Memoirs Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

[Spanish] - Mi sueño americano: Todos están invitados

"Mi sueño americano es el conmovedor libro de memorias del actor, productor y activista Wilmer Valderrama, que ahonda en su educación en Venezuela, donde fue criado por dos padres muy trabajadores, mientras su familia atravesaba un país en rápida transformación y el ascenso de Hugo Chávez. Con la economía derrumbándose a su alrededor y su medio de vida desapareciendo, la familia decide huir del país. De repente, el niño al que le encantaba montar a caballo y soñar con ser el Zorro de su serie favorita de televisión en blanco y negro, tuvo que crecer rápidamente y viajó, siendo un adolescente, desde un pequeño pueblo de Venezuela a la gran ciudad de Los Ángeles. En los años siguientes, Valderrama crearía el exitoso programa Yo Mamma, deleitaría a los niños con Handy Manny, pondría voz al personaje principal de Encanto de Disney y mucho más, hasta unirse al reparto del exitoso programa NCIS en 2016. Sin embargo, fue a través del servicio a los demás y de su primer viaje con United Service Organization (USO por sus siglas en inglés) donde Valderrama encontró su vocación ampliada, entreteniendo y animando a las tropas estadounidenses en todo el mundo. De repente, quiso hacer todo lo que pudiera, dedicando su tiempo y sus esfuerzos a retribuir al país que considera su hogar. A través de su trabajo, Valderrama espera demostrar su amor y su gratitud por el país que cambió su vida. Mi sueño americano entrelaza las historias personales de Valderrama con las de personas notables que ha conocido a lo largo de su viaje filantrópico. Sin embargo, esta no es solo la historia de Valderrama, sino también una visión de Estados Unidos de América a través de los ojos de un inmigrante, tanto en sus asombrosas maravillas inigualables como en todos sus retos. Es la historia profunda y apasionante de alguien que encontró el camino y ahora invita a cuantos sea posible a acompañarle en la aventura. An American Story An American Story is the stirring memoir by actor, producer, and activist Wilmer Valderrama, delving into his upbringing in Venezuela where he was raised by two hard working parents as they navigated their family through a rapidly changing country and the rise of Hugo Chavez. With the economy crashing around them and their livelihood disappearing, the family decides to flee the country. Suddenly, the young boy who had loved riding his horse and dreaming of being Zorro from his favorite black and white tv show had to grow up quickly, journeying as a teenager from a tiny little pueblo in Venezuela to the big city of Los Angeles. It was through service to others and his first USO trip, however, where Valderrama found his expanded calling, entertaining and encouraging U.S. troops around the world. Suddenly, he wanted to do as much of this as he could, dedicating his time and efforts to giving back to the country he calls home. Through his work, Valderrama hopes to demonstrate his love and gratitude for the country that changed his life. An American Story weaves Valderrama's personal stories with those of the remarkable people he's met along his philanthropic journey. This isn't just Valderrama's story, though. It's a view of America through an immigrant's eyes, in both its stunning unmatched wonders and all of its native challenges. It is the profound and gripping story of someone who found the way and is now inviting as many as possible to join him on the adventure."

Wilmer Valderrama (Author), Cesar Ramones, Wilmer Valderrama (Narrator)

Audiobook

Let's Make Things Better: A Holocaust Survivor's Message of Hope and Celebration of Life

"Including a preface, introduction and some final words read by the authors, Gidon Lev and Julie Gray. "To me, hard times are like hide-and-seek: where is the solution, where is the hope? We can never give up looking for these things because they are just waiting to be found." Gidon Lev, an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor, has lived an extraordinary life. At the age of six, he was imprisoned in the concentration camp of Theresienstadt. Liberated when he was ten, he lost at least 26 members of his family, including his father and grandfather. But Gidon's life is extraordinary not only because he is one of the few living survivors remaining but because of his lessons learned over nearly a century. His enduring message is of hope and opportunity - to make things better. By sharing his timeless simple belief and truths, Gidon reminds us that we have the power to incrementally improve what is in front of us and leave something better behind us. His life is a lesson of how to do it, even in the face of astonishing adversity, and Let's Make Things Better is the calling card of an indomitable spirit. 'By sharing his inspiring life story, Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev reminds us that the human spirit is larger than even the most severe and unjust trauma. Through one of history's darkest nights, he preserved his brightness and warmth' - David Von Drehl, author of the New York Times bestseller The Book of Charlie"

Gidon Lev, Julie Gray (Author), Gidon Lev, Julie Gray, Yuval Dor (Narrator)

