Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

Average Joe: The Memoirs of a Blue-Collar Entertainer

"The inside story of award-winning, popular entertainer and actor who discovered that the key to success in the entertainment industry is a strong work ethic and a willingness to reinvent, never quit, and keep learning to survive. Joe Piscopo has made both live and living room audiences laugh for five decades, winning the acclaim and affection of millions of fans. Often recognized as one of the actors who replaced the original cast on Saturday Night Live, he helped rescue the show from cancellation. In Average Joe, Piscopo shares behind-the-scenes stories from an impressive, multi-faceted career. As a new entertainer, he performed stand-up and hosted at the famous Improv in New York City, where he got to know comics who were just starting out, including Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, and Gilbert Gottfried. On SNL, he often paired with newcomer Eddie Murphy, writing and performing now classic skits. He saw himself as the utility guy, the one who could jump in, get something done, and get a laugh. His often uncanny impersonations ranged from President Ronald Reagan to Joan Rivers to his hero Frank Sinatra—all of whom he met in person. Beyond SNL, his career spans from car and beer commercials to roles in major movies. A self-proclaimed Dork Dad, Joe found that celebrity can sidetrack a person from the pursuit of what’s really important in life. After focusing on fitness for his own health, he was featured on the cover of body-building magazines, which had a notable impact on his career. Today, Joe is still a hardworking entertainer, hosting his own radio show, The Joe Piscopo Show, and performing comedy, song, and dance live across the US and Canada. Joe sums it all up with: “I’m part of the blue-collar of show business, baby.”"

Joe Piscopo (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Snag: A Mother, A Forest, and Wild Grief

"In her memoir The Snag, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Shame on Me, Tessa McWatt, takes on personal and collective grief, and the solace and inspiration to be found in connecting with nature-and each other. Every day, we hear about and experience griefs, large and small, in our families, friendships, communities, and worldwide. The grief of a loved one passing. The grief of a way of life ceasing to exist. The grief of global pandemic, war, climate collapse. As her mother's dementia advances and she can no longer live independently, Tessa McWatt confronts personal and political losses, and finds herself wandering in a forest asking, how do we grieve? And what can we learn from nature and those whose communities are rooted in nature about not only how to grieve but also how to live? From the newest seedling to the oldest snag in the forest, there is meaning to be found in every stage of a tree's life, all of which contribute to a thriving forest community. In this forest thinking, Tessa begins to find answers to her questions about how to live (for each other), how to grieve (radically), and how to die (with love and connection). The Snag is an essential book about living and dancing and singing and praying, even in the face of unimaginable sadness, and in this way, growing together and supporting one another, like the trees in the forest."

Tessa McWatt (Author), Tessa McWatt (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Episode: A True Story of Loss, Madness and Healing

"Brought to you by Penguin. It could happen to anyone. One fine April day, Mary Ann Kenny’s husband died suddenly while jogging near their family home. In the months that followed, Mary Ann – who had no history of mental illness – began suffering from depression, and then from a terrifying succession of physical and psychological symptoms, including the delusion that her young children had been harmed by her medications. In this gripping memoir, Mary Ann details her descent into psychosis, her hopitalization, and her inspiring journey back to health and happiness. Drawing on her detailed medical files and on her own recollections, she has created a day-by-day account of what it is like to lose touch with reality while dealing with grief and living in the dreadful knowledge that everything you care about in life is under threat. And The Episode tells the inspiring story of how Mary Ann recovered from her illness, came to terms with her trauma, and spoke truth to the health service about the limitations of medical psychiatry. It reminds us that anyone could end up in Mary Ann’s situation, while also showing that recovery and happiness are possible even after severe mental illness. Written with the pace of a thriller and the insight of a great psychological novel, The Episode is a brilliant act of personal reclamation and an essential read for anyone who is interested in the workings of the mind. 'A must-read: it hits you right in the heart' Katriona O'Sullivan, author of Poor 'A deeply moving, often terrifying account of grief, illness, and recovery, this vivid memoir carries the reader so close to its unfolding events that it quickens the breath.' Doireann Ní Ghríofa, author of A Ghost in the Throat ''The Episode is a deeply insightful, clear-sighted and immersive account of grief and psychosis. It would be harrowing if not so beautifully written. I've never read anything quite like it.' Patrick Freyne, author of OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea © Mary Ann Kenny 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Mary Ann Kenny (Author), Mary Ann Kenny (Narrator)

