We reached out to some of our favorite bestselling authors and asked them about their favorite books and their favorite places to read in celebration of our books for vision impaired Library Month promotion at Braille Institute, and National Library Week.

Here’s what they had to say:

Max Brooks, Bestselling Author of World War Z

“Right now, I’m re-reading, or rather re-listening, to my mother’s favorite book “The Microbe Hunters” and my favorite place to listen to it, is in my vegetable garden.”

The Microbe Hunters, by Paul De Kruif, tells the dramatic stories of the great scientists whose discoveries under the microscope changed medical history. Among those included are Pasteur, Koch, Leeuwenhoek, Paul Ehrlich, and Walter Reed. It is available on BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) (DB10457), read by Gordon Gould.

Susan Orlean, Bestselling Author of The Orchid Thief & The Library Book

Susan spoke at Braille Institute Los Angeles in 2019 as part of National Library Week and is one of the most-acclaimed authors who calls Los Angeles home. We asked her a couple of questions in celebration of this year’s National Library Week and Library Month at Braille Institute.

Q: What is your favorite book?

A: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. It was the book that made me fall in love with reading and appreciate the incredible power of writing. 

One of the most-highly-regarded books of American literature, The Sound and the Fury is available on BARD (DB49885) read by Bruce Huntey. The book takes place in 1928 Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, were the Compson brothers–Quentin, Jason, and the “idiot” son Benjy–narrate events that trace the gradual disintegration of the family and include the ostracism of their wanton sister, Caddy.

Q: Where is your favorite place to read or listen to audio books and why?

A: I love reading in bed! The only danger is that I get too comfortable and fall asleep — but otherwise, it’s the coziest place to settle down with a book, and I love it. 

We want to thank the authors who so kindly shared their answers with us. You can currently find many of Max and Susan’s books on our BARD mobile app. Simply search the author’s name. What’s more, through our BARD library service, you can access thousands of books for vision impaired.

Now it’s your turn to share with us your favorite audio books and places to read. Share this story on Facebook or Twitter with your answers and tag us (www.facebook.com/brailleinstitute & @BrailleInst on Twitter).