Essays & Anthologies Audiobooks | Fiction & Literature

When Tiro, the confidential secretary of a Roman senator, opens the door to a terrified stranger on a cold November morning, he sets in motion a chain of events which will eventually propel his master into one of the most famous courtroom dramas in history. The stranger is a Sicilian, a victim of the island's corrupt Roman governor, Verres. The senator is Cicero, a brilliant young lawyer and spellbinding orator, determined to attain imperium - supreme power in the state. This is the starting-point of Robert Harris's most accomplished novel to date. Compellingly written in Tiro's voice, it takes us inside the violent, treacherous world of Roman politics, to describe how one man - clever, compassionate, devious, vulnerable - fought to reach the top. 'Sometimes it is foolish to articulate an ambition too early - exposing it prematurely to the laughter and scepticism of the world can destroy it before it is even properly born. But sometimes the opposite occurs, and the very act of mentioning a thing makes it suddenly seem possible, even plausible. That was how it was that night. When Cicero pronounced the word 'consul' he planted it in the ground like a standard for us all to admire. And for a moment we glimpsed the brilliant, starry future through his eyes, and saw that he was right: that if he took down Verres, he had a chance; that he might - just - with luck - go all the way to the summit...'

Robert Harris (Author), Bill Wallis (Narrator)

Audiobook

Una historia de España

Por primera vez un volumen reúne la historia de España escrita por Arturo Pérez-Reverte durante más de cuatro años en su columna «Patente de corso» del XL Semanal. Un relato ameno, personal, a ratos irónico, pero siempre único, de nuestra accidentada historia a través de los siglos. Una obra concebida por el autor para, en palabras suyas, «divertirme, releer y disfrutar; un pretexto para mirar atrás desde los tiempos remotos hasta el presente, reflexionar un poco sobre ello y contarlo por escrito de una manera poco ortodoxa.» A lo largo de los 91 capítulos más el epílogo de los que consta el libro, Arturo Pérez-Reverte narra los principales acontecimientos ocurridos desde los orígenes de nuestra historia y hasta el final de la Transición con una mirada subjetiva, construida con las dosis exactas de lecturas, experiencia y sentido común. «La misma mirada con que escribo novelas y artículos -dice el autor-; no la elegí yo, sino que es resultado de todas esas cosas: la visión, ácida más a menudo que dulce, de quien, como dice un personaje de una de mis novelas, sabe que ser lúcido en España aparejó siempre mucha amargura, mucha soledad y mucha desesperanza.» Arturo Pérez-Reverte Reseñas: «Veamos el libro como el regalo de un gran novelista a la sociedad española, porque estoy convencido de que Una historia de España, de Arturo Pérez-Reverte, es un moderno epílogo al Quijote.» José Enrique Ruiz-Domènec, Cultura/s, La Vanguardia «Arturo Pérez-Reverte sabe cómo retener al lector a cada vuelta de página.» The New York Times Book Review «Arturo Pérez-Reverte consigue mantener sin aliento al lector.» Corriere della Sera «No solo es un espléndido narrador. También maneja con pericia diferentes géneros.» El Mundo «Hay un escritor español que se parece al mejor Spielberg más Umberto Eco. Se llama Arturo-Pérez-Reverte.» La Repubblica «Su sabiduría narrativa, tan bien construida siempre, tan exhaustivamente detallada, documentada y estructurada, hasta el punto de que, frente a todo ello, la historia real resulta más endeble y a veces hasta tópica.» Rafael Conte «Su estilo elegante se combina con un gran manejo de la lengua española. Pérez-Reverte es un maestro.» La Stampa «Pérez-Reverte tiene un talento endiablado y un sólido oficio.» Avant-Critique «Un repaso equidistante por los tres años de contienda [...] donde defiende la importancia de la memoria y la necesidad de no olvidar lo que fueron aquellos tres años de barbarie.» Antonio Lucas, El Mundo (sobre La guerra civil contada a los jóvenes) «La capacidad de síntesis y la ecuanimidad crítica del autor abonan un trabajo de lectura obligatoria.» Sergio Vila-SanJuán, La Vanguardia (sobre La guerra civil contada a los jóvenes)

Arturo Pérez-Reverte (Author), Arturo López (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body

A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most. Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling. Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn’t fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life. Disability affects all of us, directly or indirectly, at one point or another. By exploring this truth in poignant and lyrical essays, Taussig illustrates the need for more stories and more voices to understand the diversity of humanity. Sitting Pretty challenges us as a society to be patient and vigilant, practical and imaginative, kind and relentless, as we set to work to write an entirely different story.

Rebekah Taussig (Author), Rebekah Taussig (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Imitation of Christ

Thomas A'Kempis, Thomas à Kempis (Author), Sean Runnette (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Book of Delights

The winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyric essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders. Ross Gay's The Book of Delights is a genre-defying book of essays- some as short as a paragraph; some as long as five pages-that record the small joys that occurred in one year, from birthday to birthday, and that we often overlook in our busy lives. His is a meditation on delight that takes a clear-eyed view of the complexities, even the terrors, in his life, including living in America as a black man; the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture; the loss of those he loves.

Ross Gay (Author), Ross Gay (Narrator)

Audiobook

SPANISH LANGUAGE FOR BEGINNERS: The Easiest Guide to Amaze Your Friends. Learn and Remember Words Wi

Are you trying to learn Spanish in a quick & efficient manner? Then it’s your lucky day. You just arrived at the right place.There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to understand a single word of a different language, and it’s a fact; communication is a key – a very big one. Even in actual times, when Spanish is gaining a big momentum, you can’t afford to stay behind the others. But, that’s not a problem anymore. We’ve got you covered on this. The Ultimate Spanish Language Master Book for Beginners. The only guide you need to speak, write & communicate like an expert (without being one). Most of the books or audiobooks have been written to please teachers. This book has been designed and written to please readers and listeners. The focus is on using a scientifically proven method to learn while having fun. This book will help you to: Learn How to Remain A One-By-One Conversation (Fluently)–You will be able to talk with someone without noticing you are speaking another language. Learn From Common Mistakes–That’s right, we included several situations when most people fail. You will learn where others failed. Speed-Up Your Learning Process–You won’t need to spend five years to learn Spanish; with this book, you can do it in less than a few months. Learn passively–Make the most of listening to the language. A whole chapter on how to make the most of listening. Are you up for this challenge? There isn’t any prior experience needed to start learning. We’ve made this process as fast & easy as possible for you to become fluent. Buy this Book Now!

Living Languages (Author), Edward Garrido (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Yarn Whisperer: My Unexpected Life in Knitting

Stockinette, ribbing, cables, even the humble yarn over can instantly evoke places, times, people, conversations, all those poignant moments that we’ve tucked away in our memory banks. Over time, those stitches form a map of our lives. —From the preface In The Yarn Whisperer: Reflections on a Life in Knitting, renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes ponders the roles knitting plays in her life via 22 captivating, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny essays. Recounting tales of childhood and adulthood, family, friends, adventure, privacy, disappointment, love, and celebration, she hits upon the universal truths that drive knitters to create and explores the ways in which knitting can be looked at as a metaphor for so many other things. Put simply, “No matter how perfect any one sweater may be, it’s only human to crave another. And another, and another.” Praise for The Yarn Whisperer: “Clara Parkes: The Yarn Seer.” —Interweave Knits magazine “If you are a knitter, or even if you are not, read this book for the sheer joy of her writing, for the way she strings ideas together and brings you into her world . . . I would compare her to Mark Twain because of her dry humor. Honestly, she’s that good.” —New Jersey Courier News’ In Sticthes blog “Read this book to be reminded of how special it is to be a part of this warm and fuzzy community.” —About.com “I see a lot of yarn books in this gig, and Whisperer is not only the best I’ve seen this year, it’s one of my all-time faves. Seriously, it’s that good.” —The Oregonian “I don’t want to stop reading. Each chapter is a little jewel.” —KnitCircus.com “Parkes has a poet’s appreciation for the interconnectivity of seemingly disparate aspects of life . . . I have a sense of affinity with the metaphors she chooses, which are drawn from music, gardening, baking, and of course, knitting. Her language dances and gallops, chuckles and sings.” —Kangath Knits blog “The Yarn Whisperer weaves together knitting anecdotes and life experiences of the author in a way that I think we can all relate to.” —Kelbourne Woolens blog “It’s a fun book for curling up on a cool day with a cup of tea, knitting nearby, of course.” —CraftGossip.com “It is seriously the best book about knitting experiences ever. I absolutely LOVED it!” —Sweetly Made “If you haven’t read The Yarn Whisperer yet, you should. It’s sweet, funny and full of moments you’ll recognize or aspire to. I recommend you get a copy.” —Moth Heaven “In this charming series of linked essays, Parkes metaphorically puts the fast whorl on her wheel and spins something entirely new, showing that she’s not just a good writer but a great one. Funny, sweet, and trenchant and offered in twenty-two digestible bits, this book is not only the quintessential sampler afghan of knit lit, it is also the ‘It’ gift of the season. Buy a stack to stuff inside the handmade stockings of your knitting-circle friends.” —Vogue Knitting “The creator of Knitter’s Review has created a collection of stories of her life of knitting, yarn, baking and overall appreciation for all things beautiful, and has woven them together like afghan squares with charm, grace and hilarity.” —Petite Purls “Her writing is incredibly clever . . . this book will be dear to your heart.” —Knit the Hell Out “It’s my favorite new knitting book of the year.” —DallasNews.com

