Summary
Prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey through the pages of this captivating audiobook. Whether you’re an avid reader or a newcomer to the world of audiobooks, this unique listening experience is sure to leave a lasting impression. With a perfect blend of engaging storytelling and skilled narration, this audiobook transports you into a realm where the boundaries between reality and fantasy seamlessly blur.
Audiobook Info
- Author: A. M. Homes, Aimee Bender, Nathan Englander, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King
- Narrator: Anjelica Huston, Christina Pickles, Jefferson Mays, Michael Imperioli, Neil Gaiman
- Duration: 6 hours and 47 minutes
- Publisher: Penguin Random House
- Release Date: October 1, 2013
Review
Every so often an audiobook comes along that doesn’t simply tell stories – it invites listeners to savor the delicious thrill of mischief in every word. Selected Shorts: Behaving Badly, a standout entry from the acclaimed Selected Shorts series, is precisely such a treat – a masterful curation that draws together some of literature’s boldest voices to explore the tantalizing theme of human misbehavior.
What sets this collection apart isn’t just its stellar lineup of authors – A. M. Homes’ razor-sharp wit meets Aimee Bender’s surreal lyricism; Nathan Englander delivers moral quandaries with searing clarity; Neil Gaiman blends folklore with chills; Stephen King provides his signature dose of dread – but also its exceptional roster of narrators who breathe electric life into each tale.
From the very first story, it’s clear that narration takes center stage in enhancing every nuance and dark delight these stories offer. Having actors like Anjelica Huston and Michael Imperioli at the mic transforms each short work into more than fiction – they become immersive performances pulsing with personality and mood. Neil Gaiman’s own voice lends authenticity and otherworldliness when reciting his work; Jefferson Mays’ gravitas anchors moments that teeter on absurdity or horror; Christina Pickles brings warmth even as she navigates ambiguity or unease.
The true magic lies in how these narrators embrace each story’s tone – whether channeling sinister glee for Stephen King’s “Popsy” or teasing out aching vulnerability from Bender’s enchanting worlds – and guide us through labyrinths both moral and mystical. Their deliveries are textured yet unhurried: you’ll find yourself pausing simply to marvel at how expertly they shift character voices or imbue dialogue with tension.
As for content? Expect wild variety – no two tales are alike except in their focus on those irresistible gray areas where propriety falters: identity blurs in Homes’ “The Real Thing,” loyalty collides with self-preservation in Englander’s “The Twenty-Seventh Man,” fantastical darkness blooms in Gaiman’s “The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains,” while King shows us danger lurking where we least expect it among everyday folk.
It isn’t all shadowy humor – the stories unsettle as much as they entertain – but therein lies their brilliance: rather than judging ‘bad behavior,’ this anthology invites us to relish its complexity (sometimes laughing guiltily along the way). It’s cerebral fun perfectly suited for listeners eager for substance beneath suspenseful surfaces.
Winning accolades like the Audie Award for Short Stories only underscores what listeners already know: Selected Shorts: Behaving Badly is expertly produced literary entertainment that challenges your expectations while thoroughly entertaining your imagination.
Download & Listen
If you’re hungry for short fiction performed by some of Hollywood and literature’s brightest talents – all wrapped around themes as mischievous as they are meaningful – Selected Shorts: Behaving Badly deserves pride of place on your playlist. Experience cunning tales told by unforgettable voices when you download it now from KTAudiobooks.com; let these spellbinding stories tempt you toward delightfully wicked listening!
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