Audiobooks discussion

Catchall section for nonfiction that doesn't go elsewhere.

For those interested in learning more about North Korea, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea earned a rare five stars from me!

I've listened to some great scientific books, the best being Stephen Hawking's A Briefer History of Time, brilliantly narrated by Erik Davies.

I listened to this with my son who was probably 11 or so at the time. We both found it fascinating. A Short History of Nearly Everything.

Bill Bryson is such a good writer, I think any of his non-fiction would be enjoyable.

I also vote for Bill Bryson's non-fiction, and I would add his other books: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, At Home: A Short History of Private Life, One Summer: America, 1927. His books cover such a variety of topics, yet he writes in such a way that makes history come to life and often with a sense of humor.

So for nonfiction - other...

1. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
2. The Republican Brain - Chris Mooney
3. The Believing Brain - Michael Shermer
4. Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right - Written and read by Al Franken
5. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - Levitt and Dubner
6. The Conservative Nanny State - Dean Baker
7. Letters to a Young Contrarian - Christopher Hitchens
8. Why Evolution is True - Jerry Coyne
9. The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives - Leonard Mlodinow

On the Hitchens book, I also have "Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens". I didn't care for that one.

On the list above if I had to pick one for a friend it would probably be The Drunkard's Walk. It really is amazing how random the world is. But all of those listed are pretty good.

I like Hitchens, but have that one on my library ebook TBR. I do have Republican Brain on my audio TBR though.

I'm not big on non-fiction except for things like the Modern Scholar Lectures--I totally recommend anything with Prof. Michael D. C. drout--but have enjoyed a few books that talk about language.
I've really enjoyed Simon Winchester's The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the OED and his other book, The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary. The author narrates and does a good job.

Note: This may belong under the Non-Fiction History category, but I'll leave it here for now.

Unbroken by Lauren Hillebrand is a excellent audiobook I listened to a couple of years ago. The narration by Edward Herrmann was well done and while the tale starts out a bit slow with all the background information, the story is absorbing and disturbing at the same time. How this man lived through so much at the hands of his Japanese captors during WWII and still have a buoyant spirit afterwards is inspiring.

I mention this one since Mr. Zamperini the subject of the book passed away today at the age of 97. Godspeed good sir.

Karen wrote: "Unbroken by Lauren Hillebrand is a excellent audiobook I listened to a couple of years ago. The narration by Edward Herrmann was well done and while the tale starts out a bit slow with all the back..."

+1 for Unbroken. Amazing non-fiction story that reads like fiction. I also recommend Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit: An American Legend. I was absolutely riveted by it.

I'm going to highly recommend Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World-from the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief, narrated by Grover Gardner. The actual travel narrative is quite well done, as is the historical/political/cultural background of the routes he rode. If you're a fan of Paul Theroux, this is one you won't want to miss giving a try!

Thanks, John. I'll definitely check that one out.

John wrote: "For those interested in learning more about North Korea, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea earned a rare five stars from me!"

I agree with you John. It was such an eye-opener for me!

I only listen to non-fiction audiobooks and I can't remember when I listened to an audio fiction book. I am a member of non-fiction book club and will listen to the audiobook version because I have lots of time during my commute. However I have been inclined at times to listen to the audiobook version early on, then read the hardcopy version to refresh my memory.

Wen: these category threads are really intended to mention outstanding titles in the genre that one feels others might enjoy.

One I found quite interesting was the life of John D Rockfeller Sr. Book called Titan. How he came from nothing. It was narrated quite well. I have a cassette player so I listened to it a couple of years ago. I do recommend it highly.

Just finished Tinsel: A Search for America's Christmas Present, which I wasn't sure I'd be able to get into, but ended up being sorry it ended. Ray Porter's narration was a SOLID five stars!

I love non-fiction, and I prefer it in audio format. A few that I enjoyed recently:
The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation

John, you are right: Nothing to Envy was amazing, a 5* for me, too.

I'm listening to Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation read & written by Bill Nye, the Science Guy. It's great so far.

My favorite is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The audio flips between Henrietta's personal life/her family and the scientific significance of her cells. It is a perfect balance between the two. It is an incredible story.

I read The Boys in the Boat last month on audio and loved both the story and the narration (can't remember the reader's name right now...Ed something?)

I love non-fiction on audio. One of the best books I've ever listened to was Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three. Usually I can do other things while listening but many times during this book I had to stop what I was doing and just listen.

Teri Pre wrote: "I love non-fiction on audio. One of the best books I've ever listened to was Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three. Usually I can do other things while listening but ..."

Life After Death Damien Echols

Teri,

The Story of the West Memphis Three was fascinating. I picked "Life After Death" which is actually read by Damien Echols. Then I went looking for the movies.

I can definitely recommend the book I listened to.

I listened to that too and found it fascinating. I didn't see the movie but watched the TV specials on YouTube.

I like listening to the Great Courses lectures. My current listen is The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works. The lecturer is great, very enlightening, and of course, there is beautiful music. My local NPR station was recently sold to a commercial broadcaster, so there's no more classical music to listen to via radio waves.

Marilee wrote: "I like listening to the Great Courses lectures. My current listen is The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works. The lecturer is great, very enlightening, and of course, there is beautiful mu..."

I enjoy lecture series but passed this one up in the recent sale simply because I assumed that, like other courses dealing with similar topics, there wouldn't be accompanying musical examples and the lecture would seem dry. That'll teach me not to assume and to check the actual page for such information. Maybe there'll be a future sale...

Walking the Nile is not yet available at Audible. My husband just read this travelogue and thought it was exciting and he learned many new things about Africa. Non fiction listeners might want to watch for this title.

