Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant. She was born with Larsen Syndrome, a genetic physical disability. Her career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. She is the co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. Audiobook Café is broadcast on A...
Oct 09, 2024•31 min•Ep. 166
Ramya Amuthan is back! She joins us for a Rapid Fire Review today! Ramya’s RFR Picks: 1. Big Dating Energy by Jeff Guenther and Kate Happ 2. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom 3. Pet Sematary by Stephen King 4. Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory 5. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation f...
Oct 07, 2024•24 min•Ep. 165
Today we chat with our regular contributor, Sara Hillis about updates on AI Narrated Audiobooks. Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET. Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback! Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMI AMI is a media company that enterta...
Oct 03, 2024•30 min•Ep. 164
Our guest is an avid Audiobook listener. Jeffrey Rainey is back with another edition of Rapid Fire Review. Here are Jeffrey Rainey’s book recommendations: • Car Guys VS. Bean Counters, by Bob Lutz. • The Battle for the Soul of American Business Icons and Idiots, also by Bob Lutz. • George Romney, by Patrick Foster. • The Triumph and Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson by Joseph A. Califano Jr. • The Soviet Union During the Brezhnev Era by Charles River Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada an...
Oct 03, 2024•30 min•Ep. 163
Joining us today is our audiobook contributor and bookworm, Aamer Khan. Aamer and Jacob will be reviewing The Mars Room By Rachel Kushner The book was shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize. it received the 2018 Prix Médicis Étranger. The title also received a Gold Medal for Fiction from the California Book Awards. Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET. Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudio...
Sep 23, 2024•28 min•Ep. 162
Ryan Hooey is an avid audiobook listener, who also is a regular contributor on Kelly and Ramya on his featured segments called The Chatty Bookshelf. He is here to chat about a couple of things, First, we are reviewing the Pearl by John Steinbeck, a classic novella. And second, we chat about how classic books like these inevitability make it into high school English curriculums and how they can be a huge disservice to young readers. Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes...
Sep 18, 2024•31 min•Ep. 161
Premee Mohamed is a Nebula award-winning Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction author based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is an Assistant Editor at the short fiction audio venue Escape Pod and the author of the 'Beneath the Rising' series of novels as well as several novellas. Premee Mohamed is here to talk about her literary award-winning series, “The Annual Migration of Clouds.” Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays a...
Sep 16, 2024•31 min•Ep. 160
Danielle Bouthillier is a laboratory technician, digital artist, and a science fiction writer. Her debut novel, Hero, work started in 2012 and went through several revisions over the years to create this tension-driven and unconventional superhero story. It is now available in Audiobook format and the plot features a deaf superhero. Her hearing loss makes her one of the best musicians. Plus, she discovers that her powers cannot solve all her problems. Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in ...
Sep 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 159
In this edition of AMI Audiobook Review, we speak with Susan Loube, a Director of PAL-Reading Services. Their mission is to provide, upon request, free audio recorded versions of print material, which give persons with vision impairments or other disabilities access to lifelong learning choices. Learn more about PAL-Reading Services online: https://www.palreading.org/ Highlights: PAL Reading Services - AMI Audiobook Review Intro (00:00) Introducing Susan Loube, Director at PAL-Reading Services (...
Sep 09, 2024•26 min•Ep. 158
AMI Podcast Coordinator Ryan Delehanty joins us to discuss guilty pleasures, share his Rapid Fire Reviews and discuss the autobiography “Rebel Girl” by Kathleen Hanna. With Rapid Fire Reviews of Find “All Fours” by Miranda July, “Buddy Babylon” by Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini, “Mr. Know It All” by John Waters & “The Kid Stays in the Picture” by Robert Evans. Highlights: “Guilty Pleasures” - AMI Audiobook Review Intro (00:00) Introducing AMI Podcast Coordinator, Ryan Delehanty (00:39) Guil...
Sep 04, 2024•28 min•Ep. 157
Audiobook contributor Sarah Hillis joins us to review the novel Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay. Find out why it's one of Jacob Shymanski's favourite listens of 2024! Highlights: “Horror Movie” - AMI Audiobook Review Intro (00:00) Introducing Audiobook Contributor Sarah Hillis (00:43) First Thoughts on “Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay (01:13) Multiple Timelines and Points of View (03:02) Spoiler-Free Story Summary (05:35) Is it Scary? (8:59) “Horror Movie: the Book” versus “Horror Movie: the Movie”...
Sep 03, 2024•27 min•Ep. 156
Jeffrey Rainey is an avid Audiobook listener and he will be joining us for a Rapid Fire Review. Today’s theme for RFR is Baseball book titles! Mentioned book titles: 1. The Soul of Baseball, A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America 2. Ball Four, by Jim Bouton 3. The Big Chair by Ned Colletti, Joseph A. Reaves 4. Hello, Friends! by Jerry Howarth 5. Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein, Life in the minor leagues of baseball Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishe...
Aug 28, 2024•30 min•Ep. 155
On today's Audiobook Review, we’re having a Book Club roundtable. Joining our conversation is our audiobook contributor and bookworm, Aamer Khan. We dive into a book club question that we asked you guys on social media and we will be sharing those answers too. The question is, Who's your favorite character of all time and why? Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET. Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram ...
Aug 26, 2024•30 min•Ep. 154
Audiobook contributor and host of “My Life in Books” Red Széll returns to the show to reflect on his experiences as an author and share his perspective on the writing community. Highlights: AMI Audiobook Review Intro (00:00) Introducing Red Széll, Author and Host of “My Life in Books” (00:14) The Old Man of Hoy (01:29) Interest in Rock Climbing (03:04) Learning of Vision Loss at 19 (05:41) Writing “the Blind Man of Hoy” (06:54) “Blind Trust” – the 1st Novel (09:44) Becoming an Author (10:36) Fam...
Aug 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 153
Audiobook contributor Aamer Khan joins us for a dive into the career of Karin Slaughter, a suspense thriller author famous for “The Will Trent” Series. The series takes place in Atlanta and features GBI special agent Will Trent, his partner Faith Mitchell, and Angie Polaski. Highlights Show Intro (00:00) Introducing Aamer Khan (00:23) Author Profile: Karin Slaughter (00:44) “The Will Trent” Series (02:43) Karin’s Writing Style (08:30) Thoughts on the Suspense Genre (15:05) Where to Start with Sl...
Aug 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 152
Greg David is our Communications Specialist at AMI, and an avid audiobook listener. He joined our host Jacob Shymanski for a ‘Rapid Fire Review’ featuring Canadian history books! Highlights: Show Intro (00:00) Greg David Introduction (1:58) Rapid Fire Review (8:15) The Company, by Stephen R. Bown (8:25) The Inconvenient Indian, by Thomas King (8:57) The Wake: The Deadly Legacy of a Newfoundland Tsunami, by Linden MacIntyre (9:32) Spadina: A Story of Old Toronto, by Austin Seton Thompson (10:11) ...
Aug 16, 2024•28 min•Ep. 151
Two of the bestselling storytellers of all time have created an unforgettable thriller. The master of the techno-blockbuster joins forces with the master of the modern thriller to create the most anticipated mega bestseller in years Ryan Hooey is an avid audiobook listener, who also is a regular contributor on Kelly and Ramya on his featured segments called The Chatty Bookshelf. He is coming on todays show to review the audiobook, Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson. Audiobook Café ...
Aug 14, 2024•30 min•Ep. 150
One of our Audiobook contributors Sara Hillis joins us for another Audiobook review. James McBride's The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store begins with the unsettling discovery of a skeleton in a well in a small town. This eerie opening to the Chicken Hill area of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, creates a sense of mystery as the narrative then shifts back nearly 50 years to delve into the town, its secrets, and its inhabitants. Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podc...
Aug 07, 2024•31 min•Ep. 149
One of our avid audiobook readers, Michael Feir, joins us to review “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece,” written and narrated by Tom Hanks. The book offers a blend of humour, insight, and a deep dive into filmmaking. A perfect summer read for historical and literary fiction lovers! First, Nisreen Abdel-Majid, the producer of AMI Audiobook Review stops by to preview our feature guest of the episode Michael Feir. Jacob and Michael speak about their favourite and least favourit...
Aug 06, 2024•30 min•Ep. 148
The novel Tom Lake by critically acclaimed American author Ann Patchett is a mature and cerebral exploration of parent-children relationships, love and loss And the endless pursuit of happiness, amongst many other heady themes ripe for differing interpretations. No matter how you choose to interpret it, this book will no doubt leave you thinking. Its narration by Emmy award-winning actress Meryl Streep is nothing short of excellence and it alone makes it well worth a listen. Karen McKay, communi...
