Photo credit: www.publishersweekly.com
On March 4, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) celebrated the 30th edition of the Audie Awards in New York City, recognizing excellence in audiobooks and spoken-word productions. APA executive director Michele Cobb filled in as host after Amy Sedaris was unable to attend.
The prestigious Audiobook of the Year accolade was awarded to Barbra Streisand’s memoir My Name Is Barbra, which she both authored and narrated, published by Penguin Random House Audio. This title additionally claimed victory in the autobiography/memoir category.
Representatives from PRH Audio, including VP of audio production Karen Dziekonski and producer Matie Argiropoulos, accepted the award. Dziekonski humorously noted their challenging names in the industry, emphasizing, “I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and this is my first time standing on this stage,” expressing that her experiences have led to this significant moment.
In her acceptance remarks, Dziekonski thanked the Audies judges for their dedication in listening to the extensive audiobook, which she suggested could be the longest narrated by the author, before acknowledging the contributions of former Viking executive editor Rick Kot and audio editor Chris Benelli, who integrated approximately 60 music tracks by Streisand into the production.
Reflecting on her time working with Streisand, Dziekonski noted the unique insights gained during recording sessions, praising Streisand as a dedicated artist and remarkable individual.
Whoopi Goldberg also graced the stage that evening, accepting an award for best narration by an author for her memoir Bits and Pieces from Blackstone Publishing. She shared a bit about her journey with dyslexia, stating, “Hearing things read to me is heaven…” and expressed her appreciation for the audio community present at the event.
Other notable winners included Rednecks by Taylor Brown, narrated by Ramiz Monsef (fiction); The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon, narrated by McKinnon and Emily Lynne (humor); There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib (nonfiction); This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan, narrated by Ines del Castillo and Jakobi Diem (romance); and Nothing: John Cage and the 4’33” by Nicholas Day, narrated by Fred Berman (young listeners).
In a shift for the Audie Awards, the categories for best male and female narrator were replaced with separate categories for best fiction and nonfiction narrators. Julia Whelan won for The Women by Kristin Hannah, while Justin Vivian Bond was awarded for Candy Darling by Cynthia Carr.
Throughout the evening, the ceremony featured supercuts showcasing reflections from seasoned audio industry professionals. Eileen Hutton, formerly with Brilliance Audio, spoke about the early collaborative spirit among competitors in the APA, remarking on their collective efforts to elevate industry visibility.
Further, insights into industry evolution were shared, with PRH Audio’s global president Amanda D’Acierno highlighting that nearly all bestsellers now have audiobook editions. Former professionals Jenny Frost, Beth Anderson, and Tim Ditlow noted key developments, including the transition from abridged to unabridged recordings and the emergence of audio-first content.
For a comprehensive list of the 2025 Audie Award winners, please visit here.
Source
www.publishersweekly.com