Audiobook

Crossing: A love story between Italy and Palestine

"WINNER OF THE FOOTNOTE X COUNTERPOINTS WRITING PRIZE 2023-24 'Vivid, compassionate, captivating' Elif Shafak 'A special and original voice, one for our times' Philippe Sands 'A moving and tender story about love and identity, and a meditation on the people who make us who we are' Dina Nayeri A beautiful and compelling family memoir retracing the love story between Sabrin Hasbun's Palestinian father and Italian mother, and the life of her half-Italian, half-Palestinian family from the 1960s to 2020. After the loss of her mother, Sabrin tries to renegotiate her mixed identity and understand her mother's choices which led her from an oppressive childhood in a village in Tuscany to finding love and community activism in Palestine. This is a story about overcoming grief and what it means to lose not only loved ones, but also a place in the world and a sense of belonging."

Sabrin Hasbun (Author), Sabrin Hasbun (Narrator)

Audiobook

Thomas More: A Life and Death in Tudor England

"Brought to you by Penguin. Discover a story 400 years in the making - the definitive biography of the man who dominated England in the first half of the sixteenth century Born into the English Wars of the Roses, educated in the European Renaissance, enthralled by the Age of Exploration and ultimately destroyed by Henry VIII, Thomas More is one of the most famous - or notorious - figures in English history. Is he a saintly scholar, the visionary author of Utopia and an inspiration for statesmen, socialists and intellectuals even today? Or is he the stubborn zealot famously portrayed in Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall? Thomas More: A Life is the definitive biography of this hypnotic, flawed figure. Overturning many received interpretations of the sixteenth century, Joanne Paul shows Thomas More to have been an intellectual and political giant of his age, central to the making of modern Europe. Based on new archival discoveries and drawing on more than a decade's research into More's life and work, this is a richly-told story of family, faith and politics, and a compelling portrait of a man who, more than four hundred years after his death, remains the most brilliant mind of the Renaissance. © Joanne Paul 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Joanne Paul (Author), Ben Miles (Narrator)

Audiobook

Love and Math: The Heart of Hidden Reality

"An awesome, globe-spanning, and New York Times bestselling journey through the beauty and power of mathematics What if you had to take an art class in which you were only taught how to paint a fence? What if you were never shown the paintings of van Gogh and Picasso, weren't even told they existed? Alas, this is how math is taught, and so for most of us it becomes the intellectual equivalent of watching paint dry. In Love and Math, renowned mathematician Edward Frenkel reveals a side of math we've never seen, suffused with all the beauty and elegance of a work of art. In this heartfelt and passionate book, Frenkel shows that mathematics, far from occupying a specialist niche, goes to the heart of all matter, uniting us across cultures, time, and space. Love and Math tells two intertwined stories: of the wonders of mathematics and of one young man's journey learning and living it. Having braved a discriminatory educational system to become one of the twenty-first century's leading mathematicians, Frenkel now works on one of the biggest ideas to come out of math in the last 50 years: the Langlands Program. Considered by many to be a Grand Unified Theory of mathematics, the Langlands Program enables researchers to translate findings from one field to another so that they can solve problems, such as Fermat's last theorem, that had seemed intractable before. At its core, Love and Math is a story about accessing a new way of thinking, which can enrich our lives and empower us to better understand the world and our place in it. It is an invitation to discover the magic hidden universe of mathematics."

