Whether it’s easier to listen to books on a long commute or you prefer hearing a story to completely sink yourself into someone else’s world, audiobooks are an excellent way to ingest books and fall in love with the literature of any genre. Here are some of our favorites.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
In Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, the former Daily Show host takes a deep dive into his mischievous childhood, adolescence struggles, and comedic beginnings. His life begins under an oppressive government when his parents could not be seen together, let alone procreate. The book’s tone is reminiscent of the balance of humor and seriousness he shared with us as a host but in a profoundly personal way. Listen via Audible.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing is set in South Carolina in late 1969. Chase Andrews turns up dead, and Kya Clark is suspect number one. She lives in nature and is self-sufficient but yearns for a life where she is loved and cared for. Kya finds herself in this mess after beginning a kinship with two men, including Andrews, and the unthinkable happens. The audiobook is narrated by Cassandra Campbell, who has a beautiful Southern accent that envelops you in this Southern-set novel. Listen via Audible.
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
If you’ve never heard John Green read a poem or prose, you’re doing yourself a disservice! His smooth and melodic cadence, which he brings to his narration of The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet, makes the auditory book experience magical. The nonfiction work is about how humans have acutely shaped the planet and the diversity of life. Listen via Audible.
Any book by Stephen King is an immersive experience, but Fairy Tale is a treat as an audiobook since it is narrated by the master of suspense himself. King takes us into the world he created for Charlie Reade, a high schooler with a tragic past, and Howard Bowditch, a recluse who dies and leaves his home to Charlie. He also leaves him a tape that recounts an implausible story that unleashes a heavy burden. Listen via Audible.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
If you’re a Tom Hanks fan, this is your lucky day because Hanks reads this audiobook with a tempo that sucks you into the world Ann Patchett has created. The book takes place at the end of World War II and follows Cyril Conroy at the start of an investment in a real estate empire, the pursuit of The Dutch House, and the downfall of those around him. Listen via Audible.