star of everyone's favorite musical. al. [laughter]. >> to watch the rest of this event and find other other programs about george washington, visit our website booktv.org and search for george washington and both. at the top of the page. ...

>> if i don't give everybody the utmost expect an understanding and compassion are doing that i am not doing right by the book. >> it's not a movie or a book but has the best of both worlds. because you have an actual human being giving the story to you and i love that.

and the feeling of how that person tells the story. >> hearing your novel read aloud transformed into an audiobook is such an honor and a privilege. >> and where it is finding itself. >> it's another way to access literature and often times for nontraditional readers. and these are all the reason that 50 percent of americans listen to ann audiobook in 2019's. here is to all of you. here is to amazing audiobooks and here is to 25 years of the audie awards.

>> ladies and gentlemen we are thrilled to introduce the master of ceremonies mr. mo rock up. and a frequent panelist on npr quiz show wait wait don't tell me. he is also the host of the obituaries podcast. we are here to have him here this evening. without further ado teethree. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. this is a dream for me i have to say.

here i am in this fabulous venue with this crowd and stephen king is here. [cheers and applause] i feel like carrie when she was asked to the prom. [laughter] and to be given the royal treatment. i will be out in about two hours. the 25th anniversary of the audie awards and nothing has been better and 40 that 5000 titles with revenues of

$1 billion. [applause] and the high school cafeteria in the publishing world the audiobook people are sitting at the cool kids table and the others are begging them for lunch many they don't need your pity just something to eat and to include some serious star power, meryl streep is nominated for a audie tonight for reading charlotte's web i hear her spider accent is amazing. [laughter] this is super c star-studded tom hanks is in this category,.

>> i am sure tom hanks made it supremely likable. the testaments to the sequel to the handmaid's tale. [applause] who else is in that category? michelle obama? she has a book out? i hope people find it. meryl streep was so good she has been hired to narrate the sequel. pet cemetery. [laughter]

that makes perfect sense to honor stephen king tonight not only with the steadfast support of audiobooks and then the nightmare we are currently living through something out of a state on the stephen king horror. [laughter] [applause] i know you're asking which nightmare you are referring to this all has a shaking hands with her elbows. how do things turn out? and demi moore is nominated tonight i think it's more her and woody harrelson rolling around in bed on a pile of cash. and the evil people are just watching and then the real stores one - - stars not the johnny-come-lately trying to hop on the gravy train i am talking real audiobook voices. [cheers and applause]

scott brick a.k.a. the master of hydration. and his voice is so handsome i think. last year's male and female narrators eduardo and julia. [applause] i do wonder why there's an asterisk next to simon vance's name. he was tested positive for doping but that is what i heard.

and audie award winner jill is here. [applause] as is the silky voice january. [applause] my only disappointment is these didn't happen two months ago because then i could say really think this is her month. that's a bad joke. hillary huber. [applause] and is also doing the voice of god introductions tonight for for everyone sake i hope she wins. [laughter] because you don't want an angry voice of god. >> know you don't. [laughter] you do not want to make me angry.

please reveal yourself so we can worship you. [applause] so while audie awards began 25 years ago the book is back much further the will first work of literature was an audiobook. i'm talking of course the iliad as read by homer. w[laughter] they wanted james earl jones but he was unavailable. as anyone can tell you his work was intended to be heard, not read. the iliad received raves as to the sequel the odyssey. he had a two poem deal. go with it. it is whimsical. [laughter] there was a problem.

800 bc there was no such thing as recorded sound. so they actually had to find homer to recite his work life but he was blind and wandering around so you never knew where to find him. and if you did he could be very cranky especially if you poked him to go back. this was not a solid business plan. you can say it was an epic fail. [laughter] the librarians have my back. fast-forward 2785 years to the dawn of the modern audiobook at simon & schuster the very first title 1985 was a total thrille thriller, how to get your point across in 30 seconds or less by frank

milo. they wanted james earl jones but he was doing cnn. a decade later came the firstst audio awards among the winners host cbs news sunday morning charles kuralt. i am proud to be on that show and that brings the subject to me. i recorded my own audiobook this year. thank you very much. [applause] not because of harry potter but i saw him in the original cast when i was 12 and he was superb. and it was a revelatory experience for how many words i have been mispronouncing all

my life i thought the word rococo. i thought it was a biopic. i thought the word was posthumous it makes me sound like daffy duck. to be clear i wrote a book of obituaries and i did not know how to pronounce posthumous. [laughter] fortunately i had a terrific producer. [applause] and scott took me by the tongue and help to guide me a creative process which is much more nuanced than i realized the form of communication all of its own. part storytelling, part actin acting, wholly engaging with an audience that is unseen with your voice, your heart and your soul.

all while doing your best. posthumous. and i'm here to celebrate all of tonight's nominees.mi [applause] at the audie most will be acknowledged by the winner standing at their table for applause let's practice so we will acknowledge winners. all of the judges tonight please stand and be recognized for your hard work. [applause] will all of the final list please stand to be recognize.

and with this acknowledgment we heard from audiobook lovers as they voted on social media for their favorite audioblog and the people's choice recognition goes to penguin random house audio for becoming. [applause] the people have spoken so now the first presenters of the evening, the audie nominated

author of hey kiddo a finalist and one the odyssey award. his grandfather used to say they would name him oscar his name would try to pronounce his last name. mo willems right award-winning books and televisions in place and serves as the kennedy center first education artist in residence. thanks to him he is yet to be a contestant on wait wait don't tell me. he is fantastic. [applause] ♪ nonfiction has been described to write the truth and make it read the fiction and the

finalists for nonfiction are.

>> the audiehe goes to grace will lead us home. [applause] also history is written by the winner that has seemed a little unkind to the finalist. >> american wounded they are rated.

>> the history biography for american moonshine.. o.[applause] and the finalist for autobiography memoir ar are, becoming.

[applause] the audie goes to penguin random house for becoming by michelle obama. [applause] she is shy. our next presenter is the

acclaimed between red rooster harlem markets bmp in newark new jersey and creator of the audible original he was also the youngest person to ever reach. receive a three-star review and to win multiple james. foundation awards best chef of new york city season to is out now on pbs.org. >> this is the first time i'm doing this. and we are very excited but

the finalist for business and personal development are and the audie goes to harbor audio. do you want to start a podcast.t [applause]

>> the finalists are

. >> the audie goes to. the finalist are

the audie goes to. [applause] >> next to present his celebrity judge the new york times best-selling author they both die at the and more happy they are not and history is all you left me. the most recent best-selling book was published this past january. [applause]

>> i like to say i came to the game a little late like 20 years old and then i was emboldened at 19 and that i would have been gay so much sooner. [laughter] like really gay. [laughter] [applause] thankfully to the educators and librarians we have audiobooks for all ages for our young listeners and beginners. and the finalists are. [laughter]

the audie for your listener goes to the pigeon has to go to school. [applause]

>> now the finalists are.

>> the audie for middle grade goes to charlotte's web. [cheers and applause] it is a very long time to become young and these help us along the way. the finalists for young adult are and the audie for young

adult goes to hey kiddo. [applause] the next presenters are a well-written pair buying

number one new york times best-selling author lauren blakely who can often be found listening to an audiobook usually romance or humor or comedians memoir. stacy is a jamaican mother, writer, traveling artist and activist and author on the other side of paradise and the original mother struck is a ride or die new yorker who refuses to leave brooklyn. please welcome them to the stage.ok [applause] >> tiny windows into other worlds the finalists for short story collections are

and audie goes to. fiction reveals truth. and transports us. apparently the president doesn't read fiction. ly[laughter] fiction is the magic that grabs us just like the final finalists.

>> the audie goes to the water dance. [cheers and applause] >> a los angeles-based actress d multiple award winner and audiophile magazine and the

best-selling author of more than two dozen award-winning books and finalist and a newberry honor winner and a to time caretta scott king award winner please welcome them both to the stage. [laughter] i've listen to this like four times. the finalist for romance are.

and the winner is devils daughter. [applause] please stand and be recognized.

i have so much work appear. the finalist for fantasy are

and the audie goes to the $10000 of january. the finalist for science fiction are the audie goes to

emergency. [applause] >> hello. i am ana maria from the apa board of directors and it's my pleasure to turn our attention to mr. stephen king. four years on before audiobooks were fashionable with the work that all of you do and all that you make it through his support he has expanded theis audience with

inspired improvements to audiobooks with that gratitude with a lifetime achievement award. [cheers and applause] >> steve, first i want to say thank you for all the thrilling adventures. and thank you for keeping is a part of your raging imagination and a few years ago winning the audie. >> i have to tell you all the

time and to fill that narrative. >> i was honored and lucky. [applause] for this difficult and wonderful and treacherous book. >> and that this teller isn't worth the spark and that applies to narrators as well. and part of human nature. >> they could go for years that their husband is missing. [laughter] stephen king is a much better

place in the world. >> you will still be read 100 years from now. and how you come up with that. >> congratulations. >> congratulations. >> congratulations mr. king. >> congratulations. >> nobody deserves a better. with four or five lifetimes. rock on. [cheers and applause] we will hand it off as exciting as this is.

[cheers and applause] it's actually a very special treat for the next announcement in case you need reminding the best-selling author and just a few seconds ago one the audie for full throttle which is a long-running comic book and i am very happy to welcome mr. joe hill. [applause] ana maria, thank you. to be here tonight to celebrate audiobooks alongside

the people who work so hard , so brilliantly to give them to readers everywhere. i had the privilege to present the lifetime achievement award to stephen king who we all know was the best ambassador for audiobooks anyone could wish or hope for. his love and contagious enthusiasm goes back decades. i know. i was there. my parents met in the poetry class they could be found in every room and stacked in piles when we sat at dinner the conversation revolved almost entirely around make-believe people and imaginary rooms and that culinary specialty we would blab about book writers and

the moral failings of literary critics. the best part of those days when we were on the couch and pass the book around we took turns reading aloud and in this way we were through the lion the witch and the wardrobe, kipling and the stories that were so pretentious and overwritten they put us into hysterics. stories were always in the year. i'm not telling anything you don't know what i tell you my dad is a glutton for stories. he cannot barely stand going waking hour without picking out one and this dinner must be killing him. [laughter] think of all themu pages he is reading right now. as a kid i never saw him go anywhere without a paperback in hand he read between

innings and use the paper to score the game he would read three pages waiting in line to buy movie tickets and three more waiting in line for popcorn. but what was a compulsive bookworm to do with all that time with his hands were not available for turning pages such as making the three-hour drive from one end of maine to the other? the answer was to listen to the audiobook and if the kids complained he would trap the volume so he cannot hear them. the audiobooks commercially available were far from satisfactory for a guy like my dad so to keep prices low he had to reduce every novel which required in my dad's view the difference of getting a whole meal and getting the greasy wax paper the hamburger came wrapped in he discovered

a company that had under bridge readings they didn't have a huge selection but enough and enough is as good as a feast. he would order them steinbec steinbeck, mcdonald. soon enough he was writing one - - ordering them who was reading them and then listen to the sheer pleasure of another story read by frank mueller. when they couldn't get him a novel he wanted to hear you had better resources, his tildren like all children we had apparitions to work in mercantile our father exploited us to build up his library of audiobooks paying us to read novels on cassette. my starting salary was $12 for 60 minutes although his best reader my sister naomi was a

ruthless negotiator and eventually worked him up at $20 per tape. [laughter] he got the audio he wanted and then kids had confidence in their own power to give a story voice. the pleasure he took in the case we made forbu him that made him want better for other audiobook readers. he began to develop novels pushing for complete adaptations he changed expectations of what it could and should be the turns out a lot of other readers wanted that to of course he would work with some of the best for years frank mueller would lend the appealing voice to stephen king's words and also hear frank mueller reading it back to him in his head. those were brought to life by

the most brilliant readers ever to step to the mic. and for those of you who wonder what it would have been like it is easy enough to satisfy your interest and my mother read the house on maple street. and with that decision to release those in audio first that was a bit best possible way to enjoy them then they were to be told and heard even more than red. along with a gifted readers bringing audiobooks to life after he suffered a critical brain injury who was left hospitalized without adequate insurance my dad offer the foundation to offer financial assistance for those who had the worst sort of injuries and personal calamities. [applause]

and then go on to serve many others because my dads need has never been greater. but those to be evangelized tirelessly offering his support to make them possible and hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy the story well told you should us receive lifetime achievement award. give it up for him once again. [cheers and applause]

>> that would make one hell of a murder weapon wouldn't it? [laughter] it is heavy. i will not take up a lot of your time you could be listening to an audiobook. joe i will get your check to you. [laughter] i was just going to say that still to this day, george used to call himself old gravel cords and he would say in the early days if the cassette fails to play smack it smartly against the palm of your hand. [laughter] if you cannot otherwise free the reels return it to us and you will send on - - we will send you anotherus cassette. those were the old days and since then we have come a long way. audio has come a long way. and i will just say one more esthing.

people will say do you read your own books? that's a ridiculous thing to say i know how they all come out. [laughter] but i listen to them all. the reason why, is because you hear everything you did right and everything you did wrong. it is a most honorable form of storytelling there is because it goes back to the very beginning. i have i love santino fontana, the institute. [applause] and christine in the first acting job was for maximum overdrive movie she was the best part of it. [laughter]

thank you very much. i appreciate it. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> i'm happy to introduce a very good friend and colleague. [applause] president and publisher of mcmillan audio we are thrilled to beth anderson from audible a special achievement award. [applause] >> i'm hoping we will get through this. i'm delighted to be a part of the special achievement award because that is one of the

very first people i met when i joined and it was clear from the start she is very special. at the risk of making a sound ancient, that was before the first the ipod was invented and then to explain downloading and streaming when you can watch people's eyes rolled back in their head but she could explain it beautifully and was legendary for being firm and hard-working and reliable that's her from the apa board for more than 20 years and you can always count on her to raise her hand to help with whatever needed being done. for the year she has devoted countless hours delving into the thorniest of issues graciously taking on thankless tasks and enjoying the consistency of the research

data of the digital age. whether the perfect keynote speaker or for the center of fiction she has managed to walk with grace that complicated line that all of us have managed looking out for the employer while safeguarding the interest. but that if you want to kayak after the lobster bake or restaurant recommendations or just want to make it more special.pe it with a gold sequined dress stunning at the javits center to bring more glamour to the first time awards and even that occasional break she does it with aplomb.

with umbrella drinks sitting on the beach. we have with us tonight an impressive group of actors who make up the many roles that they play. not an actress but i would argue with her extraordinary loyalty intelligence and determination it's a bright light in the many roles of her life devoted daughter friend and audio enthusiast it is a better place and then to hear for those future adventures and beyond. we have received accolades and we will share one of them with you now. >> this is from audible's founder. i can only begin to know that

impact that it has had and will always have on audible as a friend and advisor. as part of that early gain we had to battle every industry because audible was like a movement. we went on to mark the lives of listeners now tens of millions. of those of well composed are a more lasting sense of gratitude.e. so please join us to showing beth anderson how grateful we are for all she has done for the audie book community. [applause]

>> it matches my dress. friday was my last day in the office and today is officially the first day of my retirement and this is great. [applause] thank you very much. there have been some wonderful pioneers i am honored to follow in their footsteps.

i have been doing a lot of reflection the past few months letting my mind wander down memory lane and in that process i have come to realize how far the apa and the audiobook world has come. yes we were originally abridged as many other enhances like the very first audie that i remember was conducted in a dim hotel basement in chicago directly after the last session of aipac. there was a cash bar but not much else. but this is 1000 times more glamorous. but it was a0es start. i started audible it was between three and six hours on cassette. narrators worked from paper manuscripts and were recorded

in studiosk on tape. people listened on their walkman or shuffling tapes and cds into their car player. back in the early days are rare celebrity performance might have been burt reynolds doing the abridged western. we have to explain they were not only for the blind or thein lazy and that we could only dream of prime time ads or a new york times bestseller list for spoken word audio. we have come a long way. [applause] my work with audible in this group and this industry while we may compete with each other over dollars and when it comes

to the audio industry going waforward we have locked arms and work together. for what we have a accomplished together there are many more advancements to come i will be watching and listening. thank you. [applause] >> let me welcome to the stage solemnity - - celebrity judge best-selling author of the vacationers and modernn lovers all adults here will be published may 2020. welcome to the stage. [applause]

>> so when they told us celebrity judges we would have a few minutes to ablated by thought the cutest story that i know about audiobooks is joe hill and his family recording books for stephen king. because i grew up with their family so i knew he would tell that already. so play that one again in your head. so that's make you story. what is better than one narrator?? multiple. working together to create a performance to transport the listener. the finals for multi- voice performanceti are

. >> the audie goes to simon & schuster audio. [cheers and applause] okay. next up i cannot say anything until the teleprompter tells me when i am going to say. [laughter] but i could make it up. the finalist for audio drama

ar are.

>> the audie goes to angels in america. [applause] the finalist for original work aree

. >> the audie goes for evil i. [applause] >> presenting next is another celebrity judge senior staff writer at l his first book is how to save your soul in america just publishedo last month calling him one of the funniest writers on this internet. please welcome them to the stage. [applause] >> oh my god them so genuinely

odd to be in all the room with you i come from a family of audiobookm listeners i am an audiobook listener i'm deeply odd by you and the work that you do. we used to borrow them in the library and with those star trek novels but the first book i remember buying was the bible my father was insistent i believe it was unabridged so literally like 60 cassettes and it came in a case like the nuclear codes. [laughter] and i told my father was doing this he said you know i'm listening to all of that and i said i hope you did. i pulled out a cassette listening to like deuteronomy get those names right i am loving life right now. i met another voice actor and he said he was up for a new

recording of the bible. i said they had something? but they are just doing it again. i will pull the mac journey of money up to your house that is nine years of recording. lesson if you are up for that are rooting for you. the first category the first nominees for friction are.

>> the finalist for mystery are.

>> the audie goes to the chestnut man. [applause] the finalist for thriller are.

>> the oddity - - the audie goes to the institute. [applause] and from this point forward we invite those who win the audie on stage to say a few words here for keywords for narration are the winners for best female narrator and best meal narrator and the voices of this evening's finalist video. [applause] hi guys.

according to a 2018 study listening to audiobooks has emotional impact over watching them on the screen like heart rate and body temperature. and with that intentional and intensive narrative. we have been listening toni the finalists and now for narration by author or authors are in the audie goes to the

fire on high. [applause]

>> always a bonus. i am completely honored by this award it means so much the way i read the story resonates with listeners. i come from a tradition s of oral storytelling. my grandfather could recite long intricate riddles from memory and my mother raised me with stories of her youthut growing up on the ruralg countryside. when i am writing i am always reading out loud and it is critical the sounds and the music of the story ring true. the opportunity to lend my own voice to the text to lifting off the page has been so for filling. this is where it gets awkward.

special thanks. [laughter] must be awkward to read i thank you to yourself but she is right. [laughter] every author is given the often to know that every word is spot on it of such a wonderful producer. thank you. [applause] >> please adjust the microphone to your mouth level and speak directly into it. thank you. [laughter] here is the category.

the best female narrator are. i am actually a little choked up. nothing to see here. [applause]

>> i am blown away. i am simply honored by this. i love books so much. i am most useful getting to read these books out loud. and this book in particular meant so much toto me. and i am overwhelmed. thank you to harper audio and harpercollins. [applause] thank you so much. thank you to everyone who listen to the book and listens

to audiobooks. it is an honor. thank you so much. [applause] and now my job the b best meal narrator. - - mail narrator. the nominees d are. [applause]

and the audie goes to and the audie goes to robert? anyone? robert cannot be here tonight but he has really enjoyed the tremendous challenge to step into the shoes. he is so grateful to keep that tradition. so thank you all very much. [applause] >> now let's take a look at the finalist for audiobook of the year.

>> the audie goes to the only plane in the sky. [cheers and applause] >> thank you so much to the

judges for this incredibly humbling company. this is a project that has meant so much to me for so many yearsuc now trying to pull together the voices of 480 americans who we followed through 9/11 morning and night coast-to-coast. thank you for simon & schuster believing in b the project. and elyse and tom i could hear his head explode when i told him what i wanted to do with this book. and then brought together hundreds of voices. thank you all for helping me

to share this story with so many americans who were not alive for 9/11. i hear almost every day from people who are learning about 9/11 through this audiobook and what it meant to our country through the voices of the story. and i'm very grateful to the judges and the npa for recognizing the story to ensure that we never forget our country on that day. thank you. [applause] >> i would like to thank you all for having me as your host of this evening. and until next year, keep your feet on the ground and keep

hydrating. [applause] thank you for joining us for the 25th audie award ceremony. congratulations to all the finalist and winners. we invite you to go downstairs to receive your awards. >> it turns out there is this thing that happened, this process that can happen when you start to solve a perfect problem that has not been solved before.

most of what we do is copying most of the tools and training and comfort are solutions that exist. >> we cannot have a diagnostic test and now with the rapid sequencing to watch this viral genome mutate which is critically important.