Poetry Audiobooks | Literature

The Invisible Sun: A Guide for the Soul from Rumi’s Master

"The first comprehensive English collection from one of the world’s most influential mystics—Attar—the twelfth-century poet Rumi called his master. Twelfth-century Persian poet Attar (1145–1221) was revered by Rumi and though his work is beloved around the world, he is mostly unknown to English readers. Translated in simple, elegant language by award-winning poet Sholeh Wolpé—one among generations of poets influenced by Attar's poetry—The Invisible Sun is a beautiful treasury of Attar’s most prescient poetry, offering comfort and inspiration. Attar was one of the most important mystic Sufi poets in the East, comparable in stature and influence to John Milton in the West. In Western thought there is a sharp separation between day-to-day human experience and the transcendence of religion and spirituality. But Sufi philosophy teaches that while the soul awaits its release from the confines of the body, it can experience the other world through mystic union achieved by an inward journey to purify the self. The Invisible Sun widely introduces the work of Attar—the master Rumi called “the spirit” and himself “its shadow”—to English-speaking readers as never before. Profound yet exquisite in its simplicity, bringing comfort and wisdom, Attar’s poetry continues to resonate today: Everything, large and small, honors your existence, don’t look at yourself with contempt. There is nothing greater than you."

Attar, Sholeh Wolpe (Author), Fajer Al-Kaisi (Narrator)

Audiobook

The New Book: Poems, Letters, Blurbs, and Things

"An all-star ensemble cast of poets and performers bring to life Nikki Giovanni’s extraordinary final collection—a landmark of American literature! For decades, Nikki Giovanni’s poetry has been at the forefront of American culture. The New Book is a towering work of protest against the divisions of our time, leavened with moments of joy and reflection about her indelible legacy, her family history, and the small pleasures of her richly lived life. With this collection, which includes brief letters and short prose from her life as well as poetry, Giovanni reaffirms her place as a giant of literature, a canny truth-teller, an indispensable radical orator, and one of America’s preeminent cultural critics. It is a book to be savored, and shared. Readers on this audiobook include: Kwame Alexander, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, Jericho Brown, Tabitha Brown, Mahogany L. Browne, Rio Cortez, Virginia Fowler, Nikki Giovanni, Amanda Gorman, Taraji P. Henson, Nancy Johnson, Aja Naomi King, January LaVoy, Robin Miles, Nicole Sealey, Patricia Smith, Bahni Turpin, Renee Watson, and Kevin Young. ''If there was a need for poetry that galvanized and inspired, there was also a demand for poetry that comforted and unified — and Ms. Giovanni provided on both counts.'' — The Washington Post"

Nikki Giovanni (Author), Aja Naomi King, Amanda Gorman, Bahni Turpin, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, January LaVoy, Jericho Brown, Kevin Young, Kwame Alexander, Mahogany L. Browne, Nancy Johnson, Nicole Sealey, Nikki Giovanni, Patricia Smith, Renée Watson, Rio Cortez, Robin Miles, Tabitha Brown, Taraji P. Henson, Virginia Fowler (Narrator)

Audiobook

You Took the Last Bus Home: The brilliantly funny first collection from Brian Bilston

"Read, with his trademark charm and humour, by Brian Bilston. If you like a) laughing or b) words which rhyme with each other, you will love Brian Bilston - Richard Osman, author of We Solve Murders 'There is poetry to be found in anything if you look hard enough.' You Took the Last Bus Home is a collection of ingenious, hilarious and touching poems from Brian Bilston, one of Britain's funniest and best-loved poets. With endless wit, wisdom and delightful wordplay, Bilston's first collection of poetry offers profound insights into the common joys and sorrows of modern life. Exploring themes as diverse as love, death, and the unbearable torment of forgetting to put the rubbish out, all of Bilston's poems are alive to the improbable nuances of the English language. Constantly experimenting with poetic forms - from Venn diagrams to Scrabble tiles - this irresistibly charming collection of poems will make you ponder the very essence of the human condition in the twenty-first century. 'Bilston is a magician with words' - The Guardian 'Brian Bilston is a laureate for our fractured times' - Ian McMillan"

Brian Bilston (Author), Brian Bilston (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pillow Thoughts IV: Stitching the Soul

"The final installment in this bestselling series completes the journey that Courtney Peppernell began with Pillow Thoughts. With 600,000 copies sold across the series, Pillow Thoughts continues to inspire all who dip into Courtney's encouraging words. Self-healing is the theme of the entire Pillow Thoughts series. While books II and III focus on healing the heart and mind, respectively, Pillow Thoughts IV offers a balm for healing the soul. Have a cup of tea and let yourself feel."

