Women Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

Expert Witness: The Weight of Our Testimony When Justice Hangs in the Balance

"From the author of the critically-acclaimed true crime account, A Killer By Design (the inspiration behind Hulu's original docuseries, Mastermind), a groundbreaking look into the crucial role played by expert witnesses in the most high-profile criminal cases, based on Dr. Ann Burgess' personal experiences within the criminal justice system. Written through Burgess' singular lens of compassion and lived experience, Expert Witness pulls back the curtain on some of the biggest cases in the last thirty years-from Bill Cosby to the Menendez brothers to Larry Nassar-to reveal the deeply human stories behind the trials that have captivated a nation. The book explores the role of expert witnesses in high stakes court cases, offering first-hand accounts and never-before-seen interviews with attorneys, victims, and offenders. Expert Witness places readers inside the mind of the nation's most prominent courtroom expert, following Burgess as she takes on one seismic case after the next. Throughout the narrative, each case deepens the reader's understanding of the art and science of expert testimony, taking readers from the women's movement of the 1970s to the #MeToo movement of today-one of the largest social reckonings in recent history. At its core, Expert Witness is a story of empowerment. It's a story of compassion and the ever-increasing need for individuals to stand up and speak truth to power or to popular opinion. And it's ultimately a story of how revolutionary one voice can be. "

Ann Wolbert Burgess (Author), Gabra Zackman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Improbable Victoria Woodhull: Suffrage, Free Love, and the First Woman to Run for President

"From the acclaimed author of What the Ermine Saw and Behaving Badly, a portrait of Victoria Woodhull, a celebrated and maligned 19th-century businesswoman and activist, and a leader in the fight for women's suffrage and labor reforms. In 1894, a remarkably self-possessed American woman, with no formal education to speak of, stood before a British court seeking damages for libel from the trustees of the British Museum. It was yet another stop along the unpredictable route that was Victoria Woodhull's life. Born dirt-poor in an obscure Ohio settlement, Woodhull was the daughter of an illiterate mother entranced by the fad of Mesmerism-a therapeutic pseudoscience-and a swindler father whose cons exploited his two daughters. It was through her mother, though, that Woodhull familiarized herself with the supernatural realm, earning a degree of fame as a clairvoyant and her first taste of financial success. Woodhull's life would continue to turn on its axis and then turn again. Despite a deeply troubled first marriage at the age of fourteen, countless attempts by the press to discredit her, and a wrongful jail sentence, Woodhull thrived through sheer determination and the strength of her bond with her sister Tennie. She co-founded a successful stock brokerage on Wall Street, launched a newspaper, and became the first woman to run for president. Hers was a rags-to-riches story that saw her cross paths with Karl Marx, Henry Ward Beecher, and Frederick Douglass. In an era when women's rights were circumscribed, and the idea of leaving a marriage was taboo, she broke the rules to carve out a path of her own. Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Collinsworth tells the story of a woman truly ahead of her time-a radical visionary who made defying mores a habit and brought to the fore societal and political issues still being addressed today. Neither a saint nor a villain, Woodhull emerges as an iconic, complex woman: an entrepreneur; lover of freedom; and a fiercely loyal family member whose political activism and suffragist legacy will cement her in history. * This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing illustrations from the printed book."

Eden Collinsworth (Author), Hillary Huber (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mother Mary Comes to Me

"Brought to you by Penguin. The incredible first memoir from the Booker-winning radical icon Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy’s first work of memoir, this is a soaring account, both intimate and inspiring, of how the author became the person and the writer she is, shaped by circumstance, but above all by her relationship to the extraordinary, singular mother Mary she describes as ‘my shelter and my storm’. Distraught and even a “little ashamed” at the intensity of her response to the death of the mother she ran from at age eighteen, Arundhati began to write Mother Mary Comes to Me. The result is this astonishing, disconcerting, surprisingly funny chronicle - unique and simultaneously universal, of the author’s life, from childhood to the present, from Kerala to Delhi. With the scale, sweep and depth of her novels and the passion, political clarity and warmth of her essays, Mother Mary Comes to Me is an ode to freedom, a tribute to thorny love and savage grace – a memoir like no other. © Arundhati Roy 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Arundhati Roy (Author), Arundhati Roy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Best Foot Forward: Life lessons from the world of dance

