Art & Music Audiobooks | Non-Fiction

From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Raised Rock Stars

While the Grohl family had always been musical-the family sang together on long car trips, harmonizing to Motown and David Bowie-Virginia never expected her son to become a musician, let alone a rock star. But when she saw him perform in front of thousands of screaming fans for the first time, she knew that rock stardom was meant to be for her son. And as Virginia watched her son's star rise, she often wondered about the other mothers who raised sons and daughters who became rock stars. Were they as surprised as she was about their children's fame? Did they worry about their children's livelihood and wellbeing in an industry fraught with drugs and other dangers? Did they encourage their children's passions despite the odds against success, or attempt to dissuade them from their grandiose dreams? Do they remind their kids to pack a warm coat when they go on tour? Virginia decided to seek out other rock star mothers to ask these questions, and so began a two-year odyssey in which she interviewed such women as Verna Griffin, Dr. Dre's mother; Marianne Stipe, Michael Stipe of REM's mother; Janis Winehouse, Amy Winehouse's mother; Patsy Noah, Adam Levine's mother; Donna Haim, mother of the Haim sisters; Hester Diamond, Mike D of The Beastie Boys' mother. With exclusive family photographs and a foreword by Dave Grohl, From Cradle to Stage will appeal to mothers and rock fans everywhere. **Contact Customer Service for Additional Material**

Virginia Grohl (Author), Virginia Grohl (Narrator)

Audiobook

I'm the Man: The Story of That Guy from Anthrax

I'm the Man is the fast-paced, humorous, and revealing memoir from the man who cofounded Anthrax, the band that proved to the masses that brutality and fun didn't have to be mutually exclusive. Through various lineup shifts, label snafus, rock 'n' roll mayhem, and unforeseen circumstances galore, Scott Ian has approached life and music with a smile, viewing the band with deadly seriousness while recognizing the ridiculousness of the entertainment industry. Always performing with abundant energy that revealed his passion for his craft, Ian has never let the gravity of being a rock star go to his shaven, goateed head. I'm the Man is a blistering hard rock memoir, one that is astonishing in its candor and deftly told by the man who's kept the institution of Anthrax alive for more than thirty years. **Contact Customer Service for Additional Material**

Jon Wiederhorn, Scott Ian (Author), Scott Ian (Narrator)

Audiobook

I'm Just Dead, I'm Not Gone

I'm Just Dead, I'm Not Gone chronicles Jim Dickinson's extraordinary life in the Memphis music scene of the fifties and sixties and how he went on to play with and produce a rich array of artists, including Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Ry Cooder, Duane Allman, Arlo Guthrie, and Albert King. With verve and wit, Dickinson (1941-2009) describes how his trip to Blind Lemon's grave on the Texas flatlands as a college student and how that encounter inspired his return to Memphis. Back home, he looked up Gus Cannon and Furry Lewis, began staging plays, cofounded what would become the annual Memphis Blues Festival, and started recording. The blues, Elvis, and early rock 'n' roll compelled Dickinson to reject racial barriers and spurred his contributions to the Memphis music and experimental art scene. He explains how the family yardman, WDIA, Dewey Philips, Furry Lewis, Will Shade, and Howlin' Wolf shaped him and recounts how he went on to learn his craft at Sun, Ardent, American, Muscle Shoals, and Criteria studios from master producers Sam Phillips, John Fry, Chips Moman, and Jerry Wexler.

Jim Dickinson (Author), Sean Runnette (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dig If You Will the Picture: Funk, Sex, God and Genius in the Music of Prince

Ben Greenman, New York Times bestselling author, contributing writer to the New Yorker, and owner of thousands of recordings of Prince and Prince-related songs, knows intimately that there has never been a rock star as vibrant, mercurial, willfully contrary, experimental, or prolific as Prince. Uniting a diverse audience while remaining singularly himself, Prince was a tireless artist, a musical virtuoso and chameleon, and a pop-culture prophet who shattered traditional ideas of race and gender, rewrote the rules of identity, and redefined the role of sex in pop music. A polymath in his own right who collaborated with George Clinton and Questlove on their celebrated memoirs, Greenman has been listening to and writing about Prince since the mid-eighties. Here, with the passion of an obsessive fan and the skills of a critic, journalist, and novelist, he mines his encyclopedic knowledge of Prince's music to tell both his story and the story of the paradigm-shifting ideas that he communicated to his millions of fans around the world.

