Audiobooks narrated by Gilli Messer

Fanny's Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born

"In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Jewish Book Week, this engaging biography introduces children to the influential librarian and immigrant who originated the event. Fanny Goldstein immigrated to America from Russia when she was six. She loved the fact that in her new country she could borrow books for free and take part in all kinds of activities at the Saturday Evening Girls Club. Right away, her curiosity attracted the notice of the club's founder, who was also the head of the Boston Public Library. It wasn't long before Fanny was hired as the librarian's assistant, and then at thirty-three, as the first Jewish director of a Boston branch library. And when Fanny noticed how rarely Jewish families checked out books about their own history, she had an idea that would influence libraries and readers for decades to come: She decided to host a week-long party to celebrate Jewish books and culture. It was such a success that it launched a national event which has continued for 100 years!"

Richard Michelson (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

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Seagulls

"A stellar debut weaving a tale of survival through the interconnected stories of those affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A teenage Olympic champion in Krakow, a stripper in New York, an American professor at Yale, a tech executive, and a doctor turned undocumented nanny—in a stunning collection of linked stories, Seagulls follows these women and men as they navigate exile, marriage, violence, and love in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Nina Chayka’s debut collection draws on stories collected by the author from Ukrainians and Russians whose lives were shattered by the war, and from the author’s own experiences as a member of a Muslim minority in Russia, her escape from harassment and threats of the Russian government, and her eventual exile in the United States. Through these interconnected lives, Seagulls explores how individuals bound by war find the relentless, if sometimes reluctant, need to move forward."

Nina Chayka (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

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Save the Date: A Novel

"A romantic comedy of manners about a lavish wedding weekend gone very, very wrong with the slow-burn romance of Emily Henry and the fizzy humor of Sophie Kinsella. The Bride: Beautiful, seemingly carefree Marigold is tired of being treated like a shallow it-girl. That's one of the many reasons she's excited to marry Jonathan—the handsome, kind, respectable doctor of her dreams. So when a shocking secret from her past threatens to ruin her wedding, she'll do anything to make it disappear...even if it means tracking down a man she vowed to avoid forever. The Maid of Honor: As the bride's best friend, all Natalie wants is for this wedding to go off without a hitch. There's only one problem: Natalie has secretly been in love with the groom since college. When Marigold disappears, Natalie is forced to ask whether she can keep burying her feelings for the sake of friendship...or if she's ready to risk everything to pursue her own happy ending. The Sister: Olivia has spent her life cleaning up Marigold's messes. So she's determined to keep the wedding on track for the sake of their mother, who's battling cancer and longs for one last perfect weekend. But when Jonathan's best man—a prickly academic with a heart of gold—ropes her into a fake dating scheme, sparks unexpectedly fly. Will Olivia sacrifice her own happiness again, or could this fake relationship turn into the truest choice she's ever made? Heartwarming, hilarious, and sparklingly romantic, Save the Date will have you cheering for love in all its messy, unexpected glory."

Mallory Kass (Author), Allyson Ryan, Gilli Messer, Nikki Massoud (Narrator)

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The Last Woman of Warsaw: A Novel

"A debut novel by the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of The Light of Days, following two very different Jewish women in Warsaw in the late 1930s as they unexpectedly come together in their search for love, meaning, and a sense of home, and as they grapple with the storm clouds gathering around them 1938: Fanny Zelshinsky is a sophisticated, modern daughter of the city's Jewish elite who wants nothing more than to be recognized as a legitimate artist by her family, her radical professor whom she idolizes, and the world at large. And all while she wonders if she is really going to go through with her wedding. Meanwhile, Zosia Dror has left behind her small northeastern shtetl and religious family in the wake of violence. Part of a budding youth movement that believes in social equality and creating a Jewish homeland, all she wants is to not get distracted by the glitz and hubbub of the city-or by the keen eyes of a certain tall, handsome comrade. When legendary artist Wanda Petrovsky-both a member of Zosia's movement leadership and Fanny's beloved photography professor-goes missing, the two young women are thrown together in the pursuit of the elusive firebrand. Is Wanda simply hiding, or is her disappearance connected to the rise in antisemitic laws and university practices? Fanny and Zosia may be the most unlikely of allies, but they must bridge their differences to help someone they both care for-and dodge the danger mounting around them in the process. * This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF of photos from the book."

Judy Batalion (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto: The True Story of Five Courageous Young Women Who Sparked an Uprising

"A Holocaust historian, archivist, and history blogger adds a new dimension to the story of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising during World War II, shining a long overdue spotlight on five young, Polish Jewish women—champions who helped lead the resistance, sabotage the Nazis, and aid Jews in hiding across occupied Poland and Eastern Europe. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is one of the most storied events of the Holocaust, yet previous accounts of have almost entirely focused on its male participants. In The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto, Holocaust historian Elizabeth Hyman introduces five young, courageous Polish Jewish women—known as “the girls” by the leadership of the resistance and “bandits” by their Nazi oppressors—who were central to the Jewish resistance as fighters, commanders, couriers, and smugglers. They include: Zivia Lubetkin, the most senior female member of the Jewish Fighting Organization Command Staff in Warsaw and a reluctant legend in her own time, who was immortalized by her code name, 'Celina' Vladka Meed, who smuggled dynamite into and illegal literature out of the Warsaw Ghetto in preparation for the uprising Dr. Idina “Inka” Blady-Schweiger, a young medical student who became a reluctant angel of mercy Tema Schneiderman, a tall, beautiful and fearless young woman who volunteered for smuggling and rescue missions across Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe Tossia Altman, a heroic courier with a poetic soul, who helped bring arms into the Warsaw Ghetto, fought in the Uprising, and ferried communiques to the outside world Interspersed with the stories of other Jewish women who resisted, The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto rescues these women from the shadows of time, bringing to light their resilience, bravery, and cunning in the face of unspeakable hardship—inspiring stories of courage, daring, and resistance that must never be forgotten. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."

Elizabeth R. Hyman (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

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For the Rest of Us: 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons

"Fourteen acclaimed authors showcase the beautiful and diverse ways holidays are observed in this festive anthology. Keep the celebrations going all year long with this captivating and joyful read! From Lunar New Year to Solstice, Día de Los Muertos to Juneteenth, and all the incredible days in between, it’s clear that Americans don’t just have one holiday. Edited by the esteemed Dahlia Adler and authored by creators who have lived these festive experiences firsthand, this joyful collection of stories shows that there isn’t one way to experience a holiday. With stories by: Dahlia Adler, Sydney Taylor Honor winner of Going Bicoastal Candace Buford, author of Good as Gold A. R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy, authors of the Once & Future series Preeti Chhibber, author of Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot Natasha Díaz, award-winning author of Color Me In Kelly Loy Gilbert, Stonewall Book Award winning author of Picture Us in the Light Kosoko Jackson, USA Today bestselling author of The Forest Demands Its Due Aditi Khorana, award-winning author of Mirror in the Sky Katherine Locke, award-winning author of This Rebel Heart Abdi Nazemian, Stonewall Book Award–winning author of Only This Beautiful Moment Laura Pohl, New York Times bestselling author of The Grimrose Girls Sonora Reyes, Pura Belpré Honor winner of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School Karuna Riazi, contributor to The Grimoire of Grim Fates "

A. R. Capetta, Abdi Nazemian, Aditi Khorana, Candace Buford, Cory McCarthy, Dahlia Adler, Karuna Riazi, Katherine Locke, Kelly Loy Gilbert, Kosoko Jackson, Laura Pohl, Natasha Diaz, Preeti Chhibber, Sonora Reyes (Author), Abby Manning, Dana Wing Lau, Gilli Messer, Karen Malina White, Mark Sanderlin, Natasha Chandel, Nile Bullock, Rebecca Mozo, Sean Rohani (Narrator)

