Top 25 Bestselling Audiobooks of 2018

Becoming

“I adore our former president and I miss him. Yet I cannot help but be ecstatic that Michelle is coming out with a book about her own life so that I can learn more about this powerful, intelligent, and singularly awesome woman. Barack would be the first to say that his wife is a superstar, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Becoming to read about her in her own words.”

Jax, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Educated

“Educated by Tara Westover is a wrenching account of a young woman who must choose between education on one hand and her family which is ruled by a religious misogynist apocalyptic zealot who lives off the grid and who might also be bi-polar, on the other. I thought the most fascinating part of Westover’s story would be her journey from backwoods Idaho to a Cambridge University PhD, but her relationship with her family, and one brother, in particular, was at the heart of this memoir and quest for self.”

Phyllis, Wellesley Books

Less (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize)

“What would you do if you found yourself at the precipice of your 50th birthday with nothing to say for yourself other than your long term relationship with a famous author, now former relationship? Maybe Arthur Less can fall back on his own writing, which has been poorly received, or maybe he can fall back into the arms of his lover, who has just sent him an invitation to his wedding to another man. But Less decides to do something different, that is to say Yes to invitations which will put him on his greatest adventure to Paris, Berlin, Morocco, the Sahara, India and more. But this story is not about a man travelling to exotic locations but rather a story about a man discovering himself after years of living as someone else. It could be said that this story has been told before, but Greer tells it so well that it feels new again. And, though Less' friends berate him for telling a story no one should care about (a 50 year old white, gay man discovering himself), the details of Less' struggles are relevant and beautiful.”

Jessica, BookBar

Calypso

“If there is a "King of Audiobooks", it has to be David Sedaris. The absolute best way to enjoy the writing of Sedaris is to hear him perform it. Not only is his voice rather odd, immediately putting you in a mood to giggle, but he is such an effortless performer it's impossible not to get caught up in his world. And what a world! In his latest, and indisputably most accomplished, work to date, he takes us on his journey through midlife: the betrayals of the body, the loss, the wear and tear on long relationships. I found myself shedding tears for his heartbreaking regrets and laughing so hard I had to pull my car over at his observances of the absurdities of everyday life.”

Kelly, Fountain Bookstore

Lincoln in the Bardo

“Saunders' first novel has a steep entry curve. It's not a novel that reveals itself quickly and easily, but if you give it your attention, if you burrow deep into the book, you'll be eminently rewarded. There is a richness and depth of humanity here. There is the strange and wonderful. There is love and grief and mystery all brought together in the story of Abraham Lincoln's dead son, the Civil War, and what may happen to us all after we leave the mortal coil. It's a beautiful and moving book that will stay with you for a long, long while.”

Jason Vanhee, University Book Store

Pachinko (National Book Award Finalist)

“A father's gentle nature, a mother's sacrifice, a daughter's trust, and a son's determination are the cornerstones of this grand, multilayered saga. Pachinko follows one family through an ever-changing cultural landscape, from 1910 Korea to 1989 Japan. As the bonds of family are put to the test in the harsh realities of their world, Sunja and those she holds dear manage to carve themselves a place to call home with hard work, self sacrifice, and a little kimchi. Through it all is a message about love, faith, and the deep-rooted bonds of family. Min Jin Lee gives us a phenomenal story about one family's struggle that resonates with us today. It will take hold of you and not let go!”

Jennifer Steele, Boswell Book Company

Little Fires Everywhere

“Little Fires Everywhere is a breathtaking novel about art, motherhood, and truth. Mia and her daughter, Pearl, move to the perfectly planned community of Shaker Heights as the last stop on their nomadic adventure, bringing some much-needed permanence to teenager Pearl's life. They both find friendship, but the connections they create with their landlord's family will soon change all of their lives. Impossible to put down or stop thinking about. A great read.”

Stef Schmidt, Water Street Books

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

“Eleanor Oliphant has quickly become one of my favorite fictional characters, and this novel one of my favorite books. Eleanor is completely original and the right kind of weird. Her life and her past, combined with such kindhearted characters, made for a compulsively readable, heartwarming story that I did not want to put down. I can't wait for this book to come out so many more can fall in love with Eleanor. Highly, highly recommended.”

Kaitlin Smith, Copperfield's Books

A Gentleman in Moscow

“I believe A Gentleman In Moscow is without dispute a modern day masterpiece. Towles uses exquisite language to tell the story of Count Rostov, a charming and witty "man of intent", who is confined to a fabulous hotel in Moscow for all his days. But that doesn't stop the count from living a sumptuous and meaningful life and he, in turn, graciously affects all the lives around him. I can't praise this book enough.”

Mary , R.J. Julia Booksellers

Circe

“A bold retelling of the Circe episode from Homer's Odyssey that not only captures the interlocking pieces of Greek mythology, but also gives each god, titan, and Grecian a pulsing complexity. Both Circe the book and the character are quiet, sensual and--at times--freewheeling, adventurous, and devastating. Perdita Week's performance here is multi-layered and captivating. The voices she chooses to portray each character captures the unfolding drama and humor beautify.”

Luis, Avid Bookshop

There There

“A stunning debut novel by an original voice. Twelve characters of Native American descent, interrelated by birth or chance, struggle with the competing forces of cultural history and modern urban existence. Their stories build separately before colliding powerfully in the book’s final pages at The Big Oakland Powwow. I was riveted.”

Keltie, Parnassus Books

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

“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 unsolved rapes before escalating to numerous murders leaving terrorized California residents tense for ten years. A determined McNamara meticulously researches this reign of terror with such precision it’s sure to pry this perpetrators identity out of obscurity and into justice, a suitable ending for this authors’ life.”

Kristin, McLean & Eakin Booksellers

The Woman in the Window

“The Woman in the Window is being touted as one of the hottest releases of early 2018, and with excellent reason. A modern take on Hitchcock's Rear Window, with many nods to classic noir film, A.J. Finn's debut novel is told through the eyes of a narrator trapped inside her beautiful house by a severe case of agoraphobia and separated from her estranged husband and young daughter. She copes with her condition by spying on her neighbors and living vicariously through their drama, until the night she witnesses what appears to be a murder and finds herself swept up in its wake. Once this story gets rolling, it will bowl you over. Fans of psychological thrillers should take note of this banger of a tale!”

Whitney Spotts, Schuler Books

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 »

OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD

RUNAWAY #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

SENSATIONAL #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

“Explosive.”—The Washington Post

“Devastating.”—The New Yorker

“Unprecedented.”—CNN

“Great reporting...astute.”—Hugh Hewitt

THE INSIDE STORY ON PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS ONLY BOB WOODWARD CAN TELL IT

With authoritative reporting honed through... Read more »

"[Holter Graham] uses his deep, elastic voice to punctuate key ideas, and he speeds up and slows down to create tension...The result is a wonderful performance of a most important audiobook." — AudioFile Magazine

This program includes an author's note read by Michael Wolff

#1 New York Times Bestseller

With extraordinary access to the West Wing,...

The Hate U Give

“This bestselling, powerful young adult novel about social justice and one teen girl's effort to fight for what is right, will leave you breathless. The narration by Bahni Turpin is hands down the best I've ever heard. This is such an important book it should be required reading for life in general. Or listening. Definitely listening.”

Kristen, Tattered Cover

The Immortalists

“In 1969, four siblings visit a fortune teller, who tells each child the date of their death. We follow the Gold siblings both separately and together over the next four decades and see how these revelations affect their choices, their behavior, and their relationships with one another. Apart from raising the obvious question (would you want to know the date of your death?), Benjamin brilliantly explores how family members can be both close to and distant from one another, and ponders the point at which our actions cease to matter and fate steps in. I LOVED The Immortalists, and if there's any justice in bookselling, this book will find the massive audience it so deserves.”

Erika VanDam, RoscoeBooks

The Song of Achilles

“It is unbelievably easy to get lost in the long-forgotten world Miller recreates. Easier still with such incredible narration from Douglas. At once rich mythology and modern love story, The Song of Achilles dazzles like Ichor. Beautifully written, with characters you love to hate and love all at once. Though I’ve heard The Iliad many times, this is the version that will stick with me. And I certainly shan’t ever forget Patroclus.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

If you enjoyed Say Nothing, then you’ll love Killers of the Flower Moon.

“The Osage Indians were the wealthiest people per capita in the 1920s - they were also getting murdered in diabolical schemes. This story touches on a range of topics, it is a lament for the mistreatment of the Native Americans, a sinister domestic thriller, a perplexing mystery set in the untamed west, a testament to a dying breed of wily western frontiersmen. You will hurtle through this compelling and insightful work that restores a piece of forgotten history to its rightful place.”

Samantha, Rediscovered Books