History Audiobooks

Church Crawling: The Lost Lives and Hidden Stories of England’s Churches

Audiobook

They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan

"The inspiring story of three young Sudanese boys who were driven from their homes by civil war and began an epic odyssey of survival, facing life-threatening perils, ultimately finding their way to a new life in America. Between 1987 and 1989, Alepho, Benjamin, and Benson, like tens of thousands of young boys, took flight from the massacres of Sudan's civil war. They became known as the Lost Boys. With little more than the clothes on their backs, sometimes not even that, they streamed out over Sudan in search of refuge. Their journey led them first to Ethiopia and then, driven back into Sudan, toward Kenya. They walked nearly one thousand miles, sustained only by the sheer will to live. They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky is the three boys' account of that unimaginable journey. With the candor and the purity of their child's-eye-vision, Alephonsian, Benjamin, and Benson recall by turns: how they endured the hunger and strength-sapping illnesses-dysentery, malaria, and yellow fever; how they dodged the life-threatening predators-lions, snakes, crocodiles and soldiers alike-that dogged their footsteps; and how they grappled with a war that threatened continually to overwhelm them. Their story is a lyrical, captivating, timeless portrait of a childhood hurled into wartime and how they had the good fortune and belief in themselves to survive."

Alephonsion Deng, Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, Judy A. Bernstein (Author), Murphy Applin, Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Whisky Rising: The Definitive Guide to the Finest Japanese Whiskies and Distillers

"Whisky Rising: The Second Edition is the most up-to-date, comprehensive resource on Japanese whisky. This fully updated guide by whisky authority and Japanese whisky expert Stefan Van Eycken takes you on a tour of some of the most coveted whiskies in the world. Japanese whiskies have become some of the most highly valued whiskies, and have bested traditional producers in major international competitions. Blending proven Scotch and American methods with new ideas, these whiskies are imbued with exotic flavors from local Japanese woods to make a unique and signature product that rings true to Japanese terroir. This revised edition features new craft distilleries, putting a spotlight on their stories, their distillery set ups, and philosophies. Inside you'll find: - Fascinating interviews and profiles with the most celebrated distillers and blenders, updated to include new competitors in the Japanese whisky world - An insider's guide to the best whisky bars - How to drink whisky properly - Delicious cocktail recipes - Tasting notes and reviews of the best Japanese whiskies Shedding light on Japan's most famous blends, its unique whisky culture, and history, Eycken takes you to the heart of Japanese whisky making. Find out why, when it comes to whisky, all eyes are on Japan with Whisky Rising: The Second Edition. Tables, figures, and extensive reference material can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download."

Jim Meehan, Stefan Van Eycken (Author), Gary Furlong (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Dangerous Shore: How a Motley Crew of Scientists, Mobsters, Double Agents, Retirees, Volunteer P

"Sara Vladic, New York Times bestselling author of Indianapolis, reveals the gripping, untold history of the United States under attack during World War II and the improbable patriots who stepped up to defend their country in her hour of need. History books have told us, in the decades following World War II, that Pearl Harbor was the only major attack on the United States’ home front. But this is not the whole truth. In The Dangerous Shore, leading researcher and bestselling author Sara Vladic unveils a much different story, one hidden away in dusty archives and behind press embargoes: Throughout the Second World War, German U-boats presented a very real threat to America’s eastern coastline, destroying ships, landing spies, and planning assaults on cities. With the country’s attention focused on the European and Pacific fronts, the U.S. would have been left undefended, if not for a ragtag bunch of characters who rose to the occasion. Comprised of misfits, rejects, and outlaws, this motley crew came from unexpected places. Among their ranks was the stalwart Gill Robb Wilson, leader of a barnstorming corp of volunteer civilian pilots; the brilliant Dayton engineer, Joe Desch; and the nearsighted yet ''clairvoyant'' Kenneth Knowles, commander of the Phantom Fleet, entrusted with ULTRA intelligence. Meanwhile, the cooperation of Grace Buchanan-Dineen, a self-styled countess and German spy turned double agent, helped the FBI net even more spies. Notorious but all-American mobsters Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Socks Lanza struck deals with Naval Intelligence and kept watch over critical ports. Together their efforts turned the tide of war at home and saved thousands of American lives. A thrilling and eye-opening read, The Dangerous Shore leads you through American history like never before. The story is an ode to the bravery, loyalty, and patriotism of our most unsung—and unlikely—heroes."

