Top 20 most recommended nonfiction audiobooks of all time

“Curiosity to Hilarity to Thoughtfulness and all around. Michael Schur's How to Be Perfect as read by himself was fascinating and laugh inducing. I appreciate his due diligence to be real in creating the absurd world of a tv show. The 'notes' Michael offers are like sprinkles on ice cream, thoughts made even more memorable with humor. And some 'hard' interpretative info on philosophers including Aristotle, Neitzche, Wittgenstein, T.M. Scanlon, Kant and others. Brilliant for me! Oh, and the author's voice is just fine as reader.”

“Saeed Jones is supremely talented, so I expected his memoir to be great. I did NOT expect, however, to be left immobile in my chair after reading that final paragraph, processing the beauty of his words and those indelible sentences he’s generous enough to share with us. How We Fight for Our Lives is a moving and intimate portrait of the writer growing up as a young, gay black man and trying to understand the complex realities of his identity. We also gain insight to Jones’ relationship with his mother, a story that left me in pieces by the end. How We Fight for Our Lives is raw, difficult, and truthful, and completely stuffed with love.”

“If I did not already love Stanley Tucci before this, I would most certainly love him now. In true Stanley Tucci fashion, this memoir/cookbook/food writing tome is witty, acerbic, candid, and very, delicious. This book is a gift for foodies and non-foodies alike, but I dare you not to become a foodie after reading. I especially enjoyed the audiobook as it was read by the author himself. I felt like he was right next to me reading and it was a joyous experience! ”

“Raw. Powerful. Emotive. In the Dream House demands your attention as Machado digs deep into the darkness and comes out shining. In decisive, yet incredibly lyrical prose, she pulls apart the complexities of abuse in queer relationships, chronicling the ups and downs and outs of her own experience, unfortunately shared by so many others. Broken into easily digestible vignettes, In the Dream House screams no for those who aren't seen, aren't believed, and claws at the silence of generations. A beautiful, haunting, undeniably important piece of literature that refuses to be silenced.”

“Strongly recommend this book of six short essays written in the wake of pandemic shut-downs and ensuing isolation and racial injustice and protests. Smith is always a favorite, but this collection is profound, thought-provoking, and one to revisit again and again.”

“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.”

“Wandering in Strange Lands is an evocative, sensitive piece. Throughout the book, Morgan Jerkins retraces her family's lineage, the history of the lands from which they came, and despite working with gaps in generational memory, is able to make inspiring and meaningful connections. Listening to this audiobook on the way to Charleston, SC was timely—I had never known the rich history of the Carolinas despite living only a few hours away in north Florida. Jerkins' story has inspired me to do research on my own family, and take a trip out to where they first arrived in the United States. For all those inquisitive minds who wonder about their family's journey, this is it.”

“Looking for a funny, easy to digest guide to starting your own podcast? Look no further! The beloved McElroy brothers have returned to the literary world to compile various tips and tricks they've picked up throughout their ten years of podcasting to create a how-to guide and help you get started in delving into the world of mics, software, comfy chairs, co-hosts, and all of the other minute details involved to bring your new podcast from good to great. The audiobook for this one is a must, especially for fans of the numerous podcasts hosted by the McElroys, because it is narrated by the brothers and other members of their family. This way you get to listen their good good podcasting voice boxes which makes it that much more of an entertaining read!”

“You may be cleaning your house or walking your dog, but Ruth Reichl will take you away --to New York, Paris, and the world's best restaurants in her own narration of her years with Gourmet Magazine. Ruth is a consummate storyteller, and if you've read her earlier memoirs you MUST experience this latest; she adds to her mother's story (remember Tender At the Bone?) inserts recipes, and dishes on some prominent names in publishing and food. I'm so glad Ruth read her book to us; I felt like we'd spent the afternoon at a sidewalk cafe.”

“Tara Westover is barely 30; could she really write a necessary and timely memoir already? Absolutely. Raised largely 'off the grid' in rural Idaho - without school, doctor visits, a birth certificate, or even a family consensus on the date of her birth - Tara nevertheless decides she wants to go to college. This is a story in two parts: First, Tara's childhood working in a dangerous scrapyard alongside her six siblings, her survivalist father, and her mother, a conflicted but talented midwife and healer, while fearing Y2K and the influence of the secular world; then, her departure from her mountain home to receive an education. Both halves of her story are equally fascinating. Educated is a testament to Tara's brilliance and tenacity, a bittersweet rendering of how family relationships can be cruel or life-saving, and a truly great read from the first page to the last.”