Jul 06, 2024•53 min•Ep. 147
Better reading/audiobook listening comprehension leads to greater enjoyment of books. Do not neglect the quality of book consumption over quantity. These are the messages we want to impart to you in today's episode. Aamer Khan joins Jacob and Ramya to discuss how we can all improve our reading comprehension. The book that sparked today's discussion: How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, by Mortimer J. Adler Aamer Khan's selections: Past Tense (Jack Reacher, #23), by Lee C...
Jun 29, 2024•56 min•Ep. 146
This week, Jacob and Ramya each review a book they've been eager to share. Both titles come with enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive recommendations. One, a contemporary romance and the other, an epic fantasy series. Ramya reviews the incredibly popular Normal People, by Sally Rooney while Jacob raves about The Liveship Traders series, by Robin Hobb. Plus, in the second half, long-time AMI producer Matt Agnew gets his turn at the rapid-fire review. Below are his recommendations: Children of...
Jun 22, 2024•56 min•Ep. 145
This week, our co-worker in AMI's Marketing & Communications department, Cassandra Chaddock, schools us on fan-fiction basics. It's a strange world of boundless creativity with nothing holding writers back from creating the stories they and their readers want. Without the constraints of sales, editors and publishers, the fan-fiction community cranks out truly weird, wildly imaginative and often beautiful stories based on the IPs we all know and love. Behind their eccentricities, there's an u...
Jun 15, 2024•56 min•Ep. 144
What’s your biggest audiobook pet peeve? That one, seemingly insignificant thing that for whatever reason, drives you crazy. We posed this question to the book club and got *a lot* of answers. From strong beliefs narrators should never do accents to hating misdirection, the book club came through this month. Thank you all for your contributions. If you want to leave us feedback, you can call us at 1 866 509-4545 or leave us an email at feedback@ami.ca Plus, in the latter half of the episode, reg...
Jun 08, 2024•49 min•Ep. 143
With the help of our friends at CELA, Karen McKay and Theresa Power, Ramya and Jacob are reviewing the latest book from best-selling Canadian author, Carley Fortune. This Summer Will Be Different is a contemporary Canadian romance set in Prince Edward Island. With fantastic relationship writing, great prose and tons of delightful Canadiana, this title has charm but does it have substance? Listen to find out more. Plus, Cora Coady is with us in the second half of the show for another edition of t...
Jun 01, 2024•54 min•Ep. 142
Homes: A Refugee Story, by Abu Bakr Al-Rabeeah and Winnie Yeung, was recommended to us by our audiobook curator, Aamer Khan, as part of a previous episode where we discussed books that can make us shed a tear... or three. Ramya and I read it and we've reconvened with Aamer to record a proper in-depth review. It's a great, accessibly written, true story about a tight-knit family as they try to find a place to call home. Originally from Iraq, they move to Syria, only to be caught up in the civil w...
May 25, 2024•56 min•Ep. 141
CELA , the Center for Equitable Library Access, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. For over a decade, they’ve been maintaining a massive physical and digital library of books in multiple accessible formats for Canadians with disabilities. We mention them on the show constantly because it’s our primary way of accessing all the audiobooks we discuss on this show. Karen McKay and Theresa Power are long-time employees at CELA and have been regular contributors to this show since the beginning and ...
May 18, 2024•53 min•Ep. 140
With over 700 audiobook titles to her credit, Anne Flosnik is a veteran amongst veteran audiobook narrators. When we got the chance to have her on the show, we jumped on the opportunity. In this episode, Anne shares her narration process, advice for aspiring narrators, insights on the industry and unveils many of the unexpected fascinating intricacies of audiobook narration. Visit Anne's website: https://anneflosnik.com/ Link to Anne's Clubhouse page: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/narrator-upl...
May 11, 2024•56 min•Ep. 139
Canadian actress Sarah Desjardins (Yellowjackets, The Night Agent) joins us to talk about her very first work of audiobook narration. She discusses the transition from acting to narrating, the challenges of a first-time narrator and the joys of recording audiobooks. As it so happens, the book she got to narrate is set where she grew up, in Vancouver and Vancouver Island. The Worst of You, by Sarah Richards, is a gripping suspense/thriller told from multiple points of view. Here is the link to th...
May 04, 2024•56 min•Ep. 138
PAL reading services is a non-profit, registered charity service that will record a human narration of any text you submit, no questions asked, at no charge. Perfect for all those titles that don't make it into CELA's library and for all of those hyper-technical science and engineering textbooks that you want but never get made into accessible formats. Long time PAL readers Danielle McLaughlin and Suzan Laube talk to us about their work. Plus, we unpack the answers from the most recent question ...
Apr 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 137
