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Random Acts of Listening: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time

January 13, 2012

Today’s post was written for us by Rebecca Waugh, Executive Editor, Acquisitions for Listening Library. Thanks for joining us, Rebecca!

Wrinkle          Reach Me

“It was a dark and stormy night.”  Is that not one of the best first lines in a novel, ever?  So simple and mysterious.  As one of my favorite books from childhood, A Wrinkle in Time travelled with me when I moved to New York for my first job in publishing.  It’s an old dog-eared paperback, and I can’t remember the first time I read it, because I must have read it (and the two sequels) about five times as a kid.  But it was only after I started working at Listening Library that it dawned on me that A Wrinkle in Time was a treasured book for so many people.  It has long been one of our most popular audio titles, and knowing that the 50th anniversary was coming in 2012, we started thinking about doing something special with the audiobook to celebrate.  And the funny thing was, the more we talked about A Wrinkle in Time, the more I began noticing references to it everywhere.   Many writers cite it as an influential favorite, including Rebecca Stead.   But it pops up in popular culture too – like when Sawyer is seen reading it on the TV show LOST.  (Apparently, an entire book club was spawned based on the books that Sawyer read.)  I believe the enduring appeal of this book is the unique blend of fantasy and science fiction, and it’s beautifully written.

Timed with the anniversary, we decided to give A Wrinkle in Time a brand-new recording, expertly read by the talented actress Hope Davis.  And to help promote it, we came up with a contest that pairs two amazing audiobooks together: A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me.  To enter, contestants must write a postcard to their future or past self.   Visitors to our website can listen to clips from these two time/space traveling classics for inspiration…and the lucky grand prize winner will get a new digital camera.

Rebecca Stead and Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis will determine the winners based on the writing and poignancy of the entry.  We’re very excited to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time, and the Newbery Award-winning When You Reach Me.  If someone you know (young or old!) hasn’t discovered these great audiobooks yet, please encourage them to take a listen…and enter the contest at www.timetravelcontest.com

For those who get hooked on Madeleine L’Engle, we’re also delighted to announce new recordings of the sequels: A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, read by Jennifer Ehle.  A fun bit of trivia… some of you may recognize Jennifer Ehle from her terrific portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries.  Hope you enjoy!

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2 Comments leave one →
  1. January 13, 2012 9:03 am

    What a great idea for a contest. I loved When You Reach Me and in honor of the anniversary am just now reading A Wrinkle In Time & re-visiting all the favorite lines & scenes. It’s wonderful that so many things are happening this year to celebrate this book.

  2. May 2, 2013 1:29 pm

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