audiences along for the ride. Freed from the restraints of budget, technology (or even taste), they produced a slew of classics that took on every topic imaginable, from sex to violence to the end of the world. The result was a highly unruly, deeply influential set of films that would not only change filmmaking, but also give us our first glimpse of the coming 21st century. It was a watershed moment that also produced The Sopranos; Apple's Airport; Wi-Fi; and Netflix's unlimited DVD rentals.
Best. Movie. Year. Ever. is the story of not just how these movies were made, but how they remade our own vision of the world. It features more than 130 new and exclusive interviews with such directors and actors as Reese Witherspoon, Steven Soderbergh, Sofia Coppola, David Fincher, Nia Long, Matthew Broderick, Taye Diggs, M. Night Shyamalan, David O. Russell, James Van Der Beek, Kirsten Dunst, the Blair Witch kids, the Office Space dudes, the guy who played Jar-Jar Binks, and dozens more. It's the definitive account of a culture-conquering movie year none of us saw coming...and that we may never see again.
For a Warm, Cozy and Brilliant Pep Talk for Creatives
This was a reread for me—a rarity, as I’m not a re-reader. I had read this first in hardcover, but I decided I needed to hear the information again, and I wanted it told to me in Elizabeth Gilbert’s voice. Her voice is so soothing, like a confident big sister or aunt who is telling you to trust yourself and your creativity and that things are going to be okay. You just feel better after listening. I love her take on creativity and on how to live a creative life without sacrificing ourselves on the alter of artistic angst. If you haven’t read this and are in a creative field, I highly encourage you to grab this one. Yes, there’s some woo woo in there. But when Gilbert says it, you want to believe she’s right about it.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
About the book:
"A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life... I dare you not to be inspired to be brave, to be free, and to be curious." (PopSugar)
From the worldwide best-selling author of Eat Pray Love and City of Girls: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you've dreamed of. Fantastic inspiration for the new year.
Readers and listeners of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert's books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the "strange jewels" that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
That’s it! Those are my top 5 for the year—at least so far. (As someone with a December 31 book release date, I’m well aware that the year of books is not over. :) )
What great audiobooks have you listened to this year?
