MAVERICK MARKETER, by Bob Johnstone
With my wife Mary, and son Drake we listened to sample readings from over 100 prospective narrators presented by Author’s Republic on their online website. We decided on Barry Abrams (barryabramsvoice.com) to read Maverick Marketer. Like the yacht America’s win at Cowes in 1851, there was no 2nd.
BASEBALL MEMORIES & DREAMS
Reflections on the National Pastime from the Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum [Ed.], Read by Barry Abrams • Unabridged • NOVEMBER 2022
Tantor Media • Trade Ed.
Tantor Media • Library Ed.
Barry Abrams narrates a wonderfully compiled series of essays about baseball, viewed through multiple lenses. It’s inclusive, with sections on Latin ballplayers, women, and others. Principals range from lesser-known competitors to stars. Abrams really has cornered the market on sports audiobook narration. His almost impish-sounding voice paired with his fun-loving style always fits the stories. The writing comes from a variety of folks — former ballplayers, writers, Hall of Fame staffers, and others. A minor nitpick: Reading each author bio at the end of each brief section is repetitive; it could have been done once, at the end. Listeners who see Abrams’s name as narrator should expect a solid performance, good diction, correct pronunciations, and a book that is enjoyable, listenable, and not too heavy in its tone. M.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
GOLD: How Gretzky’s Men Ended Canada’s 50 Year Olympic Drought
VISUAL LEADERSHIP, by Todd Cherches (Author/CEO, Leadership Consultant and Executive Coach at BigBlueGumball; TEDx speaker; author of Visual Leadership
Just want to give a big shout-out to the incredible Barry Abrams who provided the excellent voice narration for my audiobook!!! I would say he, “took the words right out of my mouth”…but that would sound like one of my father’s corny “Dad jokes”…so I won’t. 🙂
MR. MET: How a Sports-Mad Kid from Jersey Became Like Family to Generations of Big Leaguers
by Jay Horwitz, Jacob deGrom [Fore.] | Read by Barry Abrams
Biography & Memoir • 9 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2020
For almost four decades, any player or manager, or anyone associated with the New York Mets, has known of and appreciated Jay Horvitz. The likable New York Mets PR man’s memoir is as much a story of his life growing up as it is a history of the team. Barry Abrams brings his engaging, animated voice to the narration. He alters his tone when narrating quotes from the many players, managers, and associates interviewed for this book–not trying to imitate them as much as differentiate them. It’s a smart approach that works. His narration fits Horvitz’s convivial nature as the listener takes in all his fun stories. M.B. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]
THE DOG WHO TOOK ME UP A MOUNTAIN
TEN INNINGS AT WRIGLEY: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink
by Kevin Cook | Read by Barry Abrams
Contemporary Culture • 7.5 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2019
Narrator Barry Abrams is the perfect choice for this deep dive into the historic 1979 game that saw the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs achieve a combined total of 45 runs. The topic lends itself to both humor and serious moments, and Abrams narrates in an almost impish style. At times, he alters his voice when a player is being quoted. It’s never campy; rather, it sets the appropriate tone. Kevin Cook does more than detail the game. He starts with a fair amount of historical background and also researches what happened to many of the players and teams afterward. Some of this is hilarious, some tragic, some historic. Abrams’s narration enhances this story, especially for those who followed baseball in the 1970s and 1980s. M.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]
TAMING THE SUN Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet
Varun Sivaram, Read by Barry Abrams • Unabridged • AUGUST 2018
Tantor Media • Trade Ed.
Think of the world of 2050. It could be a polluted world of droughts, floods, and heat waves. It could also be a solar world, with carbon emissions stored or used in industry. Varun Sivaram, a senior adviser to Los Angeles’ mayor, reviews the hurdles in both policy and the technology itself as he offers glimpses of a brighter solar future. Narrator Barry Abrams captures the author’s enthusiasm as he tours the world’s solar projects, visiting India, Germany, Mexico, and the Mideast. Abrams appropriately tempers his cheerful narrative with a cautionary tone reflecting the research and investment that are still needed. Sivaram goes heavy on details of financing and science that bog down at times. Those details are important, though, for shaping the future. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland,
THE UMPIRE HAS NO CLOTHES
by Walter Witty | Read by Barry Abrams
Contemporary Culture • 2.75 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2013
This book is written by Jonathan Lowe. You thought Walter Witty was a real name? It’s subtitled “Diary of a Sports Atheist,” and that’s exactly the perspective you get. Narrator Barry Abrams deftly controls the tone of his delivery. Like a deft race-car driver, he knows when to turn on the sarcasm, when to back off. Or like a coach demanding more from his team, he can ratchet up the emotions that this ranting book demands. The book’s premise is that sports obsessions have formed a black hole of meaningless reverence in our culture. Self-aware fans might chuckle, but nonbelievers who have no time for sports will nod like bobbleheads. The book reads like the styles of Rick Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and Dave Barry have all been merged. It’s entertaining at this length; any more would be too much. M.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2015]
THE FAR TURN – listener comments
