Featured Audiobooks | LoveReading

Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization

A bold reimagining of Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs--and new insights for realizing your full potential and living your most creative, fulfilled, and connected life. When psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman first discovered Maslow's unfinished theory of transcendence, sprinkled throughout a cache of unpublished journals, lectures, and essays, he felt a deep resonance with his own work and life. In this groundbreaking book, Kaufman picks up where Maslow left off, unraveling the mysteries of his unfinished theory, and integrating these ideas with the latest research on attachment, connection, creativity, love, purpose and other building blocks of a life well lived. Kaufman's new hierarchy of needs provides a roadmap for finding purpose and fulfillment--not by striving for money, success, or 'happiness,' but by becoming the best version of ourselves, or what Maslow called self-actualization. While self-actualization is often thought of as a purely individual pursuit, Maslow believed that the full realization of potential requires a merging between self and the world. We don't have to choose either self-development or self-sacrifice, but at the highest level of human potential we show a deep integration of both. Transcend reveals this level of human potential that connects us not only to our highest creative potential, but also to one another. With never-before-published insights and new research findings, along with exercises and opportunities to gain insight into your own unique personality, this empowering book is a manual for self-analysis and nurturing a deeper connection not only with our highest potential but also with the rest of humanity. *Includes a PDF of growth challenges to begin your personal journey, as well as seven principles for becoming a whole person.

Scott Barry Kaufman (Author), Scott Barry Kaufman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story

Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story, written and read by Christie Watson. Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astonishing account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness. We watch Christie as she nurses a premature baby who has miraculously made it through the night, we stand by her side during her patient's agonising heart-lung transplant, and we hold our breath as she washes the hair of a child fatally injured in a fire, attempting to remove the toxic smell of smoke before the grieving family arrive. In our most extreme moments, when life is lived most intensely, Christie is with us. She is a guide, mentor and friend. And in these dark days of division and isolationism, she encourages us all to stretch out a hand.

Christie Watson (Author), Christie Watson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim, read by Raymond Lee. No one is perfect. But that doesn't stop us from imagining ourselves smarter, funnier, richer, or thinner, and how much happier we would then be. Love for Imperfect Things, by the bestselling Korean monk, Haemin Sunim, shows how the path to happiness and peace of mind includes not only strong relationships with others, but also letting go of worries about ourselves. Packed with his typical spiritual wisdom, Sunim teaches us to embrace our flaws rather than trying to overcome them, and demonstrates that love has very little to do with perfection. With chapters on self-compassion, relationships, empathy, courage, family, healing, our true nature, and acceptance, as well as beautiful full-colour illustrations, Love for Imperfect Things is a much-needed guide for learning to love ourselves - imperfections and all. 'Universal truths, beautifully expressed, lovingly illustrated . . . this is a book to keep close at hand' - Mark Williams, co-author of 'Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World', on 'The Things You Can See' 'A remarkable gift, a compendium of practical wisdom. It is accessible brilliance' - Allan Lokos, founder and guiding teacher, Community Meditation Center, NYC, on 'The Things You Can See'

Haemin Sunim (Author), Raymond Lee (Narrator)

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You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters

Brought to you by Penguin. When was the last time you listened to someone, or someone really listened to you? This life-changing book will transform your conversations forever As a society, we've forgotten how to listen. Modern life is noisy and frenetic, and technology provides constant distraction. So we tune things out or listen selectively - even to those we love most. We've become scared of other people's points of view, and of silence. Now more than ever, we need to listen to those around us. New York Times contributor Kate Murphy draws on countless conversations she has had with everyone from priests to CIA interrogators, focus group moderators to bartenders, her great-great aunt to her friend's toddler, to show how only by listening well can we truly connect with others. Listening is about curiosity and patience - about asking the right questions in the right way. Improvisational comedians and con men are much better at it than most of us. And the cleverest people can be the worst at it. Listening has the potential to transform our relationships and our working lives, improve our self-knowledge, and increase our creativity and happiness. While it may take some effort, it's a skill that can be learnt and perfected. When all we crave is to understand and be understood, You're Not Listening shows us how. © Kate Murphy 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Kate Murphy (Author), Kate Murphy (Narrator)

Audiobook

One Enchanted Evening: The Debut Novel by Anton Du Beke

London, 1936. Inside the spectacular Grand Ballroom of the exclusive Buckingham Hotel the rich and powerful, politicians, film stars, even royalty, rub shoulders with Raymond de Guise and his troupe of talented dancers from all around the world, who must enchant them, captivate them, and sweep away their cares. Accustomed to waltzing with the highest of society, Raymond knows a secret from his past could threaten all he holds dear. Nancy Nettleton, new chambermaid at the Buckingham, finds hotel life a struggle after leaving her small home town. She dreams of joining the dancers on the ballroom floor as she watches, unseen, from behind plush curtains and discreet doors. She soon discovers everyone at the Buckingham - guests and staff alike - has something to hide . . . The storm clouds of war are gathering, and beneath the glitz and glamour of the ballroom lurks an irresistible world of scandal and secrets. Let's dance . . . Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge, The Halcyon and Belgravia. The master entertainer brings us his fabulous debut novel. Prepare to be swept off your feet . . . Narrated by Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey, The Crown, Person of Interest, Smash and Knightfall).

Anton Du Beke (Author), Julian Ovenden (Narrator)

Audiobook

We are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast

Brought to you by Penguin. From the bestselling author of Eating Animals and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - a brilliant, fresh take on climate change and what we can do about it Climate crisis is the single biggest threat to human survival. And it is happening right now. We all understand that time is running out - but do we truly believe it? And, caught between the seemingly unimaginable and the apparently unthinkable, how can we take the first step towards action, to arrest our race to extinction? We can begin with our knife and fork. The link between farming animals and the climate crisis is barely discussed, because giving up our meat-based diets feels like an impossible ask. But we don't have to go cold turkey. Cutting out animal products for just part of the day is enough to change the world. The task of saving the planet will involve a great reckoning with ourselves - with our all-too-human reluctance to sacrifice immediate comfort for the sake of the future. But we have done it before and we can do it again. Collective action is the way to save our home and way of life. And it all starts with what we eat, and don't eat, for breakfast. With his distinctive wit, insight and humanity, Jonathan Safran Foer presents the essential debate of our time as no one else could, bringing it to vivid and urgent life and offering us all a much-needed way out. (c) 2019 Jonathan Safran Foer (P) 2019 Penguin Audio

Jonathan Safran Foer (Author), Jonathan Safran Foer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Last Day: The Sunday Times bestseller and one of their best books of 2020

Brought to you by Penguin. 'A beautifully realised and thought-provoking thriller.' THE TIMES 'A taut, thrilling runaround' GUARDIAN 'Reminiscent of Robert Harris's high-concept conspiracy thrillers' FINANCIAL TIMES A WORLD HALF IN DARKNESS. A SECRET SHE MUST BRING TO LIGHT. 2059. The world has stopped turning. One half suffers an endless frozen night; the other, nothing but burning sun. Only in a slim twilit region between them can life survive. In an isolationist Britain, scientist Ellen Hopper receives a letter from a dying man. It contains a powerful and dangerous secret. One that those in power will kill to conceal… THE LAST DAY: an utterly original debut thriller, perfect for readers who loved Robert Harris' Fatherland, Emily St. John Mandel’s Station 11, and The Wall by John Lanchester. 'Wonderful: boldly imagined and beautifully written - the best future-shock thriller for years.' LEE CHILD ‘A tantalizing, suspenseful odyssey of frustration, deceit, treachery, torture, hope, despair and ingenious sleuthing… Murray has so thoroughly thought through the ramifications of his conceit and conjured up such a dramatic plot and stellar cast of characters that he might have set a new standard for such tales.’ WASHINGTON POST ‘A stunningly original thriller set in the world of tomorrow that will make you think about what’s happening today.’ HARLAN COBEN ‘I read this hungrily ... Its intelligence and bravura characterisation will have you turning page after page. A fabulous achievement.’ STEPHEN FRY 'To say it’s gripping is an understatement - I cancelled all my weekend plans to finish it' SARA PASCOE 'In his fascinating debut, Murray has crafted something original ... an interesting new twist on a post-apocalyptic tale.' KIRKUS 'Downright impossible to stop reading. The science is believable, the near-future world feels as real as our own, the characters are lively, and the plot is suspenseful. A near-perfect alternate-future thriller.' BOOKLIST ‘Dark, believable and brilliantly written’ JENNY COLGAN ‘A thrilling page-turner, and a reminder to treasure our sunsets and sunrises while we still have them. I couldn’t put this book down!’ CHRISTINA DALCHER, author of VOX 'I loved the premise of this high-concept thriller ... a compelling read with some well-placed observations on the darkness of human nature and survival. The Last Day will keep you gripped to the very last page' C.J. TUDOR © Andrew Hunter 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Andrew Hunter Murray (Author), Gemma Whelan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mermaid of Black Conch

March 1976: St Constance, a tiny Caribbean village on the island of Black Conch, at the start of the rainy season. A fisherman sings to himself in his pirogue, waiting for a catch - but attracts a sea-dweller he doesn't expect. Aycayia, a beautiful young woman cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid, has been swimming the Caribbean Sea for centuries. And she is entranced by this man David and his song. But her fascination is her undoing. She hears his boat's engine again and follows it, and finds herself at the mercy of American tourists, landed on the island for the annual fishing competition. After a fearsome battle, she is pulled out of the sea and strung up on the dock as a trophy. It is David who rescues her, and gently wins her trust - as slowly, painfully, she starts to transform into a woman again. But transformations are not always permanent, and jealousy, like love, can have the force of a hurricane, and last much longer The novel's characters are an unlikely mix: a mermaid, a fisherman, a deaf boy, a Caribbean artist and sweetman and a benevolent white landowner. Miss Arcadia Rain's own love story is interwoven with Aycayia and David's and the rivalries and affections in both family and community are brought brilliantly to life. Themes of unconditional love, friendship, family and loss, are examined without sentimentality. Roffey manages to write convincingly about a mermaid, a 'legend drawn from the sea', returned to land, to survive, heal and live again, as a real woman in modern times.

Monique Roffey (Author), Ben Onwukwe, Vivienne Acheampong (Narrator)

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The Ruin of Kings: The Most Anticipated Fantasy Debut of 2019

The most anticipated fantasy debut of 2019. In this thunderously good read, prophecy and magic combine in an incredible epic of imperial politics, gods and demons. When destiny calls, there's no fighting back . . . As a bard's apprentice, Kihrin grew up with tales of legendary deeds. He also steals, desperate to buy a way out of Quur's slums. Then he raids the wrong house, he's marked by a demon and life will never be the same again. Kihrin's plight brings him to the attention of royalty, who claim him as the lost son of their immoral prince. But far from living the dream, Kihrin's at the mercy of his new family's ruthless ambitions. However, escaping his jewelled cage just makes matters worse. Kihrin is horrified to learn he's at the centre of an ancient prophecy. And every side - from gods and demons to dragons and mages - want him as their pawn. Those old stories lied about many things too, especially the myth that the hero always wins. Then again, maybe Kihrin isn't the hero, for he's not destined to save the empire. He's destined to destroy it. The Ruin of Kings is the first book in Jenn Lyons's extraordinary new series, A Chorus of Dragons. 'What an extraordinary book . . . enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it' Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians 'A fantastic page-turner with a heady blend of great characters' John Gwynne, author of A Time of Dread 'A virtually un-put-down-able read' Kirkus Reviews

Jenn Lyons (Author), Feodor Chin, Soneela Nankani, Vikas Adam (Narrator)

Audiobook

Stress Less, Accomplish More: The 15-Minute Meditation Programme for Extraordinary Performance

This audio edition includes guided meditation exercises from the book and an exclusive 20-minute Stress Less Guided Meditation at the end of the audiobook. Achieve more with this fifteen-minute meditation programme. In Stress Less, Accomplish More Emily Fletcher shares an ancient meditation technique designed for busy lives. The focus of the practice is stress relief, mental clarity and improved productivity, so it's perfect for the fast pace of modern life. This style of meditation was developed specifically for people with a lot of demands on their time - those with busy jobs, lives and families - and so it has been designed to work anywhere, anytime. All you need is somewhere to sit, a little training and a few minutes to yourself. Throughout the book, Emily explains what meditation is, how you do it and the many exciting ways that it can change your life. Stress Less, Accomplish More destigmatises meditation for the average person, making it attractive, understandable and easy to implement for all. This book has a very simple message: do less - without the stress - and accomplish more. Emily Fletcher is a leading expert in meditation for high performance and has taught meditation to executives at global corporations like Google, Barclays and Viacom as well as busy parents, NBA players, Oscar winners, entrepreneurs and everyone in between.

Emily Fletcher (Author), Emily Fletcher, Emily Woo Zeller, Sean Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe

Brought to you by Penguin. From the world-renowned physicist and best-selling author of The Elegant Universe comes this captivating exploration of deep time and humanity's search for purpose In both time and space, the cosmos is astoundingly vast, and yet is governed by simple, elegant, universal mathematical laws. On this cosmic timeline, our human era is spectacular but fleeting. Someday, we know, we will all die. And, we know, so too will the universe itself. Until the End of Time is Brian Greene's breathtaking new exploration of the cosmos and our quest to understand it. Greene takes us on a journey across time, from our most refined understanding of the universe's beginning, to the closest science can take us to the very end. He explores how life and mind emerged from the initial chaos, and how our minds, in coming to understand their own impermanence, seek in different ways to give meaning to experience: in story, myth, religion, creative expression, science, the quest for truth, and our longing for the timeless, or eternal. Through a series of nested stories that explain distinct but interwoven layers of reality-from the quantum mechanics to consciousness to black holes-Greene provides us with a clearer sense of how we came to be, a finer picture of where we are now, and a firmer understanding of where we are headed. Yet all this understanding, which arose with the emergence of life, will dissolve with its conclusion. Which leaves us with one realization: during our brief moment in the sun, we are tasked with the charge of finding our own meaning. Let us embark. © Brian Greene 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Brian Greene (Author), Brian Greene (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Prisoner's Wife: based on an inspiring true story

‘An absorbing and engaging tale of wartime bravery and endurance. Bill and Izabela are such tenderly drawn characters ... I loved it!’ RACHEL HORE, author of Last Letter Home and The Memory Garden Their love is a death sentence. But can it keep them alive? Czechoslovakia, 1944. In the dead of night, a farm girl and a British soldier creep through abandoned villages. Secretly married and on the run, Bill and Izabela are searching for Izabela’s brother and father, who are fighting for the Czech resistance. They know their luck will not last. Captured by the German army, it seems they must be separated – but they have prepared for this moment. By cutting her hair and pretending to be mute, Izabela successfully disguises herself as a British soldier. Together, they face the terrible conditions of a POW camp, reliant on the help of their fellow POWs to maintain their fragile deception. Their situation is beyond dangerous. If Izabela is discovered, she and Bill – and all the men who helped them – will face lethal consequences. A novel set in war-torn Czechoslovakia amid the extreme privations of a prisoner of war camp, based on a true story of passion, heroism and a love that transcends overwhelming odds. 'Deeply moving and compelling ... an epic journey not only across war-torn countries but deep into the heart of what it is to be human. A heart-rending story beautifully told.’ JUDITH ALLNAT, author of The Poet’s Wife and The Silk Factory ‘Heart-wrenching and heart-warming in equal measure, The Prisoner's Wife is an unputdownable novel ... finely crafted, atmospheric, often nail-biting.’ BEN KANE, author of The Eagles of Rome series 'A story of danger, fear, determination and the redemptive power of love in war-torn Europe. It is a story that Hemingway might have envied.' JULIET GARDINER, author of Wartime: Britain 1939 to 1945 and The Blitz: The British Under Attack. ‘A gripping novel that explores the question of how much the human body, and the human spirit, can endure for the sake of love. The wealth of authentic detail makes it feel like a memoir ... I feel enriched to have read it.’ GILL PAUL, author of The Lost Daughter and The Secret Wife ‘The Prisoner’s Wife seamlessly and skilfully breathes intense, fully realised life into the stark scenes it describes. I was by turns moved, outraged and humbled’ DEBORAH KAY DAVIES, author of True Things About Me 'A powerful page-turner' MARIE BENEDICT, New York Times bestselling author of Lady Clementine 'You will be spellbound by this stellar novel. So richly imbued with sensory details you’ll be feeling every anguished moment and every golden ray of hope.' SUSAN MEISSNER, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War 'The most unique World War II story I’ve ever read... Romantic, perfectly observed, inspiring, and thrilling – The Prisoner’s Wife is impossible to put down – and when I did, I was teary-eyed. A complete winner.' SARAH-JANE STRATFORD, author of Red Letter Days 'Tremendous ... this is much more than a love story' GEORGINA CLARKE, author of Death and the Harlot ‘Engrossing, harrowing and heart-warming’ ANN MORGAN, author of Reading The World

Maggie Brookes (Author), Alicia Suszka Fielder, David John (Narrator)

Audiobook