Audiobooks and podcasts are the children of our time. They have risen to popularity thanks to our always on-the-go lifestyle and the endless desire to dive into fresh content whenever we have a free minute. One thing is undeniable: Once you discover them, they become an addiction!
Letting talented narrators guide you through a book, page after page, brings a whole new reading experience to the table. And the best part about audiobooks is that you can listen to them anywhere, anytime! Whether you are commuting to work or running a few errands during the day, they have become an affordable and always accessible way to check off your reading list and spend some quality time with your favorite books.
Oh, don’t get us wrong: We love the feel of a book in our hands, the smell of paper, the sound of turning pages. But life is busy – and sometimes you just don’t have time to sit down and read for hours. That’s when those dozens of apps for audiobooks come in handy.
If you haven’t started listening to audiobooks yet, now is the time! From retellings of old classics to all-new narratives, there are plenty of great audiobooks we can recommend for your next road trip. Ready to immerse yourself in the best audiobooks of all time?
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#1 I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a classic American book everyone should get their hands on. Who better than Maya Angelou herself to convince you to finally give it a shot? For what it’s worth, I’m so glad I did! Maya Angelou’s narration is fantastic — she brings such emotion and depth to every word. A phenomenal book from a phenomenal woman.
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30points
#2 Born A Crime By Trevor Noah
Born a Crime is a worth reading mix of heartbreak and comedy. In his autobiography, Trevor Noah narrates his childhood as a mixed-race kid in South Africa during apartheid. Noah goes deep into his struggles to find a place for himself but does it with his usual comedian-like humor. His memoir is currently being adapted into a movie starring Lupita Nyong’o as Trevor Noah’s mother.
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29points
#3 Night By Elie Wiesel
If you’ve ever read a book with George Guidall narrating, you’re already familiar with the kind of experience he brings to the table. His reading of Night, a memoir by Elie Wiesel, is an all-time favorite. Night details Wiesel’s experiences during the Holocaust as a prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald camps and the deteriorating relationship with his father.
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29points
#4 Slouching Towards Bethlehem By Joan Didion
Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a collection of essays that got its fair share of praise and popularity. What better way to enjoy it all over again than through the voice of the one and only Diane Keaton? Her performance was nominated for a 2013 Audie Award in the Short Stories/Collections category.
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29points
#5 The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a book we can’t recommend enough and one of the best fiction audiobooks you’ll ever listen to. Narrated by Hosseini himself, it tells the story of two young boys in Kabul who find comfort in kite fighting to escape the horrific reality around them. The book chronicles many key events in Afghanistan’s history, from the fall of the monarchy following the Soviet invasion to the exodus of refugees and the rise of the Taliban regime.
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29points
#6 To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most beloved novels of all time. The voice of Sissy Spacek guides us through the story of a young girl growing up in Alabama during the Great Depression. Her father is an honest lawyer who thinks everyone deserves a fair trial and takes on the case of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, challenging the deep-seated racism in their community.
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29points
#7 Bossypants By Tina Fey
In the oversaturated market of celebrity memoirs, Tina Fey’s Bossypants stands out like a unicorn. This hilarious collection of autobiographical essays dives deep into her life in show business and is narrated by none other than Tina Fey herself! The book climbed to the top of The New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for five weeks upon its release.
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26points
#8 Becoming By Michelle Obama
What’s better than reading Michelle Obama’s memoir? Hearing it from the former first lady herself! Becoming is a revelatory and intimate look at Michelle Obama’s life, from her childhood in Chicago to her path to the White House, the public health campaign, and her role as a mother. It’s the highest-selling book published in the United States in 2018.
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26points
#9 The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition By Margaret Artwood
The Handmaid’s Tale: Special Edition, narrated by a full cast, has the potential to thrill, shock, and satiate fans of the novel and newcomers alike. Set in a dystopian patriarchal society, we follow the story of Offred, one of the “handmaids” forced to give birth to the children of the ruling class of men. The book explores the loss of female individuality, women’s reproductive rights, and how women attempt to regain their independence.
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24points
#10 Normal People By Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney’s second novel, Normal People, follows two Irish teenagers who have basically nothing in common. Despite how hard Connell and Marianne try to stay apart, it’s like an invisible thread links them, and they find that they cannot help but be drawn together. It’s a tale of mutual fascination, friendship, and love. And there’s no better way to enjoy it than with Aoife McMahon’s voice reading it to us.
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22points