Clara Parkes (Author), Clara Parkes (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Consolations of Philosophy

Alain de Botton draws on the work of six of the world's most brilliant thinkers to offer this panoply of accessible, entertaining wisdom to guide us through our most common problems. From the frustration of misplacing your keys to the sadness of losing a loved one, the writings of Seneca can offer consolation. For the particular agony of not having enough money, Epicurus has a solution that everyone can afford. And if your life is beset with difficulties, you may turn to the words of Nietzsche, whose own life was riddled with poverty, bad health, and excruciating loneliness.

Alain de Botton (Author), Simon Vance (Narrator)

Audiobook

Stories I Love to Tell

America's beloved storyteller will guide and thrill your imagination with these classic tales. Join Gene Edwards as he recounts his favorite stories from more than 50 years of travel and ministry. Considered the Paul Harvey of Christian writers, Gene Edwards is one of America's most beloved authors. Stories I Love to Tell, his new book, is a compilation of tales that continue to move audiences. From stories about a chance meeting with Helen Keller at the Garden Tomb in the Holy Land to an astounding Jonah experience inside a whale to stories about a child growing up in a one-room shack, Gene knows how to spin an old-fashioned yarn. During the last four decades, Gene has amassed an enthusiastic, dedicated readership. Stories I Love to Tell will delight and entertain devoted fans as he relays story after astonishing story. You will want to grab a hot drink and huddle around the fireplace as America's seasoned storyteller transports your imagination to another time and place.

Gene Edwards, Milton Bagby (Author), Milton Bagby (Narrator)

Audiobook

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays

From the cofounder of VerySmartBrothas.com, and one of the most read writers on race and culture at work today, a provocative and humorous memoir-in-essays that explores the ever-shifting definitions of what it means to be Black (and male) in America. For Damon Young, existing while Black is an extreme sport. The act of possessing black skin while searching for space to breathe in America is enough to induce a ceaseless state of angst where questions such as “How should I react here, as a professional black person?” and “Will this white person’s potato salad kill me?” are forever relevant. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker chronicles Young’s efforts to survive while battling and making sense of the various neuroses his country has given him. It’s a condition that’s sometimes stretched to absurd limits, provoking the angst that made him question if he was any good at the “being straight” thing, as if his sexual orientation was something he could practice and get better at, like a crossover dribble move or knitting; creating the farce where, as a teen, he wished for a white person to call him a racial slur just so he could fight him and have a great story about it; and generating the surreality of watching gentrification transform his Pittsburgh neighborhood from predominantly Black to “Portlandia . . . but with Pierogies.” And, at its most devastating, it provides him reason to believe that his mother would be alive today if she were white. From one of our most respected cultural observers, What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker is a hilarious and honest debut that is both a celebration of the idiosyncrasies and distinctions of Blackness and a critique of white supremacy and how we define masculinity.

Damon Young (Author), Damon Young (Narrator)

Audiobook

Once Upon a Wardrobe

Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George's last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book. 1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?" Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C.S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers. Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels father in his imagination than he ever could in real life. Lewis's answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother-the story behind Narnia-turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope. - A captivating, standalone historical novel combining fact and fiction - An emotional journey into the books and stories that make us who we are

Patti Callahan (Author), Fiona Hardingham (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone

"Buy the ticket, take the ride," was a favorite slogan of Hunter S. Thompson, and it pretty much defined both his work and his life. Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone showcases the roller-coaster of a career at the magazine that was his literary home. Jann S. Wenner, the outlaw journalist's friend and editor for nearly thirty-five years, has assembled articles that begin with Thompson's infamous run for sheriff of Aspen on the Freak Party ticket in 1970 and end with his final piece on the Bush-Kerry showdown of 2004. In between is Thompson's remarkable coverage of the 1972 presidential campaign - a miracle of journalism under pressure - and plenty of attention paid to Richard Nixon, his bÃªte noire; encounters with Muhammad Ali, Bill Clinton, and the Super Bowl; and a lengthy excerpt from his acknowledged masterpiece, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Woven throughout is selected correspondence between Wenner and Thompson, most of it never before published. It traces the evolution of a personal and professional relationship that helped redefine modern American journalism, and also presents Thompson through a new prism as he pursued his lifelong obsession: The life and death of the American Dream.

Hunter S. Thompson (Author), Phil Gigante (Narrator)

Audiobook

Essays & Anthologies Audiobooks in Fiction & Literature