Aurelia for AudioFile with an unusual choice picked off AudioFile's newest e-newsletter - A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy - http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/revi.... I know the reviewer personally and can say that she was really struck by the book and narration, which is by the author.

I just found this thread...as a VO artist and author (voice my own titles) I find it interesting that my audiobook nonfiction is more popular than the fiction. Hmnnn. Of course, mine all are very prescriptive how-to pet topics. *s*

I just found this thread also. Non-fiction, biography, memoir are by far my most read genre. Listening to them is a fantastic way to get through all my long commutes in the car. I would love any true crime or biography suggestions that are well read and have a great recording artist. I have purchased a few duds recently (with the quality of the VO artists) and am a little gun-shy to buy another.

One very good but very VERY long book is . I admit I zoned out now and then but considering that it's 57 hours long, I think I can be excused.

Hi Kimberley

Those are my favorite genres, too .

Here are some that I've listened to that I thought were good :

The White House Boys: An American Tragedy

Crapalachia: A Biography of a Place

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident

Love and Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere: A Memoir

Amish Confidential

Freak Show Without A Tent: Swimming with Piranhas, Getting Stoned in Fiji and Other Family Vacations

Bloody Lies: A CSI Scandal in the Heartland

Missing Mom: A True Crime, True Family Story

Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain

God'll Cut You Down: The Tangled Tale of a White Supremacist, a Black Hustler, a Murder, and How I Lost a Year in Mississippi

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir

Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies

The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders: The Story of a Town in Terror

Reclaiming History: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

Those are some I have from Audible that I could look down through quick . I liked them all , and most of the narrators did a good job on them ,

**I'm listening to one now, which isn't that great ---
Murder in the Stacks: Penn State, Betsy Aardsma, and the Killer Who Got Away
( The narrator is pretty dull and he tries to do fake voices for each character ... Don't waste your money on that one ! )


Would you have a list that you could share with me ?

Here are a few that I loved. Between You & Me is narrated by the author. She quite annoying to listen to with her breathing and swallowing but the book itself it pretty interesting.



The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

The Demon Under the Microscope: From Battlefield Hospitals to Nazi Labs, One Doctor's Heroic Search for the World's First Miracle Drug

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

Kokoda
Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen

Aurelia for AudioFile here with a great review and audio-clip of a behind-the-scenes look at the phenomenon of Broadway's HAMILTON: http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/revi.... History, biography, and drama all in one.

I just got all my book covers on Audible updated here. SQUEE!

These include the titles I've VO'd myself:

Complete Kitten Care
ComPETability: (dog to dog)
ComPETability: (cat to cat)

I need to get those editions added to my goodreads listings.

Aurelia for AudioFile again within 10 minutes because there's so much great history-related nonfiction in our newest e-newsletter. Here are just a couple -
Home Fires: The Story of the Women's Institute in the Second World War - review and clip: http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/revi...
The King's Bed: Ambition and Intimacy in the Court of Charles II - review and clip: http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/revi...

Check out more reviews in the e-newsletter: http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/emai....

ISIS: The State of Terror Jessica Stern

Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green ZoneRajiv Chandrasekaran

Sigh I can't believe how corrupt Iraq and the Americans in the green zone and DC. Im so pissed I can barely finish reading this.

Mr Ray Porter narrates these books and because of my crush I find it entertaining (Joe Ledger LOL)

Any books about the UK experience in Iraq would be interesting.

Kathleen wrote: "Walking the Nile is not yet available at Audible. My husband just read this travelogue and thought it was exciting and he learned many new things about Africa. Non fiction listeners..."

The audio is available now.

If you're interested in "the other side" books, Liberty's Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World is pretty good.

Chrissie wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "Walking the Nile is not yet available at Audible. My husband just read this travelogue and thought it was exciting and he learned many new things about Africa. Non ..."

My library has it as an Overdrive audio download.

I recently finished Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, an impassioned and thought provoking memoir of the author's legal work in Alabama with, mostly, death row inmates. I highly recommend it. The author ably narrates it. Two of my book groups have selected it along with several church organizations and colleges.

Aurelia here with something for all of us who worry - a little or a lot - about the status of bees and the fate of our pollinated food crops. Blueberries and almonds are two of my favorites. The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America read by GR favorite Xe Sands is a really engaging encounter with beekeepers and the creatures they care for.

OMG. many of Carl Sagan's works are being released on audio this year, by Brilliance Audio.

Cosmos, The Demon Haunted World, Dragons of Eden, ...

My audible credits are going to vanish fast when they are released.

Hunchback Jack wrote: "OMG. many of Carl Sagan's works are being released on audio this year, by Brilliance Audio.

Cosmos, The Demon Haunted World, Dragons of Eden, ...

My audible credits are going to vanish fast when..."

Sales are good times for Non Fiction. I wonder if we put a couple on our wish list if they might pop up in the next sale. I have bought Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins books that way.

I just listened to by Jill Leovy (no photo) and it was excellent!

Nancy wrote: "I just listened to by Jill Leovy (no photo) and it was excellent!"

If you liked that, you might like Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism or The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap

Teri Pre wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I just listened to by Jill Leovy (no photo) and it was excellent!"

If you liked that, you might li..."

Thanks for the recommendatons!
I also listened to by Heather Ann Thompson Powerful 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner! Can you imagine being sent to Attica Prison for forging a small change money order? It happened....a nightmare!

You'd really like The Divide then. Lots of nightmare there.

Teri Pre wrote: "You'd really like The Divide then. Lots of nightmare there."

Sometimes these books are difficult to listen to....but I must.
Always looking forward to reading tips, thanks!

Just finished up on a nice fun book
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