Robin Miles

Last updated
Robin Miles
NationalityAmerican
Education Yale University (BA, Theater)
Yale School of Drama (MFA, Drama)
Occupation(s)Stage, screen, and audiobook actress

Robin Miles is an American actor, casting director, audiobook narrator and audiobook director. Miles has acted in Broadway shows and on TV shows including Law & Order and Murder by Numbers . She is best known for her audiobook narrations and narration director work for which she has won numerous awards, including Audie Awards, AudioFile Golden Voice, and Earphone Awards. Miles is revered in her field and is credited as one of the audiobook narrators saving the publishing industry. [1] In 2017, Miles was inducted into Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame. Miles also has a voice training school, VOXpertise, for aspiring narrators. [2] She has narrated over 300 books. [3] Miles specializes in recreating "accents and speech patterns from around the globe." [4]

Contents

Biography

Robin Miles grew up in New Jersey and credits her immigrant neighborhood for immersing her in a rich world of accents, languages and cultures which she has been able to draw on for her narration work. Miles started in musical theater, but transitioned to drama. Miles graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Studies and she earned her Master of Fine Arts in Drama from Yale School of Drama. [5]

After graduating and moving to New York City, Miles was looking for community service volunteer opportunities. She started book narration by volunteering to read for the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Library Service. [5]

When she started narration work, Miles was surprised by how ethnically segregated the work was considering it is voice work:

It was like, 'You do the black books, and you're Jewish, you do the Jewish books.' I was totally shocked," she says. "But, it's kind of morphed. It really started out with such a small pool of people, that the people they had did everything whether or not they could handle the accent and culture. And then, when a little more diversity came in, it was like, well nobody can do anything outside of their yard. And now, I think we're also beginning to hopefully, break through that again. [5]

Miles has narrated a wide range of genres including children's books, non-fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, biography and other genres including the Young Reader's Edition of Kamala Harris's The Truths We Hold .[ citation needed ]

Reviews

According to The New York Times , Miles "excels at technically perfect Standard American dialect but interjects just enough slightly sarcastic pauses and subtly acerbic inflections to emphasize the true meaning of the text." [6]

According to AudioFile magazine, who reviewed The Vela, "The best way to tie together a space opera written alternately by four authors" is "choosing the capable Robin Miles to narrate" as "Miles creatively utilizes dialects to differentiate the denizens of several planets that revolve around a dying sun". [7]

AudioFile also reviewed The Shadow King, writing, "Robin Miles gives a flawless emotional narration of this superb novel, set in Ethiopia in 1974 and in 1935, on the eve of Mussolini's invasion. Mengiste's beautiful writing already draws fully formed characters; Miles adds yet another dimension to their inner lives by slowing and quickening her voice strategically, adding suspense and fervor to their experiences, particularly those of the tormented protagonist." [8] Also reviewing The Shadow King, The Times wrote, "The eloquence of Maaza Mengiste's tribute to the forgotten women warriors who defended Ethiopia from Mussolini's invasion in 1935 is unforgettably conveyed by the narrator Robin Miles, whose upbringing in the ethnic melting pot of New Jersey has enhanced her gift for entering into character." [9]

Awards and honors

In 2014, Booklist named Miles a Voice of Choice narrator. [10] AudioFile magazine has also named Miles a Golden Voice narrator. [11] In 2017, she was inducted into Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame. [12]

Awards

YearAudiobookAwardResultRef.
2007 Brother, I'm Dying (2007) by Edwidge Danticat Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for BiographySelection [13]
2010Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for NonfictionWinner [14]
2011Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices by MyersAudie Award for Distinguished Achievement in ProductionWinner [15]
2013The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman Audie Award for Children's Titles for Ages 8-12 Finalist [16]
2014Keeping Hope Alive by Dr. Hawa Abdi Audie Award for Faith-Based Fiction and Nonfiction Winner [17] [18]
METAtropolis: Green Space by Jay Lake, Elizabeth Bear, Karl Schroeder, Seanan McGuire, Tobias S. Buckell, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Ken Scholes Audie Award for Original Work Finalist [17] [18]
An Untamed State (2014) by Roxane Gay Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for Narrator of the YearFinalist [19]
2015Prepared for a Purpose by Antoinette TuffAudie Award for Faith-Based Fiction and NonfictionFinalist [20] [21] [22]
Revolution by Deborah Wiles Audie Award for Distinguished Achievement in ProductionFinalist [20] [21] [22]
2016 The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin Audie Award for Fantasy Finalist [23]
201728: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr. Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title Winner [24] [25] [26]
Another Brooklyn (2016) by Jacqueline Woodson Audie Award for Best Female Narrator Finalist [24]
Audie Award for Literary Fiction or Classics Finalist [24]
In the Embers by Brian Price and Jerry Stearns Audie Award for Audio Drama Winner [24] [25] [26]
Audie Award for Original WorkFinalist [24]
2018 Difficult Women (2017) by Roxane Gay Audie Award for Short Stories or Collections Finalist [27]
New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson Audie Award for Excellence in ProductionFinalist [27]
Audie Award for Science Fiction Finalist [27]
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance Finalist [27]
The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin Audie Award for Best Female NarratorFinalist [28]
Audie Award for Science FictionFinalist [27]
2019Any Man by Amber Tamblyn Audie Award for Multi-Voiced PerformanceFinalist [29]
Barracoon (2018) by Zora Neale Hurston with Deborah G. Plant (Ed.)Audie Award for Best Female NarratorFinalist [29]
2020Birthday Suit by Lauren BlakelyAudie Award for Audio DramaFinalist [30] [31]
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White Audie Award for Middle Grade TitleWinner [25] [31]
Have a Nice Day by Billy Crystal and Quinton PeeplesAudie Award for Audio DramaFinalist [30] [31]
New Kid (2019) by Jerry Craft Audie Award for Middle Grade TitleFinalist [30] [31]
2021 The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin Audie Award for Best Female NarratorWinner [32] [33] [25]
Audie Award for FantasyWinner [32] [33] [25]
2022Class Act by Jerry Craft Audie Award for Middle Grade TitleFinalist [34]
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (2021) by Dawnie Walton Audie Award for Fiction Winner [34]
Four Hundred Souls (2021) by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain (Eds.)Audie Award for Multi-Voiced PerformanceFinalist [34]
2024The World We Make by N. K. Jemisin Audie Award for Science FictionFinalist [35]

"Best of" lists

YearAudiobookListRef.
2008 Brother, I'm Dying (2007) by Edwidge Danticat AudioFile Best of Biography & Memoir [25]
The Pirate's Daughter AudioFile Best of Fiction [25]
2011Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff AudioFile Best of Biography & Memoir [25]
2012Stealing FreedomAudioFile Best of Young Adult [25]
The Warmth of Other Suns : The Epic Story of America's Great Migration (2010) by Isabel Wilkerson AudioFile Best of History [25]
2013 We Need New Names (2013) by NoViolet Bulawayo AudioFile Best of Fiction [25]
2014Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane FranklinAudioFile Best of Biography & Memoir [25]
2015The Star Side of Bird Hill (2015) by Naomi Jackson AudioFile Best of Fiction [25] [36]
201628: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr.AudioFile Best of Children [25]
Another Brooklyn (2016) by Jacqueline Woodson AudioFile Best of Fiction [25]
Hidden Figures (2016) by Margot Lee Shetterly AudioFile Best of Biography & Memoir [25]
The Obelisk Gate (2016) by N. K. Jemisin AudioFile Best of Science Fiction & Fantasy [25] [37]
2017American StreetAudioFile Best of Young Adult [25] [38]
The Stone Sky (2017) by N. K. Jemisin AudioFile Best of Science Fiction & Fantasy [25] [39]
2018Barracoon (2018) by Zora Neale Hurston with Deborah G. Plant (Ed.)AudioFile Best of Biography & Memoir [25] [40]
2020 Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents (2020) by Isabel Wilkerson AudioFile Best of Nonfiction & Culture [25] [41]
When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedAudioFile Best of Children [25]
2021 Four Hundred Souls (2021) by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain (Eds.)AudioFile Best of History & Biography [25] [42]
Just As I Am (2020) by Cicely Tyson and Michelle BurfordAudioFile Best of Memoir [25]

