Authors as Narrators

Great authors bare their souls in the pages of books, but the bravest writers go a step further and read their words aloud. When authors narrate their own audiobooks they instantly add a level of intimacy to their work and they can even help their audience to uncover new layers of meaning in the text. The books below encompass a variety of genres and topics, but they all contain a personal touch that is sure to make listeners feel more connected to the material.

For a performance that's as revelatory as it is intimate, check out Chuck Palahniuk's conversational reading of Choke. It feels as if Chuck is sitting across from you at some greasy spoon telling you about a few of the most messed up people you could ever imagine. On the other hand, Ian McEwan delivers such a skillfully dramatic interpretation of On Chesil Beach that it's almost a pity he's such a brilliant novelist. If ever he tires of writing award-winning fiction, he could certainly take on a whole new career as an audiobook narrator.