Libro.fm’s Picks: The Best Nonfiction Audiobooks of All Time

“This book was so informative and a joy to listen to. Jason Reynolds has such a way with words, and with him narrating the book as well, you’re swept up in the history being told. This is a perfect audiobook for high schoolers to listen to with their parents.”

Lizzy, Books & Company

“A Native American botanist shares indigenous wisdom and scientific facts blended with her own narrative. A beautiful way to learn what the earth has to tell us, and the narration is sublime.”

Grace, boardwalk books

“This book is as good as everyone says. I knew I didn’t know a ton about the troubles in Northern Ireland, but I didn’t know HOW much I didn’t know. This book turns a rather complex, sometimes dry (if you’re not Irish or a war history person) subject into a story of intrigue, weaving the conflict’s history with the stories of a few men and women who fought in it-and one woman who may have been murdered for simply helping someone in need and being seen. Keefe is one of my favorite journalists, and this is his best.”

Mickie, the buzzed work

“Few authors are able to write nonfiction history that reads like a page turning adventure novel, but David Grann is one of them. The gripping story of The Wager’s shipwreck and the survivors’ divergent tales of the events that followed kept me on the edge of my seat as I devoured this book.”

Josh, Underground Books

“A must-read for fans of science fiction or Octavia Butler! This book critically examines Butler’s work in the context of her own life, concerns, questions, and obsessions. Excerpts from Butler’s private journals add important context for understanding her publications. This is a fascinating insight into an important figure in American literary history.”

kara, bonfire bookstore

“Equal parts hilarious and devastating, Jennette McCurdy reviews her acting career with stark clarity, irony to fill your soul, and a presence of control over the uncontrollable. I’m Glad My Mom Died reflects on undiagnosed narcissism with a mother forcing her child to live out her mother’s dreams as a childhood actor. The dichotomy of gratefulness and criticism take center stage in this beautiful memoir read by the author with honesty, pain, and a performance that will resonate with you for months to come. Please listen to this.”

nick, Cream & Amber

“This may be one of the most devastatingly personal audiobooks l’ve ever listened to. You can hear El Akkad’s anger rise so clearly as he describes his disgust with the current world order. His perspective is invaluable as we clearly go through shifts of conscious, morality, and power over the coming years”

alissa, south main book company

“A masterful look at the complexity of the queer experience. Machado employs a kaleidoscope approach to examine her relationship with an old partner, a woman who verbally, physically and emotionally assaulted her, her own personal experiences that led her to stay “in the dream house” of abuse, and society’s role in the oppression and devaluation of women, especially queer women and women of color. Through a mix of long and super short chapters, examples of old folk tales and pop culture, and more realistic narrative, Machado digs deep into the confusing, distorted and contradictory aspects of a toxic relationship, in which the victim begins to doubt her own reactions and motives. It’s a #fivestarreview for us, and #requiredreading! And the Libro.fm audiobook features Machado reading! Amazing amazing amazing.”

Jhoanna, Bel Canto Books

“This was the perfect listen at the right time. Memoir, mythology, and meditations on an ever ignored fact that we must change our lifestyle in order to adapt to this sometimes brutal season. I will definitely come back to this one many times.”

Nichole, The Yankee Bookshop

“This pocket guide to preserving our freedoms and resisting authoritarianism, penned by Vale historian of fascism Timothy Snyder, takes lessons from the fall of democracies across Europe in the 20th Century, each posing a warning to us now in the 21st Century. A brief but mind blowing, eye-opening read that left me feeling sobered and empowered by these lessons from history. Since finishing it, l’ve seen several of the lessons in action…”

megan, underground books

“At 15 years old, Malala Yousafzai was violently ripped from her ordinary life and thrust onto the world stage. The attack upon her life opened many doors but also cut her off from her friends, her home, and everything she knew. In this new book, she recounts with humor and honesty her struggle to grow into herself and her dreams of friendship and independence.
Yousafzai’s voice is a joy to read, easy and friendly as the woman herself. Perfect for anyone trying to find themselves, or who remembers vividly that quest for connection.”

jax, bookshop santa cruz

“David Sedaris’s storytelling capabilities are only strengthened through the audiobook, in which the author himself leads us through his gut-busting tale of his vacations in beach homes. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and then you’ll listen to the audiobook forty times over again.”

