Adam Grupper has narrated 56 audiobooks on Listento.it by 51 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.6★ across 1,228 ratings. The most-rated is Red Notice.
Bear Country
Summary
The Chicken Squad is back for its sixth (mis)adventure, and this time, there's a headless bear on the loose, and the Chicken Squad's beloved Barbara has gone missing! A "[L]ip-bitingly funny" (School Library Journal) chapter audiobook from the best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo and Cyclone. It's fall in the backyard, and though the weather is cooling down, the crime-solving business is still hot. When the Chicken Squad's neighbor Anna McClanahanahan comes looking for her missing hamster one morning, it's an easy case to solve (Ziggy always takes a stroll from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m.). The Chicken Squad is now ready to settle in for a relaxing day of knitting - that is, until Ziggy points out that Barbara, the Chicken Squad's caretaker - the one who feeds them! - is missing! And not only that, but there have also been sightings of a headless bear in the neighborhood! Will the Chicken Squad be able to save its beloved Barbara and get some breakfast? Or will this case be too much to bear?
©2018 Doreen Cronin (P)2018 Recorded Books
Gimme Shelter
Summary
The Chicken Squad is back for their fifth (mis)adventure in this "lip-bitingly funny" (School Library Journal) chapter book from the best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo and The Trouble with Chickens. The Chicken Squad prides themselves on being ready for anything. Marshmallow life preserves? Check. Copious bags of jellybeans for a car ride? Check. Storm shelter? Storm shelter! They need a storm shelter in case there is ever a storm. So Sugar takes it upon himself to build one in the yard. But it turns out it's not big enough for everyone. And the big dig has unearthed some mysterious surprises.
©2017 Doreen Cronin (P)2017 Recorded Books
The Tender Bar
Summary
The New York Times best seller and one of the 100 Most Notable Books of 2005. In the tradition of This Boy's Life and The Liar's Club, a raucous, poignant, luminously written memoir about a boy striving to become a man and his romance with a bar. J. R. Moehringer grew up captivated by a voice. It was the voice of his father, a New York City disc jockey who vanished before J. R. spoke his first word. Sitting on the stoop, pressing an ear to the radio, J. R. would strain to hear in that plummy baritone the secrets of masculinity and identity. Though J. R.'s mother was his world, his rock, he craved something more, something faintly and hauntingly audible only in The Voice. At 8 years old, suddenly unable to find The Voice on the radio, J. R. turned in desperation to the bar on the corner, where he found a rousing chorus of new voices. The alphas along the bar - including J. R.'s uncle Charlie, a Humphrey Bogart look-alike; Colt, a Yogi Bear sound-alike; and Joey D, a softhearted brawler - took J. R. to the beach, to ballgames, and, ultimately, into their circle. They taught J. R., tended him, and provided a kind of fathering by committee. Torn between the stirring example of his mother and the lurid romance of the bar, J. R. tried to forge a self somewhere in the center. But when it was time for J. R. to leave home, the bar became an increasingly seductive sanctuary, a place to return and regroup during his picaresque journeys. Time and again the bar offered shelter from failure, rejection, heartbreak - and, eventually, reality. In the grand tradition of landmark memoirs, The Tender Bar is suspenseful, wrenching, and achingly funny. A classic American story of self-invention and escape, of the fierce love between a single mother and an only son, it's also a moving portrait of one boy's struggle to become a man and an unforgettable depiction of how men remain, at heart, lost boys.
©2017 J. R. Moehringer (P)2017 Hachette Audio
The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken
Summary
The Chicken Squad is back for their second (mis)adventure, and this time they’re solving the mystery of a kidnapped…HOUSE? A hilarious chapter book from the best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo and The Trouble with Chickens. Dirt, Sugar, Sweetie, and Poppy are the four members of The Chicken Squad, and business is booming. A weird blue bird has just flown into Chicken Squad headquarters squawking on about a house-napper (yes, house-napper), and it is once again up to the squad to uncover who is up to no good. But there is something NUTS about this story that the squad can’t quite put their feather on…and oh, brother, is it key to solving the case!
©2014 Doreen Cronin (P)2014 Recorded Books
Kings of Infinite Space
Summary
James Hynes is the author of three New York Times Notable Books of the Year. That same publication praises Kings of Infinite Space as “unspeakably funny!” This offbeat novel satirizes an experience ubiquitous to modern times—office life. With a defeated sigh, ex-college professor Paul Trilby faces the downward spiral that is his existence. After his wife and three subsequent girlfriends dump him, and he loses just as many jobs, he’s sure he’s a pawn in some vast conspiracy. Worse still, he may be losing the only thing he has left—his mind.
©2004 James Hynes (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC
Blood Red Lines
Summary
An engaging and reflective look at how austerity and the billionaire class paved the way for Trump’s presidency, the rise of the “alt-right”, and the caging of migrant children and adults in detention centers across the country For all of the energy that the far right has demonstrated - and for all of the support that they receive from institutional conservatives in the GOP and affiliated organizations - the United States is experiencing an upsurge in left-wing social movements unlike any other in the past half-century, with roots not in the Democratic Party but Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter. Drawing on his original reporting as well as archival research, O’Connor investigates how the capitalist class and the radical right mobilize racism to defend their interests, while focusing on one of the most pressing issues of our time: immigration.
©2021 Brendan O'Connor (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing
Publish and Perish
Summary
This set of novellas from Austin, Texas resident James Hynes was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. As chilling as the best of Edgar Allan Poe and bursting with fiendish humor, Publish and Perish features three tales from the not-so-hallowed halls of academia. Hailed as a “delightful collection of the ghostly and the ghastly” by the Austin Chronicle, these stories are brought to wicked life by Adam Grupper.
©1997 James Hynes (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC
Voices in the Night
Summary
From the Pulitzer and Story Prize winner: 16 new stories - provocative, funny, disturbing, magical - that delve into the secret lives and desires of ordinary people, alongside retellings of myths and legends that highlight the aspirations of the human spirit. Beloved for the lens of the strange he places on small-town life, Steven Millhauser further reveals in Voices in the Night the darkest parts of our inner selves to brilliant and dazzling effect. Here are stories of wondrously imaginative hyperrealism, stories that pose unsettling what-ifs or that find barely perceivable evils within the safe boundaries of our towns, homes, and even our bodies. Here, too, are stories culled from religion and fables: from Samuel, who in the masterly "A Voice in the Night" hears the voice of God calling him in the night; to a young, pre-enlightenment Buddha; to Rapunzel and her Prince awakened only to everyday disappointment. Heightened by magic, the divine, and the uncanny, shot through with sly humor, Voices in the Night seamlessly combines the whimsy and surprise of the familiar with intoxicating fantasies that take us beyond our daily lives, all done with the hallmark sleight of hand and astonishing virtuosity of one of our greatest modern storytellers.
©2015 Steven Millhauser (P)2015 Recorded Books
The Agony House
Summary
A haunted house, a killer ghost, and a long-lost comic come to life in another spectacular package of novel and comics from Cherie Priest, author of I Am Princess X. Denise Farber has just moved back to New Orleans with her mom and stepdad. They left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and have finally returned, wagering the last of their family's money on fixing up an old, rundown house and converting it to a bed and breakfast. Nothing seems to work around the place, which doesn't seem too weird to Denise. The unexplained noises are a little more out of the ordinary, but again, nothing too unusual. But when floors collapse, deadly objects rain down, and she hears creepy voices, it's clear to Denise that something more sinister lurks hidden here. Answers may lie in an old comic book Denise finds concealed in the attic: the lost, final project of a famous artist who disappeared in the 1950s. Denise isn't budging from her new home, so she must unravel the mystery on the pages and off them if she and her family are to survive.
©2018 Cherie Priest (P)2018 Scholastic Inc.