"Brought to you by Penguin. From bestselling author and Strictly Come Dancing’s Head Judge, Shirley Ballas, a sparkling toolkit for living your best life, and new stories from Shirley's life on and off the dance floor. After twenty years of shiny floors, sambas, and sequins, we’re more captivated than ever by the ‘Strictly Journey’ – a contestant’s inspirational roller-coaster ride of personal growth as they learn each new routine. It’s a process that requires stamina, resilience, and an openness to total self-expression - and it teaches you as much about yourself as it does the dance. No one knows this journey more deeply than Strictly’s Head Judge, Shirley Ballas. In Best Foot Forward, she takes you on her own personal journey, sharing the tools she’s developed to live life to the fullest. Grounded in the world of dance, Shirley’s life lessons offer a unique toolkit for navigating everyday challenges. Each chapter is anchored by a key principle that Shirley has learned from both personal and professional experiences, collecting fascinating stories of open-mindedness (‘Listen to the Music’), self-confidence (‘Dress the Part’), managing change (‘Learn to Pivot’), working with others (‘Trust Your Partner’) and more. Written with her trademark unguarded and nurturing style, Best Foot Forward takes you on an inspirational tour through Shirley’s toolkit for living a vibrant and fulfilling life. © Shirley Ballas 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Shirley Ballas (Author), Shirley Ballas (Narrator)

Audiobook

Someday, Now: A Memoir of Family, Reclaiming Possibility, and One Sicilian Summer

"Tembi Locke, New York Times bestselling author of From Scratch, returns to Sicily for a breathtaking, emotional summer adventure, as she faces the empty nest and an uncharted new chapter in her own life. Tembi Locke has always been obsessed with family—making them, keeping them, thriving within them. As a child of divorce, a mother through adoption, a widow by cancer and now remarried to form a blended family, she is deeply familiar with change and upheaval. But in the summer of 2023, she felt overwhelmed and uneasy by another major shift: her only child, Zoela, was about to move across the country for college. Tembi needed to be in a place with the power to connect her to the past and prepare her for the future. So, she rented a house by the sea and booked flights to Sicily. Someday, Now chronicles a sun-drenched summer adventure, as Tembi searches for meaning in places as vast and awe-inspiring as the Tyrrhenian Sea and the mythological home of Persephone and Demeter to those as quiet and personal as her late mother-in-law's kitchen table. The island is rife with nostalgia and memories for her and Zoela, who grew up visiting her late father's family in the Sicilian countryside. And when Tembi's new husband Robert joins them a few days into their trip, she leans into the complicated feelings brought on by this experiment in blending family and reclaiming possibility in middle age. Combining her own emotional narration with recordings from her time exploring the beautiful island, Tembi invites the listener to journey alongside her in this one-of-a-kind audio experience. Someday, Now is a perfect next listen for fans of From Scratch (now a Netflix series starring Zoe Saldaña), but stands on its own as a captivating and transformative family story and a celebration of love's ability to reshape us in every season of life."

Tembi Locke (Author), Tembi Locke (Narrator)

Audiobook

Average at Best: A memoir from the creator of Pub Choir®

"Astrid Jorgensen is on a mission to teach the world to sing. But she's not promising to make anybody better at singing – she simply wants people to feel less ashamed of whatever voice they have. Why only just listen to a story when you can also hear the author break into song. Original music in every chapter – exclusive to the audiobook! By its very nature, 'best' is rare and elusive: you're not going to get much of it in life. And I sure don't want to miss out on deeply experiencing the fullness of my one precious existence, searching for the sliver of 'best'. Average At Best is a powerful, funny, and deeply honest memoir about embracing mediocrity if you want to get anything done. As the creator of Pub Choir® – a global phenomenon that unites complete strangers to connect, laugh, and make beautiful music – Astrid takes you behind the curtain as she unflinchingly stares down her dizzying highs, her crushing lows, and everything in between. Astrid has performed on stages around the world, rubbed shoulders with Prime Ministers and celebrities, and has taught hundreds of thousands of people how to work together in literal harmony. Along the way, she low-key became the best at something, while sometimes feeling the worst. Is that … balance? From almost becoming a nun (seriously) to committing unspeakable crimes against a chip packet, this joyful, inspired debut traverses the divide between confidence and doubt, performance and authenticity. Because most things happen between the extremes. This is an imperfect perfectionist's account of how all of it counts in the end. "

Astrid Jorgensen (Author), Astrid Jorgensen (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unwed & Unbothered: The Defiant Lives of Single Women Throughout History

"No partner? No problem! From economic independence to personal passions and everything in between, this guide profiles women who have had different reasons why they have chosen to remain single all throughout history that have nothing to do with the tragic trope of "spinsters." What do novelist Jane Austen, suffragist Susan B. Anthony, and Hollywood icon Greta Garbo have in common? They all subverted societal expectations and carved unique paths in history by remaining single and childless. There are many reasons why a woman might choose to remain single, from challenging gender norms, to financial independence, to the dislike of marriage as an institution. Author Emma Duval categorizes iconic and overlooked single women in history based on their motivations for singledom, celebrating their choice in a world that maligned the very notion. With captivating profiles of these inspiring women, Duval memorializes her heroes in this accessible and iconic guide. "

Emma Duval (Author), Mara Wilson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unseen: How I Lost My Vision but Found My Voice

"From social media star and change-maker Molly Burke, a vulnerable, honest, and darkly humorous memoir on navigating the challenges of being a blind woman in a sighted world When Molly Burke was four years old, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease that leads to eventual blindness, forcing her to see the world through new eyes—literally. Growing up disabled didn’t stop her from playing sports, becoming a rock-climbing instructor, or winning a beauty pageant, but other people’s narrow perceptions of her held her back. Years of relentless bullying, toxic work environments, a rodent-infested apartment, and life’s lowest moments were juxtaposed with red carpets, first-class flights, and personal and professional achievements. Throughout her life, Molly has learned to appreciate the duality, and, most importantly, she’s learned the beauty of being unapologetically yourself and standing up for what you truly believe in. In Unseen, Molly chronicles her journey as a disabled woman, entrepreneur, and entertainer, illuminating what her experiences have taught her and what she hopes others can learn from her hardship and successes. Part memoir, part rallying cry for a more compassionate and empathetic world, Unseen recounts Molly’s life and experiences fighting against the expectations society set for her and, in doing so, helps readers find their own voice, inner strength, and self-acceptance."

Molly Burke (Author), Molly Burke (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Pink Dress: A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen

"Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn't have designs on becoming a beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she became the first protégé of El Paso's Richard Guy and Rex Holt, known as the 'Kings of Beauty'—just as the 1970's counterculture movement began to take off. A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy tale life that young women in Jane's time imagined beauty queens had. Its near destruction exposes reality: the author's failed relationship with her mother, and her parents' failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially do-overs. The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era's conflicts and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get 'MRS' degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion among feminist voices that protest 'If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!' at beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self? Torn between women's traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls evolved, as did the author."

Jane Little Botkin (Author), Ann Marie Gideon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Radical Sisters: Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, Evelyn Lauder, and the Dawn of the Breast Cance

"“The doctor can make the incision, but I’ll make the decision.” — Shirley Temple Black “I have a streak of stubbornness and a loud voice.” — Rose Kushner “I believe that one must leave the world a better place than you found it.” — Evelyn Lauder There was a time when women’s health was repressed and breast cancer wasn’t discussed, but Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, and Evelyn Lauder refused to be silenced. Their courage ignited a movement that changed the way society addresses breast cancer. When these “radical sisters” were diagnosed, they faced a medical world of myths, outdated protocols, and a shocking lack of research. Breast cancer awareness was absent, and treatment options were scarce. Yet, Shirley, Rose, and Evelyn—empowered by their diagnoses—became trailblazing advocates for breast cancer research, early detection, and women’s health. Their efforts opened the conversation and set the stage for a new era of breast cancer advocacy. Radical Sisters, researched by award-winning biographer Judith L. Pearson, chronicles their powerful journeys. Taking cues from the women’s health and AIDS movements, these inspirational women demanded a shift in how society viewed breast cancer: a cause worthy of public attention and action. More than 300,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. They stand on the shoulders of these brave women, whose legacy has empowered generations to advocate for better healthcare, increased research, and greater awareness."

Judith L. Pearson (Author), Maria McCann (Narrator)

Audiobook

Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen

"In this lovely 31-day devotional, you will get an in-depth look at Jane Austen's vibrant, steadfast prayer and faith life. Her close relationship with the Father comes to life through her exquisite prayers, touching biographical anecdotes, intimate excerpts from family letters and memoirs, illuminating scenes from her novels, and spiritual insights."

Rachel Dodge (Author), Amanda Root, Rachel Dodge (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hotshot: A Life on Fire

"The fierce debut memoir of a female firefighter, Hotshot navigates the personal and environmental dangers of wildland firefighting From 2000 to 2010, River Selby was a wildland firefighter whose given name was Anastasia. This is a memoir of that time in their life—of Ana, the struggles she encountered, and the constraints of what it means to be female-bodied in a male-dominated industry. An illuminating debut from a fierce new voice, Hotshot is a timely reckoning with both the personal and environmental dangers of wildland firefighting. By the time they were nineteen, Selby had been homeless, addicted to drugs, and sexually assaulted more than once. In a last-ditch effort to find direction, they applied to be a wildland firefighter. Two years later, they joined an elite class of specially trained wildland firefighters known as hotshots. Over the course of five fire seasons, Selby delves into the world of the people—almost entirely men—who risk their lives to fight and sometimes prevent wildfires. Simultaneously hyper visible and invisible, Selby navigated an odd mix of camaraderie and rampant sexism on the job and, when they challenged it, a violent closing of ranks that excluded them from the work they’d come to love. Drawing on years of firsthand experience on the frontlines of fire and years of research, Selby examines how the collision of fire suppression policy, colonization, and climate change has led to fire seasons of unprecedented duration and severity. A work of rare intimacy, Hotshot provides new insight into fire, the people who fight it, and the diversity of ecosystems dependent on this elemental force. “A beautiful reflection on justice, the environment, the self, and much more.”—George Saunders"

River Selby (Author), River Selby (Narrator)

Audiobook

Women Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir