Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

"R.E.M.'s debut album, released in 1983, was so far removed from the prevailing trends of American popular music that it still sounds miraculous and out of time today. J. Niimi tells the story of the album's genesis - with fascinating input from Don Dixon and Mitch Easter. He also investigates Michael Stipe's hypnotic, mysterious lyrics, and makes the case for Murmur as a work of Southern Gothic art."

J Niimi (Author), Eric Jason Martin (Narrator)

Audiobook

J Dilla's Donuts

"From a Los Angeles hospital bed, equipped with little more than a laptop and a stack of records, James “J Dilla” Yancey crafted a set of tracks that would forever change the way beatmakers viewed their artform. The songs on Donuts are not hip hop music as “hip hop music” is typically defined; they careen and crash into each other, in one moment noisy and abrasive, gorgeous and heartbreaking the next. The samples and melodies tell the story of a man coming to terms with his declining health, a final love letter to the family and friends he was leaving behind. As a prolific producer with a voracious appetite for the history and mechanics of the music he loved, J Dilla knew the records that went into constructing Donuts inside and out. He could have taken them all and made a much different, more accessible album. If the widely accepted view is that his final work is a record about dying, the question becomes why did he make this record about dying? Drawing from philosophy, critical theory and musicology, as well as Dilla’s own musical catalogue, Jordan Ferguson shows that the contradictory, irascible and confrontational music found on Donuts is as much a result of an artist’s declining health as it is an example of what scholars call “late style,” placing the album in a musical tradition that stretches back centuries."

Jordan Ferguson (Author), JD Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Johnny Cash's American Recordings

"This title offers a superb investigation of what is arguably Johnny Cash's greatest album, focusing on his enduring mythology. When Johnny Cash signed to Rick Rubin's record label in 1993, he was a country music legend who, like his fellow Highwaymen Willie, Waylon and Kris, remained a fondly regarded yet completely marginalized Nashville figure, unheard on the radio and unseen on the charts. Cash's odyssey from oldies act to folk hero pivots on his first American Recordings album, a document of almost unbearable solitude and directness. It is a singular record, an instance in which a musical giant has been granted a kind of midnight reprieve, a chance to regain and renew his legend. Tony Tost illuminates the ways in which American Recordings is the crossroads where cultural, spiritual and mythic archetypes come together in the figure of The Man in Black. Ultimately, this is a guidebook to myth and mystery, a means of apprehending the stark beauty of Cash's greatest record, the sound of a man alone and fighting for his soul, one song at a time."

Tony Tost (Author), Johnny Heller (Narrator)

Audiobook

Oklahoma Scoundrels: History’s Most Notorious Outlaws, Bandits & Gangsters

"Early Oklahoma was a haven for violent outlaws and a death trap for deputy U.S. marshals. The infamous Doolin gang's OK Hotel gunfight left five dead. Killers like Bible-quoting choir leader Deacon Jim Miller wreaked havoc. Gunslinger femme fatale Belle Starr specialized in horse theft. Wannabe outlaws like Al Jennings traded train robbing for politics and Hollywood films. And Elmer McCurdy's determination and inept skill earned him a carnival slot and the nickname 'the Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up.' Historians Robert Barr Smith and Laurence J. Yadon dispel myths surrounding some of the most significant lawbreakers in Sooner history."

Laurence J. Yadon, Robert Barr Smith (Author), Jim Seybert (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Taylor Swift Book: The Ultimate Guide to the Music, Life, Eras, and Legacy of an Icon

"The Taylor Book is the ultimate guide to a generation-defining pop sensation, packed with all the context you need to fully immerse yourself in the Swiftiverse. From her humble beginnings as a teen country artist to her record-obliterating Eras tour, Taylor Swift is a supernova that shows no sign of burning out. The Taylor Book explores the life of an icon, including: - Expert analysis of every album and Taylor’s Version, including The Tortured Poets Department - In-depth exploration of Taylor’s most beloved songs and music videos - Breakdowns of Taylor’s notorious Easter Eggs, helping fans explain the secret messaging she slips into every album - Exploration of the songwriting process and genre experimentation - Iconic fashion moments from each era - A look at Taylor’s work beyond the music, from her acting credits and fandom to her relationships and politics And much more! About the author Malcolm Mackenzie is an award-winning journalist and author of Queerbook, the non-fiction summer read of 2024 that Gillian Anderson called “essential”. As a freelance entertainment and lifestyle journalist, Malcolm has contributed to the likes of the Guardian, The Times, Rolling Stone, Heat, NME, Gay Times, and many more. He’s worked for music brands as varied as Universal Music, The X Factor, MTV and Top of The Pops. As music editor of a London newspaper and founding editor of teen bible We Love Pop, he interviewed a roster of talent including: Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, Dolly Parton, Spice Girls, Justin Bieber, Amy Winehouse, Harry Styles, Florence and The Machine, Adele, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, to name just a few. He has written books about all the important things in life: The Eurovision Song Contest, Barbie, K-Pop and the TV show Friends. ©2025 Malcolm Mackenzie (P)2025 DK Audio"

Malcolm Mackenzie (Author), Malcolm Mackenzie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Why I Care: And why care matters

"A deeply personal account of life as a carer and a call to support those who care for others 'Ed Davey wants to rewrite British politics – not with the language of crisis, but that of care. … He offers something rare – moral clarity rooted in lived experience.' Guardian 'Caring is how we know we’re alive. The good in all of us has been shaped by care. Hold a mirror up to that, and we’ll realise our potential.' Care is the thread that runs through Ed’s life. Aged only four, Ed lost his father. When his mother also became ill with cancer, Ed and his brothers nursed her at home until she died when Ed was just 15. That formative experience was one of the main inspirations in seeking election, and with it the opportunity to take action. Now, he and his wife care for their son John, who has severe physical and learning disabilities, as well as raising their younger daughter. So Ed has real knowledge of the emotional, physical and financial challenges faced by legions of carers in Britain today. Why I Care is both a deeply personal story, drawing on Ed’s own experiences, and a book that reflects the stories of people everywhere to offer a vision of change. Shedding light on the often-invisible world of carers, he calls for society, our government and our institutions to recognise, support, and lift up the silent carers who form the backbone of our communities. This isn’t just Ed’s story. It's the story of millions."

Sir Ed Davey (Author), Sir Ed Davey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Doc Watson: A Life in Music

"Arthel 'Doc' Watson (1923–2012) is arguably one of the most influential musicians Appalachia has ever produced. A musician's musician, Doc grew up on a subsistence farm in the North Carolina mountains during the Depression, soaking up traditional music and learning to play guitar even though he was blind. Rising to fame in the 1960s as part of the burgeoning folk revival scene, Doc became the face of traditional music for many listeners, racking up multiple Grammys and releasing dozens of albums over the course of his long career. Eddie Huffman tells the story of Doc's life and legacy, drawing on extensive interviews and hundreds of hours of archival research. In making the most comprehensive biography of Watson ever, Huffman gives us an affecting and informative portrait of the man they called Doc. Full of fascinating stories—from Doc's first banjo made from his grandmother's cat to the founding of MerleFest—this promises to be the definitive biography of the man and how he came to be synonymous with roots music in America and shows how his influence is still felt in music today."

Eddie Huffman (Author), David Lee Garver (Narrator)

Audiobook

Horseplay: My Time Undercover on the Granville Strip

"Shortlisted for the Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book at the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence! In his first true crime memoir, undercover operator Norm Boucher recounts eight months spent infiltrating Vancouver's heroin scene, a world of paranoia, ripoffs, and violence. It is 1983 and the War on Drugs is intensifying. From his barroom observer's seat, Boucher candidly reveals the lives of heroin addicts who spend each day looking for their next hit. Their dangerous subculture, centered around three gritty hotels on the Granville Strip, becomes Boucher's domain as he attempts both to gain acceptance in a world far removed from his own and to keep himself safe. With Horseplay, decorated RCMP officer Norm Boucher takes listeners back to the assignment that shaped his outlook on the role of criminal law enforcement and the human side of addiction as it collides with the ruthlessness of the drug business."

Norm Boucher (Author), Kyle Snyder (Narrator)

Audiobook

South Away: The Pacific Coast on Two Wheels

"Shortlisted for the Sixth Annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize—Nonfiction Category! Shortlisted for Best Trade Non-Fiction at the 2020 Book Publishing Awards! South Away follows Meaghan Marie Hackinen and her sister in the adventure of a lifetime: bicycling from Terrace, British Columbia, down the West Coast to (almost) the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Along the way Hackinen battles with the elements in Vancouver Island's dense northern forests and frigid Mexican deserts; encounters strange men, suicidal highways, and monster trucks; and makes some emergency repairs as ties and spokes succumb to the ravages of the journey. Luckily, the pair meet some good people along the way and glean some insight about the kindness of strangers. A rare road trip story with two female leads, this travel memoir also chronicles an inner journey, as the author begins to better understand her relationship with her adventurous (and not-so-adventurous) family. South Away tells an engaging and personable tale, with imaginative and memorable depictions of land and sea along the ever-winding coast."

Meaghan Marie Hackinen (Author), Marnye Young (Narrator)

Audiobook

Quartet for the End of Time: On Music, Grief and Birdsong

"Brought to you by Penguin. A personal reckoning with grief, doubt, faith and poetry set to one of the most celebrated musical works of the twentieth century, from the award-winning poet and librettist. The story goes like this: on a freezing winter night in 1941, a new piece of chamber music was performed to a crowd of prisoners of war on a three-stringed cello, clarinet, violin and pub piano with sticky keys. It was the premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps. Listeners since then have been captivated by the ecstatic music and mythology of Messiaen’s masterpiece. Michael Symmons Roberts’ own lifelong fascination with the Quartet– having chanced upon it in a record shop in his late teens and fallen in love with its title - leads him on a quest to understand its enigmatic power. His fascination – at times frustration – with Messiaen’s vision opens into an exploration of grief, of personal faith and doubt, of the end of time and what may lie beyond it. Interwoven with poetry and wit, this book is an expansive evocation of music, loss, hope and time, seen through the lens of the Quartet's technicolour, apocalyptic vision. Quartet for the End of Time is a moving, intimate and unforgettable book, attentive to ways of listening – in our noisy world – to birdsong, music, poems and radio silence, and to the call and response that we may find. 'This is a rich, lively, profound book' ROWAN WILLIAMS 'A properly engrossing exploration of music, place, religion and what it is to be human' SARAH TARLOW, author of The Archaeology of Loss © Michael Symmons Roberts 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Michael Symmons Roberts (Author), Michael Symmons Roberts (Narrator)

Audiobook

Depeche Mode's 101

"Depeche Mode’s 101 is, at first glance, a curious thing: a live double-album by a synth band. A recording of its “Concert for the Masses,” 101 marks the moment when doomy, cultish, electronic Depeche Mode, despite low American album sales and a lack of critical acclaim, declared they had arrived and ascended to the rare air of stadium rock. On June 18, 1988, 65,000 screaming, singing Southern Californians flocked to Pasadena’s Rose Bowl to celebrate DM’s coronation. The concert also revealed the power of Southern California radio station and event host KROQ, which had turned Los Angeles into DM’s American stronghold through years of fervent airplay. KROQ’s innovative format, which brought “new music” to its avid listeners, soon spread across the country, leading to the explosion of alternative rock in the 1990s. Eight years after its founding in Basildon, Essex, Depeche Mode, rooted in 1970s Krautrock, combined old-fashioned touring, well-crafted songs, and the steadfast support of KROQ to dominate Southern California, the United States, and then the world, kicking open the doors for the likes of Nirvana in the process. 101 is the hidden-in-plain-sight hinge of modern music history."

Mary Valle (Author), Jo Anna Perrin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Elvis Presley's From Elvis in Memphis

"'I had to leave town for a little while--' with these words, Elvis Presley truly came home to rock and roll. A little over a month earlier he had staged rock’s first and greatest comeback in a television program, forever known as ''The ’68 Comeback Special.'' With this show, he resurrected himself--at the age of 33, no less--from the ashes of a career mired in bad movies and soundtracks. So where to go from here? Like a killer returning to the scene of the crime, Elvis came back home to Memphis, where it had all begun. Eschewing the fancier studios of Nashville and Hollywood, he set up shop at the ramshackle American Sound Studio, run by a maverick named Chips Moman with an in-house backing band now known as ''The Memphis Boys,'' and made the music of his life. The resulting work, From Elvis in Memphis, would be the finest studio album of his career, an explosion of mature confidence and fiery inspiration. It was the sound of Elvis establishing himself as a true rock and roll artist--and proving his status as a legend."

Eric Wolfson (Author), Johnny Heller (Narrator)

Audiobook