Audiobooks narrated by Kathleen Gati

Library of Forbidden Books: A sweeping historical fiction novel about a librarian protecting banned books in Nazi Germany

"In a world of burning books, one woman will risk everything to keep stories alive. Berlin, 1933. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge--they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of 'forbidden' works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash. Determined to resist the encroaching tyranny, Helene and her colleagues embark on a perilous mission of secretly collecting and hiding the very books slated for destruction. It's a dangerous act of defiance in a city where every neighbor could be an informant and the Gestapo are a constant, looming threat. Her quiet rebellion is especially complicated by the fact that Helene is half-Jewish, and Rudolf Kummer, a ruthless Nazi official, seemingly has a personal vendetta against her. As the stakes escalate and friends and neighbors begin to disappear, Helene must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice. Her fight is not just for the pages she saves, but for the very soul of her country and the freedom to think. Based on the heroic true stories of librarians who fought back, Library of Forbidden Books is a gripping tale of courage, the profound power of literature as resistance, and one woman's struggle to preserve humanity in the face of absolute evil. A timeline and discussion questions can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download."

Mario Escobar (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rooms for Vanishing: the breathtaking WWII historical epic

"'I wept, real tears, at least seven times reading this novel, and I intend to return to these pages often' - Moriel Rothman-Zecher, author of Before All the World For fans of Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Rooms for Vanishing is an epic novel of grief and hope and one family blown apart - across the globe, across time, across parallel possibilities - by war. For the Alterman family, Fania and Arnold, and their children Sonja and Moses, the universe has been fractured. In 1938 Sonja is lifted onto a Kindertransport train that will take her from Nazi-occupied Austria to London. She is the only member of her family to survive. In 1966 Fania works as a massage therapist in Montreal, a place that has provided her safe haven after she lost her entire family in the war. In 2016 Arnold lives out the last of his days and the last memories he has of his family in the city he has always called home. And in 2000, Moses awaits the birth of his grandson, unaware that the strings that tie him to his past are being drawn tighter and tighter. Surely none of these realities co-exist, and yet they seem to be drawing closer . . . Moving between Vienna and Prague, London and Montreal, New York and Miami, Stuart Nadler's Rooms for Vanishing is a spellbinding exploration of what might happen when grief and hope collide."

Stuart Nadler (Author), Bruce Mann, Kathleen Gati, Mark Bramhall, Orlagh Cassidy (Narrator)

Audiobook

I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg

"Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the 32nd hero in the New York Times bestselling biography series for ages 5 to 9. Before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the judge, she was a young Jewish girl growing up in Brooklyn, inspired by books, past female trailblazers, and her mother to make the world a better, more just place to be. So even when people turned her away-for being a girl and for being Jewish-she never stopped fighting for equal treatment for everyone by pushing back against unjust laws and the beliefs around them. This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big. Included in each book are: - A timeline of key events in the hero's history - Childhood moments that influenced the hero - Facts that make great conversation-starters - A virtue this person embodies: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's perseverance to create justice and equality is highlighted. You'll want to collect each audiobook in this dynamic, informative series!"

Brad Meltzer (Author), Barrie Kreinik, Kathleen Gati, Keylor Leigh, Lance Rubin, Steven Jay Cohen, Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Edda Mussolini: The Most Dangerous Woman in Europe

"Brought to you by Penguin. Edda Mussolini was Benito's favourite daughter: spoilt, venal, uneducated but clever, faithless but flamboyant, a brilliant diplomat, wild but brave, and ultimately strong and loyal. She was her father's confidante during the 20 years of Fascist rule, acting as envoy to both Germany and Britain, and playing a part in steering Italy to join forces with Hitler. From her early twenties she was effectively first lady of Italy. She married Galeazzo Ciano, who would become the youngest Foreign Secretary in Italian history, and they were the most celebrated and glamorous couple in elegant, vulgar Roman fascist society. Their fortunes turned in 1943, when Ciano voted against Mussolini in a plot to bring him down, and his father-in-law did not forgive him. In a dramatic story that takes in hidden diaries, her father's fall and her husband's execution, an escape into Switzerland and a period in exile, we come to know a complicated, bold and determined woman who emerges not just as a witness but as a key player in some of the twentieth century's defining moments. And we see Fascist Italy with all its glamour, decadence and political intrigue, and the turbulence before its violent end. © Caroline Moorehead 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Caroline Moorehead (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Told and Retold: Around the World with Aesop's Fables

"A new take on Aesop's Fables with stories from around the world. The world is connected, and so are our stories. In this picture book, adapted for audio, we're introduced to short versions of Aesop's Fables as they're told in various corners of the globe. The stories included are: The Heron (USA, New England marsh) The Lion and the Mouse (African plains) The Ants and the Grasshopper (China) The Tortoise and the Hare (USA, southwestern desert) The Fox and the Grapes (Israel) The Bear and the Bees (Andes Mountains) The Crow and the Pitcher (Greece) The Two Goats (Swiss Alps) The Wolf and the Crane (Siberia)"

Holly Berry (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Daughters of the Occupation: A Novel of WWII

"Inspired by true events in World War II Latvia, an emotionally charged novel of sacrifice, trauma, resilience, and survival, as witnessed by three generations of women. On one extraordinary day in 1940, Miriam Talan’s comfortable life is shattered. While she gives birth to her second child, a son she and her husband, Max, name Monya, the Soviets invade the Baltic state of Latvia and occupy the capital city of Riga, her home. Because the Talans are Jewish, the Soviets confiscate Max’s business and the family’s house and bank accounts, leaving them with nothing. Then, the Nazis arrive. They kill Max and begin to round up Jews. Fearing for her newborn son and her young daughter, Ilana, Miriam asks her loyal housekeeper to hide them and conceal their Jewish roots to keep them safe until the savagery ends. Three decades later, in Chicago, 24-year-old Sarah Byrne is mourning the untimely death of her mother, Ilana. Sarah’s estranged grandmother, Miriam, attends the funeral, opening the door to shocking family secrets. Sarah probes Miriam for information about the past, but it is only when Miriam is in the hospital, delirious with fever, that she begs Sarah to find the son she left behind in Latvia. Traveling to the Soviet satellite state, Sarah begins her search with the help of Roger, a charismatic Russian-speaking professor. But as they come closer to the truth, she realizes her quest may have disastrous consequences. A magnificent, emotionally powerful story of family and the lingering devastation of war, The Daughters of the Occupation explores how trauma is passed down in families and illuminates the strength and grace that can be shared by generations. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."

Shelly Sanders (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

This Rebel Heart

"A tumultuous tale of the student-led 1956 Hungarian revolution-and an all too timely look at the impact of Communism and the USSR in Eastern Europe-set in a fabulist, colorless post-WWII Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke. "A haunting, beautiful read that centers queer Jewish characters." -BuzzFeed In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most--safe from the Holocaust. But that was before the Communists seized power. Before her parents were murdered by the Soviet police. Before Csilla knew things about her father's legacy that she wishes she could forget. Now Csilla keeps her head down, planning her escape from this country that has never loved her the way she loves it. But her carefully laid plans fall to pieces when her parents are unexpectedly, publicly exonerated. As the protests in other countries spur talk of a larger revolution in Hungary, Csilla must decide if she believes in the promise and magic of her deeply flawed country enough to risk her life to help save it, or if she should let it burn to the ground. With queer representation, fabulist elements, and a pivotal but little-known historical moment, This Rebel Heart is Katherine Locke's tour de force."

Katherine Locke (Author), Kathleen Gati, Steven Jay Cohen (Narrator)

Audiobook

The School for German Brides: A Novel of World War II

"In this intriguing historical novel, a young woman who is sent to a horrific “bride school” to be molded into the perfect Nazi wife finds her life forever intertwined with a young Jewish woman about to give birth. Germany, 1939 As the war begins, Hanna Rombauer, a young German woman, is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother’s death. Thrown into a life of luxury she never expected, Hanna soon finds herself unwillingly matched with an SS officer twenty years her senior. The independence that her mother lovingly fostered in her is considered highly inappropriate as the future wife of an up-and-coming officer and she is sent to a “bride school.” There, in a posh villa on the outskirts of town, Hanna is taught how to be a “proper” German wife. The lessons of hatred, prejudice, and misogyny disturb her and she finds herself desperate to escape. For Mathilde Altman, a German Jewish woman, the war has brought more devastation than she ever thought possible. Torn from her work, her family, and her new husband, she fights to keep her unborn baby safe. But when the unthinkable happens, Tilde realizes she must hide. The risk of discovery grows greater with each passing day, but she has no other options. When Hanna discovers Tilde hiding near the school, she knows she must help her however she can. For Tilde, fear wars with desperation when Hanna proposes a risky plan. Will they both be able to escape with their lives and if they do, what kind of future can they possibly hope for? "

Aimie K. Runyan (Author), Cassandra Campbell, Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Helpless: Caledonia's Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us

"NATIONAL BESTSELLER In February 2006, the site of a residential development in Caledonia, Ontario, was occupied by protestors representing the Six Nations. The land, they claimed, rightfully belonged to their people. They have never left. And Christie Blatchford has never let go of the story: a story so fraught with complications and sensitivities-with political explosiveness-that the Canadian media has too often found it easier to avert its gaze. It is the story of innocent victims who have been abandoned, left helpless. It is the story of a government that has not governed and police who have not policed. It is the story of a community whose freedom and peace of mind have been sacrificed in order to maintain a toxic status quo and keep officials in the jobs they are refusing to do."

Christie Blatchford (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Teaflet and Roog Make a Mess

"A silly adventure from the National Book Award-winning author of The Penderwicks--perfect for children newly reading on their own! Teaflet and her brother, Roog, are ready to throw their annual strawberry jam party for their friends in Trefldom. They want it to be the best party ever, even ten times better than the best party ever! But the inspector of neatness is coming to examine their higgledy-piggledy house from top to bottom. If she finds even one pinch of dirt, or one messy bed, the party will be canceled. Teaflet promises to clean while Roog bakes for the party. But will she be distracted by animals needing her help, like the toad whose tongue drags on the ground? Or will she finish in time and save the party?"

Jeanne Birdsall (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Café Europa Revisited: How to Survive Post-Communism

"'Drakulić's composite portrait provides a clear-eyed look at European values, and what they really amount to.' -The New Yorker An evocative and timely collection of essays that paints a portrait of Eastern Europe thirty years after the end of communism. An immigrant with a parrot in Stockholm, a photo of a girl in Lviv, a sculpture of Alexander the Great in Skopje, a memorial ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the Soviet led army invasion of Prague: these are a few glimpses of life in Eastern Europe today. Three decades after the Velvet Revolution, Slavenka Drakulic, the author of Cafe Europa and A Guided Tour of the Museum Of Communism, takes a look at what has changed and what has remained the same in the region in her daring new essay collection. Totalitarianism did not die overnight and democracy did not completely transform Eastern European societies. Looking closely at artefacts and day to day life, from the health insurance cards to national monuments, and popular films to cultural habits, alongside pieces of growing nationalism and Brexit, these pieces of political reportage dive into the reality of a Europe still deeply divided."

Slavenka Drakulic (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Under a Gilded Moon: A Novel

"“Crawdads meets the Crawleys…Threaded through with a meticulously researched, well-crafted mystery, this is historical fiction at its best.” —Fiona Davis, nationally bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue From the bestselling author of A Tangled Mercy comes an enthralling novel of secrets, a tumultuous war of ideas, and murder as classes collide in the shadow of Biltmore House. Biltmore House, a palatial mansion being built by the Vanderbilts, American “royalty,” is in its final stages of construction in North Carolina. The country’s grandest example of privilege, it symbolizes the aspirations of its owner and the dreams of a girl, just as driven, who lives in its shadow. Kerry MacGregor’s future is derailed when, after two years in college in New York City, family obligations call her home to the beautiful Appalachians. She is determined to distance herself from the opulence she sees rising in the Blue Ridge Mountains, however close its reach. Her family’s land is among the last pieces required to complete the Biltmore Estate. But something more powerful than an ambitious Vanderbilt heir could change Kerry’s fate as, one by one, more outsiders descend on the changing landscape—a fugitive from Sicily, a reporter chasing a groundbreaking story, a debutante tainted by scandal, and a conservationist prepared to put anyone at risk to stoke the resentment of the locals. As Kerry finds herself caught in a war between wealth and poverty, innocence and corruption, she must navigate not only her own pride and desperation to survive but also the temptations of fortune and the men who control it."

Joy Jordan-Lake (Author), Kathleen Gati (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Kathleen Gati

Join Our Community