New Ear Resolutions 2019

New Ear Resolutions

I love giving recommendations. Now I’m making time to receive.

My listening resolution is to make time for titles passionately recommended to me by people I trust, including but not limited to Audible editors (sitting near Emily, Abby, and Rachel has really filled up my wishlist!) This year I will listen to Where the Crawdads Sing, as the only novel recommended to me by my non-fiction book editor friend, Michael; Daemon Voices by Philip Pullman, recommended by my adored high school English teacher and now (still adored) Audible listener member, John; and The Fall by Camus, a favorite book of actor Edoardo Ballerini’s…which he also performs! My college classmate, Eric, runs an opera company (please note I do have friends who aren’t in the business of spoken-word entertainment…some people sing their stories, lol!) and gave me the gift of Ludmila Ulitskaya’s Big Green Tent a few years ago; his pick for me for 2019 is The Vegetarian by Han Kang.

Christina H.

Editor Audible

I’ve always been a music-only girl when running…

And because of that I hardly run anymore because I MUCH prefer listening to a great story. I find myself on the elliptical forever because I can’t face running when I’m at a good part (conveniently I’m always at a good part at the gym). Well, no more. I am bound and determined to up my fitness goals by training myself to listen while running, and this highly-recommended-by-my-fellow-editors book feels like the perfect, fast-paced, adventurous, romantic, swashbuckling tale to get me started.

Emily C.

Editor Audible

Experimenting with new formats

From my college days working in a book store to my early career as a librarian, I think it’s safe to say I’m a card-carrying book nerd. Which is why, in 2019, I want to challenge myself to try listens that fall outside the definition of audio “book”—think: theater, comedy sets, slam poetry, podcasts, and more. And I’m honestly pretty excited about it! Creators are dreaming up super cool, innovative, and original ways to tell stories through audio entertainment, and I want to be in the front row to hear it—starting with The Diary of a Hounslow Girl, Ambreen Razia’s funny and eye-opening one-woman play that defies stereotypes about Muslim women.

Rachel S.

Editor Audible

Marathon listen, here I come (gulp).

I’m ready for you, 2019. But am I ready to make good on my listening resolution, which is to finally tackle the elephant in my library? As a true crime buff, I’ve been meaning to immerse myself in William L. Shirer’s history of Nazi Germany—the definitive account of the worst crimes of the 20th century—for ages, but at 57 hours, it’s hard to not be intimidated. Still, with stellar reviews and a legendary narrator as my guide, this is the year to make it happen. One listener even said, “This is a book that I will very probably savor again” (!!) while another commented, “I’ve listened to Grover Gardner more than I’ve listened to [my wife] in 15 years of marriage.” That’s it, I’m taking the plunge—see you in 2020, I hope.

Kat J.

Editor Audible

I resolve to get lost in a new world

Lead by the likes of Tade Thompson (author of Rosewater) and Tomi Adeyemi (author of Children of Blood and Bone), Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories with rich African influences are having a huge (and well deserved) moment in the literary world. So, I’m jumping on the bandwagon with gusto in 2019! I have heard nothing but rave reviews about the aforementioned Rosewater—set in Nigeria near an alien biodome—from our resident Sci-Fi editor, Sam Pagan, and I can’t wait to dive in.

Kyle S.

Editor Audible

A great big history listen

I’ve downloaded so many History titles over the past year and I’m embarrassed to admit that haven’t even started one of them. This is probably a ridiculous thing to say, but there’s something about taking on a long History listen that I don’t feel ready for. I’ve always felt like, in the future, when I’m older and retired, I’ll spend my time sitting in my designated reading chair and really get into the genre by plowing through giant History books day after day. But I guess it’s a New Year and there’s no time like now to get a jumpstart on that future with an audiobook about the Brooklyn Bridge. I’ve been thinking about The Great Bridge a lot since I moved to Brooklyn this past summer, so I think this is the perfect place to start.

Aaron S.

Editor Audible

Conquering commitment issues…

...to series that is. See, no matter how much I’m enjoying a series, I somehow manage to get distracted and pick up a fresh, new listen right as it’s time to start the final book. There it sits in my to-listen list, neglected for so long that I worry I have to re-listen to the whole series to refresh myself, and by that point the pressure is enough to make me pick up literally anything else in my library. No more—I’m committing to finishing these four series (even those that are currently unfinished *cough* Kingkiller Chronicle) that I already started in 2019.

Sam P.

Editor Audible

Finally I’ll be able to answer the question: so, how does it end?

Around the offices and among friends and family, I’m an unapologetic unfinisher. I like to think it’s a side effect of my voracious appetite for all kinds of genres, authors, narrators, and subjects—either that or I’m just not good with goodbyes and endings. One genre for which I definitely over index on the unfinishing scale is fiction, so this year I’m resolving to listen to (and finish!) more fiction, and am well on my way with Ottessa Moshfegh’s 2018 masterpiece My Year of Rest and Relaxation, propelled by the rich and varied narration by Julia Whelan.

Courtney R.

Editor Audible

It’s in the how, not the what

This year, I feel like I’ll have no problem finding things to listen to—I’ll enjoy the contemporary fiction I love with a healthy smattering of nonfiction and genre fiction mixed in. What I resolved to do more of is listening at home. I mostly listen in the car, and admit to opting for TV far too much these days once I pull in the driveway. So, while I in no way plan on canceling my HULU or Netflix subscriptions, I will be sure to make use of the nifty Bluetooth device I got for Christmas and the Audible app on my smart TV. And the first book I plan on listening to in 2019—out loud, while in my room—will be The Great Believers, written by Rebecca Makkai and read by Michael Crouch. It’s one I almost missed in 2018 and I can’t wait to start listening.

Tricia F.

Editor Audible

No Screentime Before Bedtime

Research shows that everyone should turn off their screens at least a half hour before heading to bed. I try, but admit the habit (or maybe it’s my willpower) isn’t as strong as it should be. I’ve decided the easiest way to make going dark part of my routine is to reunite with some childhood friends—Lucy, Aslan, Mr. Tumnus, and the rest of the citizens of Narnia. In the years since Mr. Hagel read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe to my 5th grade class, I’ve read the series more than once, but I’ve never listened to it. To support my no-screens-before-bed resolution, I’ve added The Chronicles of Narnia to my library and every night I’ll listen to a chapter, while I relax and travel to the world beyond the wardrobe.

Heather S.

Editor Audible