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The Night Sparrow: A Novel

"For fans of Kate Quinn and The Nightingale, a gripping story of a young Jewish girl who joins an elite Russian sniper unit and embarks on a mission targeting the highest prize of World War II: Adolph Hitler. With the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Elena Bruskina’s world collapses. The ambitious university student and her Jewish family are quickly forced into the Minsk ghetto where thousands are immediately murdered, including her father and brother. Then her younger sister is publicly executed on false charges and her mother is shot. Alone with her grief, Elena escapes the ghetto, determined to avenge her family’s deaths. Heading to Moscow, she enrolls in the Red Army’s newly created Central Women’s Sniper Training School. After rigorous training, she becomes a member of an all-female sniper platoon, a community of brave young women willing to give their lives to defend their country. Then Elena is chosen for a secret mission—a daring and highly dangerous plan to capture the face of evil itself: Hitler. Inspired by the real-life female snipers and interpreters in the Red Army during World War II, The Night Sparrow is a portrait of friendship, resilience, courage, and sacrifice under extraordinary circumstances. "

Shelly Sanders (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

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Spent: A Comic Novel

"Brought to you by Penguin. From her pygmy goat farm in Vermont, a cartoonist named Alison Bechdel wonders: Can she pull humanity out of its death spiral by writing a scathing memoir about her own greed and privilege? But how can she just sit around writing a book when the world is hanging on a thread? In this hilariously skewering comic novel, Alison is existentially pained by a climate-challenged world and a country on the brink of civil war. Her first graphic memoir about growing up with her taxidermist father has been adapted into a highly successful TV series, Death and Taxidermy. It’s a phenomenon that makes Alison, formerly on the cultural margins, the envy of her friend group. As the TV show racks up Emmy after Emmy, Alison’s own envy spirals. Surely writing her own wildly popular reality TV series wouldn’t be that hard? One that shows people how to free themselves from consumer capitalism and live a more ethical life?! In Spent, the celebrated, bestselling author of the modern classic Fun Home presents a laugh-out-loud and passionately political work of autofiction, and once again proves that “nobody does it better” (New York Times) than the real Alison Bechdel. 'The funniest, most satirical cartoon she has ever written – as well as, perhaps, the most prescient' OBSERVER © Alison Bechdel 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Alison Bechdel (Author), Adenrele Ojo, Ali Liebegott, Alison Bechdel, Bill McKibben, Christina Delaine, Dan Bittner, Gilli Messer, Hayden Bishop, Holly Rae Taylor, Jenn Colella, Joe Barrett, Keylor Leight, Kimberly Farr, Maggie-Meg Reed, Naomi Liv Joseffy, Renata Friedman (Narrator)

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In the Family Way

"'Bursts with complexity, drama and warmth… A timely, timeless novel' Catherine Newman, author of Sandwich ‘Uplifting … A warm tale of friendship’ Platinum Book of the Month 'A powerful tale, well told… [with] a delightful cast of characters that you can't help but fall in love with' Fiona Davis, author of The Stolen Queen ***** A warm, uplifting and empowering novel following a group of suburban housewives and the pregnant teenager they welcome into their fold as they find their place on the cusp of liberation. For fans of Lessons in Chemistry or The Help. ***** Ohio, 1965. Every week a group of suburban housewives meet for their Tuesday card game, sharing gossip, advice and confidences. Lily Berg has the perfect life. She’s married to a doctor, with an infant daughter and another on the way. She can’t let her husband know she’s struggling but she knows she can trust her friends. Becca, Lily’s best friend and next-door neighbour, is everything Lily isn’t. She’s messy and brash and never on time for anything. When she falls pregnant with a fourth child she desperately can’t afford, she turns to Lily. Although Lily’s little sister, Rose, got married last year, she’s not ready to give up her independence. Her modern marriage appears to be perfect, but behind closed doors things are very different. And Betsy is fifteen, pregnant and frightened. When Lily takes her in, from the local home for unwed mothers, she has no idea how much it will shake up all of their lives. Over six months, the group will be put to the test by secrets, forced to make impossible decisions and face up to a society that isn’t ready for women to have their own dreams and ambitions. Set against the backdrop of 1960s America, In the Family Way is a timely novel that captures the experiences of women on the cusp of liberation as they grapple with timeless questions of womanhood and the role we play as wives, mothers, and people in our own right. ***** Readers are loving In the Family Way: 'An emotional and consuming read. I read from start to finish in one sitting' 'Uplifting and beautifully written' 'Desperate Housewives meets Mad Men in this touching story of motherhood, girlhood, and what really happens behind closed doors in suburban America' 'An essential read' 'I love this book!'"

