AMI Audiobook Review
Accessible Media Inc.
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Hosted by Ramya Amuthan and Nisreen Abdel-Majid, the AMI Audiobook Review lets you know about great new content in the audiobook realm with help from authors, listeners and regular contributors.
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3 days ago
Episode 80: Competitive athletes
We welcome back Jeffrey Rainey, Producer of the Living Blind podcast, Hosted by Balance for Blind Adults. We examine memoires by competitive athletes who've penned the truth behind their experiences after leaving the game.
Plus, Let's press Pause or Play on The house in the pines By Ana Reyes, a thriller being featured on the homepage of the Centre for Equitable Library Access.
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Mar 11, 2023
Episode 79: Know Your Narrator - Lorelei King
Sara Hillis features the voice work of Lorelei King, Co-author of Storyteller: How to be an Audiobook Narrator.
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Mar 4, 2023
Episode 78: Freedom to Read
We check in with Karen McKay and Theresa Power of the Centre for Equitable Library Access. Off the heals of Freedom to Read week 2023, we consider the reasons and perspectives around why books are banned and challenged around the world.
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Feb 25, 2023
Episode 77: Romance, fantasy and mystery
Let's highlight titles of Romance, Fantasy and Mystery with Aamer Khan. Plus, what weighs more to you, the reader, production or narration? We discuss.
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Feb 18, 2023
Episode 76: Black History book talk
Let's celebrate Black writers, recognize Black stories, and explore Black identities. Sehdeen Lowe shares her love and joy of picking up books by Black authors, hearing Black stories, and through these pages finding the threads of similar realities she faces as a Black woman.
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Feb 11, 2023
Episode 75: Know Your Narrator - Robin Miles
Robin Miles is a narrator with a passion for reading, voicing, and training others to voice. We get to know her work on Know Your Narrator, with Sara Hillis. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the fantasy title, Into the Broken Lands, By Tanya Huff.
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Feb 4, 2023
Episode 74: Book goals for 2023
How do last year's reading goals affect our goals of 2023? Let's get into setting book goals with Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the Centre for Equitable Library Access.
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Jan 28, 2023
Episode 73: Highlighting authors
Inspiration is everything. Aamer Khan highlights three authors, their popular works, and the related background experiences that seep into the authors' writing of these works.
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Jan 21, 2023
Episode 72: Library lending
We welcome Em Williams, Supervisor for Media Accessibility at AMI. She recommends Demystifying Disability, by Emily Ladau, a welcoming read for anyone new to disability conversation.
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Jan 14, 2023
Episode 71: January LeVoy
Sara Hillis features one of the Golden Voices of Audiophile Magazine, January LeVoy - an actress turned versatile audiobook storyteller, on Know Your Narrator.
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Jan 7, 2023
Episode 70: Celebrity memoirs
Do we enjoy getting a peak into influencers' lives? To kick off our first conversation of 2023, we dive into celebrity memoirs, with Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the Centre for Equitable Library Access. We highlight Spare by Prince Harry, Surrender: 40 songs, one story by Bono, Michelle Obama's Becoming, and other life accounts, written and read by the author.
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Dec 31, 2022
Episode 69: Top audiobook picks of 2022
Friends, we've dedicated this entire episode to featuring your top audiobook picks of 2022.
We chat with lovely individuals on this show every week, members of the blind and low vision community, allies and friends, avid audiobook listeners and book lovers of all kinds, all over Canada.
All year, we've opened up the space to review, discuss, recommend, browse, conceptualize and reminisce on Audiobooks.
Now, let's shout out the books that have stuck with you through the year, making it on your top pick list for 2022.
Nisreen and I have compiled your messages and reflections!
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Dec 24, 2022
Episode 68: How books can take you places
Today's theme is Immersive Reading: how books can take you places.
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Dec 17, 2022
Episode 67: Pal Reading Services
Danielle McLaughlin is the President of Pal Reading Services. She speaks to the important work done by the organization.
Plus, Danielle highlights Olive Kitterdge, by Elizabeth Strout, one of many reads she's currently enjoying.
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Dec 10, 2022
Episode 66: Know Your Narrator - Simon Vance
On Know Your Narrator, Sara Hillis features Simon Vance, a narrator who's lent his voice to every kind of title you can imagine.
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Dec 3, 2022
Episode 65: CELA Holiday Cheer
Notable literary awards were handed out in November. We review the winners and prizes with Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the Centre for Equitable Library Access. Plus, we feature new Christmas books available on the CELA Library for your listening.
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Nov 26, 2022
Episode 64: Mystery, Romance and some Real Confusion
Aamer Khan reflects on his month of audiobook listening as "Mystery, romance and some real confusion." We dive into these categories with him.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the police procedural fiction, titled Blackwater Falls, by Ausma Zehanat Khan.
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Nov 19, 2022
Episode 63: The Graphic Novels Project
Our guest this week is Joeita Gupta, Host of The Pulse on AMI-audio. We dissect the translation of Graphic Novels into audio formats, and compare our perspectives to those of Rhianna McGregor Hajzer, an Accessibility Tester with CELA's Graphic Novels Project.
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Nov 12, 2022
Episode 62: Know Your Narrator - Dick Hill
In October, 2022, we lost one of the great narrators of our time, Dick Hill. Sara Hillis tributes this month's Know Your Narrator to his 30-year vocal career.
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Nov 5, 2022
Episode 61: Transgender Awareness Month
Karen McKay and Theresa Power highlight the Governor General’s Awards shortlists announced recently. Plus, we feature books in recognition of Transgender Awareness Month.
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Oct 31, 2022
Episode 60: Toronto Book Awards
Aamer Khan visited the Toronto Book Awards! He reviews the walks and talks he engaged in with authors.
Plus, we catch up on Aamer's ongoing book count for 2022, which has just reached a milestone!
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Oct 29, 2022
Episode 59: The Audiobook Industry
We welcome Andy Frank, Manager of AMI-audio, for his insights on the industry of audiobooks and where listening is headed.
We hit Pause or Play on the True Crime book, The case of the murderous Dr. Cream, By Dean Jobb.
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Oct 15, 2022
Episode 58: Finding ourselves in others' stories
Rozina Issani shares why reading The Doctor will not see you now, by Jane Paulson, left such a significant mark on her.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the adventure tale, Ashfall prophecy, By Pittacus Lore.
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Oct 8, 2022
Episode 57: The Voice Behind Harry Potter Audiobooks, Jim Dale
Jim Dale's narration of the Harry Potter audiobook series holds the top six places in the top ten audiobooks in America and Canada. Sara Hillis introduces us to the man behind the voice, on Know Your Narrator.
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Sep 24, 2022
Episode 56: Sometimes, it takes two
Aamer Khan highlights co-authored books, and shares a unique example of group-writing, in which one author picked up the end of another writer's beginning.
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Sep 17, 2022
Episode 55: Books in different languages,
Can books feel lost in translation? We hear from Peter Tsatsanis, Host of Peter's Book Club, who expresses his love for reading books in other languages.
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Sep 10, 2022
Episode 54: Scott Brick highlights
On Know Your Narrator, Sara Hillis highlights Scott Brick, who started his voice career in 1999, and is now Audible's "most prolific narrator." We find out where it all started for him.
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Sep 3, 2022
Episode 53: The Aurora Awards
Karen McKay and Theresa Power, from the Centre for Equitable Library Access, feature titles from the Fantasy genre, recognized from this year's Aurora Awards.
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Aug 27, 2022
Episode 52: True Crime Titles
How often do we check out True Crime in books, rather than podcasts or TV series? Aamer Khan takes us through his thoughts on the subject. Plus, he reviews Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases, by Paul Holes.
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Aug 20, 2022
Episode 51: This is how books leave marks
Embers, by Richard Wagamese, is a title that has left a huge mark on Melanie Marsden. We learn why. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on All the things we don't talk about, By Amy Feltman.
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Aug 13, 2022
Episode 50: Davina Porter highlights
Let's get to another Know Your Narrator feature, with Sara Hillis. Today we discuss one of Sara's all-time favourite voices, Davina Porter, best recognized for her work in the Outlander series.
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Aug 6, 2022
Episode 49: Books being converted to film and TV shows
Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the Centre for Equitable Library Access feature books being converted to film and TV shows.
Plus, we discuss the Stephen Leacock short list and the Booker prize nominees for 2022.
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Jul 30, 2022
Episode 48: Last Saturday of July, end it with romance
Though it’s impossible, AMI Content Development Specialist Karen Magee tries her best to pick her favourite book.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on River of the gods, By Candice Millard.
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Jul 23, 2022
Episode 47: A Contemporary Romance
Let’s put families on top! Aamer Khan highlights family-friendly titles, and some serious reads focusing on family dynamics.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the Contemporary Romance title, You made a fool of death with your beauty, By Akwaeke Emezi.
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Jul 16, 2022
Episode 46: The Social Distance Between Us
Jeffery Reiney highlights Darren McGarvy, a rapper, social commentator, and activist, who wrote the title The Social Distance Between Us.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the auto-biography Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey.
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Jul 9, 2022
Episode 45: Know Your Narrator
Sara Hillis debuts our brand new segment: Know Your Narrator. First up, we feature the classic Recorded Books voice of Frank Muller, known for his recordings of Stephen King novels.
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Jul 2, 2022
Episode 44: Popular books and their read-alikes
We get to major awards and literary news with Karen McKay and Theresa Power, from the Centre for Equitable Library Access.
Plus, they feature titles under the theme: Popular books and their read-alikes.
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Jun 25, 2022
Episode 43: The Beginning the Middle and The End
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah, is an
absorbing account by a young man who gets swept up in Sierra Leone's civil war; we preview this recommendation by George Quarcoo. And, Aamer Khan takes us through the books he’s begun, the series he’s in the midst of, and ones he’s finally about to complete.
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Jun 18, 2022
Episode 42: Time flies when you’re driving with an Audiobook
No matter how busy life gets, Sehdeen Lowe gets her daily dose of Audiobooks in; she highlights some of her top listens.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the title Still just a geek, By Wil Wheaton.
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Jun 11, 2022
Episode 41: Rethinking your reads
Julie Martin has several thought-provoking book recommendations for us. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on Love that story: Observations from a gorgeously queer life, By Jonathan Van Ness.
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Jun 4, 2022
Episode 40: Let’s Celebrate Pride Month
Karen McKay and Theresa Power feature titles written by LGBTQ+ authors for Pride Month. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on The girl in the middle, a Biography by By Anais.
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May 28, 2022
Episode 39: Slow Down and slow Listen
Aamr Khan encourages us to take a step back on binge-listening, and slow down the pace for an intentional, unhurried experience. Plus, We highlight Asian Heritage Month with this week’s Pause or Play; The Book of Form and Emptiness, by Ruth Ozeki.
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May 21, 2022
Episode 38: The Human Element of Non-fiction Literature
Avid reader Kathrine Vatcher gives us her recommendation of a non-fiction favorite in her library, and explains her fascination of reading real-life stories. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the Romance title Sari, not sari, By Sonya Singh.
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May 14, 2022
Episode 37: Historical fiction
Does the clarity of audio make or break your listening experience? We talk through this question with Host of Mushroom FM, Sara Hillis.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the Historical Fiction title Her Hidden Genius, By Marie Benedict.
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May 7, 2022
Episode 36: Festival of Literary Diversity
The Centre for Equitable Library Access now offers its services in Manitoba. We get the details on that, plus a list of featured titles at this year’s Festival of Literary Diversity, with Karen McKay and Theresa Power.
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Apr 30, 2022
Episode 35: Narrator impressions
Greg David is dipping his toes into Audiobook-listening, and he has a lot to share on his impressions.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on Consuming History: Historians and Heritage in Contemporary Popular Culture, written by Jerome De Groot.
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Apr 23, 2022
Episode 34: Springing into Antarctica
We Spring into Antarctica with Aamer Khan!
Plus, let’s explore the self-development title Didn't See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart, written by Rachel Hollis.
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Apr 16, 2022
Episode 33: Fantasy trilogies
Wendy Hoang brings us deep into the world of fantasy behind the series, His Dark Materials.
Plus, We hit Pause or Play on the title Moon Witch, Spider King, By Marlon James.
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Apr 9, 2022
Episode 32: Short stories
Michael Feir is going through a short-story listening phase! We get his recommendations of authors and collections.
Plus, We press Pause or Play on Run Towards the Danger By Sarah Polley.
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Apr 2, 2022
Episode 31: Our favourite punny books
Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the Centre for Equitable Library Access share their favourite books with puns in the titles!
Plus, we press Pause or Play on the historical fiction tale, Daughters of the Deer, By Danielle Daniel.
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Mar 26, 2022
Episode 30: "She is a dreamer, she is a believer.... she is you."
We discuss Beyond vision: the story of a blind rower, by Victoria Nolan.
Plus, Aamer Khan catches us up on his list of reads for March, and it’s a long one!
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Mar 19, 2022
Episode 29: The Memoir Maid
Let’s meet Jacob Shymanski, Technical Producer at AMI-audio, with an appreciation for audiobooks.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on the Memoir Maid, written by Stephanie Land.
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Mar 12, 2022
Episode 28: Women in literature
Ryan Hooey of Kelly and Company’s Chatty Bookshelf joins us with his latest audiobook recommendations!
Plus, let’s press Pause or Play on Black Milk, by Elif Shafak.
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Mar 5, 2022
Episode 27: International Women's Day reads
CELA Library’s Karen McKay and Theresa Power highlight empowering, honest literature written by women.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the The midnight hour By Elly Griffiths.
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Feb 26, 2022
Episode 26: Celebrity memoirs
Do celebrity memoirs appeal to you? Kim Kilpatrick gives us her thoughts and recommends All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Dohr.
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Feb 19, 2022
Episode 25: Romance, Murder Mysteries and a touch of Vampires
We get talking Romance, Murder Mysteries and a touch of Vampires with Aamer Khan.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on The Red Palace By June Hur, a tale of Historical mystery.
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Feb 12, 2022
Episode 24: The longer the series, the better?
We get to know avid Audiobook listener Sarah Patel, and her take on choosing audiobooks and where to find them.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on the book All About Love: New Visions, written by Feminist Bell Hooks.
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Feb 5, 2022
Episode 23: Contemporary Romance
We get to CELA news and announcements with Theresa Power and Karen McKay.
Plus, they shout out some Contemporary Romance recommendations with diverse writing styles.
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Jan 29, 2022
Episode 22: Valentine's Day prep
Aamer Khan preps us for Valentine’s Day with romance book recommendations.
Plus, we cozy up with some listens of short poems by an anonymous local writer.
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Jan 22, 2022
Episode 21: The Outlander series
Marcia Yale doesn’t mind listening to Audiobooks using synthesized voices. She explains her reasons.
And, she recommends Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, by Diana Gabaldon, the ninth book in the Outlander series.
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Jan 15, 2022
Episode 20: Fantasy listens with Matt Agnew
Matt Agnew is one of the Technical Producers at AMI-audio, and he loves his fantasy listens! We hear about Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss, and get to know Matt’s Audiobook-listening habits.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on the fiction novel entitled Our darkest night, By Jennifer Robson.
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Jan 8, 2022
Episode 19: The Lord of the Rings
We catch up with Karen McKay and Theresa Power of the Centre for Equitable Library Access.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on an anticipated book release for 2022.
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Jan 1, 2022
Episode 18: Reading goals for 2022
We look ahead to how we’ll be experiencing audiobooks in 2022! We hear from friends who’ve joined us on the show, with their goals for 2022 listening.
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Dec 25, 2021
Episode 17: Year-end book review
We reflect on thoughtful, soul-finding listens of 2021 with Aamer Khan. Plus, he gives us Audiobook recommendations to kick off the New Year with.
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Dec 18, 2021
Episode 16: John Green Anthropocene Reviewed
We open up the space to review, discuss, recommend, browse, conceptualize and reminisce on Audiobooks.
We welcome Sam Robinson, Technical Producer at AMI-audio, another avid audiobook listener!
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Dec 11, 2021
Episode 15: Audiobook Journey with Kelly MacDonald
We chat with Kelly MacDonald about his recommended listen, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on the Mystery novel, The madness of crowds By Louise Penny.
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Dec 4, 2021
Episode 14: Writers Trust Fiction and Non Fiction Awards
We shout out a notable review by The Guardian on Taste: my life through food, By Stanley Tucci.
Plus, Theresa Power and Karen McKay of the Centre for Equitable Library Access update us on the winners of the Writer's Trust fiction and non fiction awards.
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Nov 27, 2021
Episode 13: Guilty pleasure reads
What are your guilty pleasure listens? Aamer Khan lets us in on some of his.
Plus, we press Pause or Play on It Ends With Us, written by Colleen Hoover.
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Nov 20, 2021
Episode 12: Recipe book throwbacks
Chyvonne Emile is currently listening to Swan Dive: The Making of a Rogue Ballerina, written by Georgina Pazcoguin. We hear her impressions of the Audiobook. We also chat about recipe audiobooks!
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Nov 13, 2021
Episode 11: Audiobook highlights with Debbie Williams
Debbie Williams loves her fix of Audiobooks! She highlights her recommendation, Stay, by Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Plus, we hit Pause or Play on The Dark Remains, By Ian Rankin and William McIlvanney.
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Nov 6, 2021
Episode 10: Literature Award season
Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the CELA Library highlight Literature Award season, and give us some notable recommendations. And, we hit Pause or Play on The Audacity, by Katherine Ryan.
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Oct 30, 2021
Episode 9: Engaging narrators
Can an engaging narrator make any text worth the read? Ian White, President of Toronto Visionaries, gives us his thoughts. Plus, we hit Pause or Play on Red X: A Novel, by David Demchuk.
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Oct 23, 2021
Episode 8: October top picks
Ready for a little scare? We crack open the October picks for Classic Horror reads, Halloween Romances, and Suspense Thrillers with Audiobook Worm Aamer Khan.
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Oct 16, 2021
Episode 7: Book listening habits with Bernard Akuoko
Bernard Akuoko joins us to chat about his book-listening habits, and he shares some recommendations.
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Oct 9, 2021
Episode 6: Beyond the Orange Shirt Story
We check in with Karen McKay and Theresa Power from the CELA Library, and chat about the service’s milestone of passing 1 million books. Plus, we preview the Memoir Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance, by Jesse Wente.
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Oct 2, 2021
Episode 5: Indigenous fiction
We preview Probably Ruby, By Lisa Bird-Wilson, a work of Indigenous fiction. Plus, we meet avid Audiobook listener Karoline Bourdeau, and hear her book recommendations.
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Sep 25, 2021
Episode 4: The Audiobook Journey of Aamer Khan
Aamer Khan is an audiobook worm, and leaves no book conversation off the table. We chat about the challenges of picking up books, and how to encourage ourselves and our friends to explore the wonderful world of literature. Plus, we take a closer look at Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family, written by Robert Kolker, and recommended by Oprah's Book Club.
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Sep 18, 2021
Episode 3: The Bookseller of Florence
Trending this week in audio-books, Audible is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and wishing happy birthday to the "undisputed queen of detective fiction". Plus, we chat with our friend Kamini Rodhan about a Renaissance story of technological disruption and the most prolific bookseller of the 15th century.
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Sep 11, 2021
Episode 2: Girl, Woman, Other
We glance over a few books from the CELA homepage, are you swiping left or right on one of those books? We also check in with an avid audiobook listener, Julia Bonnett joins us from Vancouver, BC.
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Sep 4, 2021
Episode 1: Audiobook Review Pilot
On our Pilot episode:
CELA is sharing some great news on a blooming partnership with Audible.
We hear a recommendation from a friend on a World War II story, and get into some notable book reviews.
Are you an avid audiobook listener? We check in with community member Yang Wang on her listening habits.
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Sep 3, 2021
The AMI Audiobook Review premieres September 4
Hosted by Ramya Amuthan and Nisreen Abdel-Majid. The AMI Audiobook Review lets you know about great new content in the audiobook realm with help from authors, listeners and regular contributors.
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