Gary Dell’Abate, a.k.a "Baba Booey,” avid audiobook listener and producer of the world-renowned Howard Stern Radio Show, kicked off the event as this year’s host to help APA honor the best titles in a variety of genres from the 2009 publishing year.

The Audiobook of the Year award went to Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales edited by Nelson Mandela (Hachette Audio) who beat competitors, The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze (Simon & Schuster Audio) and previous Audie winner, The Word of Promise® Audio Bible (Thomas Nelson, Inc).

 

The winning title stood out for excellent presentation, original music, meaningful bonus material, and a stellar marketing plan, the APA notes. 

 

Also, recognizing a production that represents the best the format has to offer in listening excellence, the Distinguished Achievement in Production award was presented to The Help by Kathryn Stockett for the narrators’ flawless interpretation of the source material.

"Every year the entries raise the bar in both innovation and creativity,” says Janet Benson, APA President.

 

"We thank all entrants for continuing to produce thought-provoking and quality product and for making the Audies a must-attend industry event.”

Reviews and sound clips are available at www.TheAudies.com, courtesy of AudioFile magazine.

 

And of course, many additional outstanding narrators were declared finalists in this year's competition. Click here for that complete listing.

2010 AUDIE WINNERS

 

Distinguished Achievement in Production
The Help
By: Kathryn Stockett
Read by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer and Cassandra Campbell
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Executive Producer: Patti Pirooz
Producer: Dan Musselman
Director: Gabrielle De Cuir

Audiobook Adaptation
The Maltese Falcon
By: Dashiell Hammett
Read by: Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, Edward Herrmann and a full cast
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Executive Producer: Josh Stanton
Producer/Director: Yuri Rasovsky

Audio Drama
The Word of Promise® Audio Bible
Read by: Michael York, Richard Dreyfuss, Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, Marisa Tomei, Lou Gossett, Jr. and a full cast
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Producer: Carl Amari
Director: JoBe Cerny

Biography/Memoir
Anne Frank Remembered
By: Miep Gies and Alison Leslie Gold
Read by: Barbara Rosenblat
Publisher: Dan Balow/Oasis Audio
Producer: Tim Lundeen
Director: Susan Mackewich

Business/Educational
Rain: What A Paper Boy Learned About Business
Author and Narrator: Jeffrey J. Fox
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Executive Producer: Colleen Rockey
Director: Tony Hudz

Children’s Titles for Ages Up To 8
Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken
By: Kate DiCamillo
Read by: Barbara Rosenblat
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Executive Producer: Arnold Cardillo
Producers/Directors: Arnold Cardillo and Rory Young

Children’s Titles for Ages 8-12
Operation Yes
By: Sara Holmes
Read by: Jessica Almasy
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Executive Producer: Jennifer Bassuk
Producer: George James

Classic
Great Expectations
By: Charles Dickens
Read by: Charlton Griffin
Publisher: Audio Connoisseur
Producer/Director: Charlton Griffin

Fiction
The Help
By: Kathryn Stockett
Read by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer and Cassandra Campbell
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Executive Producer: Patti Pirooz
Producer: Dan Musselman
Director: Gabrielle De Cuir

History
Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath
By: Michael Norman and Elizabeth M. Norman
Read by: Michael Prichard
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Executive Producer: Ron Formica

Humor
Church People: The Lutherans of Lake Wobegon
By: Garrison Keillor
Read by: Garrison Keillor
Publisher: HighBridge Company
Producers: Tiffany Hanssen and Katrina Cicala with Kathryn Slusher, Kate Gustafson and Kay Gornick

Inspirational / Faith-Based (Fiction)
A Month of Summer
By: Lisa Wingate
Read by: Johanna Parker
Publisher: Recorded Books
Executive Producer: Claudia Howard
Producer: JMC Sound
Director: June Miller

Inspirational / Faith-Based (Non-Fiction)
The Word of Promise® Audio Bible
Read by: Michael York, Richard Dreyfuss, Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, Marisa Tomei, Lou Gossett, Jr., and a full cast
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Producer: Carl Amari
Director: JoBe Cerny

Literary Fiction
Wolf Hall
By: Hilary Mantel
Read by: Simon Slater
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Multi-Voiced Performance
Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales
Edited by: Nelson Mandela
Read by: a full celebrity cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Mirren, Don Cheadle and Alan Rickman
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Executive Producers: Sharon Gelman, Bradley Silver, Anthony Goff and Kim Sayle
Producers: Sharon Gelman, Michele McGonigle and Alfre Woodard
Director: Alfre Woodard

Mystery
Devil in a Blue Dress: An Easy Rawlins Mystery
By: Walter Mosley
Read by: Michael Boatman
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Executive Producer: Steve Feldberg
Producer: George James
Directors/Engineers: Jon Authy and Josh Horn

Narration by the Author or Authors
Odd and the Frost Giants
Author and Narrator: Neil Gaiman
Publisher: HarperChildrensAudio
Executive Producer/Director: Michael Conroy

Non-Fiction
The National Parks
Authors and Narrators: Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan
Publisher: Random House Audio
Executive Producer: Aaron Blank
Director: Louis Milgrom

Original Work
Tell Me a Story: Women of Wonder
By: Amy Friedman
Read by: Bryce Dallas Howard, Paula Poundstone, Wendy Hammers, Margot Rose, Jessica DiCicco and Yvette Freeman
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio
Executive Producer: Dennis Danziger
Producer: Amy Friedman
Director: Lori Ada Jaroslow

Package Design
The Word of Promise® Audio Bible
Read by: Michael York, Richard Dreyfuss, Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, Marisa Tomei, Lou Gossett, Jr. and a full cast
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Producer: Carl Amari
Director: JoBe Cerny

Personal Development
Nurtureshock
By: Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
Read by: Po Bronson
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Producer/Director: Dennis Kao

Romance
The Untamed Bride
By: Stephanie Laurens
Read by: Simon Prebble
Publisher: HarperAudio
Executive Producer: Michael Conroy

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Bellwether
By: Connie Willis
Read by: Kate Reading
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Executive Producer: Josh Stanton
Producer: Grover Gardner

Short Stories/Collections
Black Mask Audio Magazine, Vol. 1
By: Dashiell Hammett and various authors
Read by: a full cast
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Executive Producer: Josh Stanton
Producer/Director: Yuri Rasovsky

Solo Narration – Female
The Chosen One
Read by: Jenna Lamia
By: Carol Lynch Williams
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Executive Producer: Laura Wilson
Director: Jerry Maybrook

Solo Narration – Male
Great Expectations
Read by: Charlton Griffin
By: Charles Dickens
Publisher: Audio Connoisseur
Producer/Director: Charlton Griffin

Spanish Language
La Traversia de Enrique
By: Sonia Nazario
Read by: Adriana Sananes
Publisher: Recorded Books
Executive Producer: Claudia Howard
Producer/Director: Manuel Herrara

Teens
Peace, Locomotion
By: Jacqueline Woodson
Read by: Dion Graham
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Executive Producer: Colleen Rockey
Producer: Laura Grafton
Director: May Wuthrich

Thriller / Suspense
Darling Jim: A Novel
By: Christian Moerk
Read by: Stephen Hoye and Justine Eyre
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Executive Producer: Ron Formica 

 

ABOUT THE APA ... 

The Audio Publishers Association is a not-for-profit trade organization whose primary goals are to promote awareness of the audiobook industry, gather and disseminate industry statistics, encourage high production standards, and represent the interests of audiobook publishers.

 

Since 1986, the APA has worked to bring audio publishers together to increase interest in audiobooks. Please visit www.audiopub.org for more information.