Women Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

Marie Antoinette: The True Story of the Life & Time of the Infamous Queen of France

Women in history, often queens born or married into power, have diverse narratives. Marie Antoinette, the renowned Queen of France, is a prominent figure who faced both admiration and criticism. Marie Antoinette is typically associated with luxury at Versailles while her subjects endured hardship, epitomized by the phrase "Let them eat cake." However, a deeper look reveals a complex story. In today's world, public figures, including royalty and politicians, endure media scrutiny and varying public opinions. Similarly, Marie Antoinette faced challenges in her time, which ultimately marred her historical reputation. Yet, contemporary historians are reevaluating her legacy, offering alternative perspectives. Discover: - Her life from beginning to end - Insights into her royal lineage - Factors influencing the French Revolution - The grandeur of Versailles - The intriguing diamond necklace affair - Marie Antoinette's final words before the guillotine - Her resting place

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

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The Brontës - The True Story of the Life & Time of the Great Authors

Interested in delving into the lives of the Brontë Sisters but short on time for lengthy biographies? Join The History Journals for an hourly history tour of their extraordinary lives. The Brontë Sisters stand tall as one of literature's most illustrious families. Their timeless classics, including "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights," continue to define English Literature. These novels grace bookstores, libraries, and digital platforms, captivating readers' hearts and minds. Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Brontë, along with their brother Branwell and father Patrick, left an indelible mark with their passionate narratives and soul-stirring poetry. Explore: - Patrick and Maria Brontë, and the birth of the Brontë siblings - The Brontës' relocation to Haworth, early losses, and education - Homesickness, the moors, and their governess roles - The creation of "Wuthering Heights" and "Agnes Grey," accompanied by Branwell's passing - Ongoing family hardships and the Brontës' rising renown - Charlotte's journey, her demise, and the enduring Brontë legacy

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

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[German] - Alle hören auf »Daffy«, nur Daffy nicht:: Abenteuer Blindenführhündin

Alle hören auf »Daffy«, nur Daffy nicht: Abenteuer Blindenführhündin von Jennifer Mai, gesprochen von der Autorin. Alle hören auf »Daffy«, nur Daffy nicht. Vor allem wenn die ansonsten so zuverlässige Blindenführhündin gerade etwas Schmackhaftes im Freilauf entdeckt hat, kostet dies Jenny, ihrer Arbeitgeberin, viel Geduld. Die hohen Erwartungen der Passanten sind bald noch schlimmer als Daffys Dickkopf. Denn die Leute vergessen eines nur allzu gern: Ein Blindenführhund macht einen verantwortungsvollen Job, allerdings ist und bleibt er immer noch ein Tier. Die Autorin legt es nicht darauf an, einen Ratgeber zu schreiben, sich durch wohlklingende Worte wichtig zu machen, sie schreibt einfach offen und ehrlich, immer auch mit einer guten Portion Humor und Selbstironie. Die Geschichten zeigen den Alltag mit Führhund sehr authentisch und sie sind deshalb für jeden Hundehalter sehr zu empfehlen. Die Hörer erfahren auch sehr viel über diese außergewöhnlichen Tiere, denen Blinde und Sehbehinderte tagtäglich ihr Leben anvertrauen. Daffy und die Autorin sind der beste Beweis dafür, dass es ein stetes Geben und Nehmen erfordert, um gemeinsam etwas zu erreichen. Über die Autorin und Sprecherin: Jennifer Mai wurde 1990 in Fulda geboren. 2010 machte sie ihr Abitur an der Carl-Strehl-Schule in Marburg. Vier Jahre später schloss sie ein Studium der Kindheitspädagogik mit dem Bachelor of Arts an der Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften in Hamburg ab. Jennifer Mai absolvierte 2017 eine Ausbildung zur Hundephysiotherapeutin und arbeitet seit 2021 in der Brustkrebs Früherkennung. Momentan betreibt sie einen Youtube Kanal, der die Ausbildung eines Blindenführhundes dokumentiert. Daher lässt sie sich auch zur Hundetrainerin ausbilden. Mai steht mit ihrer Arbeit für Chancengleichheit und die Abschaffung von Vorurteilen und Schubladendenken blinden Menschen gegenüber. Alles ist möglich, auch wenn der Weg dahin nicht den alltäglichen Normen oder Konventionen entspricht. Zuerst als Taschenbuch und E-Book erschienen im Engelsdorfer Verlag, Leipzig 2017. Covergestaltung unter Verwendung einer Stock-Vektorgrafik ID: 2142606651. Coverschrift gesetzt aus der Comic Sans MS. Schlussmusik: freesound.org.

