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.

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 (01:11)
• The Question of Copyright (01:23)
• Bespoke Audiobooks (02:39)
• Susan’s Role at PAL & Experience with Vision Loss (03:12)
• The PAL Process (04:28)
• Audiobook Delivery Formats (05:41)
• PAL Narrators (07:07)
• Accessible Library Services & PAL (07:50)
• Niche Reading Requests (09:40)
• Canadian Copyright Law (11:53)
• PAL’s Biggest Challenges (14:16)
• The Importance of PAL Reading Services (15:05)
• Learning from PAL (16:35)
• Adapting to Audiobooks (18:39)
• Accessing PAL’s Services (23:24)
• Closing Remarks (24:31)

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)
• Guilty Pleasures Roundtable Discussion (00:56)
• Ryan’s Rapid-Fire Reviews (9:36)
• Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hanna (10:18)
• All Fours by Miranda July (11:16)
• Buddy Babylon by Scott Thompson (13:54)
• Mr. Know It All by John Waters (15:46)
• The Kid Stays in the Picture by Robert Evans (19:42)
• In-Depth Chat on Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hanna (20:24)
• Show Close (27:33)

“Rebel Girl” by Kathleen Hanna on: CELA, Audible

“All Fours” by Miranda July on: CELA, Audible

“Buddy Babylon” by Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini on: Audible

“Mr. Know It All” by John Waters on: CELA, Audible

“The Kid Stays in the Picture” by Robert Evans on: CELA, Audible

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” (10:30)
• The Screenplay & the Thin Kid (12:00)
• Reboots & Remakes (14:51)
• Why Were 90’s Kids So Mean?!? (16:44)
• Unreliable Narrators & Distortions of Reality (17:17)
• Spoilers, Content Warnings & Nisreen’s Questions (20:09)
• Closing Remarks (25:34)

Links:

Find “Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay on: CELA or Audible

About "Horror Movie" by Paul Tremblay

Publisher's Summary- A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club and The Cabin at the End of the World.

In June 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing art-house horror flick.

The weird part?

Only three of the film’s scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fanbase.

Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big budget reboot.

The man who played “The Thin Kid” is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy.

As memories flood back in, the boundaries between reality and film, past and present start to blur. But he’s going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors, and surreal fan conventions—demons of the past be damned.

But at what cost?

Horror Movie is an obsessive, psychologically chilling, and suspenseful feat of storytelling genius that builds inexorably to an unforgettable, mind-bending conclusion.