Sara Vladic (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms

"The award-winning co-anchor of PBS NewsHour presents a sweeping and insightful retrospective on the history of Black comedy in America. Black comedians have long played a pivotal role in shaping the American sense of humor. The 1990s showcased a golden era for Black comedy, highlighted by the surge of iconic sitcoms that redefined television and left a lasting cultural imprint. Shows like In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, Martin, and A Different World stood on the shoulders of decades of groundbreaking work by Black comedians, both on-screen and on-stage, to deliver nuanced portrayals of life, family, and culture. Yet, just decades earlier, the idea of Black artists dominating American airwaves with characters that were both hilarious and heartfelt would have been unimaginable. How did it come to be? The journey begins with 19th-century minstrel shows – offensive by today’s standards but the first stage for Black performers to reach mainstream audiences. Over time, comedians challenged racial stereotypes, exploring race and identity through humor. Icons like Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and Eddie Murphy shifted perceptions and changed how the nation understood itself. In this incisive history, Geoff Bennett tells the story of how they did it. In Black Out Loud, Bennett chronicles the transformative history of Black comedy in America, drawing on research and interviews with the actors and executives behind some of the most impactful shows. This brilliant exploration traces the evolution of Black comics and provocateurs who reshaped the culture and ultimately became powerful agents of social change -- transforming the way America laughed along the way. Includes interviews and insights from: Martin Lawrence, Robert Townsend, Debbie Allen, Tisha Campbell, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Quinta Brunson, Arsenio Hall, and many more!"

Geoff Bennett (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ghetto: The Jews of Venice

"A sweeping, riveting history of the Venetian Ghetto, the world's first Jewish ghetto. In the early sixteenth century, amidst the ruins of war, and in an atmosphere of religious hatred, the world's first Jewish 'ghetto' was established in Venice. Constrained in cramped, often insanitary conditions, the Jews who were forced to live there were extorted, abused and subjected to countless humiliating restrictions. Before long, Venice's Ghetto became the prototype for ghettos throughout Europe, paving the way for a more vicious and enduring form of antisemitism. Yet the Ghetto's story is also a testament of hope. Despite all they faced through the centuries, its residents thrived, creating a flourishing literary, musical and religious community. They sustained Venice's economy - and, as more migrants arrived, the Ghetto became a microcosm of the Jewish world. Alexander Lee traces this vivid story from the first Jewish arrivals in the early fourteenth century to the present day, reconstructing the Ghetto through the eyes of its inhabitants - from the domestic squabbles of a sixteenth-century rabbi to the agonising wait of a family bound for Auschwitz. Authoritative, detailed and incomparably intimate, this definitive history offers a fitting monument to the Ghetto's past - and powerful lessons for the future."

Alexander Lee (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Western Star: The Life and Legends of Larry McMurtry

"By his longtime friend and a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, the definitive biography of Larry McMurtry, the legendary author and screenwriter of Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, and Brokeback Mountain, who transformed our vision of the West. Before Larry McMurtry became one of the most celebrated writers of the twentieth century, he worked on his family’s ranch in rural Texas. He spent his days on horseback and his nights listening to vivid stories of his cowboy uncles driving herds of cattle across the plains where there once were bison and Native Americans. “McMurtry Means Beef,” as one ranching magazine put it. By the time he died in 2021, McMurtry had published forty books, won a Pulitzer for Lonesome Dove and an Oscar for his cowritten adaptation of Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain, and seen his work made into such classic films as Hud and Terms of Endearment. Now, McMurtry means great stories. For all his fame, McMurtry was an elusive figure. He loved women but was married to his typewriter; he was wary of critics and distrustful of other men—except David Streitfeld. When McMurtry gave the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist the keys to his past, Streitfeld dug into every archive and interviewed everyone who would talk. He found that, even as McMurtry’s work criticized the old cowboy myths, he loved making up stories about himself. Western Star reveals the real and complicated life of a storyteller who was both an icon and critic of Texas, the favorite of presidents, confidant to movie stars like Diane Keaton and Cybill Shepherd, friend to Ken Kesey and husband to his widow Faye, an obsessive bookseller, and the most enduring voice of the American West. "

David Streitfeld (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Herlands: Lessons From Societies Where Women Make the Rules

"Brought to you by Penguin. A landmark exploration of women-led communities worldwide and what they can teach us about new ways to live, think and govern, from BBC global correspondent Megha Mohan. Society isn’t working for women - or any of us. But what if the rules were different? Imagine a world in which women have all the power. A world in which they work together to shape their rules, their societies and their futures. In reality, all-women communities have always existed, and continue to thrive all over the world. In this vital and ground-breaking book, Megha Mohan goes in search of their roots, discovering a vibrant global history, brought together here for the first time. She also takes us into today's women-led spaces, where women live on their own terms, showing us how we can rethink society for new ways of living, working and collaborating, often with less of a profit-driven mindset and a deeper connection to ancestry and nature. Through extensive research and exclusive first-hand reporting, and inspired by her great-grandmother’s own matrilineal community in South India, Mohan introduces us to fascinating and diverse groups of women. From the controversial feminist online trolls of South Korea, to millionaire leadership meetups on a private island in the Baltic sea, an ancient secret women’s language used in China, elder women co-housing in Paris and North London, the Rain Queens of South Africa, and villages for divorced or widowed women in Egypt and survivors of domestic abuse in Kenya, this is a truly global look at women's community. Essential reading for anyone interested in our collective histories, cultures, economics and governance, Herlands shows the power and possibility of new ways of living - and leading - for us all. 'A powerful and necessary reminder that women’s leadership is not an exception; it is tradition, it is history, and it is the future' Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Prime Minister of Samoa 'With lyrical precision and journalistic integrity, Megha Mohan weaves a tapestry of resilience, leadership and radical hope' Sulaima Ishaq, head of Sudan’s Combating Violence Against Women and Children Commission 'Immersive and absorbing' Bhavana Menon, award-winning actress, who inspired India's Women in Cinema Collective © Megha Mohan 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026"

Megha Mohan (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Kingdom and a Village: A One-Thousand-Year History of Moscow

Simon Morrison (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory

"From New York Times reporter Jazmine Ulloa, a sweeping human history of El Paso, revealing violence, power, and privilege at play in America's most famous border town. El Paso has been called the "Ellis Island" of America's southern border, a mountain pass cum border town cum bifurcated metropolis where past meets future, and disadvantage meets opportunity, or so the promise goes. El Paso is an extraordinary, can't-look-away reported history; it uses deep research and dozens of new interviews to blow away the myth of this place, where Mexico's Juarez and America's El Paso intertwine. It charts the history of El Paso through five families. From the Mexican Revolution and the Mexican Repatriation, to the shifting immigration laws under Reagan and Trump and the violence and bloodshed brought on by the drug war, El Paso captures a place often misunderstood or forgotten by the rest of the country, and the world. El Paso is a brave new work of narrative nonfiction that gives new voice and perspective to history that has long been checked at the border, or told through the lens of white men alone. Ulloa draws upon meticulous research and reporting and stunning historical detail to craft the intimate narratives of an unforgettable cast of characters."

Jazmine Ulloa (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Moving Toward Freedom: The Political Education of Enslaved Americans

"A magisterial, groundbreaking new study of the lives of enslaved Americans on the cusp of the Civil War that places their agency-and their hard-won political knowledge-rightly at the center of the fight for freedom The enduring image of American slavery has been of workers trapped on plantations, shuttling from squalid quarters to the fields and back again-or else confined to the homes of abusive owners, constantly under surveillance and restriction. But if that were the whole picture, how would Black southerners have organized into such a formidable force the moment war erupted? With Moving Toward Freedom, eminent historian Susan O'Donovan radically widens the lens to reveal a new landscape of the slaveholding South: one in which enslaved workers were not pinned in place but mobile, deployed as laborers-and even as captains-on steamboats and ferries, or as teamsters transporting staple crops across the expanding country, or as ladies' maids waiting on their mistresses on European vacations. While performing brutal and involuntary work, O'Donovan argues, enslaved Americans managed to accumulate the crucial experience and knowledge that they would use to bring about their own liberation. Piecing together an extraordinary archive of slaves' letters, travel passes, receipts, and other documentation of lives in which literacy was illegal, O'Donovan allows her subjects to speak for themselves as they move through markets, jails, waterways, gold mines, and foreign lands. In so doing, O'Donovan demonstrates that slavery's incredible profitability depended on a fundamentally unsustainable balance between commercial drives and the exercising of control-one that enslaved workers eventually succeeded in putting to their advantage, bringing slavery to its knees."

Susan Eva O'Donovan (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

A True Color: The Strange and Spectacular History of Defining Color--from Azure to Zinc Pink

"A kaleidoscopic journey through the secret history of hues-and the story of the obsessive genius behind the definitions of colors we use today, from the beloved author of Word by Word begonia (n.): 3 -s : a deep pink that is bluer, lighter, and stronger than average coral (see coral 3b), bluer than fiesta, and bluer and stronger than sweet william - called also gaiety What could "bluer than fiesta" possibly mean? While editing dictionaries for Merriam-Webster, Kory Stamper found herself drawn again and again to the whimsical color definitions in Webster's Third New International Dictionary-especially when compared to the dry and impersonal entries that filled the rest of the dictionary. Stamper couldn't help but wonder: Who was the voice behind these peculiar definitions? Meet I. H. Godlove, an erratic but brilliant up-and-coming scientist who was one of the experts Merriam-Webster hired in 1930 to help them revise the dictionary to reflect a rapidly modernizing world. His fascinating life mirrors the wild and winding journey that color science, color psychology, and color production took through the twentieth century. Stamper tracks these industries as they move into the atomic age and intertwine in strange and surprising ways, spanning two world wars and involving chemical explosions, an unexpected suicide, dramatic office politics, and an extraordinary love story. Filled with captivating facts about color words and colors themselves-did you know that the word "puke" used to be a highly fashionable color before it was associated with vomit?-and fueled by Stamper's inexhaustible curiosity, True Color will transform the way you see the world, from black-and-white to Technicolor."

Kory Stamper (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

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