The Most Wonderful Tales of the Year: Holiday Memories Written and Performed by Our Favorite Narrators

by Jonathan Davis (Narrator), Kate Reading (Narrator), Michael Kramer (Narrator)

At Audible, they know just how much of an impact a voice can have on a story - taking simple words and filling them with elation, wonderment, tragedy, or pure satisfaction. Listeners rely on narrators to bring favorite stories and characters to life - to introduce them to new authors and genres, or even to a new (perhaps longer) commute. And though the Audible narrators are the best story tellers in the business, it's usually someone else's that they're telling.

So Audible asked 19 beloved performers to share their own personal holiday memories. With each story - some that will bring laughter, some that deal with loss, many that are filled with love and revelation - listeners get to know the person behind the voice.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Christmas, Short Stories, Holiday, Memoir, Biography

75 pages, Audible Audio

First published December 6, 2016

About the author

Jonathan Davis has received critical acclaim for his narration in a variety of genres. He has garnered accolades from Publisher's Weekly, USA Today, and AudioFile Magazine.


Davis has been nominated for four 2009 Audie Awards, for his performances of Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut, Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer, Executive Privilege by Phillip Margolin, and El Vecindario de Quinito by Ina Cumpiano.


Addtionally, Davis has narrated over thirty Star Wars titles for Lucas Film and Random House Audio, including Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith and Dark Lord. He has narrated bestsellers for many of the top publishing houses and audio divisions, for authors as diverse as Neal Stephenson, David Baldacci, Jackie Collins, Brett Easton Ellis, and Elinor Lipman, as well as over a hundred audiobooks, including Shadow of the Wind, Snow Crash, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, The Stranger, The Chosen, Calculating God , Blindness, The Atherton Series, and Glamorama.

Jonathan resides in New Jersey with his wife Stacy, a librarian, and their daughter Olivia Simone.

Reviews

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a Xmas gift from Audible. For that I am thankful.

It was OK. It can be used as a way of testing different narrators.

I see it more as a gift to the narrators, a means of self-advertising.

A good narrator is not necessarily a good author.

In addition, I am usually not enthralled by short stories. These stories are VERY short, only a few minutes long. The stories are related to things that have happened to the narrators either at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

[Mischenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compilation of Christmas stories and holiday traditions from different audible narrators including Johnathan Davis, Kate reading, Michael Kramer, and many more. All are short with some funny, some sad. At first it was very boring, but as they go on, it's interesting to hear the different traditions and see how different they all are. I'm giving it 3 stars...

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part this piece was really boring. The price was certainly right though. I can't argue with free! The stories were super boring for the most part. But there were a few good ones towards the end. And one line offered by a narrator towards the end, for me, increased this from a two star to a three star book. Use this book if you're behind on your goodreads challenge and trying to catch up towards the end of the year.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, nice little stories of the narrators' holiday memories

[MissSusie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this freebie from Audible. it wasn't a book written by an author by our favorite narrators telling their own personal Christmas stories. it was a neat insight into some favorite narrators.

[Kristy Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Popular narrators on Audible tell stories of their Christmases and holiday traditions. More like a narrator sampler with a holiday theme and less like a book or story, but still enjoyable. I always find it interesting to hear about other people's traditions and what gets them in the holiday mood.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of real Christmas stories by Audible readers. As much as I enjoyed the 2017 Christmas release, this one (2016) is my favorite, The stories range from Christmas in Puerto Rico to a Christmas without presents, which turns out to be probably the best Christmas ever. I would really like for Audible to do this next year. It was very enjoyable.

[Shanna Tidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great collection of personal stories. Like sitting down with a bunch of friends telling stories about Christmas, sharing their favorite memories.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was last year's Audible gift that I never got around to listening to. It's delightful.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and light hearted listening for the holidays. Some were a bit pretentious, others quite touching.

[Dora Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful anecdotes about the holidays from Audible narrators. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful grouping of narrator holiday memories. Always a pleasure to hear other people's traditions and stories from childhood.

[Zarlina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this Christmas gift from Audible. I've only been a member for about seven months, so I didn't know about the whole Christmas gift tradition and so far I haven't heard many of the favourite narrators that were featured in this, but now I'm even more excited to listen to even more books, because all their voices were so pleasant and friendly to my ears.

What hit me when I listened to this was that yes, all these people who read the books I listen to are actual people. I've never thought about it before, but doing this is their job, and they do it wonderfully, and they are real people with their own stories to tell, which is what made me love it even more. They told about their own lives, their traditions, moments that had changed their lives... I loved it. It was really such a nice listen, and I'm now even more excited to explore more books, books I would maybe not be interested in normally, because I want to listen to all these voices again.

I don't know, how or why, but this made me feel closer to them and I loved hearing their stories, it was so nice to get to know more about them.

Wonderful Christmas gift, I truly enjoyed it.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free gift from Audible--Christmas and holiday stories from a collection of their narrators. Some of the stories were really fabulous. Others were depressing and fell flat. I'd say 3/4 of them were really good and totally worth the listen. I let the kids listen to them as well. They didn't like them as much as I did. I'm a sucker for memory stories of celebrations in different countries and different families and earlier times.

[Andrea Strickland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listen to a lot of audio books. It helps keep me calm and distracted while I'm sitting in traffic every day. So, this collection of Christmas stories by Audible Narrators was quite a treat! Each story was unique and special in its own way. It brought back memories of my own childhood Christmases and made me look forward to holiday celebrations in the future.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of my favorite narrators sharing their own stories? Sign me up, Audible! And they did. Some of the memories shared were happy, or funny, or sad, but they were told in the voices that have read me some of my favorite stories. What a great gift to listeners who are as obsessed with narrators as I am!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun holiday listen! I love hearing about other people's holiday traditions and this doesn't disappoint. Even had me tearing up a few times. It's only an hour and half or so listen and I highly recommend it.

[Lubinka Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my favorite narrators, plenty of beautiful, heartwarming and a few heart-wrenching stories, some narrators that I didn't know, but the taste I got from this collection will most certainly make me try to find other books they've narrated - a pretty nice overall experience.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible's Holiday Gift to its subscribers this year. They invited 19 narrators to share their holiday stories and traditions and the results are quite good/entertaining.

[B.A. Malisch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible narrators shared their favorite holiday memories in 2016. This is good, because it was free. Also, the narrators are excellent to listen to (especially if you want to explore some new voices), and they share some diverse memories and traditions. I actually liked hearing about the lives of the narrators, as you rarely think about the person behind the voice.

It is a little bit random, but I like that. It’s great to hear personal stories and memories from personal voices, even if some narrators are not the best writers. Honestly, there is nothing here that is just spectacular, in terms of storytelling, but it’s a bit nostalgic, like listening to an older relative talk about the past.

Also, it was the delightful price of FREE, so thank you, Audible. 3 stars for content +1 star for a free Christmas present.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first audiobook on audible, this was an entertaining compilation of the time-honored Christmas traditions of audible narrators. I enjoyed the idea of asking for the stories of the professionals who typically perform stories as well as the overarching theme that there is no single, "normal" or "typical" way to celebrate the holiday season. some of the stories spoke to me more than others, but I appreciated hearing them all, whether happy or, in some aspects, sad. Perhaps most excitingly for me, one of the authors spoke at great length about figgy pudding, an ongoing joke in my family about our future holiday traditions. I'm excited to go find a recipe, and definitely one that involves lighting brandy on fire!

[Angie Simmonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year Audible gave all their subscribers this gift of The Most Wonderful Tales of the Year. They asked some of their best narrators to tell us readers some of their fondest holiday stories and traditions. While not every story moved me or was relatable to me there were some fine tales told. Stories of a hitchhiking Santa, a Thanksgiving adoption, latch hook crafts and traditional figgy pudding. Stories of the first time cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, the passing of the torch in a Christmas Carol production from father to daughter and coming to terms with a mother's death in a drunk driving accident. Nineteen stories told in all and of course the narration is second to none. If this one is still sitting in your library from a year ago, give it a listen! 3.5 stars out of 5

[BooksAmL · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive this book free, and it was very entertaining. The big reason that I am only giving a 2.7 stars if because it got a little overwhelming at one point, with all this many readers and points of view.

It is a book where the writers share some of their most memorable Christmas stories, and some are very interesting and funny. What is helps is that you will get a little inside on the authors life and their childhood for some of them. I think I would've like it to read it more than to listen to it. At some points for me it started getting even confusing, because the voices were similar.

I can not complain, it is a free book with Christmas stories , that maybe I will even use for when I am with my family.

[Lorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Audible, for this wonderful Christmas gift. I enjoyed it even more than last year's gift. Hearing some of my favorite readers tell their special holiday stories was really neat and for the most part pleasurable. The story of present wrapping really stays with me because personally I detest wrapping gifts but I love to give-especially if it's a homemade gift. The holiday traditions of our readers brought to mind my own family's traditions and memories of Christmases past. My children and I will never forget Santa along the road each year as we traveled "home ". Thank you for the gift of yourselves.

[John Michael Strubhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

These first person accounts of Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations by Audible narrators is very pleasant. Their stories were very well narrated, because ... well.... you know - narrators. None of the stories reminded me of my own Thanksgiving and Christmas experiences at any time in my life, but they were so well narrated and so ..... pleasant. If you're looking for an opportunity to mellow out or have your ears massaged with remembrance and even a bit of drama, you will surely enjoy this production. And as we all know, Scott Brick is the man with the master plan. If he can't read it nobody can.

[Christy Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of very short reflections and reminisces by Audible authors on favorite holiday memories, this was an overall very good, lighthearted series of narrated snippets. A few of the segments were less engaging than others, as to be expected in any collection, but overall the quality was high for such brief and varied contributions. Perhaps my one suggestion would have been to rearrange the order of a few of the stories for better flow and feeling, particularly near the end of the collection, but overall, well worth a holiday listen/read.

[Jacalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free gift from audible and features multiple narrators telling their one holiday stories. It’s an excellent way to try out authors or learn a little bit about your fave authors a little.

I love the holidays and I love anecdotes. There’s a lot to learn from the stories and traditions of others. Most of the stories are quite short so your attention sticks.

There are stories of adoption, funny accidents, Santa, and more.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Free book given away by audible at Christmas that I wanted to get finished. There were maybe 3 stories that were worth listening to. A good narrator doesn't make a good author. Also they would sound kind of precocious telling their not so great stories in their amazing narrator voices like they were reading Dickens or Austen which made me laugh (when it wasn't supposed to be humorous).

[Jackie's Bookbytes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Various narrators each tells the tales of real Christmas' spent growing up through the years. It was very personal and I enjoyed it very much. Some were fanciful and filled with love and joy, while others have sad and terrible memories of who they are and what they've lost. Such an eclectic variety of stories!

[Anneli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy little collection with some bland little tales and some pieces of gold. A nice, quick listen to get in the holiday spirit. I liked that it included tales of both wonderful christmases and disastrous ones, quiet holidays as well as huge parties. I think everyone will recognize themselves in at least one of these stories.