Jennifer Mai (Author), Jennifer Mai (Narrator)

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[Spanish] - Por qué volvías cada verano

El libro que terminó con el secreto alrededor del abuso y se convirtió en clave de cientos de denuncias. «Hay libros que son hechos. Este es uno: se puede leer como una novela, como una denuncia, como la propia construcción. Porque es todo eso: una novela polifónica, el relato de un abuso padecido en la adolescencia en manos de un hombre armado, un tío poderoso, el macho de la familia y del pueblo. Y un hecho: acá está la mujer que fue la nena que ese tipo quiso romper para su uso personal. Y está toda entera, fuerte, hablando de lo que da tanta vergüenza hablar. Escribiendo contra todos los que intentaron callarla. Contra sí misma, incluso, a veces. Este libro es una batalla: la que ganó Belén López Peiró iniciando un juicio, buscando asesoramiento legal en un sistema que no les prodiga justicia a las víctimas, contándoles a todos sus parientes y vecinos, obligándolos a ver lo que no querían ver. Y escribiendo, haciendo de su propia experiencia una obra exquisita, una intervención política poderosa. Y muy necesaria». Gabriela Cabezón Cámara La crítica dijo: «El mapa de aquello que nos sucede, por fin al completo. Imprescindible». Brigitte Vasallo «Para mí un libro definitivo sobre el abuso sexual, además del descubrimiento de una voz de la que quiero leer mucho más». Nuria Labari «No, no es un libro para disfrutar. Es un libro para entender, para empatizar, para hacer real lo que no muchas se atreven a decir en alto». Andra.eus «Por eso la forma de este libro es tan perfecta o precisa para abordar la violencia machista, porque consigue hacer emocionalmente muy palpable la complejidad del entramado que sostiene la impunidad, el ruido de los juicios de los otros en la cabeza de una víctima, cuando no hay jerarquías, ni valoraciones, ni justicia. Solo la nítida ajenidad de todos ante la experiencia propia de la vulnerabilidad». Gabriela Wiener, elDiario.es «Belén López Peiró relata el abuso sexual sin ambigüedades, pero con mucha literatura». Mauro Libertella

Belén López Peiró (Author), Belén López Peiró (Narrator)

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That's What She Said: From the Stage to the Page, Vol. 1

This book is a celebration of women's stories, and hopefully the first of many. What started as a one-night event in Champaign-Urbana, IL, has grown into annual storytelling events in multiple cities, showcasing dozens of remarkable women who shape their communities. As we celebrate the first ten years of 'That's What She Said,' we wanted to take a moment to look back on all the voices raised, the stories shared, the lives impacted. We wanted to get these stories out to even more women who can benefit from them. That's What She Said: From the Stage to the Page, Vol. 1 features stories by 16 women, developed originally for a live storytelling performance. These women were invited back to share their stories in our first ever published collection by the She Said Press. Each story is read by the author, allowing the listener to experience their unique voice and their powerful, yet relatable journey. These are real women sharing their extraordinatory stories.

Amy Armstrong, Arlene Hosea, Casey Wakefield, Genevieve Pilon, Gianina Baker, Heidi Cordes, Isak Griffiths, Jan Colarusso Seeley, Jenette Jurczyk, Jennifer Hays Schottland, Jill Pyrz, Karyl Wackerlin, Kelly Hill, Kerry Rossow, Lana Branch, Leslie Marinelli, Mary English Enright, Uma Kailasam (Author), The Authors (Narrator)

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Common Yet Uncommon: 14 Memorable Stories from Daily Life

Meet these people: Bundle Bindu, so named because he likes his truth with a little embellishment, Jayant the shopkeeper who doesn't make any profit, and Lunchbox Nalini, Sudha Murty herself, who brings her empty lunchbox-to be filled with food-wherever she goes!Written in Sudha Murty's inimitable style, Common Yet Uncommon is a heartwarming picture of everyday life and the foibles and quirks of ordinary people. In the fourteen tales that make up the collection, Sudha Murty delves into memories of childhood, life in her hometown and the people she's crossed paths with. These and the other characters who populate the pages of this book do not possess wealth or fame. They are unpolished and outspoken, transparent and magnanimous.Their stories are tales of unvarnished humans, with faults and big hearts.Testament to the unique parlance of a small town, Common Yet Uncommon speaks a universal language of what it means to be human.

