Women Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

The Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury America

"Illuminating and captivating, New York Times bestselling author of Tinseltown and Bogart offers the first definitive account of the Black Dahlia murder—the most famous unsolved true crime case in American history—which humanizes the victim and situates the notorious case within an anxious, postwar country grappling with new ideas, demographics, and technologies. The brutal murder of Elizabeth Short—better known as the Black Dahlia—in 1947 has been in the public consciousness for nearly eighty years, yet no serious study of the crime has ever been published. Short has been mischaracterized as a wayward sex worker or vagabond, and—like the seductive femme fatales of film noir—responsible for and perhaps deserving of her fate. William J. Mann, however, is interested in the truth. His extensive research reveals her as a young woman with curiosity and drive, who leveraged what little agency postwar society gave her to explore the world, defying draconian postwar gender expectations to settle down, marry, and have children. It's time to reexamine the woman who became known as the Black Dahlia. Using a 21st-century lens, Mann connects Short's story to the anxious era after World War II, when the nation was grappling with new ideas, new demographics, new technologies, and old fears dressed up as new ones. Only by situating the Black Dahlia case within this changing world can we understand the tragedy of this young woman, whose life and death offer surprising mirrors on today. Mann has strong opinions on who might've killed her, and even stronger ones on who did not. He spent five years sifting through the evidence and has found unknown connections by cross-referencing police reports, District Attorney investigations, FBI files, court documents, military records, and more, using the deep, intense research skills that have become his trademark. He also spoke with the families of the original detectives, of Short's friends, and even of suspects, and relied on advice from experienced physicians and homicide detectives. Mann deftly sifts through the sensationalized journalism, preconceived notions, myths, and misunderstandings surrounding the case to uncover the truth about Elizabeth Short like no book before. The Black Dahlia promises to be the definitive study about the most famous unsolved case in American history."

William J Mann (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton

"A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton. In Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone's expectations except her own. During a time when the Beatles set the standard for contemporary music, Dolly appeared on a local country music television show that her high school classmates thought was pure cornpone. The day after her high school graduation, she boarded a bus for Nashville, but record executives turned her down. One said her voice sounded like a screech owl. When Dolly finally got her foot in the door, her talent and focus catapulted her to the top of country charts, the pop world, and movie stardom. Yet her success came at a price. Shunned by many in Nashville who saw her ambition as a betrayal of her country music roots, Dolly became the target of death threats, lawsuits, and a judge who threatened to throw her in jail. She nearly collapsed on-stage and later succumbed to depression that pushed her to the brink, but she refused to be counted out and came back stronger than ever developing Dollywood, the amusement park that became the economic engine of East Tennessee, and founding the Imagination Library that provides free books to children around the world. Her philanthropy to health organizations led to creation of the Moderna COVID vaccine. And, finally, she returned to her roots, recording bluegrass albums that became the most celebrated of her unparalleled 60-year career. Ain't Nobody's Fool is a deep dive into the social, historical, and personal forces that made Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and unifying figures in public life and includes interviews with friends, family members, school mates, Nashville neighbors, members of her band, studio musicians, producers, and many others. It also features never before seen photographs and unearthed documents shedding light on her family's hardscrabble life. More than anything, Martha Ackmann's fresh and animated new book proves Dolly Parton knows just who she is and she ain't nobody's fool."

Martha Ackmann (Author), Hannah Church (Narrator)

Audiobook

Year of the Water Horse: A Memoir

"A warm and witty memoir about the ever-changing relationships between mothers, mothers-in-law, and daughters that traverses two continents and multiple generations of two very different yet connected families. Janice Page hails from Braintree, Massachusetts and a large Catholic brood. Her parents had a complicated marriage. Her five siblings each have their own sagas, and there is a destructive genetic force within the family’s blood lines that over generations has caused much heartbreak. And then there is the large Chinese family of Janice’s husband, James, equally cinematic and sweeping with a rich, complicated history of its own. There is a daring escape from war zones, a lost child, immigration to a new world, and a bittersweet reunion after decades of separation. Janice met James fresh out of college while waitressing part time at Mandarin Garden, that only Chinese restaurant of its kind in Braintree. He had just arrived in America from Taiwan. The two work to bridge the divide between them—emotionally, culturally, and geographically—as they build their lives together. From Taiwan to Los Angeles, from her mother's bipolar disorder to a language barrier with her mother-in-law, Janice finds herself constantly searching for the feeling of home. Janice believes she can close the circle when she embarks on her own journey to become a mother. When she and James adopt a baby girl from James’s ancestral region of China, the two close a circle that had been open for generations on both sides, finding home at last. Filled with humor and heart, wisdom and healing, Year of the Water Horse is a profound and compelling story with a deeply satisfying ending that will resonate long after the final page."

Janice Page (Author), Janice Page (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans, and the Fight to Modernize Li

"The definitive biography of overlooked queer icon Margaret C. Anderson, whose fight to publish James Joyce's Ulysses led to her arrest and trial for obscenity. Perfect for fans of The Editor and The Book-Makers. Already under fire for publishing the literary avant-garde into a world not ready for it, Margaret C. Anderson's cutting-edge magazine The Little Review was a bastion of progressive politics and boundary-pushing writing from then-unknowns like T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, William Butler Yeats, and Djuna Barnes. And as its publisher, Anderson was a target. From Chicago to New York and Paris, this fearless agitator helmed a woman-led publication that pushed American culture forward and challenged the sensibilities of early 20th century Americans dismayed by its salacious writing and advocacy for supposed extremism like women's suffrage, access to birth control, and LBGTQ rights. But then it went too far. In 1921, Anderson found herself on trial and labeled "a danger to the minds of young girls" by a government seeking to shut her down. Guilty of having serialized James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses in her magazine, Anderson was now not just a publisher but also a scapegoat for regressives seeking to impose their will on a world on the brink of modernization. Author, journalist, and literary critic Adam Morgan brings Anderson and her journal to life anew in A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls, capturing a moment of cultural acceleration and backlash all too familiar today while shining light on an unsung heroine of American arts and letters. Bringing a fresh eye to a woman and a movement misunderstood in their time, this biography highlights a feminist counterculture that audaciously pushed for more during a time of extreme social conservatism and changed the face of American literature and culture forever."

Adam Morgan (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Caroline Kennedy Nonfiction

Caroline Kennedy (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Always Home, Always Homesick: A Love Letter to Iceland

"This audiobook is read by the author, Hannah Kent. 'Immediate, intimate and never less than captivating' - Guardian From the bestselling author of Burial Rites comes an inspirational memoir about her travels in Iceland, an extraordinary country that has forged a nation of storytellers. When she was seventeen years old, Hannah Kent travelled to Iceland from Australia. She'd never seen snow before, didn't speak a word of Icelandic. All she knew was that she wanted to have an experience - to soak up something of the world. Soon she found herself isolated in a remote part of Iceland in a dark winter. It was a gruelling experience, but she quickly fell in love with the country: with its brutally beautiful landscapes and with its people. On returning home, with images of Iceland's towering glaciers and windswept tundras in her dreams, Hannah began to write. Now, as a mother and a wife, she looks back to that extraordinary year in Iceland. Praise for Burial Rites: 'Outstanding' - Madeline Miller 'Gripping, intriguing and unique' - Kate Mosse 'One of the best Scandinavian crime novels I've read' - Independent 'Remarkable' - The Sunday Times 'A must-read' - Grazia"

Hannah Kent (Author), Hannah Kent (Narrator)

Audiobook

Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts

"Brought to you by Penguin. The greatest writer of our time tells her own story. Immerse yourself in the creative universe of Margaret Atwood for a riot of life, art and everything in between Raised by scientifically minded parents, Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec: a vast playground for her entomologist father and independent, resourceful mother. It was an unfettered and nomadic childhood, sometimes isolated but also thrilling and beautiful. From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking key moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel school year that would become Cat’s Eye to the unease of 1980s Berlin, where she began The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages alive with the natural world, reading and books, major political turning points and her lifelong love for the charismatic writer Graeme Gibson, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood stars and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel. As she explores her past, Atwood reveals more and more about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our boldest imaginations. 'She's taken our times and made them wise to them' ALI SMITH 'She's Margaret Atwood and she can do anything' ANN PATCHETT 'She saw it all coming' TIME 'The outstanding novelist of our age' SUNDAY TIMES © Margaret Atwood 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Margaret Atwood (Author), TBD (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

Eat, Drink, and Remarry: Memories from a Lifetime of Art, Class, and Southern Charm

"In this enchanting memoir, Patricia Altschul, the "dowager countess" (The New York Times) of Bravo's Southern Charm, reveals the exciting adventures of a storied life—from working as an academic and art dealer to her three marriages, to her star turn on the show—offering candid anecdotes, memorable bon mots, and exclusive tales of high society. Long before she was the undeniable fan favorite on Southern Charm, reigning over the young and decadent cast well-known to Bravo fans everywhere, Patricia Altschul lived a life of glamor, romance, and intrigue. Now, she is ready to reveal it all in this intimate and high-flying memoir. As one of the great and high-powered private art dealers of the late 20th century, Patricia blazed her own path from Virginia, Washington, and New York's Upper East Side to her historic home in Charleston, South Carolina. Along the way, she forged close friendships with notable tastemakers such as fashion legend André Leon Tally and Mario Buatta, the interior designer known as "The Prince of Chintz." Patricia has been embraced as a style icon and a fun-loving authority on manners, Martinis, and living the best life. In Eat, Drink, and Remarry, she recounts with wit, class, and an abundance of sass how she has remained true to herself throughout her very charming life."

Patricia Altschul (Author), tbd (Narrator)

Audiobook

Star of the Show: My Life on Stage

"Brought to you by Penguin. A stunning celebration of Dolly Parton’s iconic career as a performer, featuring entertaining personal stories alongside 350 full-color photographs, including exclusive images and ephemera from her archive, and an eight-page gatefold listing her lifetime of performances. In Star of the Show, the culminating book in Dolly Parton’s photographic memoir trilogy—following Songteller (lyrics) and Behind the Seams (fashion)—the global superstar finally shares a definitive look at her career as one of the world’s most dazzling and beloved performers. Featuring engaging stories and memories from Parton’s dynamic life behind the microphone, this book spotlights her signature performances and star-making moments, from singing in front of her family to premiering on the Grand Ole Opry stage and beyond. Her formative years performing with country legend Porter Wagoner are chronicled as she learns hard lessons from life on the road. Breaking out on her own at state fairs and critically acclaimed venues, she toured the world performing for millions of fans in arenas, stadiums, and at festivals. From making her onscreen debut in the blockbuster feature film 9 to 5 to playing the Dallas Cowboys’ 2023 Thanksgiving halftime show to 42 million viewers, this global superstar knows no limits. Along the way, Dolly shares the stage with Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, and others, while offering insight on touring big, singing strong, and staying on top for seven decades. Brimming with Parton’s trademark wit and heartfelt sincerity, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage is not only an homage to one of history’s most cherished artists, but also a must-have collector’s item for—and love letter to—any fan of the one and only Dolly Parton. © Dolly Parton 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Dolly Parton (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dianarama: Deception, Entrapment, Cover-up: The Betrayal of Princess Diana

"Brought to you by Penguin. Revealed for the first time: the true story of the entrapment and deception of Princess Diana The death of Princess Diana in August 1997 was one of the most shocking events in recent history. Many events surrounding the tragedy have been shrouded in mystery, in particular the BBC Panorama interview Diana gave to journalist Martin Bashir less than two years before she died. However, the true extent of the deception the princess experienced as well as the elaborate cover-up which ensued has never before been revealed – until now. Dianarama: Entrapment, Deception, Cover-Up: The Betrayal of Princess Diana is the story of one of the biggest scandals in public life and broadcasting history, revealing a cover-up of staggering proportions, and around which questions persist to the present day. Andy Webb, the writer and award-winning filmmaker who obtained the secret files that first broke the story of Princess Diana's betrayal, offers unrivalled insider access to the key players in the drama in a thrilling first-hand narrative, putting the reader inside the room where each key decision was taken, from the moment BBC reporter Martin Bashir first contrived his dossier of forged bank statements in 1995 to the 2024 courtroom where Webb faced the BBC's elite legal squad to demand the publication of 10,000 pages of highly contested documents relating to the scandal. A story for the ages, the fate of Princess Diana will be debated by scholars and gossips centuries from now. This book, filled with revelations which have not yet entered the public record, will become a key part in the first draft of history. © Andy Webb 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Andy Webb (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Women

"Brought to you by Penguin. What are the forces that shape us? In The Women, Hilton Als explores—with breath taking originality—the role of sexual and racial identity in marginalized lives. With a blend of fact and fiction, Als brings to vivid life a number of extraordinary characters, including: his mother, a singular woman whose West Indian heritage and determination inspired her son to write; Malcolm X's mother, whose mixed-race background and eventual descent into madness contributed to her son's burgeoning misogyny and fear; brilliant, Harvard-educated Dorothy Dean, who deeply empathized with white gay men; and Owen Dodson, teacher and poet, who played an important role in the author's development as a gay man, and thinker. Combining memoir, cultural history, social theory and storytelling, The Women is a profoundly innovative work which has inspired a generation of writers. Here, Als submits both racial and sexual stereotypes to scrutiny, showing ‘no mercy but every tenderness’. The results are exhilarating. The Women is that rarest of books: a memorable work of self-investigation that creates a form of all its own. © Hilton Als 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Hilton Als (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Women Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir

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