Audiobook

You Never Know: A Memoir

"A Waterstones Best Book of 2024 There are many miles from the business school and basketball court at the University of Southern California to 50 million viewers for the final episode of a TV show called Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck has lived every one of those miles in his own iconoclastic and joyful way. Frank, funny and open-hearted, You Never Know is an intimate memoir from a beloved actor, the story of a remarkable life and thoroughly accidental career. Journey to the top in Hollywood, learn of his mistakes and his well-earned success. Selleck clears up an armload of misconceptions and shares never-told stories. His rambunctious California childhood. His clueless arrival as a good-looking college jock in Hollywood (from the Dating Game to the Fox New Talent Program to co-starring with Mae West). What it was like to emerge as a mega-star in his mid-thirties and remain so for decades to come, an actor whose ease on screen connected with audiences worldwide, while redefining the clichés of manhood. In You Never Know, Selleck recounts his personal friendships with a vivid army of A-listers, everyone from Frank Sinatra to Carol Burnett to Sam Elliott, paying special tribute to his mentor James Garner of The Rockford Files, who believed, like Selleck, that TV protagonists are far more interesting when they have rough edges. He tips his hat to the American western and the scruffy band of actors, directors and other ruffians who helped define that classic genre, where Selleck has repeatedly found a happy home. Magnum fans will be fascinated to learn how Selleck put his career on the line to make Thomas Magnum a more imperfect hero and explains why he walked away from a show that could easily have gone on for years longer. Hollywood is never easy, even for stars who make it look that way. Selleck explains how he’s struggled to balance his personal and professional lives, frequently adjusting his career to protect his family’s privacy and normalcy. His journey offers a truly fresh perspective on a changing industry and a changing world. Beneath all the charm, talent, and self-deprecating humor, this memoir reveals an American icon who reached remarkable heights through authenticity."

Tom Selleck (Author), Tom Selleck (Narrator)

Audiobook

In the Blood: On Mothers, Daughters and Addiction

"'I’ve never read a book like it. It’s as if they tore their own hearts out and asked the other to hold it for them while they wrote.' Phoebe Waller-Bridge ‘Alcohol flows across families like water over a landscape. Sometimes it moves in torrents, sometimes in floods, sometimes in trickles. It always shapes the ground it covers in unmistakable ways.' In the Blood is a memoir in two voices, those of a mother and daughter both in the grip of the disease that has ravaged generations of women in their family. Julia, aged sixty-five, and Arabella, thirty-eight, ended up in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous just nine months apart. In some ways it’s a predictable story; two addicts drank and destroyed and ransacked until they could drink no more. In others, it is entirely unlike any account of motherhood or addiction that has ever been told. This is not a recovery memoir, but rather an unflinching family drama spanning generations, whilst looking pain and shame directly in the eye. Confronting the difficulty of writing faithfully about those we love and the ways in which memory blurs the boundaries of fact, this is the story of women who grew up in shadows, and have navigated their way out of darkness. Brutally honest, darkly funny and bursting with hope, In The Blood is the sound of the howling cry of illness and betrayal across generations, and what you do with that sound when you hear it."

Arabella Byrne, Julia Hamilton (Author), To Be Announced (Narrator)

Audiobook

That Deserves a Wow: Untold Stories of Legends and Champions, Their Wins and Heartbreaks

"The Emmy Award–winning FOX Sports broadcaster provides a front row seat to some of the most memorable moments in sports history. Emmy Award–winning broadcaster Chris Myers reflects on his illustrious career as one of the most trusted and renowned journalists in sports. Myers has witnessed and participated in his fair share of historic events: on the field when the earthquake struck the 1989 World Series; on the air throughout the tragic aftermath of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing; on the sidelines during the Patriots’ stunning comeback at Super Bowl LI; and a contentious live interview with the notorious OJ Simpson. Now Myers offers an inside look at all these moments and more, revealing the joys and pressures of working with the world’s most famous athletes and sharing the experiences and interactions that never made it on screen. He takes readers behind the scenes with the biggest names in sports, including Mike Tyson, Muhammed Ali, Tom Brady, John Wooden, Bill Belichick, Charles Barkley, Barry Bonds, Serena Williams, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Sampras, and even Bill Murray. Through it all, Chris captures a community that is bigger than sports, one that has banded together through triumph and tragedy, providing lessons about excellence, compassion, and connection."

