When it comes to covering books, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution focuses primarily on those with a Southern bent. That means books about the South, set in the South or written by authors currently living in or from the South. And when I say the South, I mostly mean the Southeast. (One caveat: We also write about books whose authors make Atlanta appearances.)
Our mission is to shine a light on the region’s up-and-coming writers, to elevate the diversity of voices that make up the South and to foster the evolution of the long, distinguished legacy of Southern literature.
As the person who manages much of the book coverage, it stands to reason the majority of my reading is in the same vein. And I’m happy for it. I love Southern writers and books about the South. But sometimes, especially when there’s a lot of buzz around a book that doesn’t fit the criteria, I want to give the giant, teetering stacks of Southern books vying for my attention a good shove.
So, this year I set out to make time to read for the pure pleasure of it. And when I say read, I mean listen to audiobooks. Having somebody tell me a good yarn while I walk the dog, clean my house or drive around town has turned out to be the perfect solution.
Next Sunday the AJC publishes its annual list of the best Southern books of the year, and it contains some spectacular titles. It’s in that spirit that I’m breaking form here to share some of my favorite non-Southern audiobooks of 2024 because they were just so darn good, I have to tell somebody.
First up is my favorite book of the year. “Long Island Compromise” (Penguin Random House, $30) by Taffy Brodesser-Akner is a darkly humorous but sobering saga about a filthy-rich, multigenerational Jewish family living on an estate in Long Island.
Exploring themes of ancestral trauma, wealth, privilege and family dysfunction, the novel begins with the kidnapping of Carl Fletcher, CEO of the family’s Styrofoam factory. After the ransom is paid, he returns home alive but irrevocably altered, as is his entire family. The myriad ways the effects of that event manifests in those around him is a wonder to behold.
Some may balk at the book’s 464-page length, but I never wanted it to end. That said, I highly recommend the 15-hour audio version. It’s narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, whose restrained inflections of sarcasm elevate the book’s satiric tone and put a fine point on the author’s sly humor.
One of the year’s most surprising delights was Griffin Dunne’s memoir “The Friday Afternoon Club” (Penguin Random House, $30), narrated by the actor/director/producer himself. Imagine for a moment the typical celebrity memoir: Well, this is the exact opposite.
Beautifully crafted without the aid of a ghostwriter, it paints a vulnerable picture of a down-to-earth, working actor who’s more interested in the fascinating characters in his orbit — father Dominick Dunne, his brother John Dunne, John’s wife Joan Didion; Carrie Fisher — than himself.
A large part of the book deals with the tragic death of the author’s sister, actress Dominique Dunne, and the farcical nature of the trial that failed to find her killer guilty of murder. (He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years, of which he served half.)
But the most profound book I listened to this year was Tommy Orange’s “Wandering Stars” (Penguin Random House, $29), which continues to mine the themes of modern-day Native American life in urban spaces that he began with his 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning debut “There There.” Part prequel/part sequel, “Wandering Stars” introduces past generations of the first book’s central characters and follows the aftermath of the violent act that occurs in “There There.”
In achingly exquisite prose, Orange creates indelible images of life on the fringes of society, stymied by institutional poverty and displacement. Despite the book’s framing device, “Wandering Stars” succeeds as a stand-alone novel. As an added bonus, eight narrators contribute to the audiobook, making it a dynamic listening experience.
Suzanne Van Atten is a book critic and contributing editor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She may be reached at Suzanne.VanAtten@ajc.com.
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