Courtney Peppernell (Author), Courtney Peppernell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Love Is a Dog That Bites When It's Scared

"An impressive and though-provoking collection from GRAMMY nominated artist and poet Courtney Marie Andrews. With the same vulnerability and timelessness as her debut collection Old Monarch, Love Is a Dog That Bites When It's Scared acknowledges the layers to our feelings, experiences, and humanity. Inspired by her own life, Courtney Marie Andrews speaks gently to love and its many layers. She comforts readers with the knowledge that though love is confusing, unorganized, bewitching, and often too hard, it is also magical, and surreal, and always worth it."

Courtney Marie Andrews (Author), Courtney Marie Andrews (Narrator)

Audiobook

Out of the Ashes

""When life feels as though it has been burned to the ground, reduced to piles of ash, there is always someone to remind us that life begins again, no matter how hard we fall or how disastrous the crash." This is the story of how you rose from the ashes-where every ending is a new beginning. The final installment in a long journey of healing is the fieriest of them all. Out of the Ashes offers a roadmap for readers seeking to emerge from devastation. Divided into seven sections-The Destruction, The End, The Quiet, The Wrath, The Transformation, The Arising, The Resurgence-this very personal and engaging new collection from prolific poet Courtney Peppernell illuminates a powerful journey of resilience and survival. It masterfully charts the process of rising again after your life has been burned to the ground."

Courtney Peppernell (Author), Courtney Peppernell (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Heart of You

"In the third and final installment of the Souls Trilogy, acclaimed poet Iain S. Thomas explores what hope feels like after despair. Following on his bestselling collections, The Truth of You and The Secret of You, Thomas's latest volume of over two-hundred poems examines how we find the faith to carry on when everything has been stripped away and all that remains is the core of who we are. The Heart of You explores fear, bravery, intimacy, what we keep, and what we leave behind."

Iain S. Thomas (Author), Iain S. Thomas (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - La ciudad amarga - Relectura personal de Neruda

"Releer a Pablo Neruda como ejercicio de reconstitución y nostalgia: es lo que inspira a Gastón Soublette a comentar 'a su manera', desde su perspectiva de filósofo y esteta apasionado por el rescate de la cultura nacional, la obra del Premio Nobel chileno. El de estas páginas es un recorrido por el trasfondo de la vida del poeta, pero finalmente también por la memoria y la proyección de un país debilitado en sus tradiciones, tensionado por la transformación del modelo social y cultural registrada en las últimas décadas. Esos planos acá se suceden, entremezclan o superponen. Están la introspección de Neruda, su sentimiento trágico de la vida y también sus desmesuras personales. Está la ambivalencia que puede alcanzar su lenguaje, así como la evolución de una escritura que refleja cómo él salió de su ensimismamiento para encontrarse con su propio ser en relación con el mundo. Soublette escoge numerosos poemas y otros textos. Los observa, los revisa, argumenta, propone, concluye. Ofrece una experiencia didáctica que abre a nuevos conocimientos, a renovar las miradas a estos libros. E invita a asumir que la lectura de ellos equivale a mucho más que a solo mirarse 'en un espejo reminiscente y nostálgico'."

Gastón Soublette (Author), Santiago Ramírez (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Italian] - Inferno. Canto I

Dante Alighieri (Author), Valerio Di Stefano (Narrator)

Audiobook

Soledades. 1903

Antonio Machado (Author), Valerio Di Stefano (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Russian] - Песнь о вещем Олеге

"«Мудр предсказанием вещий Олег…» В этой балладе Пушкина звучит голос древней Руси — с её верой в слово, в силу рока и в бесстрашие воинского сердца. Здесь соединены строгая торжественность летописи и лёгкая прозрачность стиха, простота речи и тайна судьбы. Одно из первых обращений Пушкина к былинному и славянскому корню. «Песнь о вещем Олеге»— это не просто рассказ о князе и его коне, это размышление о предопределении, о гордости, покое и страхе перед тем, что начертано на звёздах. Поэзия, что говорит негромко, но остаётся — как шёпот древнего времени в сердце читателя. И в этом — истинная пушкинская магия."

Александр Пушкин (Author), Вячеслав Манылов (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Ukrainian] - Кобзар. Видано за змістом 1840 року

"«Кобзар» Тараса Шевченка — це не лише збірка віршів та поем, а й своєрідний культурний код та історичний символ України, що відображає її народну душу, прагнення свободи та незалежності. У цій передмові важливо відзначити, що Шевченко, як великий поет і громадський діяч, створив унікальну літературну спадщину, яка стала голосом українського народу у боротьбі з історичними труднощами та утисками. Його творчість поєднує національну ідею з глибокою людською співчуттям, а мова і стиль — це зразки високої художньої майстерності, що зберігають свою актуальність і сьогодні, надихаючи нові покоління шанувальників української культури. Відомий американський історик Річарда Генрі Пауелл писав: 'Шевченко — це символ української незалежності і культури, його поезія є голосом прагнення до свободи та гідності'. Ці слова підкреслюють значущість Шевченка у світовій культурі та його вплив на українську ідентичність."

Тарас Шевченко (Author), Матвій Ніколаєв (Narrator)

Audiobook

Poetry Audiobooks in Literature