Chris Myers (Author), Chris Myers, Dan Bittner (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Knock at the Door: A homeless man, a lawyer . . . and a family changed forever

"‘An incredible read. I laughed, I cried and my heart was truly touched by this beautifully written true story of hope and humanity at its best.’ Rosemary Conley CBE 'An extraordinary story. Truly Inspirational' Tim Vine An astonishing story of kindness, self-learning, pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life. Christmas 1975 and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is riding high in the charts. In a residential street just outside Cardiff, a persistent knocking breaks the stillness of the evening … When Rob Parsons, a young lawyer, opens his door he finds a man standing before him clutching a bag of belongings and a frozen chicken. Rob and his wife, Dianne, invite him into their home, cook his chicken and offer him shelter for the night. What happens next is an astonishing story of human kindness, self-learning, incredible pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life. A Knock at the Door is the true story of Ronnie Lockwood, a homeless man who entered the home of a young couple, became a dustman and lived as part of their family for over 45 years until his death. But this is not just Ronnie’s story – it is also that of Rob and his family. Outwardly the two men’s lives were worlds apart – as Ronnie emptied rubbish bins, Rob flew on Concorde – and yet, they discovered they had similar struggles. Then the day came, at the lowest moment of the couple’s lives, when they turned to the homeless man for help. But there were also remarkable turnarounds. Ronnie spent much of his spare time volunteering, including at a homeless centre, and ended up having a £1.6 million well-being centre named after him. Rob left his law practice and he and Dianne began a charity that touches the lives of millions of people. You will have never read a story like this before, but at its heart is a simple message: whether we are a lawyer or a dustman – tomorrow doesn’t always have to be like yesterday."

Rob Parsons (Author), Rob Parsons (Narrator)

Audiobook

American Heroes

"Brought to you by Penguin. ‘Life has no meaning unless it’s lived for the benefit of future generations’ Crafted from original interviews, American Heroes tells the vivid, authentic stories of the veterans who give themselves – and even their lives – serving in overseas conflict from World War Two to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Outnumbered, under pressure and under fire, these men and women exhibited extraordinary selflessness, camaraderie and patriotism. For their service and sacrifice, they earned the US military’s highest awards for valour. In this powerful collection of never-before-told stories, James Patterson and First Sergeant U.S. Army (Ret.) Matt Eversmann salute America’s most courageous military heroes. PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON 'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades.' LEE CHILD 'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' IAN RANKIN 'The master storyteller of our times' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON 'One of the greatest storytellers of all time' PATRICIA CORNWELL 'Patterson is in a class by himself' GUARDIAN © James Patterson 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024"

James Patterson (Author), Joe Mantegna (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unbroken: The inspirational memoir from the double-world champion and Olympic silver medallist

""Kat is a warrior, both on the track and off it. This book is a stunning testimony to the power of believing in yourself" - SIR CHRIS HOY "An extraordinary story of resilience and determination, from an incredible athlete" - DAME JESSICA ENNIS-HILL The inspirational and powerful memoir from double world heptathlon champion and Team GB Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson. The audiobook is read by Melissa Vaughan and features Katarina Johnson-Thompson reading her Prologue and Letters. Katarina Johnson-Thompson has never had it easy. Born a child of two worlds - her mum's working-class Liverpool, and her dad's idyllic Bahamas - she was never supposed to be a world champion. Her early childhood wasn't easy. She was raised by a single mother, and at times it was a struggle for her to keep up with other athletes who had more funding around them. But she persevered. Now, in her intimate, heartfelt autobiography, she tells her story as she never has before. She opens up about the pressures of representing Britain at the London Olympics while just sixteen years of age, and about her complex relationship with mentor-turned-rival Jessica Ennis-Hill. Unbroken is a rare insight into the inner workings of a champion's mind: the rigorous discipline, the undying passion for sport, and the unshakable belief in one's self despite the odds. Johnson-Thompson's journey has been a remarkable one. Her upbringing and her career, both rich with challenges overcome and dreams pursued with relentless determination, serve as a powerful reminder that the human spirit is capable of extraordinary feats. But this is more than a story of triumph-against-the-odds. It's a testament to the sweat, tears and laughter that pave the road to success, and to the unyielding spirit of a true champion. "Katarina's determination is incredible. She is a true champion" SIR MO FARAH "A shining example of someone who has succeeded against the odds" JOHN BISHOP "Kat is one of the strongest women I know; this book is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when you believe in yourself" ALEX SCOTT "One of the most inspiring women I have met. This book is a brilliant insight into what it takes to become a champion" GABBY LOGAN"

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Author), Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Melissa Vaughan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Eight Weeks: Looking Back, Moving Forwards, Defying the Odds

"Brought to you by Penguin. Eight Weeks is a deeply moving and inspiring memoir that tells the remarkable life story of Baroness Young of Hornsey, from her childhood in foster care, to becoming one of the first Black women in the House of Lords. Lola Young has been an actress, an academic, an activist and campaigner for social justice, and a crossbench peer. But from the age of eight weeks to eighteen years, she was moved between foster care placements and children's homes in North London. It would take many decades before she was able to begin the search for answers to the long-standing questions that would help her make sense of her childhood. In Eight Weeks, through her care records, fragments of memory, and her imagination where parts of her story are missing, Lola assembles the pieces of her past into a portrait of a childhood in a system that often made her feel invisible and unwanted. Alongside glimpses into her life as a peer, activist, and campaigner it tells the powerful story of her determination to defy the odds. Eight Weeks is a spirited, eye-opening and beautifully written account of being a child in care and a Black child in a white family and is a vital part of contemporary Black British history. 'I am in awe of the woman who grew from the child in this book ... The pure character necessary to grow through this dark entangled forest of childhood is the stuff of legends. Bravissima' LEMN SISSAY, author of My Name is Why 'A remarkable account of rejection, resilience and resolve' MICHELLE GAYLE 'Beautiful and harrowing, deeply unsettling and profoundly life-affirming' JOHN AKOMFRAH 'Superb, moving' HELENA KENNEDY LT KC 'An inspiring story from an inspirational storyteller' GARY YOUNGE © Baroness Lola Young 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024"

Baroness Lola Young (Author), Baroness Lola Young (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Boy From the Valleys: My unexpected journey

"Brought to you by Penguin. From his humble beginnings in a quaint Welsh mining village to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, much-loved star, Luke Evans takes us on a poignant and inspiring journey that spans from the heart of Wales to behind the scenes of the global stage. Growing up in a small village in the Rhymney Valley, south Wales, Luke Evans’ early life was shaped by his Jehovah's Witness upbringing. While most children of his age spent their Saturday mornings watching Going Live on television, young Luke would dress in a suit and tie and join his parents to knock on doors to spread the word of his religion. From an early age, he felt different. This feeling of displacement was not limited to his faith, as he came to terms with his own sexuality, he also faced a difficult and uncertain path. In his poignant, tender and often humorous account, Luke shares his bold decision to leave home – and the religion – at seventeen to move to London where vibrant Soho scene captured his heart, invigorated his creative journey as an actor and opened a whole new world of opportunity. In finding himself, Luke also discovered his passions of singing, acting and performing. Starring first on the West End stages in iconic productions like Miss Saigon, Avenue Q and Rent, he quickly captivated the hearts of audiences and caught the eye of Hollywood's elite, going on to secure roles in blockbuster films such as The Hobbit, Beauty and the Beast, Fast and Furious and Dracula Untold. In this intimate memoir, Luke takes us behind the scenes of his career on the stage and screen. He writes beautifully of the relationship he now has with his family and the respect they all have for one another on their different paths. Luke's story is a powerful tale of resilience, courage, and the pursuit of finding a sense of belonging and identity, but mostly (and hopefully) a story of inspiration. © Luke Evans 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024"

Luke Evans (Author), Luke Evans (Narrator)

Audiobook

Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing

"From the New York Times bestselling author of A Three Dog Life, a witty and irreverent look at aging and the writing life, delivered with trademark brevity, humor, and wise wit. "The Emily Dickinson of memoirists" (Stephen King) Abigail Thomas shares her thoughts on aging in this irresistibly wry memoir-in-vignettes—offering richly insightful writing tips along the way. While reflecting on the past, Abby accepts the shape of her present. No more driving, no more dancing, mostly sitting in a comfortable chair in a sunny corner with three dogs for company—as well as the birds and other critters that she watches out her window. Only this beloved writer could generate so much enthusiasm over what might seem so little. Vivid memories fall like confetti, as time contracts, shoots forward, loops and suddenly she is back in her twenties in New York City, drinking, sleeping with strangers, falling in and out of love, believing in a better world. Sometimes dread or grief arrives, inhabits her body like a shadow, and all she can do is write it away, paying close attention to what catches her eye, sticks in her brain, keeps her in the moment. Whether you're a book lover, dog lover—or both—pull up a chair, pour a cup of tea, and enter Abigail Thomas's quietly mesmerizing world."

Abigail Thomas (Author), Abigail Thomas (Narrator)

Audiobook

Stronger Together

""Don't cry darling. We need this baby. You will see." With these words from her husband, Zoltán, Ibolya Rechnitzer's fear of being pregnant during the uncertainty of wartime is somewhat eased. But in November 1942, four months after their baby, Andy, is born, Zoltán is drafted into the forced labour service of the Hungarian army and Ibolya must cope, alone, as a single mother and a Jew facing persecution in Budapest. Her son gives her a reason to fight, and Ibolya protects him fiercely during the war and after, when she must make a crucial decision that will forever alter their lives. As Andy grows up in the shadow of the Holocaust and his mother's memories, he finds the remarkable courage to tell his own story and carry on his mother's legacy. Two memoirs in one, Stronger Together gives voice to both mother and son as they each reflect on their past, their losses and, above all, their optimism."

Andy Reti, Ibolya Grossman (Author), Andy Reti, Helen Kas, Marlene Kadar, Naomi Azrieli (Narrator)

Audiobook

Memoirs Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir