Audiobooks by Michelle Burford

Coming Home (Adapted for Young Adults) Audiobook

"From basketball icon Brittney Griner comes a captivating memoir about her journey from early athletic stardom to her page-turning account of how she persevered in a Russian prison-now adapted for young adults. On February 17, 2022, Brittney Griner arrived in Moscow ready to play for a Russian women's basketball team. Instead, a security checkpoint became her gateway to hell and she was arrested for mistakenly carrying a small amount of an illegal substance in Russia. Brittney's world was violently upended in a crisis that would capture the interest of an entire nation. Brittney shares this harrowing story of courage and strength, while recalling her teenage years where she found meaning and empowerment in sports, and overcoming her own struggles with her sexual identity. Her principles of fortitude and courage are ever evident as she goes on to recount her feelings of isolation while navigating a foreign legal system, her emotional and physical anguish as the first American woman ever to endure a Russian penal colony, the chilling prisoner swap with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, and her remarkable rise from hostage to global spokesperson on behalf of other detained Americans. Young readers will identify with Brittney's story of overcoming insurmountable odds, finding strength within herself, and navigating the ups and downs of coming of age as a queer Black woman. Coming Home is both a story of survival and a testament to love-the bonds that brought Brittney home to her family, and ultimately, to herself."

Brittney Griner, Michelle Burford (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

On My Own Two Feet: From Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life

"Amy Purdy, who inspired a nation on Dancing with the Stars and has been called a hero by Oprah Winfrey, reveals the intimate details of her triumphant comeback from the brink of death to making history as a Paralympic snowboarder In this poignant and uplifting memoir, Dancing With the Stars sensation Amy Purdy reveals the story of how losing her legs led her to find a spiritual path. When the Las Vegas native was just nineteen, she came down with bacterial meningitis and was given less than a two percent chance of survival. In a near-death experience, she saw three figures who told her: “You can come with us, or you can stay. No matter what happens in your life, it’s all going to make sense in the end. In that moment, Amy chose to live. Her glimpse of the afterlife—coupled with a mysterious premonition she’d had a month before —became the defining experiences that put Amy’s life on a new trajectory after her legs had to be amputated. She wouldn’t just beat meningitis and walk again; she would go on to create a life filled with bold adventures, big dreams, and boundless vitality—and share that spirit with the world. In 2014, Amy—the only competitor, male or female, with two prosthetic legs—claimed a bronze medal for the U.S. Paralympic team in adaptive snowboarding. She then became a contestant on season eighteen of Dancing With the Stars, and viewers were captivated as the girl with bionic legs managed to out-dance her competitors all the way to the finale. Amy’s journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity we all have to dream bigger, defy expectations, and rewrite our stories. Amy was given a second chance for a reason—to use her life to inspire others. Her powerful memoir urges us to live life to the fullest, because we are all a lot more capable than we could ever imagine."

Amy Purdy, Michelle Burford (Author), Jorjeana Marie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Called to Rise: A Life in Faithful Service to the Community That Made Me

"The Dallas police chief who inspired a nation with his response to the killing of five of his officers shares his personal story and his faith in America's potential to unite communities through a dedication to transparency and trust. "The real deal: a real Christian, a real man, a real leader."-Whoopi Goldberg, The View "A front-row seat to the tension between law enforcement and minority residents nationwide."-The Dallas Morning News On July 7, 2016, protesters marched in the streets of Dallas to demonstrate against the killings of unarmed black men by the police. As the peaceful event drew to a close, a sniper opened fire, targeting white cops and killing five of them. Into this charged situation stepped Dallas police chief David O. Brown, who, with a historic new tactical approach, quickly ended the gunman's siege and calmed his community and the nation. In this powerful memoir, Chief Brown takes us behind the scenes of that tragedy and shares intimate moments from his early life: his childhood, in which he was raised by a single mom in a neighborhood poor in resources but rich in love and faith; his college years-cut short when he felt called to save his hometown from its descent into drug-related violence; and, as he moved up the ranks, a series of deeply personal tragedies. His first partner on the job was killed in the line of duty; his younger brother was murdered by drug dealers; and during Brown's first month as chief of police, his mentally ill son was killed by a cop after taking two other lives. Called to Rise charts how, over his thirty-three-year career, Brown evolved from a "throw 'em in jail and let God sort 'em out" beat cop into a passionate advocate for community-oriented law enforcement, rising from crime scene investigator to S.W.A.T. team leader to the head of a municipal police department widely regarded as one of America's finest. Now retired, "America's chief" wants to bring his hard-earned knowledge of Dallas-emphasizing outreach, accountability, and inclusion-to help encourage unity in the nation's hurting communities. Chief Brown believes that we have to band together to engage in the kind of dialogue that can lead to solutions. In place of complaining, we all have to take action-and one first great step is to tune in to what is being said. Called to Rise explores the keys to that dialogue-trust, transparency, and compassion-that have made Brown a leader on the front lines of social change in America."

David O. Brown, Michelle Burford (Author), David O. Brown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Finding Me

"Michelle was a young mother when she was kidnapped by a local bus driver named Ariel Castro. For more than a decade, she endured unimaginable torture. In 2003 Amanda Berry joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May 6, 2013, made headlines around the world. In Finding Me, Michelle will reveal her story, and how she has found the courage to now build a life worth living."

Michelle Burford, Michelle Knight (Author), Maria Cabezas (Narrator)

Audiobook

Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings

"Michelle was a young single mother when she was kidnapped by a local school bus driver named Ariel Castro. For more than a decade afterward, she endured unimaginable torture at the hand of her abductor. In 2003 Amanda Berry joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May 6, 2013, made headlines around the world. Barely out of her own tumultuous childhood, Michelle was estranged from her family and fighting for custody of her young son when she disappeared. Local police believed she had run away, so they removed her from the missing persons lists fifteen months after she vanished. Castro tormented her with these facts, reminding her that no one was looking for her, that the outside world had forgotten her. But Michelle would not be broken. In Finding Me, Michelle will reveal the heartbreaking details of her story, including the thoughts and prayers that helped her find courage to endure her unimaginable circumstances and now build a life worth living. By sharing both her past and her efforts to create a future, Michelle becomes a voice for the voiceless and a powerful symbol of hope for the thousands of children and young adults who go missing every year."

Michelle Burford, Michelle Knight (Author), Maria Cabezas (Narrator)

Audiobook