Arts & Entertainment Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

Learning to Live Again: An inspiring story of survival and finding happiness

Louise Thompson (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Good Bad Boy: Luke Perry and How a Generation Grew Up

An artful and contemplative tribute to the late actor famed for his role as Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills, 90210. Best known for playing loner rebel Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills 90210, Luke Perry was fifty-two years old when he died of a stroke in 2019. There have been other deaths of 90's stars, but this one hit different. Gen X was reminded of their own inescapable mortality, and robbed of an exciting career resurgence for one of their most cherished icons—with recent roles in the hit series Riverdale and Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In Hollywood bringing him renewed attention and acclaim. Only upon his death, as stories poured out online about his authenticity and kindness, did it become clear how little was known about the exceedingly humble actor and how deeply he impacted popular culture. In A Good Bad Boy, Margaret Wappler attempts to understand who Perry was and why he was unique among his Hollywood peers. To do so, she uses an inventive hybrid narrative. She speaks with dozens who knew Perry personally and professionally. They share insightful anecdotes: how he kept connected to his Ohio upbringing; nearly blew his 90210 audition; tried to shed his heartthrob image by joining the HBO prison drama Oz; and in the last year of his life, sought to set up two of his newly divorced friends. (After his death, the pair bonded in their grief and eventually married.) Amid these original interviews and exhaustive archival research, Wappler weaves poignant vignettes of memoir in which she serves as an avatar to show how Perry shaped a generation's views on masculinity, privilege and the ideal of "cool." Timed to the fifth anniversary of Perry's death, A Good Bad Boy is a profound and entertaining examination of what it means to be an artist and an adult.

Margaret Wappler (Author), George Newbern, Jennifer Jill Araya, Margaret Wappler, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Philosophy of Fashion

An illuminating exploration of fashion philosophy told by the brilliant Alessandro Michele, Creative Director of Gucci, and Emanuele Coccia, one of the most distinguished contemporary philosophers. Drawing on Alessandro Michele’s personal story and on the impact that he has had on contemporary norms with his work, Michele and Emanuele Coccia will show how traditionally distinct forms of creativity and intellectual pursuit – fashion and philosophy – are inextricably intertwined. If fashion can distill centuries of art and philosophy into a daily experience accessible to every human being, philosophy cannot help but a become a form of fashion.

Alessandro Michele, Emanuele Coccia (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Taylor Swift: The Whole Story

The updated story of Taylor Swift’s stratospheric rise to fame; all any dedicated Swifty needs to know about the pop superstar who’s taking over the world with her Eras tour A small-town girl with incredible talent – and the strength and determination to realise her dream – Taylor Swift has gone from America’s sweetheart to global megastar. But how did she get there? And how has she coped with the realities of fame? Fully updated in fascinating detail, Taylor Swift: The Whole Story explores Taylor’s musical evolution and her status as a fearless businesswoman operating on her own terms. From early beginnings in Pennsylvania to the challenges on the road to success, from her relationships with Harry Styles, Joe Alwyn and Travis Kelce to her record-breaking Eras tour, this is the unmissable account of Taylor’s journey to world domination.

Chas Newkey-Burden (Author), Norma Butikofer, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Silver River: A memoir of family - lost made and found - from the Midnight Oil founding member,

A moving and inspiring memoir of families lost and rediscovered, by a founding member of legendary band Midnight Oil. For fifty years, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player Jim Moginie was a driving force behind the startling rise and global success of one of Australia's most powerful, influential and iconic rock bands. Through the ups and downs of writing and releasing generation-defining songs, touring relentlessly and enduring the intense scrutiny drawn by the band's uncompromising lyrics and environmental activism, the members of Midnight Oil developed a feeling of 'five against the world', the firm friends forming a de facto family. For Jim Moginie, the band was a calling and a refuge, and a distraction from a growing feeling that something was missing from his life. Raised by a loving family, he'd learned as a child that his biological mother had given him up for adoption. Gradually, alongside the Oils' unfolding saga of stardom and controversy, Jim began a quest to find his birth family, these twin paths leading him from suburban Sydney through the nascent Australian punk scene and the uncharted musical territory of the Western deserts to the stadiums of Europe and America, the meandering roads and verdant hills of rural Ireland, countless musical collaborations, and poignant reunions with band members and long-lost relatives. Threaded with vivid recollections of childhood and travel, entertaining behind-the-scenes stories of band life, and fascinating insights into the creative processes that produced some of this country's most beloved songs, The Silver River is at once a lyrical coming-of-age story, a heart-warming family chronicle, and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Australian music.

Jim Moginie (Author), Jim Moginie, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Boys and Me: My Life in the Country Music Supergroup Sawyer Brown

The Boys and Me is the behind-the-scenes, untold story of front man and lead singer Mark Miller and his band—country music icons Sawyer Brown! Before The Voice and American Idol, there was Star Search with Ed McMahon. In the first season, an eclectic and charismatic country-rock band called Sawyer Brown appeared on the show, taking America by storm. From ignored underdogs in Nashville to overnight rock stars from LA to New York, they swept the competition and won. Since 1984, “the boys’” legendary live shows, along with their relentless drive to stay true to themselves, have captivated faithful fans around the world. As front man and lead singer of the band, Mark Miller’s rise to fame wasn’t exactly the path he envisioned for himself. After losing his father, Mark was raised by his mom whose solid faith and strong work ethic helped guide and shape him and his brother, Frank. With his sights set on playing pro basketball, Mark never dreamed of becoming an entertainer, especially considering he was terrified to stand on a stage. But God had a different plan. Now, forty years later, Sawyer Brown has eighteen studio albums to their name, multiple No. 1 singles, fifty-plus songs charting on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, and legendary award-winning videos. And they have no plans of stopping anytime soon. The band’s longevity is a testament to their strong songwriting, high-energy performances, and hard work. This is the behind-the-scenes, untold story of Mark Miller and “the boys”—country music icons Sawyer Brown!

Mark Miller (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Save Me from the Waves: An adventure from sea to summit

The power of a mountain lies in our strength in climbing it. Join one woman on her adventurous recovery from the depths of heartbreak and fatigue. Jessica Hepburn is an unlikely athlete - she was labeled the 'arty' not the 'sporty' one at school. She hates exercise and believes the only reason to do it is for food, drink and boxsets on the couch. And of course, Desert Island Discs, her favorite radio show. In her forties, she navigated a series of difficult life events. Heartbroken by not being able to start a family and feeling lost in a busy life where she had to keep her struggles secret, Jessica had nowhere to turn. In a deep despair, all she could think to do was pull on her swim cap and look to new heights… She's now the only woman on the planet to have completed the 'Pond to Peak Challenge' - which is to swim the English Channel, run the London Marathon and climb Mount Everest (which she calls Chomolungma - the mountain's original Sherpa name). …all while listening to 3,000 episodes of Desert Island Discs. Save me from the Waves is her story. It's an account of immense physical and mental endurance which starts on the streets of London and culminates on top of the world, fueled by song. It explores the redemptive power of music and mountains, how family and friends can be lost and found in the most unusual places, and encourages everyone to live big and bravely when life doesn't go to plan. Because sometimes we all need saving from the waves. And whether it's high and far away or closer to home and in your head, an adventure will always change your life for the better.

Jessica Hepburn (Author), Jessica Hepburn (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Cello Still Sings: A Generational Story of the Holocaust and of the Transformative Power of Musi

A sweeping history of three generations darkened by the long shadow of the Holocaust, The Cello Still Sings is a vivid, moving, and true story of personal discovery. As a child Janet is haunted by the eerie hush surrounding her parents' experiences. George and Katherine, two professional musicians and Holocaust survivors, bury the memories of who and what they were before, silencing the past in order to live. Janet finally unravels her Holocaust heritage when she stumbles upon a clue. After the war, George performed morale-boosting programs throughout Bavaria in a twenty-member orchestra of concentration camp survivors. Although Janet also becomes a cellist, her father never discloses that two of the programs, in 1948, were led by the legendary American maestro, Leonard Bernstein. Janet's father was more fortunate than others. When he was rounded up for hard labor, narrowly missing deportation to Auschwitz, a music-loving Nazi guard gave him gloves to protect his cello-playing hands. Janet's memoir of the Holocaust is deeply personal and illuminating. Through humor and colorful story-telling, she weaves her parents' life into her own and captures the intensity of their life experiences. The lingering scars are healed through the sustenance and power of music, and their music-making unites people from generation to generation.

Janet Horvath (Author), Samantha Desz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Turn It Up!: My Time Making Hit Records In The Glory Days Of Rock Music

As an A&R man at Epic Records, Tom Werman helped introduce the world to REO Speedwagon, Boston, Ted Nugent, and Cheap Trick; he also discovered KISS, Rush, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but his record label passed on all of them. Then, as an independent producer, he oversaw landmark albums by Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Lita Ford, Jeff Beck, Poison, and many more. All in all, his record-making resume includes twenty-three gold- or platinum-selling albums and cumulative sales of more than fifty-two million copies. After bearing witness to several sea changes in the music industry, Werman retired from producing in 2001 and reinvented himself as an award-winning innkeeper in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. And that might have been that-until an off-the-cuff rebuttal to a disparaging critique of his role in making the Mötley Crüe album Girls, Girls, Girls on a music website led to a fortnightly column and now this book-an honest and engaging insider account on how some of the best-loved albums of the 1970s and '80s came to be. A must for anyone interested in the glory days of rock and metal, Turn It Up! offers valuable insights into the recording process, the recording studio, the role of the producer, and the production values that are essential to the creation of a hit record.

Tom Werman (Author), Tom Werman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Marilyn Monroe

Barbara Leaming's Marilyn Monroe is a complex, sympathetic portrait that will totally change the way we view the most enduring icon of American sexuality. To those who think they have heard all there is to hear about Marilyn Monroe, think again. Leaming's book tells a brand-new tale of sexual, psychological, and political intrigue of the highest order. Told for the first time in all its complexity, this is a compelling portrait of a woman at the center of a drama with immensely high stakes, a drama in which the other players are some of the most fascinating characters from the worlds of movies, theater, and politics. It is a book that shines a bright light on one of the most tumultuous, frightening, and exciting periods in American culture. Basing her research on new interviews and on thousands of primary documents, Leaming has reconstructed the tangles of betrayal in Marilyn's life. For the first time, a master storyteller has put together all of the pieces and told Marilyn's story with the intensity and drama it so richly deserves. At the heart of this book is a sexual triangle and a riveting story of betrayal that has never been told before. You will come away filled with new respect for Marilyn's incredible courage, dignity, and loyalty, and an overwhelming sense of tragedy.

Barbara Leaming (Author), Justine Eyre (Narrator)

Audiobook

I Saw Them Standing There: Adventures of an Original Fan during Beatlemania and Beyond

After February 9, 1964, everyone wanted to be Debbie Gendler. She was one of a handful of lucky fans who were in the live audience for the Beatles' historic performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Everyone has a story about where they were when they watched the appearance, but very few were there in person-and even fewer would go on not just to meet the Beatles but end up building a career around the band. But Debbie did. This is the story of a New Jersey teenager who managed to accomplish what millions only dreamed about. Prior to the Beatles arrival in America, Gendler met with the group's manager regarding the establishment of a U.S. fan club. At the start of the Beatles' 1965 summer tour, she was the only teen to welcome them to America, and after their press conference at the Warwick Hotel she finally met them. Debbie recounts her unique and sometimes wacky experiences having witnessed first-hand some of the most historic events in pop culture. Organizing fans to sleep on Broadway to purchase tickets, representing the official fan club on television, and promoting the Ringo for President novelty record are just some of the requests she fulfilled as one of the band's leading ambassadors. This coming-of-age tale details the journey of a devoted Beatles fan against the backdrop of the 1960s and a shifting cultural landscape.

Debbie Gendler (Author), Debbie Gendler, Robb Weller (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beethoven

Amongst all the figures in the history of Western art forms, Beethoven is one of the most radical and influential. Not only did he produce some of the most celebrated and recognizable music of all time, but his influence dramatically accelerated the development of musical composition. He was instrumental in raising the status of the composer from that of a court servant to one of an independent artist. Much has been written on Beethoven, including many substantial biographies. The most notable of these is a monumental work by Alexander Wheelock Thayer. But there are also many shorter and more accessible works, like this entertaining text by novelist, art historian, and music critic, Romain Rolland. A passionate devotee of music, Rolland also wrote a number of substantial essays about other musicians, including biographical sketches of Handel, Wagner, and Berlioz. The book also contains the famous Heiligenstadt Testament, selected letters, and recorded thoughts of the great composer.

Romain Rolland (Author), Denis Daly (Narrator)

Audiobook

Arts & Entertainment Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir