Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

The Philosophy Of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again

"In The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, the enigmatic, legendary Warhol makes the listener his confidant on love, sex, food, beauty, fame, work, money, success, and much more. Andy Warhol claimed that he loved being outside a party—so that he could get in. But more often than not, the party was at his own studio, The Factory, where celebrities—from Edie Sedgwick and Allen Ginsberg to the Rolling Stones and the Velvet Underground—gathered in an ongoing bash. A loosely formed autobiography, told with his trademark blend of irony and detachment, this compelling and eccentric memoir riffs and reflects on all things Warhol: New York, America, and his childhood in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, as well as the explosion of his career in the sixties, and his life among the rich and famous. Contains mature themes."

Andy Warhol (Author), Daniel Henning (Narrator)

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The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life

"In the heart of Vermont's Green Mountains, Helen Whybrow and her partner are presented with the opportunity to steward a two-hundred-acre conserved farm. Whybrow knows that 'belonging more than anything requires participation' and radically intertwines her life with the land. Six months after purchasing Knoll Farm, they unload a flock of Icelandic sheep onto the field and Whybrow becomes a shepherd entering into 'nature's constant cycle of life into death into life' and all its unexpected lessons. The challenging and profoundly rewarding work unfolds for Whybrow in the everyday rituals of farmsteading and caring for her family—birthing lambs in the late winter, harvesting blueberries in summer, fending off coyotes and foxes, seasonal shearing—while instilling the lessons of the land in her daughter and caring for her mother. As life at Knoll Farm endures years both abundant and lean, she learns that true stewardship is about accepting change and adapting. She embraces a transcendent rhythm of blood and bone, milk and muck. At once inspiring and brave, deeply felt and gorgeously written, The Salt Stones is a loving look at the world through a shepherd's interconnected ethos."

Helen Whybrow (Author), Cassidy Brown (Narrator)

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Beyond Jefferson: The Hemingses, the Randolphs, and the Making of Nineteenth-Century America

"A global history of how Thomas Jefferson's descendants navigated the legacy of the Declaration of Independence on both sides of the color line The Declaration of Independence identified two core principles—independence and equality—that defined the American Revolution and the nation forged in 1776. Jefferson believed that each new generation of Americans would have to look to the 'experience of the present' rather than the 'wisdom' of the past to interpret and apply these principles in new and progressive ways. Historian Christa Dierksheide examines the lives and experiences of a rising generation of Jefferson's descendants, Black and white, illuminating how they redefined equality and independence in a world that was half a century removed from the American Revolution. The Hemingses and Randolphs moved beyond Jefferson and his eighteenth-century world, leveraging their own ideas and experiences in nineteenth-century Britain, China, Cuba, Mexico, and the American West to claim independence and equal rights in an imperial and slaveholding republic."

Christa Dierksheide (Author), Elizabeth Wiley (Narrator)

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Hell Gate Bridge: A Memoir

"A Poets & Writers magazine Page One New and Noteworthy Book A Write or Die magazine Most Anticipated Book of June 2024 A Mom Egg Review Bookshelf Pick for June 2024 In the summer of 2016, Barrie Miskin faced a pivotal moment when her pregnancy prompted the discontinuation of a decade-long antidepressant regimen, setting off an unforeseen chain of events. By January 2017, she had become a stranger to her family and herself, navigating the complex and often unforgiving landscape of mental healthcare in the United States. Through encounters marked by compassion and cruelty, Barrie's family embarked on a desperate quest for a diagnosis, ultimately uncovering the rare condition of pregnancy-induced depersonalization and derealization disorder. Hell Gate Bridge not only brings to light these seldom-discussed mental illnesses but also unveils the flaws in our maternal and mental healthcare system. Barrie's journey became a climb out of the abyss, all while balancing the challenges of motherhood, her teaching career, and her marriage. The narrative serves as a testament to the power of determination in overcoming the darkest of challenges and fighting fiercely to save those we hold dear."

Barrie Miskin (Author), Kristin Price (Narrator)

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Ardennes: The Secret War

"On the morning of 16 December 1944, a monumental German force of six hundred thousand men crashed into the Allied lines in the snowbound hills of the Belgian Ardennes. Why were Allied forces so surprised by this counterattack? And why have the German sabotage and deception operations that disrupted supply lines and outwitted Allied intelligence been so overlooked by historians? Through interviews with three key German officers undertaken shortly after the end of the war, Charles Whiting examines the Battle of the Bulge from a new perspective. Hermann Giskes, a German Army counterintelligence officer, sheds light on his activities directing spies and saboteurs. Paratrooper Freiherr von der Heydte tells how his men were blown over great distances but managed to engage and tie down thousands of Allied troops who thought Nazi paratroopers were landing everywhere. And SS commando leader Otto Skorzeny recounts how he led a handful of special forces, wearing US uniforms and driving US equipment, behind enemy lines to wreak havoc. Ardennes: The Secret War exposes the weaknesses of Allied intelligence and shows how, even when it seemed that the war would be over by Christmas, the Germans nearly turned defeat into victory."