Laney Katz Becker (Author), Gilli Messer, Laci Morgan, Laura Horowitz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Misophonia: A Novel

"In the vein of Fleishman is in Trouble and Elif Batuman—an insightful, heartfelt, and hilarious debut exploring cultural diaspora through one teenager’s summer across Berlin, Jerusalem, and Chicago It’s another scorching summer in Chicago, and fifteen-year-old Margarita is spending her vacation as usual, under the not-so-watchful eyes of her aging maternal grandparents. All told, the plucky teen would much rather be at home in Germany, exploring Berlin with her best friend, Anna, or with Avi, her doting Israeli father, a cantor at their local synagogue with whom she has shared a special bond ever since her mother, Marsha, abandoned the family. Instead, she’s stuck halfway around the world, homesick and tortured by the sound of her grandparents’ chewing. But when arrangements are made behind her back for her to meet Marsha in Israel before returning to Germany, Margarita is blindsided. She wants no part of this overdue reconciliation with a mother she hardly knows/ When her mother fails to show, however, things go awry. Meanwhile, in Germany, Avi tries to fill the hole left by Margarita’s absence with a trip of his own, embarking on a personal journey, both hope-inducing and despairing.Expertly straddling the two narratives of daughter and father, Misophonia is a graceful exploration of imperfect family relationships and larger cultural displacement. Translated from the German by Adrian Nathan West"

Dana Vowinckel (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

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The Rock 'N' Roll Haggadah: Your Guide to a Seder That Rocks!

"A rock-and-roll infused Haggadah that brings the intertwined history of Judaism and music to your Seder table. Passover is one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays. Families all over the world gather around the dining table to recite the story of the Exodus from Egypt, honor the freedom of the Jewish people, and look toward the future. The Rock 'N' Roll Haggadah shares the traditional biblical stories and rituals of a standard Haggadah, but it also includes a rich tapestry of anecdotes that speak to the influence of Judaism on artists and their music, and its culinary, historical, and anthropological impact. Throughout the book, which features English, Hebrew, and transliterations, you'll find vibrant illustrations and little-known rock and roll references that lightheartedly tie into the narratives of the "Ten Plagues," "Forty Years in the Desert," "Elijah's Cup," and more. It also includes fun DIY projects such as making a rock-and-roll Egyptian centerpiece and a record album Seder plate, as well as suggestions for a Passover playlist that will enhance any Seder. Whether you're hosting or attending a Seder, the book's wide range of musicians and songs will spark conversations among all generations at the table and provide a fantastic soundtrack for any Passover celebration."

Kay Miller, Meredith Ochs (Author), Fred Sanders, Gilli Messer, Kay Miller, Meredith Ochs (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Anatomy of Exile: A Novel

"Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for debut fiction The Abadi Family saga begins when a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story between a Palestinian and a Jew ends in predictable tragedy. The family flees to America to mend, but encounters only more turmoil that threatens to tear the family apart. In the wake of the 1967 Six Day War, Tamar Abadi's world collapses when her sister-in-law is killed in what appears to be a terror attack but what is really the result of a secret relationship with a Palestinian poet. Tamar's husband, Salim, is an Arab and a Jew. Torn between the two identities, and mourning his sister's death, he uproots the family and moves them to the US. As Tamar struggles to maintain the integrity of the family's Jewish Israeli identity against the backdrop of the American 'melting pot' culture, a Palestinian family moves into the apartment upstairs and she is forced to reckon with her narrow thinking as her daughter falls in love with the Palestinian son. Fearing history will repeat itself, Tamar's determination to separate the two sets into motion a series of events that have the power to destroy her relationship with her daughter, her marriage, and the family she has worked so hard to protect. This powerful debut novel explores Tamar's struggle to keep her family intact, to accept love that is taboo, and grapples with how exile forces us to reshape our identity in ways we could not imagine."

Zeeva Bukai (Author), Gilli Messer (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Gilli Messer

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