“I listened to Wintering with one foot in November and the other in December, just as winter weather was arriving where I live, and arguably the best time of year to read this book. In my circle of mentally ill friends and family—myself included—it seems like people have been preparing for winter more than usual this year (2021), trying their best to stave off seasonal depression and holiday overwhelm. I read this book in the hopes that it would help me face a particularly difficult winter, and it’s certainly got me thinking about the season in a new, more appreciative way. Katherine May talks not only of harsh winter weather, but of personal winters—dark seasons of life brought on by illness, tragedy, unexpected change. When we realize that our lives are cyclical much like nature and the lives of wild animals, it becomes easier to accept the seasons as they come rather than to fight against them. With Rebecca Lee’s sublime narration, May takes readers on a journey to the arctic and back, learning as much from herself as she does from others.”

“A continuation of John Green's podcast of the same name, this audiobook is engaging, intriguing and hard to put down. Read by the author, this book resonated with me on so many levels and left me with food for thought. 5 stars.”

“Jenny Lawson is and will forever be my crazy, taxidermied spirit animal. In Broken she managed to make me snort coffee from my nose in laughter, then grasp at my aching heart a moment later in mutual grief. There's so much exposed nerve in this book that it is impossible not to get sucked into her vulnerability. I think she'd want you to know it's okay to come on over and linger in the pain. Just, you know, not TOO close next to her. Personal space and all that.”

“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.”

“Lindy West makes true observations about movies in ways that will make you laugh out loud, and cause you to re-think some of your 90s/00s favorite films! Her witty commentary is what we all NEED in this post 2020 world, even if you have not seen the films. It’s written by someone smart and hilarious who has strong opinions about things that don’t matter. The PERFECT road trip audiobook, listeners can come in and out without losing place in the book. ”

“This is an audio experience. Malcolm Gladwell talks about it a bit in the beginning. He chose to use audio recordings of interviews, etc., wherever available instead of just reading the quotes himself. There’s music spattered throughout. It’s kind of a book/podcast. It is not just a direct reading of the text. Also, Malcolm Gladwell has a soothing voice but covers some unsettling topics, so you can definitely listen to this one and not fall asleep. I won’t say I enjoyed this book, because how can you enjoy something that talks about all the unpleasant side effects of misinterpreting interactions with strangers? But it was incredibly interesting. We hear about what went wrong with Amanda Knox, the Brock Turner trial, and Sandra Bland, amidst many other examples. I love books like this that examine psychology through real life things. I definitely feel like I learned something from Talking to Strangers, and for me, that’s really the best way to judge a nonfiction title.”

“Just when you think you know everything about the history of black people in America, along comes this book. It completely shook up what I thought I knew about the struggle for freedom and equality. I discovered some of my "heroes" didn't always fight the good fight and learned a few new names of those who did what they could for the cause. I am not the same person I was before I listened to this book. If everyone who encounters this book can say the same, maybe that will be the beginning of something good. Bravo Jason and Ibram! ”

“"She Came to Slay" is a journey into a major historical figure that we all "know", but Erica Armstrong Dunbar gives us so much more. For the first time ever, Harriet Tubman, is a fully fleshed out person with a complicated past, tragic life events, and we get to see all of those things that fueled her passionate mission with the Underground Railroad. Speaking as an historian, this book is solid gold. ”

“This coming of age memoir is gripping with it's straight forward prose about a family immigration story from Vietnam to Queens, NY. Ly Tran gives a new voice to what it means to inhabit two vastly different cultures while trying to find one's identity. This book is so timely and gives a reader the inside lens and empathy to feel the challenges of overcoming poverty, racism, and trauma. I will be recommending this Memoir to those who enjoyed Educated and Hidden Valley Road.”

“Loved the Libro.fm version of this book! Read by the author, it is engaging and entertaining. It is not deep or heavy, but whether you are an animal enthusiast or not, this book works!”