Edward Frenkel (Author), Mike Lenz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson

"The first definitive biography of revolutionary activist Marsha P. Johnson—an iconic and trailblazing figure in LGBTQIA+ history—unveiling her life, profound impact, and enduring legacy. “Thank God the revolution has begun, honey.” Legend has it that after Marsha P. Johnson threw the first brick in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, she picked up a shard of broken mirror to fix her makeup. This fearless moment embodies both the beauty and violence of the early LGBTQ+ rights movement—and the fabulous, tenacious charisma of Marsha herself. Yet despite the fact that Marsha’s work as a gay liberation activist and drag queen helped spark the progress and continued protest we see today, there has been no definitive record of her life, loves, and lessons. Until now. Written with verve and sparkling prose, Black trans leader Tourmaline brings this iconic, scandalous, vital justice warrior to life in full colour for the first time. Through nearly two decades of research and unprecedented access, Tourmaline has become Marsha’s leading archivist and handles her life and story with care, attention and a perfect dose of humour. This book will take readers into Marsha’s childhood in New Jersey in the 1950s, to her dramatic and essential activism from the Stonewall Riots to the AIDS crisis, to her life creating radical art from the humblest means. Marsha wasn’t just an activist—she was an artist and a performer, a lover and a mentor, a mischievous and transgressive queen. Her larger-than-life presence leaps out of every page. Adorned with her signature flower crown, she was a street fashion icon. She performed with RuPaul and with the internationally renowned drag performance troupe The Hot Peaches. She was muse to countless artists from Andy Warhol to the band Earth, Wind, and Fire. And she continues to inspire countless artists and activists today. Marsha didn’t wait to be freed; she declared herself free and told the world to catch up. MARSHA honours the fullness of her life and will give this remarkable figure her rightful place in history. Her story promises to inspire readers to live as their most liberated, unruly, vibrant, and whole selves."

Tourmaline (Author), Tourmaline (Narrator)

Audiobook

I Love You, Byeee: Rambles on DIY TV, Rockstars, Kids and Mums

"A Sunday Times Bestseller ‘I Love You, Byeee is poignant and properly funny; a bracing dip into nostalgia, but self-aware, too.’ Observer The long-awaited new memoir and follow-up to the bestselling Ramble Book. Hey, how you doing, casual browser? Adam Buxton here. Are you ready for some hot hyperbole about this book? Here we go … In I Love You, Byeee, the highly anticipated follow up to the bestselling Ramble Book, I reminisce with hilarious and heartwarming candour about the highs and lows of working with Joe Cornish and revolutionising the worlds of DIY TV and podcasting in the process. You’ll hear about my crazy times hanging out with notorious rock’ n’ roll hellraisers like Travis and Radiohead. I write with humour and heartbreaking poignancy about the challenges of parenting, losing my mother (to death, that is – we didn’t get separated in a shop) and the drug hell that led to me nearly dying in the arms of a comedy legend. There’s also a bit about arguing with my wife, getting instructions on edginess from Louis Theroux, going on Bake Off and much more that you didn’t ask for but definitely need. For all that, plus hours of bonus waffle and original music, why not download the audiobook, too? Phew! I think we both need a shower after that. Take care – I love you, byeee!"

Adam Buxton (Author), Adam Buxton (Narrator)

Audiobook

Chutzpah: A memoir of faith, sexuality and daring to stay

"Brought to you by Penguin. Yehudis Fletcher was six years old when she decided to find out if there was actually a G-d. One Sabbath evening, she dared to defy a fundamental rule. She didn’t wash her hands before breaking bread. At the table, Yehudis braced herself for a terrible, biblical punishment: being swallowed by the ground or consumed by fire. But nothing happened. It was at this moment that she discovered a spark within that would grow to make her invincible. As the daughter of a rabbi raised in an Orthodox Jewish community, Yehudis struggled to conform to the strict expectations placed upon her and her siblings. Outspoken, curious and desperate to know more about G-d, she felt fenced in by arbitrary rules and questions left unanswered. As she grew older, these restrictions intensified and her questions for G-d hung heavier than ever. Repeatedly let down by those who were supposed to protect her and pushed on to a path that seemed to take her further away from who she really was, she began to yearn for a life where she could embrace all facets of herself. When Yehudis’s sexuality came to blows with the expectations of her family and her community, the pressure to inhabit a binary position reached fever pitch. Confronted with either losing the faith she loved or losing herself, Yehudis made the most daring decision of all: she decided to stay. Wry and exhilarating, Chutzpah is a fearless exploration of what is possible when one person simply refuses to choose between abandoning their roots and abandoning themselves. © Yehudis Fletcher 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Yehudis Fletcher (Author), Yehudis Fletcher (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pathemata: Or, The Story of My Mouth

"Brought to you by Penguin. It’s not the dream that matters, it’s the telling of the dream – the words you choose, the risks you take in externalising your mind This is a dreamlike portrait of a body in struggle to connect with itself and others. As the narrator contends with chronic pain, and with a pandemic raging in the background, she sets out to examine the literal and symbolic role of the mouth in the life of a writer. Merging dreams and dailies, Pathemata recounts the narrator’s tragicomic search to alleviate her suffering, a search that eventually becomes a reckoning with various forms of loss – the loss of intimacy, the loss of her father and the loss of a pivotal friend and mentor. In exacting, distilled prose, her account blurs the lines between embodied, unconscious and everyday life. With characteristic precision, humour and compassion, Nelson explores the limits of language to describe experience, while also offering a portrait of an unnerving and isolating time in our shared history. A stunning, original experiment in interiority by the adored author of Bluets and The Argonauts, Pathemata is a personal and poetic reckoning with pain and loss, both physical and emotional, as well as an uncanny meditation on love, affliction and resilience. © Maggie Nelson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Maggie Nelson (Author), Maggie Nelson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Till Death Do Us Part: Life without Jock and learning to live with intention

"It is difficult to take myself back to the beginning, and even more difficult to share such a private time in my life. But I will. It's how I will find meaning from the loss, from the universe robbing the kids and me of an extraordinary father and husband, by paying it forward to you. In this deeply personal and heartfelt memoir, Lauren Zonfrillo details her journey through grief after the sudden and public loss of her husband, Jock - chef, restaurateur and, of course, beloved MasterChef Australia judge. Thrust into the role of a solo parent, with the overwhelming task of guiding her young children through their grief while managing her own, Lauren has also had to navigate the weight of public expectations and intense media scrutiny. Lauren shares her path through this devastating time, including missteps, moments of despair and eventual steps towards healing. More than just a compelling read and a look behind the headlines, this book will provide solace to others trying to find their way through loss. And from the first page to the last, Jock is there. Part memoir, part handbook for grief, with a love story at its core, Till Death Do Us Part is a powerful and unputdownable read."

Lauren Zonfrillo (Author), Lauren Zonfrillo (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mind Is Burning: Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia

"From the creator of the #1 hit podcast Dear Franklin Jones, this moving audio memoir follows Jonathan Hirsch's experience caring for his father battling dementia, his childhood in a cult in Northern California, and the complicated journey of losing a loved one who mistreated you. On April 9th, 2019, Jonathan got the dreaded call: his father Thomas had been rushed to the ER. He'd known for a while that Thomas's health was in decline, but at this pivotal moment, he had no choice but to step into the role of caretaker—a role Thomas himself was never able to grasp. In The Mind is Burning, Jonathan recounts the stranger-than-fiction true story of the Hirsch family. Thomas was a Hungarian refugee turned spiritual seeker, and Jonathan was along for the ride as his parents chased the high of enlightenment, vacillating between following their doctrine to earn affection and finding his own voice. Thomas's quest eventually led them to Franklin Jones: known as either a charismatic, eccentric guru or a cult leader and sexual predator, depending on whether you were inside or outside his orbit. Jonathan left home the day he turned eighteen, but almost twenty years later, he was pulled back into the chaotic fold when, just as he approached the biggest milestone of his career, Thomas was diagnosed with dementia. He became one of millions of Americans in the "sandwich generation": middle-aged adults simultaneously responsible for young children and aging parents. For Jonathan especially, that duty of care was fraught with emotional landmines, every impossible hardship of the present dredging up painful memories from the past—memories that were slipping away from Thomas day by day. This poetic yet propulsive memoir was created for the listening experience, and poses the question: What do we owe each other as family?"

Jonathan Hirsch (Author), Jonathan Hirsch (Narrator)

Audiobook