Scott's Top Picks

Enjoy featured audiobooks narrated by Scott Brick that he considers his personal favorites. You can also click each title to purchase the recording (or book/ebook) at Amazon.com.

We will update the featured audiobooks each season or so... start listening!

 

"Whenever people ask me, “What the best book you’ve ever narrated?” I have to pause, because there’s no easy answer.  After more than 800 titles, there have been dozens of absolute gems along the way, and picking one to call The Best seems impossible. So I’ve solved the problem by listing the favorite books of the fans I hear from!  The following is a short list of the books people ask me about constantly, and that I still receive lovely comments about all these many years later.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!"

 

                                        

ALEXANDER HAMILTON:  Far from being on the bandwagon, my love for this book dates back a decade BEFORE the national craze over the musical, for which its author, Ron Chernow, served as technical advisor.  As I told him over the phone when we spoke about pronunciations in the studio that this is that rare experience where non-fiction reads like a novel.  An extraordinary literary achievement.

ATLAS SHRUGGED:  My mother used to beg me to read this book, long a favorite of hers, and knowing my passion for mysteries, would enigmatically ask me the question, “Who is John Galt?” throughout my life in an effort to entice me into doing so.  Consequently, when I was asked to narrate the title, it was an honor to say the least, one that actually landed me on the set of the film years later!  Turns out the producer had long been a fan of the audio and invited me on in a consultancy role.  Amazing.

DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY:  There are few books in my life that have taught me as much as this title; I still quote from it, constantly.  It is a beautiful weaving together of seemingly disparate stories that occurred simultaneously, until you realize that everyone, all of those who lived in Chicago at the time, as well as all of us reading about it, has been living both stories without knowing it.  A masterful achievement.

DRAGON TEETH:  Having previously narrated three of Michael Crichton’s books (Sphere, Jurassic Park and The Lost World) I always believed that privilege would never come again, after his death nearly ten years ago.  But when his wife discovered this previously unpublished manuscript, it was one of the most profound honors of my career to be entrusted with its narration.  In many ways, it’s the story Crichton was born to write: it’s all about cowboys and Indians… and dinosaurs!

DUNE:  My association with Frank Herbert and his work has been a singular honor of my career, having been a devoted fan long before I ever began narrating audiobooks, and the initial volume in this series remains its greatest achievement.  Richly textured and tantalizingly complex, the book’s gorgeous prose will have you believing you have witnessed sunsets on the planet Arrakis.

  

                                        

HELTER SKELTER:  Having grown up in LA, I’ve been fascinated with its history since I was a boy, but I don’t think I’ve ever learned quite so much about the events that have taken place in my city than in this book.  A harrowing look at a time in our history when nearly everyone (including the District Attorney’s bosses) didn’t think Charles Manson could be convicted.

IN COLD BLOOD:  When I was offered the chance to read Truman Capote’s masterpiece, I started looking around for hidden cameras, so convinced was I that I was the victim of a practical joke.  A masterpiece, plain and simple.  And true confession time: when I read a year ago that a political reporter from the NY Times who listened to this book while driving through the countryside near the scene of the crime was too scared to leave her car one night, there was a part of me that was delighted.  My job here is done!

JURASSIC PARK:  Even though I’d narrated the sequel, The Lost World, nearly a decade before, I was completely gob-smacked when I was asked to record the original, Michael Crichton’s masterpiece, Jurassic Park.  And having grown up a massive fan of his work, I reveled in the joy of it on every page.  I never thought I’d feel like a kid again, but while narrating this book, I felt that thrill of riding through the gate of the doomed amusement park once more time.  <p.s. Scott won the Audie for this title... editor>

THE LION:  Not only is this book one of Nelson DeMille’s best, it is also the title that introduced me to this brilliant writer.  The very first blockbuster bestseller I was ever blessed to record, I was completely unprepared for the scope of DeMille’s legion of fans, and their passion for his main character, John Corey.  To this day, there are few things in my career that I’m prouder of than being associated with this series.  Nelson remains one of the most generous men I’ve ever met, and I am deeply honored to be associated with his work.

THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA:  I was completely unprepared for the effect Michael Pollan’s work would have on my life.  This book is the very definition of the term “game-changer.”  Simply put: I live my life differently because of what I learned while narrating this title.  It should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to live a healthier, happier life.

 

                                        

ORPHAN X:  Even though I’ve been a fan of Gregg Hurwitz’s work ever since The Crime Writer, the very first of his books I was asked to narrate, I was still unprepared at how brilliant this series and its main character are.  Evan Smoak is not your typical operative, and Hurwitz is not your typical writer.  If you love thrillers, but especially if you love brilliant writing, then buying this book is the biggest favor you can do yourself today.

THE PASSAGE:  It is hard to convey just how lyrical Justin Cronin’s writing is, or how huge an impact this sprawling trilogy will have on you when you finish it.  The years I spent waiting between volumes remain some of the hardest I have ever endured, yet when the final volume arrived, I wished I had yet another wait ahead of me, because I just didn’t want it to end.  Trust me, if you feel even a fraction of how much I adore this series, you will absolutely love it.

PATRIOT GAMES:  Another one of those titles I couldn’t believe I was being asked to narrate.  This early Jack Ryan book opens on a thrill ride of a scene, and doesn’t let up from there, and amazingly that ride has continued for me, as I’ve been asked to narrate most of the new Clancy titles that have come out since.  And were he here today, I would love to shake Tom’s hand, not merely for the chance to narrate his work, but for the great rides he’s given all of us over the years.

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY:  This book is one of those once-in-a-lifetime titles that grab your heart and never let go.  A literature professor of mine once spoke of that feeling most of us have had with various fiction over the years, where we find ourselves wondering what a certain book’s characters are doing now, after we’ve closed the final page?  To him, that was the definition of good fiction, and if that is indeed the case, then to me, this book is the very best kind of fiction, indeed, as each of its characters continues to live on in my heart.  A love letter to books, book lovers, and book sellers!

WASHINGTON: A LIFE:  In many ways, this book is the perfect accompaniment to Chernow’s ALEXANDER HAMILTON.  After all, Hamilton was not only Washington’s adjutant during the Revolution, but also a cabinet member once he became President.  As such, the cast of characters and many of the story’s events are the same, yet seen and told from a truly unique perspective.  This Pulitzer-prize winning book truly takes you into the mind of the most important man in our nation’s history.  A lush and thought-provoking achievement.