Charles Whiting (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

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Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh

"Brought to you by Penguin. From Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic Robin Givhan comes a groundbreaking chronicle of the legacy of Virgil Abloh, whose iconic rise to the top of the fashion industry transformed our ideas about the connection between who we are and what we wear In 2018, shockwaves were sent around the fashion industry when Virgil Abloh was appointed the head of menswear for Louis Vuitton. Despite no formal training in pattern-making or tailoring, Abloh had become the first Black designer to serve as artistic director in the brand’s 164-year history. Make It Ours tells the story of how that moment came to be and how Abloh came to symbolise and embody the industry’s way forward. Using Abloh’s surprising path to the top of the luxury establishment, Givhan unfolds the larger story of how the cloistered, exclusive fashion world faced a revolution from below in the form of streetwear and designers unafraid to storm the gate, and how a simple t-shirt came to hold as much cultural power as a haute couture gown. With unparalleled access to Abloh’s family, friends, collaborators, and contemporaries, and featuring a cast of fascinating characters ranging from groundbreaking Black designers like Ozwald Boateng to Abloh’s mercurial but critical employer and mentor Kanye West, Givhan weaves a spellbinding tale of a young man’s rise amidst a cultural moment that would upend a century’s worth of ideas about luxury and taste. This is at once a remarkable biography of a singular creative force and a powerful meditation on fashion and race, taste and exclusivity, genius and luxury. 'A captivating and beautifully written biography of the talented Virgil Abloh . . . Thought provoking, emotional and illuminating this book is a definite must read!' Tom Ford 'Robin’s posthumous look into the life and work of the late, great, Virgil Abloh is thoughtful, intelligent, honest and masterfully crafted. . . She brilliantly captures Virgil’s fearless march forward through his insatiable curiosity, kindness, humility, generosity and relentless work ethic.' Marc Jacobs © Robin Givhan 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Robin Givhan (Author), Robin Givhan (Narrator)

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Roadside: My Journey to Iraq and the Long Road Home

"A military memoir by a biracial child of refugees and survivors, Roadside is about life and death, about family lost and gained, and about America, as a dream and a reality. It’s about the roads one takes to leave home and find it again. As a half-Black, half-Korean kid in Campbell, California, Dylan Park-Pettiford never really fit in, so he and his little brother Rory became joined at the hip. But after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, swept up in patriotism, Dylan enlisted in the US Air Force and was sent to Iraq, and the brothers were separated. There Dylan’s days alternated between boredom and terror, and rare moments of levity and learning came thanks to an Iraqi boy named Brahim. Like Rory, Brahim was wise beyond his years, and he and Dylan bonded as much over rap music as about life. Over the following year, Dylan would bring Brahim food and toiletries to keep him going; Brahim would bring intel to keep Dylan and his friends alive. When they said goodbye at the end of Dylan’s tour of duty, he knew it was for the last time. Or was it? Dylan returned to a world that had moved on without him. He would go through a soul-crushing divorce, a bout of homelessness, and struggles with prescription drugs, alcohol, and his own mental health. Eventually, he caught a few breaks and overcame the odds—until the violence Dylan thought he’d left in the Middle East followed him home. Just when his life was at its darkest, fate intervened again, but this time to orchestrate an impossible reunion. In a world marred by a seemingly endless wave of negativity, this story of love, loss, and brotherhood may offer a faint glimmer of hope as we face an uncertain future. “An indelible story of war and survival. Roadside is a portrait of America, its wars, and the kids who fight them. It is also a map of the funny, tortured, and heartbreaking journey they must undertake if they want to return home.”—Elliot Ackerman, award-winning author of On Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning"

Dylan Park-Pettiford (Author), Dylan Park-Pettiford (Narrator)

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Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love

"In Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love, Mike de la Rocha explores how inherited definitions of manhood profoundly impacted his ability to connect with his father, his family, and ultimately himself, inviting readers on a transformative journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and love. Sacred Lessons is a deeply moving and inspiring memoir for those seeking self-love and healing. Intensely personal, this memoir delves into the struggle men face in connecting with themselves and others, offering tools for personal growth and ways to build meaningful and authentic relationships in their lives. Through his story, Mike de la Rocha reflects on his father’s legacy as a beloved professor who impacted tens of thousands of students, yet struggled to teach his own son how to be emotionally vulnerable. Reflecting on the most important relationships in his life, Mike explores the difficulty in communicating with his father and loved ones—a byproduct of a toxic culture that prohibits men from truly expressing themselves, and purposely doesn’t teach men how to give and receive love. Through these stories, we see how trauma is passed on intergenerationally and how to find ways to stop the cycle of harm. In the end, both Mike and his father teach each other the greatest lesson of all: the sacredness of the love between a father and a son. Told with raw emotion and vulnerability, Sacred Lessons is the human story of the impact that history and culture have upon us all. This is a book for those of us seeking community in a time when too many of us feel alone, as well as a testimony to the legacy of a brilliant father, a brutal indictment of patriarchy, and an affirmation of the transformative power of love."

