Recommendations for… books you should listen to as audiobooks

~ Ally Writes Things

Hi friends, I hope you had a great weekend! Today, I’m going to talk about some books I think you should listen to as an audiobook. I personally love listening to non-fiction audiobooks, so most of these books are non-fiction (I think all of them, actually). And they’re all books that I think are particularly good to listen to on audio rather than the physical book, for reasons I will discuss below.

So, here are some books you should listen to on audio!

In Pieces by Sally Field

This is Sally Field’s memoir, largely focusing on her relationship with her parents and the start of her career. It’s narrated by her, which I think really adds to it. She’s a really great narrator, really clear and easy to listen to, and you can hear her emotion.

Buffy Sainte-Marie: the authorized biography by Andrea Warner

This is, you guessed it, the biography of legendary folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie. The audiobook contains little snippets from Sainte-Marie, discussing things like happiness and success, and they were so cute and thoughtful. They really added to the listening experience, so I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

This is a true crime novel about the Troubles and the IRA, and it is one of the most wild books I’ve ever read. I highly recommend the audiobook because it is narrated by an Irish man with a very strong Irish accent, which really just added a lot tbh. I had to take it a little slow at the start to get used to his accent, but it was great hearing about Ireland in an Irish accent.

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow

This book is all about Farrow’s investigation into Harvey Weinstein’s crimes, as well as the cover-up by NBC. Farrow himself narrates the audiobook, and does a really great job. The main reason I recommend the audiobook specifically is because it includes a recording of Weinstein pressuring a woman into coming up to his hotel room with him. It really helps contextualize a lot of the allegations, and it was very cool that it was included in the audiobook. But also a TW for anyone who may be uncomfortable with that.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This is a non-fiction about Kimmerer’s plant knowledge as an Indigenous woman and a botanist and how the influence and inform the other. I adored it, and cried in a chapter about lichen. Kimmerer narrates the book, which again adds to the essays, particularly the more personal ones. She has a lovely voice, and I would listen to anything she narrates honestly.

Hunger: A Memoir of (my) Body by Roxane Gay

This is Gay’s memoir about being a fat, Black woman in America. I distinctly remember thinking to myself when listening to the audiobook, “I don’t think I’d like this as much if I read the physical book”. There were some chapters that were awkwardly short or seemed kind of abrupt, which would have bothered me in the physical book, but that I didn’t mind as much in the audiobook. Gay also narrates it, and she’s a fantastic narrator.

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxane Gay

This is an essay anthology about rape culture, with perspectives from queer people and people of colour. It’s really fantastic. The audiobook is narrated by the author of each essay, which I again really enjoyed.

Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher

The sole fiction book on this list goes to the Queen herself, Ms. Fisher. This book is about a young woman struggling with her mental health. It’s funny and interesting, and I think the format works really well as an audiobook. It’s a series of diary entries and letters and discussions, which were really interesting to hear rather than read. And Fisher narrates it herself, which is wonderful too.

So there are some books I highly recommend as audiobooks! Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? Did you listen to them on audio? Do you have any recommendations for audiobooks? Let me know!

Ally xx

Twitter // Instagram // Goodreads // Buy me a coffee!

Published by Ally Writes Things

I like books and talking about my opinions.

11 thoughts on “Recommendations for… books you should listen to as audiobooks”

  3. I tried listening to Postcards From the Edge, but I couldn’t get into it at all. I have listened to many of Fisher’s memoirs as audiobooks though and I loved those, so maybe I just had trouble separating the fiction from the non-fiction?

    I greatly enjoyed listening to Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. He narrates it himself, and there are sections where he says parts in a different language. I’m especially glad I listened to him narrate that part, though it was all good.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oooh interesting! It’s definitely very autobiographical, so I can see how it would be difficult to separate them.

      I heard Trevor Noah talking about his book on the radio when it first came out, and he has such a great voice for narration.

      Like

      Reply
  5. Pingback: October wrap-up! – Ally Writes Things
  6. Pingback: Awesome Blog Posts You May Have Missed (October 25-31) – Alison In Bookland

Leave a comment