Related Research Articles

The Audie Awards, or simply the Audies, are awards for achievement in spoken word, particularly audiobook narration and audiodrama performance, published in the United States of America. They are presented by the Audio Publishers Association (APA) annually in March.

January LaVoy is an American actress and audiobook narrator. As an actress, she is most recognized as Noelle Ortiz on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. LaVoy made her Broadway debut in the Broadway premiere of the play Enron at the Broadhurst Theatre on April 27, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Kellgren</span> American actor and voice actor (c. 1969-2018)

Katherine Ingrid Kellgren or Kjellgren was an American actress, known for her narration of audiobooks.

Emily Woo Zeller is an American voice actress and audio book narrator. She voices Panam Palmer in CD Projekt Red's 2020 videogame Cyberpunk 2077. In the Star Wars canon, she is Dr. Aphra in the audio drama Dr. Aphra and narrated in the 2020 audio production of FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

The Audie Award for Best Female Narrator is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in audiobook narration by a woman released in a given year. Before 2016 the award was given as the Audie Award for Female Solo Narration. It has been awarded since 1998, when it superseded the Audie Award for Solo Narration.

The Audie Award for Best Male Narrator is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in audiobook narration by a man released in a given year. Before 2016 the award was given as the Audie Award for Male Solo Narration. It has been awarded since 1998, when it superseded the Audie Award for Solo Narration.

The Audie Award for Business and Personal Development is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for a business, educational, self-help, or motivational audiobook released in a given year.

The Audie Award for Mystery is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for a mystery audiobook released in a given year. It has been awarded since 1997.

The Audie Award for Original Work is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for an audiobook not recorded from a pre-existing book or play released in a given year. It has been awarded since 1996.  

The Audie Award for Romance is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for an audiobook romance released in a given year. It has been awarded since 2005.

The Audie Award for Science Fiction is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for a science-fiction audiobook released in a given year. It has been awarded since 2003.

Dion Graham is an American actor and narrator. As an actor, he has worked both on and off-Broadway, as well as in TV series and film. As of April 2024, he has narrated at least 280 audiobooks. He has earned a place on AudioFile magazine's list of Golden Voice Narrators, as well as Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame. Further, he has won 11 Audie Awards, 71 Earphone Awards, 3 Listen-Up Awards, and 1 Odyssey Award.

Jennifer Mendenhall, commonly known by the alias Kate Reading, is an American actress and audiobook narrator. She has won 6 Audie Awards and 46 Earphone Awards.

MacLeod Andrews is an American actor and audiobook narrator. He has won 15 Earphone Awards, and 2 Audie Awards, as well as acting awards.

Thérèse Plummer is an American voiceover actress and has narrated over 450 audiobooks.

The Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance, established in 1996, is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in audiobooks narrated by multiple performers who do not interact. Only English-language texts are eligible.

Jeff Woodman is a narrator of audiobooks. He has won twenty Earphone Awards and one Audie Award.

JD Jackson is an American audiobook narrator, actor, and theater professor. Jackson won 26 Earphone Awards and 1 Audie Award. In 2020, AudioFile named him a Golden voice Narrator and two years later Booklist named him a voice of Choice Narrator.

Michael Lockwood Crouch is an American voice actor. He has recorded over 300 audiobooks, through which he received 29 Earphone Awards, 2 Audie Awards, 1 Voice Arts Award, and 1 Odyssey Award honor. In June 2021, AudioFile named him a Golden Voice Narrator. As an actor, he is best known for his roles on the English-language Pokémonand Yu-Gi-Oh! television series.

Kyla Tucaya Garcia is an American stage, film, and television actress and audiobook narrator. As an audiobook narrator, she has received 14 Earphone Awards and has been a finalist for four Audie Awards.

References

  1. ↑ Timberg, Scott (9 October 2016). "Stars of the spoken word: Meet the audiobook narrators who are quietly saving book publishing". Salon. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "An Audiobook Narrator on How the Casting Process Works". www.backstage.com. 2020-03-17. Archived from the original on 2020-08-02. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  3. ↑ Voice of Choice: Robin Miles, by Joyce Saricks | Booklist Online. Archived from the original on 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  4. ↑ "Robin Miles". Recorded Books, rb digital. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "This Legendary Audiobook Narrator Has A Fascinating Process For Getting Into Character". Bustle. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  6. ↑ Wallace, Carvell (2018-11-16). "Two New Audiobooks Inspire Teenagers to Make Real Change". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  7. ↑ "THE VELA by SL Huang Rivers Solomon Becky Chambers Yoon Ha Lee Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine . Archived from the original on 2022-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  8. ↑ "THE SHADOW KING by Maaza Mengiste Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  9. ↑ Hardyment, Christina. "The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste audiobook review". The Times, UK. ISSN   0140-0460. Archived from the original on 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  10. ↑ "Robin Miles is 2014 Voice of Choice #audiomonth". The Booklist Reader. 2014-06-04. Archived from the original on 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  11. ↑ "AudioFile Magazine Spotlight on Narrator Robin Miles". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  12. ↑ Robin Miles | Audio Books, Best Sellers, Narrator Bio | Audible.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  13. ↑ Howell, Kevin; Maughan, Shannon (2008-01-07). "The Listen Up Awards The Best Audios of 2007". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  14. ↑ Sehgal, Parul (2011-01-03). "The 2010 Listen-Up Awards". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  15. ↑ "BEA 2011: Audiobook of the Year to 'Life'". PublishersWeekly.com. 2011-05-25. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  16. ↑ "2013 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  17. 1 2 "2014 Audie Finalists Announced". PublishersWeekly.com. 2014-02-18. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  18. 1 2 "2014 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  19. ↑ "The 2014 Listen-Up Awards: The Best Audiobooks of the Year". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  20. 1 2 "Awards: Baileys Women's; Audiobooks; Peters; Doug Wright". Shelf Awareness . 2015-04-14. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  21. 1 2 "Awards: Baileys Women's; Audiobooks; Peters; Doug Wright". Shelf Awareness . 2015-04-14. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  22. 1 2 "2015 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  23. ↑ "2016 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 "2017 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "AudioFile Magazine Spotlight on Narrator Robin Miles". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  26. 1 2 Coreno, Annie (2017-06-09). "The 'Hamilton' Revolution Continues at the Audies". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 "2018 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2019-01-21. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  28. ↑ "2018 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2019-01-21. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  29. 1 2 "2019 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2021-08-31. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  30. 1 2 3 "2020 Audie Awards Finalists Named". PublishersWeekly.com. 2020-02-03. Archived from the original on 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  31. 1 2 3 4 "2020 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  32. 1 2 Maher, John (2021-03-23). "2021 Audie Award Winners Announced". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  33. 1 2 "2021 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  34. 1 2 3 "2022 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)". www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  35. ↑ "2024 Audie Award Winners". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2024-03-08. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  36. ↑ "THE STAR SIDE OF BIRD HILL by Naomi Jackson Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  37. ↑ "THE OBELISK GATE by NK Jemisin Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  38. ↑ "AMERICAN STREET by Ibi Zoboi Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  39. ↑ "THE STONE SKY by NK Jemisin Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  40. ↑ "BARRACOON by Zora Neale Hurston Deborah G Plant Ed Read by Robin Miles | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  41. ↑ "Audiobooks: AudioFile's Best Audio Titles of 2020". Shelf Awareness . 2020-12-07. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  42. ↑ "Audiobooks: AudioFile's Best Audio Titles of 2021". Shelf Awareness . 2021-12-08. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.