Mike de la Rocha (Author), Mike de la Rocha (Narrator)

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Rifles: Six Years with Wellington's Legendary Sharpshooters

"The 95th Rifles - Wellington's sharpshooters - first into battle and last out. Acclaimed military writer Mark Urban explores the extraordinary story of these military pioneers; the toughest and deadliest infantrymen in Wellington's Army. Immortalised in Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels, the 95th Rifles were skirmishers tasked with acting as Wellington's advanced guard. It was new technology for the warfare of the time: they travelled light, moved rapidly, armed with the accurate rifles that would allow them to take shots from distance. The 95th Rifles were the prototype of the modern infantryman. Mark Urban's fascinating history of the 95th is a must-listen for anyone interested in military history. From the author of Task Force Black, Big Boys' Rules and The Tank War. 'If you like Sharpe, then this book is a must, your Christmas present solved.' Bernard Cornwell, Daily Mail"

Mark Urban (Author), Mark Urban (Narrator)

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The Adventures of Mary Darling

"Who is Mary Darling? In this smartly subversive Victorian mash-up of the legendary literary novels Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes, the intrepid mother of the Darling children is on the case—and always one step ahead of her inept husband and a famous detective. Mary Darling is a pretty wife whose boring husband is befuddled by her independent ways. But one fateful night, Mary becomes the distraught mother whose three children have gone missing from their beds. After her well-meaning uncle John Watson contacts the greatest detective of his era, Mary is Sherlock Holmes's prime suspect in her children's disappearance. To save her family, Mary must escape an attempt to have her locked away as mad, and to travel halfway around the world. Along the way, her allies include a Solomon Islander whose village was destroyed by Western civilization; a Malagasy woman on an island that is run by women; Captain Hook and the crew of the Jolly Roger; and of course, Nana, the faithful dog and nursemaid. This witty and adventurous new novel from Pat Murphy (The City Not Long After) will delight fans of classic Victorian tales, as well as those who are looking for a radical new take on the British Empire."

Pat Murphy (Author), Charlotte Flyte (Narrator)

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Grand Finales: The Creative Longevity of Women Artists

"In 2008, academic and scholar Susan Gubar was told by a trusted oncologist that she had only a few years left to live. Though she outlived that dire prognosis, this brush with mortality refocused her attention on the boons of a longevity she did not expect to experience. She began to think: In the last years of our lives, can we shape and change our creative capabilities? The resulting volume, Grand Finales, answers this question with a resounding yes. Despite the losses generally associated with aging, quite a few writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, and dancers have managed to extend and repurpose their creative energies. Gubar spotlights very creative old ladies: writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, and dancers from the past and in our times. Each of Grand Finales' nine riveting chapters features women artists—George Eliot, Colette, Georgia O'Keeffe, Isak Dinesen, Marianne Moore, Louise Bourgeois, Mary Lou Williams, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Katherine Dunham—who transformed the last stage of existence into a rousing conclusion. Gubar draws on their late lives and works to suggest that seniority can become a time of reinvention and renewal. With pizzazz, bravado, and geezer machismo, she counters the discrediting of elderly women and clarifies the environments, relationships, activities, and attitudes that sponsor a creative old age."

Susan Gubar (Author), Linda Jones (Narrator)

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The Sky's the Limit: Lessons in Service, Entrepreneurship and Achieving the American Dream

"Sky's the Limit tells the inspirational tale of John P. Calamos, Sr., an American trailblazer, self-made success story, and living legend in the world of investing. Each chapter contains stories and business lessons he learned along the way. From a stock boy in his parents' grocery store in Chicago's west side, to 400+ combat missions in Vietnam, to launching his own firm which now has upwards of $35 billion in assets, John's career and the extreme success he's enjoyed through that career have been built on taking risks and being resilient. Some of the events detailed in this book include: ● Teenage John's discovery of stock certificates in his family's basement ignites a passion for investing ● Major Calamos's time in the Air Force, including five years of active duty flying B-52 bombers and twelve years in the Reserves flying A-37 jet fighters ● Pioneering initiatives to launch one of the first convertible funds in 1985 and one of the first liquid alternative funds in 1990 Sky's the Limit earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of all individuals seeking to mirror the success of a man who is a living embodiment of the quintessential rags-to-riches American dream."

Joe Garner, John P. Calamos Sr. (Author), Joe Garner (Narrator)

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