Left Bank's Favorite Audiobooks of 2018

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Montague Siblings: Book #1

By: Mackenzi Lee
Narrated by: Christian Coulson
Length: 10 hours 47 minutes

“Two romps with pirates, romance, and stellar readers. You'll be completely spell bound. Read more

The Mother of Black Hollywood

A Memoir

By: Jenifer Lewis
Narrated by: Jenifer Lewis
Length: 10 hours 47 minutes

AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award Winner The ""Mega Diva"" and legendary star of Black-ish looks back on her memorable journey to fame and the unforgettable life lessons she learned along the way.Jenifer Lewis keeps it real in this provocative and touching memoir by a mid-western girl with a dream whose journey from poverty to Hollywood will... Read more

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

By: Michelle McNamara
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Gillian Flynn & Patton Oswalt
Length: 10 hours 7 minutes

“An overwhelmingly obsessed Michelle McNamara dissects the decades old trail of tragedy, trauma and ongoing taunts by the elusive East Area Rapist in her investigative crime thriller “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” published posthumously after her unexpected demise. Dubbed the “Golden State Killer” by McNamara herself, his crime spree started with 50... Read more

The Poet X

By: Elizabeth Acevedo
Narrated by: Elizabeth Acevedo
Length: 3 hours 30 minutes

“Getting to listen to the author herself read her poetry, which are clearly a testament to the spoken word and the art of slam, is absolutely the best way to devour this novel-in-verse. Acevedo puts everything into her words, and no one else could do them justice the way she does herself. Despite possible age/cultural/religious differences, any... Read more

The Prey of Gods

By: Nicky Drayden
Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
Length: 12 hours 26 minutes

“If you think you know what you're getting into, you're wrong. Prey of Gods is where Afrofuturism, reality tv drama, queer coming age stories, & African folklore intersect. 1 of the top 3 most original & exciting things I've listened to this year. Read more

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl

A Memoir

By: Carrie Brownstein
Narrated by: Carrie Brownstein
Length: 7 hours 4 minutes

“For music lovers, for fans of Sleater-Kinney or Portlandia, or for anyone who loves a great memoir. Brownstein dives into childhood, rebellion, dating, touring, and much more. She has a way of getting to the raw, hidden truth of each of these, exposing her heart to the reader in a way that will expose some of your own hidden truths. Also,... Read more

On the Other Side of Freedom

The Case for Hope

By: DeRay Mckesson
Narrated by: DeRay Mckesson
Length: 3 hours 43 minutes

"On the Other Side of Freedom reveals the mind and motivations of a young man who has risen to the fore of millennial activism through study, discipline, and conviction. His belief in a world that can be made better, one act at a time, powers his narratives and opens up a view on the costs, consequences, and rewards of leading a... Read more

So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know

By: Retta
Narrated by: Retta
Length: 6 hours 55 minutes

“This was a fun listen during my daily 20 minute one way commute. At first, I wasn't sure if I could listen to it given that 1) I had no idea who Retta was other then a comedy tv star and 2) there was a lot of talk about social media in the beginning that I couldn't relate to it since I'm not really on social media. But, as the seconds ticked by,... Read more

Children of Blood and Bone

Legacy of Orisha: Book #1

By: Tomi Adeyemi
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
Length: 17 hours 44 minutes

“Children of Blood & Bone, is a story told in a world where magic no longer exists. Years ago, this was not the case. Once, magic and the Gods were celebrated. Now, Diviners (those with Maji blood, but no magic) are treated poorly, and all the Maji have been killed. One of those including our main protagonist, Zélie’s, mother. Determined to... Read more

The Recovering

Intoxication and Its Aftermath

By: Leslie Jamison
Narrated by: Leslie Jamison
Length: 16 hours 6 minutes

“I've loved everything Leslie Jamison's written, but best of all so far is The Recovering, a memoir/history/criticism-hybrid that takes addiction and recovery as its subject. Every time I sat down with this book, I felt like I was in the company of my smartest friend, someone who knew all the right words for life's greatest pleasures and pains.... Read more

Red Clocks

A Novel

By: Leni Zumas
Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
Length: 9 hours 5 minutes

“Red Clocks by Leni Zumas is a dystopian novel that hits close to home. What if Roe v Wade was overturned and only married couples were allowed to adopt? This is the state of affairs when we are introduced to a cast of characters known only by their primary roles: The Biographer, The Mender, The Wife and The Daughter. Each of these women is... Read more

Calypso

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris
Length: 6 hours 38 minutes

“We, your concerned booksellers, want to make sure you are in tip-top reading shape before David Sedaris visits Main Street Books. Much like a runner must train for a marathon, you must exercise your sense of humor, so as not to pull something in David's presence. Tune up your funny bone with Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, When You Are Engulfed... Read more

Jade City

The Green Bone Saga: Book #1

By: Fonda Lee
Narrated by: Andrew Kishino
Length: 19 hours 6 minutes

“A slow burn with frequent bursts of action. For fans of mafia dramas and martial arts action. The Green Bone culture & mythology are unique & captivating. This book and its characters got better and better as the story progressed. Lee writes like a watchmaker, and this book ticks away like a finely-tuned machine. Read more

The Power

By: Naomi Alderman
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
Length: 12 hours 5 minutes

In this stunning bestseller praised as "our era's Handmaid's Tale," a fierce new power has emerged—and only women have it (Washington Post). 

In The Power, the world is a recognizable place: there's a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American... Read more

The Map of Salt and Stars

By: Zeyn Joukhadar
Narrated by: Lara Sawalha
Length: 12 hours 17 minutes

“The two intertwining stories--one an ancient folk tale, one a story set in modern day Syria, and both featuring a young girl not yet come of age as the protagonist and hero of her own adventure--is brilliantly performed by Lara Sawalha. I was captivated from the first but both the rich stories and the gorgeous telling of them. Read more

Heavy

An American Memoir

By: Kiese Laymon
Narrated by: Kiese Laymon
Length: 6 hours 17 minutes

“An incredibly generous, tender, and searingly honest book. Kiese Laymon is hands down one of the most talented American writers publishing right now. HEAVY overflows with deep love and deep pain. Laymon holds up a mirror to the US past, present - "We did not have to be this way. We will not ever have to be this way." I'm going back to read... Read more

Braiding Sweetgrass

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

By: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Narrated by: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Length: 16 hours 44 minutes

“A beautifully written book, full of profound and lyrical insights. Perfect for illuminating the scientific skeptic mind to the complementary truths of native spiritual wisdom. Everyone interested in world changing ideas and perspectives, and hope for the long term viability of human life on earth should read this. Read more

Who Is Vera Kelly?

The Vera Kelly Series: Book #1

By: Rosalie Knecht
Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers
Length: 6 hours 49 minutes

“This book gives an amazing new twist to spy fiction! Absolutely captivating and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Vera is such a unique character living so much of her life in secrecy. This book has been on so many anticipated lists, and now I see exactly why. Read more

Rosewater

The Wormwood Trilogy: Book #1

By: Tade Thompson
Narrated by: Bayo Gbadamosi
Length: 13 hours 37 minutes

“I'm recommended books everywhere I go and I spend my life in indie bookshops all over the world and this one had come up in various conversations. I didn't read the blurb so I was going in virtually blind. I'd classify this as a slow burner but when it gets going it REALLY gets going. The poetry was what hooked me at first. There are a couple of... Read more