Ella, Parnassus Books

“A raw telling of the fight a young couple endures physically and mentally as their boat is capsized by creatures in the middle of the sea. Reads like a novel — it’s crazy this is a true story!”

alex Hammett, serendipity books

“In the surface John Green talks about tuberculosis but in its core he is shedding light to social injustice, a failing healthcare system & the consequences of colonialism.”

Gabby, Buffalo street books

“Stay True is a memoir set largely in/at Berkeley in the 1990s. A quietly profound look at the momentousness of the decisions you make as an emerging adult – about friendship, romance, art, music, activism, and family.”

Amber, quail ridge books

“In this heartfelt narrative, journalist and novelist Geraldine Brooks bravely takes us inside the shattering experience of unexpectedly losing her husband, author and historian Tony Horwitz. Brooks offers a deeply personal assessment of how health and legal systems treat those dealing with the shock of losing a family member, how different cultures and religions process loss and how Brooks – three years after her husband’s death – finally allowed herself time and space to grieve.”

claire, honest dog books

“Accessible, funny, and fascinating, much like the author’s famed television show, The Good Place. This is a great primer on moral philosophy, targeted at the layperson. A quick read that will have you chuckling at times and grappling with the great questions of right and wrong at others. Highly recommended, even more so as an audio book since you get cameos by the cast of The Good Place sprinkled throughout!”

Murray, Trail’s End Bookstore

“Well researched and wonderfully narrated, the book presents a wealth of information about Marsha’s life, her community, and the queer activism of her time. Highly recommended!”

trans*fabel

“We are all living through this moment in history together, and yet somehow, Zadie Smith has captured it in a way I could never have expected. Stunning, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, but oddly hopeful, Intimations is necessary reading—or listening, with searing narration by the author—the sort that had me pulling off the road as catharsis welled in my eyes.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

“Mia Mercado’s comedic timing is evident as she voices the alternations of her text. Shifting adeptly between dead honest coverage of micro-aggressions and lively portrayals of her pup; between depictions of vocational doldrums and a litany of relationship discoveries, between feminist self-love and self-deprecating humor, Mercado’s range is refreshing and impressive.”

Ashley, Leaves Book and Tea Shop

“How do you steal art from a museum during daytime hours, using just a Swiss Army Knife, and then simply walk out with it under your coat? This is the thrilling true crime account of maybe the greatest art thief ever, who stole more than 200 pieces worth more than Sibillion so he could enjoy them at home in his attic room. What a page-turner!!”

Anne, newtonville books

“In Wandering in Strange Lands, Morgan Jerkins brings us along on her journey to learn about her ancestors and herself. This fascinating ethnography leads Jerkins down paths she anticipated and, perhaps most interestingly, down unexpected ones. As she learns more about where and whom she came from, she confronts her image of herself and grapples with some of the truths she finds. The history, the people, the insight, and the implications of the information in this book make it not only incredibly interesting, but also a significant contribution to our understanding of cultures and connections in the United States.”

Nancy, Raven Book Store

“In this short and powerful book, Coates writes to his 15-year old son about his experience of being a black man in America. Cannot recommend enough!”

Thiloma, four points books

“This timely book follows the life of a young woman whose family immigrates to New York from Vietnam. It is a heartbreaking look at the challenges to overcoming PTSD, poverty, and mental illness. Ultimately, Ly Tran’s story is one of hope, one that is much-needed today.”

Alecia Diane, Sweet Home Books

“Lawson speaks to all of us who are weird, wacky, and unafraid (but, really, often afraid) to share our quirks with the world. Some chapters of this book moved me deeply, where it felt as though she was narrating my own life. Other chapters made me ugly laugh, the type that turns strangers’ heads in public.”

Jasmin, Bookery Manchester