Dangerous Laughter
Summary
In this acclaimed collection of short stories, Pulitzer Prizewinning author Stephen Millhauser shares the dark suspense and humor that have gained him a cult following. Millhauser’s imagination and creativity are on full display with stories featuring artists gone mad, egomaniacal architects, and a historical society that’s given up its chronicling of history. Characterized by “phenomenal clarity and rapacious movement” each story “focuses on the misery wrought by misdirected human desire and ambition.” (Publishers Weekly)
©2008 Steven Millhauser (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC
MacTrump
Summary
No one thought that MacTrump - Lord of MacTrump Towers, Son of New York - would ascend to the highest position in the kingdom. Yet with the help of his unhappy but dutiful wife Lady MacTrump, his clever daughter Dame Desdivanka, and his coterie of advisers, MacTrump is comfortably ensconced in the White Hold as President of the United Fiefdoms, free to make proclamations to his subjects through his favorite messenger, McTweet. The Democrati, mourning the loss of their cherished leader O'Bama, won't give up without a fight. They still remember the disastrous reign of George the Lesser, and they can see Putain's dark influence on MacTrump. Their greatest hope is MacMueller, tasked with investigating the plot that empowered MacTrump's rise to the throne. As Desdivanka schemes to overthrow her father's councilors, and as Donnison and Ericson-trapped in their own Rosencrantz and Guildenstern-like storyline-prove useless to their father, MacTrump soon realizes he has no true allies. Will he be able to hold on to his throne? Only time will tell in this tragicomic tale of ambition, greed, and royal ineptitude.
©2019 Ian Doescher and Jacopo della Quercia (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
About Love and Other Stories
Summary
Raymond Carver called Anton Chekhov "the greatest short story writer who has ever lived". This unequivocal verdict on Chekhov's genius has been echoed many times by writers as diverse as Katherine Mansfield, Somerset Maugham, John Cheever, and Tobias Wolf. While his popularity as a playwright has sometimes overshadowed his achievements in prose, the importance of Chekhov's stories is now recognized by readers as well as by fellow authors. Their themes - alienation, the absurdity and tragedy of human existence - have as much relevance today as when they were written, and these superb new translations capture their modernist spirit. Elusive and subtle, spare and unadorned, the stories in this selection are among Chekhov's most poignant and lyrical. The book includes well-known pieces such as "The Lady with the Little Dog",'as well as less familiar work like "Gusev", inspired by Chekhov's travels in the Far East, and "Rothschild's Violin", a haunting and darkly humorous tale about death and loss. The stories are arranged chronologically to show the evolution of Chekhov's art.
©2004 Translation: Rosamund Bartlett (P)2014 Recorded Books
Carl and the Meaning of Life
Summary
From the often Caldecott-buzzed Deborah Freedman, a sweet and funny story about finding your place in the world. Carl is an earthworm. He spends his days happily tunneling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: "Why?" Carl's quest takes him on an adventure to meet all the animals of the forest, each of whom seems to know exactly what they were put on this earth to do, unlike the curious Carl. But it's not until the world around him has changed that Carl begins to realize everyone, no matter how small, makes a big difference just by being themselves.
©2019 Deborah Freedman (P)2019 Recorded Books
A Reason to Be
Summary
An epic tale beginning in 15th-century Scotland and flowing through time to modern-day New York, A Reason to Be is a tale of loss, hope, and the transcendent power of the love that bind us to one another. Douglas McCombs is an accomplished engineer and recent widower driven to discover the truth of who he is by studying the people and places he comes from. After losing his wife to a battle with Alzheimer’s, Douglas is left devastated until a chance encounter with a sharp, compassionate librarian named Suzy Hamilton on the steps of the New York Public Library shakes him from the throes of grief. With Suzy’s help, Douglas takes up genealogy and begins an investigation into his Scottish lineage that takes the listener on a sprawling journey through time and the remarkable lives of Douglas’ ancestors - from legendary highland clan chiefs and American war generals to humble farmers and family men. As he traces his ancestry through the generations, Douglas manages to discover not only the roots he was searching for but also a brand-new reason to be.
©2020 Norman McCombs (P)2020 Greenleaf Book Group
Tampa Bay Noir
Summary
Tampa Bay joins Miami in representing the (alleged) Sunshine State in the Noir Series arena. "At last, the popular Akashic Noir series has adopted the Tampa Bay area.... The notion of elevating place to the status of a character in a story, a frequent topic in writers workshops, works to maximum effect. The descriptive forays are full of observations that can only be gleaned by living here." (Tampa Bay Times) "A new collection of noir fiction features all sorts of miscreants finding their way through this part of Florida." (Ocala Star Banner) "[A] lively collection of superior short stories." (South Florida Sun Sentinel) "For too long readers have connected Florida Noir with the admittedly fascinating locales of Miami-Dade County, thanks to a slew of talented and popular writers no doubt, but there's another major metropolitan area on the Gulf Coast that's every bit Miami's equal for bizarre noir. Tampa Bay gets a much-deserved turn in the spotlight with this new collection in the Akashic series, edited by Colette Bancroft and featuring some stellar contributions from writers out of the greater Tampa diaspora, including Michael Connelly, Tim Dorsey, Sarah Gerard, Ace Atkins, and Lori Roy." (CrimeReads, One of the Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2020) "Books can transport us to faraway, exotic places we've never seen, but they can also show us new angles of familiar places we thought we knew. Places closer to home like Hyde Park, Tierra Verde, Davis Islands, Palma Ceia, Clearwater Beach, Pass-a-Grille, Indian Rocks Beach, Westshore, St. Petersburg's 34th Street, Gibsonton, Lake Maggiore, Pinellas Park, Largo, Safety Harbor and Rattlesnake. Those are the local settings - yes, Rattlesnake is a real place! - for the 15 stories collected in Tampa Bay Noir, an anthology of new crime fiction due out in August." (Creative Pinellas) "Anyone who lives in the Tampa Bay area knows there are stories of intrigue here, just waiting to be told." (The Gabber) "Every classic mystery-fiction theme is represented here - murder, fraud, love, sex, money - and, overall, the writing is top quality. Lovers of short crime fiction should eat this one up." (Booklist) "Fifteen tales that reveal the dark side of sunny Tampa Bay." (Kirkus Reviews) Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the geographic area of the book. Brand-new stories by: Michael Connelly, Lori Roy, Ace Atkins, Karen Brown, Tim Dorsey, Lisa Unger, Sterling Watson, Luis Castillo, Sarah Gerard, Danny López, Ladee Hubbard, Gale Massey, Yuly Restrepo Garcés, Eliot Schrefer, and Colette Bancroft. From the introduction by Colette Bancroft: Ask most people what the Tampa Bay area is famous for, and they might mention sparkling beaches and sleek urban centers and contented retirees strolling the golf courses year-round. But it's always had a dark side. Just look at its signature event: a giant pirate parade. Not only does Gasparilla honor the buccaneer traditions of theft, debauchery, and violence; its namesake pirate captain, José Gaspar, is a fake who probably never existed. And if there's any variety of crime baked into Florida's history, it's fraud. From the indigenous residents who supposedly conned Spanish explorers seeking the Fountain of Youth through the rolling cycles of real estate scams that have shaped the Sunshine State for the last century or so, the place is a grifter's native habitat.
©2020 Akashic Books (P)2020 Audible, Inc.
Happiness Samurai
Summary
Happiness is beautiful intrinsically when combined with your true purpose, your life’s true IKIGAI. Manny narrates this book to awaken the Happiness Samurai that sleeps within each one of us. The book consists of insightful yet practical ways of dealing with life’s vicissitudes and blessings for leading a life like a Japanese Samurai with wisdom, courage, honour and a true sense of happiness. The foreword of the book is written by John Abraham, who is an accomplished Indian film actor, producer and most importantly a fantastic human being. About the book, he says, “Listen to this book not because you are down or low – listen to this book because it will teach you the value of happiness. Hear this book to understand how you can create your own happiness with what you have within you in the here and now.” Manny captures his life events, adventures and varied experiences authentically with the lens of IKIGAI wisdom and creates a wealth of knowledge through the journey. We hope you’ll love listening to this book, and we wish you the very best through this powerful tome on happiness. All adults were once children, but only a select few who follow their Ikigai remember it. To the others, there is a beautiful story unfolding inside you, a unique passion that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself with the world. If you don’t know what your story is yet, we hope the Happiness Samurai will help you discover it. Stop Trying and Start Being Simple truth. In the end, life is challenging - right? But know this: you have been playing and splashing in the shallow end, thinking that is your world and that is your only shot at happiness; that is the only extent of your happiness. What happens when you dive deeper? What if you sink? Well, Manny asks you this - what if you swim? Arigato gozaimasu!
©2021 Happiness Quotient Global Private Limited (P)2021 9f10.com