Arts & Entertainment Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

The Work of Our Hands: A Cree Meditation on the Real World

"In a world yearning for meaning, the path to spiritual renewal may lie through the discipline and freedom that only hard work can show us. Life is hard in Attawapiskat. Outsiders see the poverty and despair, the sagging, mold-filled houses with generations packed into each one. The substance abuse and the suicides. The decaying water system, that has come to symbolize the everyday injustice faced by First Nations communities. So why does Juno-nominated Cree musician Adrian Sutherland live there? The Work of Our Hands reveals a dimension of his own experience that headlines cannot capture and outsiders cannot see. The answer to why? is the answer to how? By exploring his world through the concrete experience of his hands, as they hold a guitar, a hammer, a rifle, or a cannister used to carry water to his family home, and the materials from which the traditional Cree sweat lodge is constructed, Sutherland not only paints a portrait of a world few of us have ever seen, he also lays out the way the world itself can teach us right and wrong as clearly as we can detect a musical note that is off-key. Everyday life in Attawapiskat means choosing a difficult path, learning from the contours and hard edges of the world, and striving to do what is right. That is freedom. How many of us can say we are free? Gritty, personal, and above all attuned to the meaning that we can discern only when we carefully hold the physical world in our hands, Sutherland's story pulls us away from the abstractions and false promises of the disembodied reality we have stumbled into to approach deeper truth and meaning."

Adrian Sutherland (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Insomnia

"Brought to you by Penguin. The rock legend tells the story of his wild ride with Martin Scorsese – as friends, adventure-seekers, and boundary-pushing collaborators – with all the heart of his New York Times bestselling memoir Testimony For four decades, Robbie Robertson produced music for Martin Scorsese's films, a relationship that began when Robertson convinced Scorsese to direct The Last Waltz, the iconic film of the Band's farewell performance at the Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving 1976. The closing of the Band's story with that landmark concert thrust Robertson into a new and uncertain world. With his relationship with his bandmates deteriorating and his marriage collapsing, Robertson arrived on Scorsese’s Beverly Hills doorstep only to find his friend in similar straits. Before the night was out, Scorsese had invited him to move in. Both men, already culture-transforming stars before the age of thirty-five, stood at a creative precipice, searching for the beginning of a new phase of life and work. As their friendship deepened into a career-altering collaboration, their shared journey would take them around the world and down the rabbit hole of American culture in the long hangover of the seventies. Buffeted on either side by temptation and paranoia, veering closer to self-destruction than either wanted to admit, together they had devoted themselves to a partnership defined by equal parts admiration and ambition. With a cast of characters featuring Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Federico Fellini, Sophia Loren, Sam Fuller, Liza Minelli, Tuesday Weld, and many more, Insomnia is an intimate portrait of a remarkable creative friendship between two titans of American arts, one that would explore the outer limits of excess and experience before returning to tell the tale. © Robbie Robertson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Robbie Robertson (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ozzy & Me: Life Lessons, Wild Stories, and Unexpected Epiphanies from Forty Years of Friendship with

"An entertaining, heartwarming memoir detailing the adventures and valuable life lessons learned from the author's four decades of friendship with Ozzy Osbourne and the Osbourne family. Stephen Rea was born in Northern Ireland in 1969, the same year "The Troubles" began. Violence was everywhere. His grandmother was nearly killed when gunmen opened fire on the wrong house, leaving young Stephen to pick at the bullet holes in the walls. He found refuge from this turmoil in heavy metal—especially the music of Ozzy Osbourne. As a pre-internet teenager, he hunted down dozens of live concert bootlegs—corresponding by mail with collectors around the world—and devoured every music magazine he could find. In late 1984, when Stephen was fifteen, he read about a huge festival in Rio de Janeiro that January called "Rock In Rio" whose bill included AC/DC, Queen, and Osbourne. As a lark, he mentioned it to his dad, and was stunned when he said they should go. He was even more shocked when his mother, looking for information about how to get tickets, began a correspondence with Osbourne's secretary, who scored the family VIP passes and introduced them to Osbourne in Brazil. Thus began a friendship with Ozzy, his wife Sharon and the rest of the Osbourne family that has continued for decades. While traveling on tour in the mid-nineties, Ozzy gifted Stephen a pair of fancy leather notebooks and told him to keep a record of their adventures and conversations. The result is Ozzy & Me: a beautiful behind-the-scenes memoir that proves the life-affirming, soul-nourishing power of music—and disproves the notion that you should never meet your heroes."

Stephen Rea (Author), Unknown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bottom of the Pyramid: A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life

"When you've been told over and over that you belong at the bottom, how do you come out on top? Dance Moms star and triple threat Nia Sioux shows the way via her story of resilience, triumph, and defining success for herself. Young dancer Nia Sioux was only nine years old when she stepped into stardom as one of the original cast members of Lifetime's reality TV show Dance Moms. Nia learned new choreography week after week and competed against dancers from across the country as well as at her own studio. Perhaps her greatest obstacle was suffering through her dance teacher's ranking of the girls against each other in her infamous pyramid, where Nia spent the majority of her time on the bottom-all in front of an audience of millions. But there was much that viewers didn't see. How her experiences in the studio went far beyond what made it into the show. How she was ostracized for not fitting into an aesthetic that wasn't designed for girls like her. How her friendships and her mental health crumbled under the strain of the show. How she lost control of her story and her voice. But don't be fooled-this is a story about resilience. Nia is not looking for pity, sympathy, or validation as she reflects on her experiences. Instead, she is choosing to use her story as a celebration of triumph. Nia finally gets to tell her story in her own way and in her own words. In this captivating memoir, Nia reclaims both the spotlight and her narrative. In addition to going behind the scenes of the seven seasons of Dance Moms, she shows how she fought against the negative perceptions that dominated her tween and teen years and emerged as a confident young woman secure in her talents and her direction. Anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, overlooked, or stuck at the bottom of the pyramid will be inspired by Nia's story of overcoming. "Despite barriers and constant naysayers, assumptions and criticisms, only you know who you are inside and out," Nia says. "And you have the power to create your own narrative, your own level of success.""

Nia Sioux (Author), Nia Sioux (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art

"New York Times Notable Book “A smart, crackling chronicle of fast game, the ’80s art market, [and] the attraction of destruction.”— Village Voice A bold and vivid biography that chronicles the dazzling rise and tragic death of Neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. In less than a decade, Jean-Michel Basquiat went from being a teenage graffiti artist to an international art star. His meteoric rise to fame coincided with the outrageous excess of the heady ’80s art boom. A fixture of the downtown scene, with its explosive mix of music, fashion, art, and drugs, he soon became involved with some of its most celebrated personalities, including Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Madonna. Basquiat fulfilled that cynical aphorism: Die young and leave a beautiful corpse. But Basquiat did more than that: he left a beautiful corpus. With each passing year, the remarkable energy, perspicacity and originality of his work increases in power. In a world where Black Lives Matter and the imperative need for diversity are among the driving forces of our time, Basquiat’s success in the 1980s white art world, and his ongoing universal celebrity, have made him a significant role model for generation of artists to come. From the rise and fall of the graffiti movement, to the East Village art scene, to the art dealers and out-of-control auction houses, Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art, the definitive biography of the young painter, is a vivid portrait of both the artist and his time. Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art includes 12-14 photographs."

Phoebe Hoban (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Your Perfect Partner Won't Be Perfect: A Truthful Dating Guide

"An easy-to-use, insightful guide to modern love from Indian matchmaker Sima Taparia. Dating is overwhelming. Whether you're navigating the intricate world of online dating, pining after an unrequited crush, or searching for 'the one' around every corner, you've certainly felt the confusion and frustration that goes hand in hand with dating. But what if it didn't have to be that way? The world of dating continues to evolve and modernize, but every new development is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The secret to a successful courtship is simple and timeless, and we've known it all along. As one of India's top matchmakers, Sima Taparia has spent her entire career helping clients find their future spouses, and she's ready to share the wisdom she's collected along the way. In Ancient Wisdom for Modern Dating, Sima shares the timeless, tried-and-true traditions of Indian marriage to help readers see dating from a new perspective, avoid common dating pitfalls, and find their perfect matches."

Sima Taparia (Author), Vaishali Sharma (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Curious Case of Mike Lynch: The Improbable Life & Death of a Tech Billionaire

"Read by the author, Katie Prescott. Mike Lynch was a maverick outsider in the British business world. From humble beginnings, Lynch rose to become one of the UK's richest men, selling his home-grown enterprise software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for over £11bn in 2011. The sale triggered one of the biggest fraud cases in Silicon Valley history, as HP accused him of cooking the company's books. Lynch was sent to the US in handcuffs, his reputation in tatters - but was acquitted by a US jury, and returned home a free man. Tragically, his second chance at life was snatched away even as he was celebrating his freedom. In a freak accident, his yacht sunk off the coast of northern Sicily in August 2024, taking the lives of Lynch, his daughter and five others. Shockingly, the co-defendant in the US trial, Autonomy accountant Stephen Chamberlain, was killed hours before Lynch, hit by a car in Cambridge. It was almost thirteen years to the day since the deal between HP and Autonomy was signed. Drawing on extensive research and exclusive access to key sources, The Curious Case of Mike Lynch follows the billionaire's dramatic rise and fall and, finally, his untimely and tragic death. It's a thrilling story of money, power and deception, taking readers into a high-stakes world of corporate subterfuge and rivalries, zigzagging through the hallowed confines of Cambridge across the cut-throat streets of the City of London to Silicon Valley. In this pacy, no-holds barred investigation into one of the most fascinating men in the history of British business, award-winning Times journalist Katie Prescott reflects on Lynch's legacy, outlining lessons from a truly unique life which serve as both a warning and inspiration for us all."

Katie Prescott (Author), Katie Prescott (Narrator)

Audiobook

How To Live An Artful Life: 366 Inspirations from Artists on how to Bring Creativity to Your Everyda

"Brought to you by Penguin. The year ahead is a gift that has been given to you. What might you do with it? Dive into the year with the wisdom of artists. Gathered from interviews, personal conversations, books and talks, How to Live an Artful Life moves through the months of the year offering you thoughts, reflections and encouragements from artists such as Marina Abramovic, Nan Goldin, Lubaina Himid, Louise Bourgeois and many more. With a thought for every day of the year, whether looking for beginnings in January, freedom in summer, or transformation as the nights draw in, this is a book of words to cherish. The year is full of the promise of work that has yet to be written, paintings that are yet to be painted, people who have yet to meet, talk, or fall in love. With this book in hand, pay attention, and see the world anew. Go out and find it, taste it, seize it, and live it – artfully. © Katy Hessel 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Katy Hessel (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Life's Little Surprises: A Memoir

"The life and times of a living legend, the most successful and influential singer/songwriter of the past fifty years throughout the Spanish-speaking world, who also happens to be an acclaimed Hollywood and Broadway actor, a Harvard Law School graduate with a Master's degree in international law, and a political activist who ran for president in his native Panama. Blades has lived a life in full, and he tells of it with infectious brio, honesty, and wit: He writes about his mother, a Cuban child prodigy musician and radio drama actress, and his father, who was born in Colombia and was a percussionist and officer of the secret police. He also writes about his arrival in New York City from Panama in the 1970s and his rise as a leading light among the Fania-All Stars in salsa's glory years. Blades writes about his initially productive and ultimately fraught collaborations with the great trombonist/singer Willie Colón, which resulted in the release of Siembra, the best-selling salsa album of all time. It sold millions of copies, and every track became a hit throughout Latin America and the Spanish speaking world, including 'Pedro Navaja,' his best-known song, which was inspired by Kurt Weil's 'Mack the Knife.' He talks about his refusal to allow his music to be pigeonholed, which set the stage for his inventive and eclectic 1983 solo breakout, Buscando América, one of the great albums of that decade. He writes about his embrace of other popular musical genres and his collaborations with Linda Ronstadt, Sting, Elvis Costello, and Wynton Marsalis. He discusses his acting career and his appearances in films such as Predator 2, Color of Night, Safe House, and Hands of Stone, and about his performances in The Josephine Baker Story, Crazy from the Heart, and The Maldonado Miracle, for which he received Emmy nominations. Finally, Blades writes about his own political activism: his stance against American imperialism, which is most evident in his 1981 song "Tiburón" (Spanish for "shark"), his denunciation by anti-Castro Cubans in Florida, and his creation of a progressive political party in Panama under whose banner he made a run for president, in which he came in third place with 20% of votes."

Rubén Blades (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Heart Life Music

"Heart Life Music shares the stories of a kid from small town East Tennessee with a dream fueled by the sports and music around him. When high school football came to an end, he knew there must be something more. In college, Kenny Chesney found himself on a barstool with a guitar and an unexpected connection between people, life, and songs. His heart caught fire. With Nashville’s vibrant creative scene, characters, legends, and places now long gone from the city he encountered in those early days, Chesney explores the quest to find himself as an artist and a man, as well as a sense of home anywhere there’s an ocean. These are the stories of the unlikely game changer who became the sound of coming of age in the 21st century, made friends with his heroes, rocked stadiums, and founded a No Shoes Nation."

Holly Gleason, Kenny Chesney (Author), Kenny Chesney (Narrator)

Audiobook

Real Girl

"Brought to you by Penguin. Mutya Buena was only thirteen when she became one third of the original line up of the iconic girlband, Sugababes. Launching into fame, her life became unrecognisable overnight. Suddenly she was going straight from the studio to school in the early hours, rubbing shoulders with music royalty, and hearing fans scream her name. This is the story of the girl the tabloids never saw. In Real Girl Mutya takes us through the highs of her spectacular career and the lows that came with a life in the limelight and shares for the first time the struggles she’d kept hidden from the public eye. Now the Sugababes are back and shining brighter than ever, Mutya is ready to share her story on her own terms. © Mutya Buena 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Mutya Buena (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run

"Brought to you by Penguin. A landmark account of Paul McCartney’s triumphant musical reinvention in the 1970s and the rise of one of the decade’s most iconic bands As the Sixties came to a close, Paul McCartney was faced with the daunting prospect of being a solo artist for the first time. Wings’ ascension to the top of the charts with classic albums including Band on the Run, Venus and Mars and At the Speed of Sound, along with the band’s stadium-filling live shows, would prove to critics and fans that not all great acts are impossible to follow. Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run is a rousing, stereophonic celebration of the songs, collaborations and performances that would shape the soundtrack of the late 20th century. Drawn from over 500,000 words, based on dozens of hours of interviews with McCartney and numerous key players in the band’s orbit, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run weaves together the improbable trajectory of Paul McCartney and his newly formed band (featuring co-founding members Linda McCartney and Denny Laine) across the technicolor 1970s until their dissolution in 1981. © Paul McCartney 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Paul McCartney (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Arts & Entertainment Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir