I drove my parents on a 10-hour road trip and we listened to The Boys In The Boat. So good! My 19-year-old son and I listened to Project Hail Mary. My mom and I enjoyed Taste by Stanley Tucci. I recommend any of those - all different, all a delight.
There are so many good ones but I'm always a sucker for a full cast production. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor a Jenkins Reid is just that it feels like you are listening to a documentary on a famous rock band. This is perfect too if you are headed to some summer music festivals.
I have a very strong fondness for The Watson Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. It is a middle grade novel that tells the story of a family from Flint, Michigan who go to visit Grandma one summer down south in their Ultra Glide automobile. Part laugh out loud funny, endearing and tragic. Levar Burton narrates and feels like a long form audio version of Reading Rainbow. One of our family’s favorite memories of our own road trips to visit Grandma.
If you like something with Agatha Christie vibes, I recommend The Magpie Murders (and its two sequels) by Anthony Horowitz. It´s two books in one, and the narration is great.
For something SciFi, I really liked Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Bonus: There is an unusual narrator, too.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. It's a road trip book read by three narrators, including the amazing Marin Ireland (who narrated all of Fredrik Backman's Beartown audios). The book is still playing in my head like a movie!
Some time ago my husband, young adult daughter and I listened to Slaughterhouse Five read by Ethan Hawke. It was great listening—Ethan Hawke was amazing!—and a good book to discuss. Another book my daughter and I listened to traveling from New Jersey to Illinois was John Steinbeck’s Travels With Charley read by Gary Sinise. Very enjoyable!
Julia Whelan’s *Thank You for Listening* very meta rom-com. Author is an actress and award-winning audio narrator who centers her story on an audio reader who anonymously narrates romance novels. Tons of fun.
These recs sound great - makes me want to do a road trip just to hear them. I always like a classic, like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories narrated by Juliet Stevenson. The short story format allows for natural breaks for conversation and pit stops, the plot is not high stakes, and Christie always entertains with her sly humour and great characters.
The Murderbot series by Martha Wells are laugh-out-loud funny. I've also enjoyed the Slough House series by Mick Herron (except for book 2 which is narrated by a different narrator from the rest of the series).
I am preparing for a week long road trip (Washington and Oregon) and am considering listening to Dostoyevsky's Brothers Karamazov. I studied Russian literature in college and loved Dostoyevsky. I will be researching the best translator and best audio version.
I have very fond memories of driving across Canada with my husband and (then) eight year listening to the show to Train your Dragon books narrated by, the always incredible, David Tennant.
For grown ups I love the audiobooks of Emily Henry’s novels and Robert Harris’s.
Yes!!! How To Train Your Dragon was excellent! My son and I listened to the whole series. It's a kid's book but very funny and enjoyable for adults as well. Plus, I love Scottish accents.
As You Wish by Cary Elwes. He reads it, and it includes other actors reading their parts in the book. It’s about the making of The Princess Bride. ❤️
I enjoyed reading this one. Now I wish I had listened instead!
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is wonderful in its audiobook form!! Equal parts funny and heartbreaking.
And it’s less than 9 hours long, so finish-able on a medium length trip.
Absolutely loved this!
Yes! My family listened to this on a road trip - and pre-teen son, my partner and me - we all loved it.
I have never found an audiobook to surpass it!
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. It's funny, heart warming and not too long at 6.5 hours.
I came here to recommend this one as well!
Bonus: Marin Ireland is one of the best audiobook narrators in the game.
Totally agree, Shelley!
Any of the Harry Potter books narrated by Stephen Fry. ONLY by Stephen Fry, he is OUTSTANDING.
Stephen Fry also narrates his book Mythos (and his others of Greek myth tales). It was great on a road trip. He is a great narrator.
I drove my parents on a 10-hour road trip and we listened to The Boys In The Boat. So good! My 19-year-old son and I listened to Project Hail Mary. My mom and I enjoyed Taste by Stanley Tucci. I recommend any of those - all different, all a delight.
There are so many good ones but I'm always a sucker for a full cast production. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor a Jenkins Reid is just that it feels like you are listening to a documentary on a famous rock band. This is perfect too if you are headed to some summer music festivals.
I have a very strong fondness for The Watson Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. It is a middle grade novel that tells the story of a family from Flint, Michigan who go to visit Grandma one summer down south in their Ultra Glide automobile. Part laugh out loud funny, endearing and tragic. Levar Burton narrates and feels like a long form audio version of Reading Rainbow. One of our family’s favorite memories of our own road trips to visit Grandma.
Totally agree. Read it first, then listened and loved the audio version even more!
If you like something with Agatha Christie vibes, I recommend The Magpie Murders (and its two sequels) by Anthony Horowitz. It´s two books in one, and the narration is great.
For something SciFi, I really liked Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Bonus: There is an unusual narrator, too.
Both of these recs are EXCELLENT!! :)
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. It's a road trip book read by three narrators, including the amazing Marin Ireland (who narrated all of Fredrik Backman's Beartown audios). The book is still playing in my head like a movie!
Some time ago my husband, young adult daughter and I listened to Slaughterhouse Five read by Ethan Hawke. It was great listening—Ethan Hawke was amazing!—and a good book to discuss. Another book my daughter and I listened to traveling from New Jersey to Illinois was John Steinbeck’s Travels With Charley read by Gary Sinise. Very enjoyable!
Oooo... new one for me! Thank you!
Julia Whelan’s *Thank You for Listening* very meta rom-com. Author is an actress and award-winning audio narrator who centers her story on an audio reader who anonymously narrates romance novels. Tons of fun.
I loved this one (and really anything she narrates).
On a more recent road trip we thoroughly enjoyed Colin Jost’s A Very Punchable Face. Just thinking of that book makes me laugh!
Oh my gosh, just loved it!
These recs sound great - makes me want to do a road trip just to hear them. I always like a classic, like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories narrated by Juliet Stevenson. The short story format allows for natural breaks for conversation and pit stops, the plot is not high stakes, and Christie always entertains with her sly humour and great characters.
I like Agatha to accompany me on road trips as well.
For fans of Patrick Stewart: he does the narration of his memoir, Making It So. It feels like he’s along for the ride, just chatting about his life.
The Murderbot series by Martha Wells are laugh-out-loud funny. I've also enjoyed the Slough House series by Mick Herron (except for book 2 which is narrated by a different narrator from the rest of the series).
My mom is the pickiest reader ever, and she really liked that Mick Herron series. I love audiobooks, so now I am excited to listen to the series, too!
I am preparing for a week long road trip (Washington and Oregon) and am considering listening to Dostoyevsky's Brothers Karamazov. I studied Russian literature in college and loved Dostoyevsky. I will be researching the best translator and best audio version.
I have very fond memories of driving across Canada with my husband and (then) eight year listening to the show to Train your Dragon books narrated by, the always incredible, David Tennant.
For grown ups I love the audiobooks of Emily Henry’s novels and Robert Harris’s.
Yes!!! How To Train Your Dragon was excellent! My son and I listened to the whole series. It's a kid's book but very funny and enjoyable for adults as well. Plus, I love Scottish accents.