3 Literary Listens

Three audio book recommendations you should add to your library

We always set a yearly reading goal, and audio books have become one of our favorite ways to enjoy books, stories and literature. So, if you’re looking for a few great literature listens, here are a few audio books we think you should give a try! 

Tom Lake

Ann Patchett

Read by Meryl Streep

We’ve talked about Tom Lake before here at The Bookery, but the audio book soars because of Meryl Streep’s narration. Tom Lake is essentially a mother telling her young adult daughters about her long-ago, brief fling with a man who went on to become a world-famous actor. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel captures a moment when the world felt like it was on pause and reflects on love, particularly the love of family. Like other Patchett books, it’s sometimes hard to express what the book is about, since her topics tend to focus on the regular, daily life of ordinary people, but Streep’s narration brings the book—and the voice of the mother, Lara—to life. It’s worth a listen! 

A Flicker in the Dark

Stacy Willingham

Read by Karissa Vacker

More in the mood for a thriller? Why not give Stacy Willingham’s debut novel a try? A Flicker in the Dark the story of Chloe Davis, a psychologist, is still wrestling with the fallout from the fateful summer when she was 12—and her father confessed to being behind the abduction and murder of six teenage girls. Chloe is forced to reckon with the aftermath of that summer when 20 years later, teenage girls begin to go missing again, and she can’t help but see the similarities. You’ll keep listening just to find out what happens next. 

Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen

Read by Rosamund Pike

An Audible Original, this audio book is free if you have an Audible membership. It’s a straightforward take on Jane Austen’s classic, Sense and Sensibility is the story of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood as they navigate the murky waters of love, which is, of course, full of pitfalls, many of them due to the expectations and ideals of British high society. Pike, who notably played Jane Bennett in the Kiera Knightley movie version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, is a capable narrator who obviously greatly respects and loves the classic. 

What’s your favorite recent listen? Share your audiobook recommendations in the comments! 

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