Sudha Murty (Author), Pallavi Bharti (Narrator)

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British Columbiana: A Millennial in a Gold Rush Town

Unsure of her next steps after graduation, twenty-something Josie Teed accepts a position at Barkerville, a remote heritage site in British Columbia showcasing the nineteenth-century gold rush. She lives in the adjacent village of Wells, population 250. There is no cell reception and the grocery store is an hour away. Once a thriving gold mining community in the 1930s, Wells has become a haven for white Gen-X artists and flower children, struggling actors-turned-heritage-interpreters, and transient miners. Eager to move on from a master’s thesis that left her questioning her passion for history, Josie dives headlong into her new job and life in a small town. Faced with the prospect of remaining long-term, she must decide if she will fight to carve a place for herself in Wells’s idiosyncratic community. What follows is the story of a young woman trying to find connection and purpose in the twenty-first century while living in a village seemingly frozen in the past.

Josie Teed (Author), Jenny Hoops (Narrator)

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Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee's Trailblazers: 50 Years, 50 Stories

In June 1972, President Richard Nixon put pen to paper and signed the Educational Amendments of 1972 into law. The nearly 150-page document makes no mention of “gender,” “athletics,” “girls,” or “women.” The bill did not appear to contain anything earth shattering. But tucked into its final pages, a heading appears, “Title IX—Prohibition of Sex Discrimination.” These 37 words would change the world for girls and women across the United States. On its face, Title IX legally guaranteed equal opportunity in education. In time, Title IX would serve as the tipping point for the modern era of women’s sport. Slowly but surely, women’s athletics at the high school and collegiate levels grew to prominence, and Tennessee fast emerged as a national leader. In Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers, Mary Ellen Pethel introduces readers to past and present pioneers—each instrumental to the success of women’s athletics across the state and nation. Through vibrant profiles, Pethel celebrates the lives and careers of household names like Pat Summitt and Candace Parker, as well as equally important forerunners such as Ann Furrow and Teresa Phillips. Through their lived experiences, these fifty individuals laid the foundation for athletic excellence in Tennessee, which in turn shaped the national landscape for women’s sports. With interviewees ranging from age 20 to 93, Pethel artfully combines storytelling with scholarship. Guided by the voices of the athletes, coaches, and administrators, Pethel vividly documents achievement and adversity, wins and losses, and advice for the next generation. This book represents the first statewide compilation of its kind—offering readers a behind-the- scenes perspective of Tennessee women who dedicated their lives to the advancement of sport and gender equality. Readers will delight in Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers: 50 Years, 50 Stories. For more follow @drpethel.

Mary Ellen Pethel (Author), Mary Ellen Pethel (Narrator)

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Class: A Memoir

From the New York Times bestselling author who inspired the hit Netflix series about a struggling mother barely making ends meet as a housecleaner—a gripping memoir about college, motherhood, poverty, and life after Maid. When Stephanie Land set out to write her memoir Maid, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019, it was called "an eye-opening journey into the lives of the working poor" (People). Later it was adapted into the hit Netflix series Maid, which was viewed by 67 million households and was Netflix's fourth most-watched show in 2021, garnering three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Stephanie's escape out of poverty and abuse in search of a better life inspired millions. Maid was a story about a housecleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream. In Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn including a byzantine loan system, not having enough money for food, navigating the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn't understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line—Land finds a way to survive once again, finally graduating in her mid-thirties. Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture? In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class grapples with these questions, offering a searing indictment of America's educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother's triumph against all odds.

Stephanie Land (Author), Stephanie Land (Narrator)

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Candace Pert: Genius, Greed, and Madness in the World of Science

The story of maverick scientist Candace Pert, whose groundbreaking research introduced the world to the mind-body connection, opioid receptors, and peptide T, and her fight for recognition in a toxic healthcare system. Candace Pert stood at the dawn of three revolutions: the women's movement, integrative health, and psychopharmacology. A scientific prodigy, she was 30 years ahead of her time, preaching a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to healthcare and medicine long before yoga hit the mainstream and "wellness" took root in our vernacular. Her bestselling book Molecules of Emotion made her the mother of the Mind/Body Revolution, launching a paradigm shift in medicine. Deepak Chopra credits her with creating his career, and he said as much in his eulogy at her funeral. Candace began her career as an unbridled maverick. In 1972, as a 26-year-old graduate student at Johns Hopkins, she discovered the opiate receptor, revolutionizing her field and enabling pharmacologists to design new classifications of drugs from Prozac to Viagra to Percocet and OxyContin. The tragic irony of her breakthrough, touted as the first step to end heroin addiction, is that it helped spawn a virulent epidemic of drug dependence. Facing the largest public health crisis of the 21st century, Candace was incensed that the Hippocratic oath-"first, do no harm"-would succumb to greed, and as witness to this abuse of power, she was one of few scientists courageous enough to protest. Later, as Chief of Brain Biochemistry at the National Institutes of Health, Candace created Peptide T, the non-toxic treatment for HIV featured in Dallas BuyersClub. As the AIDS pandemic raged, triggering panic across Reagan-era America, the U.S. government poured massive amounts of money into finding a cure, sparking a battle among scientists for funding and power. Bested by rivals with competing drugs yet desperate to help, Candace went rogue, becoming a lynchpin in the black market for Peptide T. After a scandalous departure from her tenured position at the NIH, Candace launched a series of private companies with Michael Ruff, her second husband and collaborator. Naïve to the world of business, she was manipulated by investors keen to wrest control of her discoveries. But Candace too became tainted, believing that her noble ends would justify devious means. Like a mythic hero, she succumbed to a fatal flaw, and her greatest strengths-singularity of purpose and blind faith in her own virtuosity-would prove to be her undoing.

Pamela Ryckman (Author), Jess Nahikian, Pamela Ryckman (Narrator)

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Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her

“Barbie and her creator, the sharp-elbowed gal who built the biggest toy company, have a story to tell.” —Time Barbie and Ruth is the remarkable true story of the world’s most famous toy and the woman who created her. It is a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women’s roles. At once a business book, a colorful portrait of an extraordinary female entrepreneur, and a breathtaking look at a cultural phenomenon, Barbie and Ruth is a must read for anyone who ever owned a Barbie doll. This is the entwined tale of two exceptional women. One was a voluptuous eleven-inch-tall beauty who debuted at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York City and quickly became the treasure of 9 out of 10 American girls and their counterparts in 150 countries. She went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, serve as an air force pilot, work as a boutique owner, run as a presidential candidate, and ignite a cultural firestorm. The other was Ruth Handler, the tenth child of Polish Jewish immigrants. A brilliant, creative, ruthless, and passionately competitive visionary, Ruth was a mother and wife who wanted it all—a masterful entrepreneur who, together with her curvaceous plastic creation, changed American business and culture forever.

Robin Gerber (Author), Karen Gundersen (Narrator)

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Bernardine's Shanghai Salon: The Story of the Doyenne of Old China

Bernardine Szold Fritz arrived in Shanghai in 1929 to marry her fourth husband. Only thirty-three years old, she found herself in a time and place like no other. Political intrigue and scandal lurked on every street corner. Art Deco cinemas showed the latest Hollywood flicks, while dancehall owners and jazz musicians turned Shanghai into Asia's top nightlife destination. Yet from the night of their wedding, Bernardine's new husband did not live up to his promises. Instead of feeling sorry for herself or leaving Shanghai, Bernardine decided to make a place for herself. Like other Jewish women before her, she started a salon in her home, drawing famous names from the world of politics, the arts, and the intelligentsia. And when Hollywood stars Anna May Wong, Charlie Chaplin, and Claudette Colbert passed through Shanghai, Bernardine organized gatherings to introduce them to their Shanghai contemporaries. When Bernardine's salon could not accommodate all who wanted to attend, she founded the International Arts Theater to produce avant-garde plays, ballets, lectures, and visual arts exhibits, often pushing audiences beyond their comfort zones. As civil war brewed and World War II soon followed, Bernardine's devotion to the arts and the people of Shanghai brought joy to the city just before it would change forever.

Susan Blumberg-Kason (Author), Nancy Wu (Narrator)

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Women Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir