The Audio Publisher’s Association has announced the finalists for the 2021 Audie Awards, which recognize the best audiobooks released in 2020. The 25 categories include the expected fiction and non-fiction categories, as well as awards for best narrator and multi-voice performance and more.
In the last few years, audiobooks have gained more and more listeners, with 2020 holding the record for the number of titles produced. The Audie Awards honor the best works in audio, and this year, finalists were chosen from over 1,500 submissions. Judges and panelists come from a wide range of backgrounds, including book sellers, librarians, educators, journalists, bloggers, and more, and they listen to hundreds of hours of audio to put forward the best of the best. The Audies also invite celebrity judges, and this year’s panel included Jennifer Egan, Tommy Orange, David Sedaris, Jerry Craft, V.E. Schwab, and Melissa de la Cruz.
The winners will be revealed in a virtual gala this year, which will stream online March 22 at 8:30 pm eastern and will be hosted by John Leguizamo. This year, the Audies see the return of the Audie Award for Spanish Language, granted for the last time 10 years ago.
Ready to get listening to the strongest audiobooks of the last year? Here are the just-announced finalists in each category. Note that you may need to toggle to the audiobook edition upon clicking the link to the book.
Audiobook Of The Year
The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success by Kevin Hart, written and narrated by Kevin Hart, published by Audible Originals
More Myself by Alicia Keys,written and narrated by Alicia Keys, published by Macmillan Audio
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, narrated by Quyen Ngo, published by
Dreamscape Media LLC
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, published by Bloomsbury PLC
We’re Better Than This by Elijah Cummings with James Dale, narrated by Nancy Pelosi, Laurence Fishburne, and Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, published by HarperAudio
Audio Drama
ATA Girl 2 by Helen Goldwyn and Louise Jameson, performed by Cory Chambers, Kate Copeland, Amy Downham, Helen Goldwyn, Holly Jackson Walters, Louise Jameson, Wilf Scolding, and Elinor Lawless, published by Big Finish Productions
Come Find Me by Erin Mallon, performed by Cynthia Darlow, Jonathan Davis, Caitlin Kelly, Erin Mallon, and Thérèse Plummer, published by Erin Mallon
Doctor Who – Stranded 1 by Matt Fitton, David K Barnes, Lisa McMullin, and John Dorney, performed by Paul McGann, Nicola Walker, Hattie Morahan, Rebecca Root, Tom Price, and Tom Baker, published by Big Finish Productions
The Ernie Pyle Experiment! by Michael Brainard and script editor Russell McGee, performed by Michael Brainard, Greta Lind, Kate Braun, Andrew Bowen, Josh Hogan, Tim Grimm, Peter Spellos, and a full cast, published by WFIU Public Radio
Frankenstein: A Stage Adaptation, adapted by A.S. Peterson, performed by Jared Reinfeldt, Euriamis Losada, Henry O. Arnold, Kim Bretton, Morgan Davis, Matt Rose, Micah Williams, Brooks Bennett, Austin Olive, and Garris Wimmer, published by Oasis Audio
Autobiography/Memoir
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley, by Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, narrated by Laurence Fishburne, published by Audible, Inc
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous, narrated by Gabra Zackman, featuring J. Smith-Cameron and Lyle Lovett, published by HMH Audio
Mr. New Orleans: The Life of a Big Easy Underworld Legend, by Frenchy Brouillette and Matthew Randazzo V, narrated by Louis Herthum, published by Sound Off Productions
Sigh, Gone, written and narrated by Phuc Tran, published by Macmillan Audio
Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener, narrated by Suehyla El-Attar, published by Macmillan Audio
Best Female Narrator
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin, narrated by Robin Miles, published by Hachette Audio
The Color Purple by Alice Walker, narrated by Samira Wiley, published by Audible Studios
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein, narrated by Marisa Tomei, published by Penguin Random House Audio
One by One by Ruth Ware, narrated by Imogen Church, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Best Male Narrator
All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny, narrated by Robert Bathurst, published by Macmillan Audio
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, narrated by Laurence Fishburne, published by Audible, Inc.
The Glimme by Emily Rodda and Marc McBride, narrated by Andrew Scott, published by Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, narrated by J.K. Simmons, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen, narrated by Scott Brick, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Business/Personal Development
The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Dr. Edith Eva Eger, narrated by Tovah Feldshuh, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs, written and narrated by Guy Raz, published by Audible Studios
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, written and narrated by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, published by HarperAudio
Improvise! by Max Dickins, narrated by Steve West, published by Brilliance Publishing
Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss, narrated by Tim Ferris, Ryan Holiday, Kevin Rose, Jocko Willink, Tim Kreider, Ralph Potts, Mike Delaponte, Kaleo Griffith, Ray Porter, and Thérèse Plummer, published by Audible Studios
Faith Based Fiction & Non-Fiction
Chasing Vines, written and narrated by Beth Moore, published by Oasis Audio
Cliff Falls: The Missing Pieces Edition by C. B. Shiepe, narrated by Santino Fontana, published by Cliff Falls Media, Inc.
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, written and narrated by Jen Hatmaker, published by Thomas Nelson
Old School Love, written and narrated by Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and Justine Simmons, published by HarperAudio
The Power of Favor, written and narrated by Joel Osteen, published by Hachette Audio
Fantasy
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin, narrated by Robin Miles, published by Hachette Audio
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, narrated by Daniel Henning, published by
Macmillan Audio
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, narrated by Julia Whelan, published by Macmillan Audio
The Last Smile in Sunder City, written and narrated by Luke Arnold, published by HachetteAudio
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, published by Blackstone Publishing
Fiction
Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain, narrated by Susan Bennett, published by Macmillan Audio
The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim, narrated by Greta Jung, published by HarperAudio
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, narrated by Carey Mulligan, published by Canongate Books UK / Penguin Random House Audio US
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan, narrated by Lydia Look, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis, published by Penguin Random House Audio
History/Biography
The Dead Are Arising by Les Payne and Tamara Payne, narrated by Dion Graham, published by Recorded Books
Deep Delta Justice by Matthew Van Meter, narrated by Brad Sanders, published by Hachette Audio
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham, with an afterword by John Lewis, narrated by JD Jackson, published by Penguin Random House Audio
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend by Colin Duriez, narrated by Simon Vance, published by Oasis Audio
Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine, narrated by Janina Edwards, published by Audible Studios
The Lincoln Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, narrated by Scott Brick, published by Macmillan Audio
Humour
The New One, written and narrated by Mike Birbiglia and J. Hope Stein, published by Hachette Audio
Nothing Like I Imagined, written and narrated by Mindy Kaling, published by Brilliance Publishing
Small Doses, written and narrated by Amanda Seales, published by Audible Studio
Surrender, White People!, by D.L. Hughley and Doug Moe, narrated by D.L. Hughley, published by HarperAudio
A Very Punchable Face, written and narrated by Colin Jost, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Wow, No Thank You, written and narrated by Samantha Irby, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Literary Fiction & Classics
The Color Purple by Alice Walker, narrated by Samira Wiley, published by Audible Studios
Deacon King Kong by James McBride, narrated by Dominic Hoffman, published by Penguin Random House Audio
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi, narrated by Yetide Badaki and Chukwudi Iwuji, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Pew by Catherine Lacey, narrated by Bahni Turpin, published by Brilliance Publishing
These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card, narrated by Karl O’Brian Williams, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Middle Grade
Genesis Begins Again, written and narrated by Alicia D. Williams, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliott, narrated by Fiona Hardingham and Gary Furlong, published by Brilliance Publishing
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender, narrated by Ron Butler, published by Scholastic Audio
Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott, narrated by Channie Waites, published by Recorded Books
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, Book 1 by Nic Stone, narrated by Anika Noni Rose, published by Scholastic Audio
We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly, narrated by Ramon de Ocampo, published by HarperAudio
Multi-Voiced Performance
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte, published by HarperAudio
How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior, narrated by Helen Lloyd, Andrew Fallaize, and Mandy Williams, published by Penguin Random House Audio
No Name by Wilkie Collins, narrated by Nicholas Boulton, Lucy Scott, Rachel Atkins, David Rintoul, Russell Bentley, and John Foley, published by Naxos AudioBooks c/o Naxos of America, Inc.
The Switch by Beth O’Leary, narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, published by Macmillan Audio
The Trial of the Chicago 7, edited by Mark L. Levine, George C. McNamee, and Daniel L. Greenberg, narrated by J.K. Simmons, Jeff Daniels, Chris Jackson, Corey Stoll, John Hawkes, Chris Chalk, Luke Kirby, Norbert Leo Butz, George Newbern, and a full cast, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Women Who Wrote by Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Gertrude Stein, and Phillis Wheatley, narrated by Chloe Dolandis, Jude Mason, and Tyra Kennedy, published by Thomas Nelson
Mystery
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones, narrated by Lorelei King, published by Macmillan Audio
Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger, narrated by Vivienne Leheny, published by HarperAudio
Fair Warning by Michael Connelly, narrated by Peter Giles and Zach Villa, published by Hachette Audio
The Guest List by Lucy Foley, narrated by Chloe Massey, Olivia Dowd, Sarah Ovens, Rich Keeble, Aoife McMahon, and Jot Davies, published by HarperAudio
Trouble Is What I Do by Walter Mosley, narrated by Dion Graham, published by Hachette Audio
Narration By Author Or Authors
Acid for the Children, written and narrated by Flea, published by Hachette Audio
Hollywood Park, written and narrated by Mikel Jollett, published by Macmillan Audio
Homie: Poems, written and narrated by Danez Smith, published by HighBridge Audio, a division of Recorded Books
In Dependence, written and narrated by Sarah Ladipo Manyika, published by Recorded Books
Little Weirds, written and narrated by Jenny Slate, published by Hachette Audio
More Myself, written and narrated by Alicia Keys, published by Macmillan Audio
Non-Fiction
Fire in Paradise by Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano, narrated by T. Ryder Smith, published by Recorded Books
If You Tell by Gregg Olsen, narrated by Karen Peakes, published by Brilliance Publishing
Rage by Bob Woodward, narrated by Robert Petkoff, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, narrated by Jennifer Garner, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Wandering in Strange Lands, written and narrated by Morgan Jerkins, published by
HarperAudio
Original Work
Barack Obama: The 60 Minutes Interviews by Steve Kroft, narrated by Barack Obama and Steve Kroft, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
The Confederacy: Truth and Reconciliation, written and narrated by T Bone Burnett, published by Audible Originals
The End of My Heart by Gayle Forman, narrated by Diane Kruger, Piper Goodeve, Gabriel Vaughan, Elizabeth Evans, Josh Hurley, Amanda Ronconi, Emily Bauer, Neil Hellegers, and Jesse Einstein, published by Audible Originals
Getting Started with Sourdough: From Flour to Levain to One Great Loaf, written and narrated by Chad Robertson and Jennifer Latham, published by Penguin Random House Audio
When You Finish Saving the World by Jesse Eisenberg, narrated by Finn Wolfhard, Kaitlyn Dever, and Jesse Eisenberg, published by Audible Originals
Romance
Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone, narrated by Luci Christian and Neil Hellegers, published by Audible Originals
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas, narrated by Mary Jane Wells, published by HarperAudio
Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward, narrated by Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan, published by Brilliance Publishing
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, narrated by Adjoa Andoh, published by HarperAudio
The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren, narrated by Patti Murin and Jon Root, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Science Fiction
Aliens: Phalanx by Scott Sigler, narrated by Bronson Pinchot, published by Blackstone Publishing
Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis, narrated by Stephanie Willis and Oliver Thorn, published by Macmillan Audio
The Deep by Rivers Solomon, with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes, narrated by Daveed Diggs, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Heaven’s River by Dennis E. Taylor, narrated by Ray Porter, published by Audible Originals
Ruins of the Galaxy by J.N. Chaney and Christopher Hopper, narrated by R.C. Bray, published by Podium Audio
Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn, narrated by Marc Thompson, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Short Stories/Collections
Burnt Tongues, edited by Chuck Palahniuk, Richard Thomas, and Dennis Widmyer, narrated by Christopher David, Jordan Killam, Pete Cross, Cady Zuckerman, Nick Mondelli, David Bendena, Pat Grimes, Mark Owen, Kat Rose-Martin, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Katherine Littrell, James Patrick Cronin, Timothy Andrés Pabon, Cary Hite, Qarie Marshall, Jack Meloche, Thom Rivera, Steve West, Steve Wojtas, Tanya Eby, and Patrick Lawlor, published by Dreamscape Media LLC
The Chekhov Collection of Short Stories by Anton Chekhov, narrated by Richard Armitage, published by Audible Studios
Inquire Within, written and narrated by In-Q, published by HarperAudio
Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben H. Winters, narrated by Scott Aiello, Kevin T. Collins, and Ellen Archer, published by Audible Originals
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning, written and narrated by Cathy Park Hong, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Spanish Language
Evelyn Del Rey se muda by Meg Medina, narrated by Jane Santos, published by Dreamscape Media LLC
La Hermandad del Triskelion by German Rodriguez Citraro, narrated by Juan Guzman, published by FonoLibro Inc
El Laberinto del Fauno by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke, narrated by Luis Ávila, published by Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial México
Mi sombría Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, narrated by Ximena Restrepo, published by HarperAudio
Si, si es contigo, written and narrated by Calle y Poché, published by Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Colombia
Thriller/Suspense
If It Bleeds by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton, Danny Burstein, and Steven Weber, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
The Sentinel by Lee Child and Andrew Child, narrated by Scott Brick, published by Penguin Random House Audio
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole, narrated by Susan Dalian and Jay Aaseng, published by HarperAudio
Yard Work by David Koepp, narrated by Kevin Bacon, published by Audible Originals
Young Adult
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte, published by HarperAudio
Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story), written and narrated by Daniel Nayeri, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly, narrated by Rosie Jones, published by Scholastic Audio
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow, narrated by Jennifer Haralson and Andrea Laing, published by Macmillan Audio
This Is My America by Kim Johnson, narrated by Bahni Turpin, published by Penguin Random House Audio
Young Listeners
Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, narrated by Daxton Edwards, published by Dreamscape Media LLC
The Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome, narrated by Shayna Small and Dion Graham, published by Live Oak Media
Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, narrated by Cherise Booth, published by Live Oak Media
Say Something, written and narrated by Peter H. Reynolds, published by Weston Woods Studios
The Sesame Street Podcast with Foley and Friends by Sesame Workshop, narrated by Lindsey Briggs, Tyler Bunch, Ryan Dillon, and a full cast, published by Audible Studios
Stuck by Chris Grabenstein, narrated by Mark Sanderlin, Elizabeth Hess, Oliver Wyman, Farah Bala, Rita Wolf, Caroline Grogan, Cynthia Darlow, Mateo D’Amato, J.J. Myers, Neil Hellegers, Genesis Oliver, and Chris Grabenstein, published by Audible Originals
If you’d like to know more about the Audie Awards, you can find more information here, including the slate of past winners and finalists.