Ben Greenman (Author), Peter Berkrot (Narrator)

Audiobook

The News Quiz: Series 92: The topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

BBC Audiobooks (Author), Miles Jupp (Narrator)

Audiobook

Eyewitness: 1950-1999: Voices from the BBC Archives

Eyewitness accounts from the BBC Archive are at the heart of this unique history of the latter half of the 20th Century, narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith.The events of 1950-1999 are described by the people who saw them happen, from the Festival of Britain in 1951 through to dawn of a new millennium at the end of 1999. Inbetween are the eras of the Angry Young Men, the Teddy Boys and the Punk Rockers; the arrival of rock and roll and the permissive society; the advent of industrial strife in England and sectarian unrest in Northern Ireland; the rise to power of Margaret Thatcher; the miners’ strike, three day week and Winter of Discontent; the Queen’s Silver Jubilee; the IRA’s campaign of bombing and the eventual Good Friday agreement; the marriage of Prince Charles, the death of Princess Diana, the Poll Tax riots, and the British participation in wars in the Middle East and Bosnia.Events both joyful and sorrowful are illustrated with fascinating and rarely heard archive recordings, with a linking narration by the historia Joanne Bourke. Thought-provoking and moving, these are the voices of the past speaking to the present day.

Joanna Bourke (Author), Tim Pigott-Smith (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mozart's Starling

On May 27th, 1784, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart met a flirtatious little starling in a Viennese shop who sang an improvised version of the theme from his Piano Concerto no. 17 in G major. Sensing a kindred spirit in the plucky young bird, Mozart bought him and took him home to be a family pet. For three years, the starling lived with Mozart, influencing his work and serving as his companion, distraction, consolation, and muse. Two centuries later, starlings are reviled by even the most compassionate conservationists. A nonnative, invasive species, they invade sensitive habitats, outcompete local birds for nest sites and food, and decimate crops. A seasoned birder and naturalist, Lyanda Lynn Haupt is well versed in the difficult and often strained relationships these birds have with other species and the environment. But after rescuing a baby starling of her own, Haupt found herself enchanted by the same intelligence and playful spirit that had so charmed her favorite composer. In Mozart's Starling, Haupt explores the unlikely and remarkable bond between one of history's most cherished composers and one of earth's most common birds. The intertwined stories of Mozart's beloved pet and Haupt's own starling provide an unexpected window into human-animal friendships, music, the secret world of starlings, and the nature of creative inspiration. A blend of natural history, biography, and memoir, Mozart's Starling is a tour de force that awakens a surprising new awareness of our place in the world.

Lyanda Lynn Haupt (Author), Linda Henning (Narrator)

Audiobook

When the World Stopped to Listen: Van Cliburn's Cold War Triumph and Its Aftermath

April of 1958-the Iron Curtain was at its heaviest, and the outcome of the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition seemed preordained. Nonetheless, as star musicians from across the globe descended on Moscow, an unlikely favorite emerged: Van Cliburn, a polite, lanky Texan whose passionate virtuosity captured the Russian spirit. This is the story of what unfolded that spring-for Cliburn and the other competitors, jurors, party officials, and citizens of the world who were touched by the outcome. It is a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most remarkable events in musical history, filled with political intrigue and personal struggle as artists strove for self-expression and governments jockeyed for prestige. And, at the core of it all: the value of artistic achievement, the supremacy of the heart, and the transcendent freedom that can be found, through music, even in the darkest moments of human history.

Stuart Isacoff (Author), Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator)

Audiobook

This Sceptred Isle: Collection 1: 55BC - 1702: The Classic BBC Radio History

The first five volumes from the landmark BBC radio series This Sceptred Isle. Christopher Lee's epic history tells the story of Britain from the Romans to the death of Victoria. This collection includes the original first five volumes: 55BC-1087: Julius Caesar to William the Conqueror From Britannia under the Romans to the Dark Ages and the invasions of Angles, Saxons, Danes, and Norwegians. 1087-1327: The Making of the Nation The Crusades, Welsh and Scottish rebellions and the foundations of the modern state including Magna Carta and the fledgling English Parliament. 1327-1547 The Black Prince to Henry VIII The Hundred Years' War, the Peasants' Revolt, the Wars of the Roses and the reign of Henry VIII. 1547-1660 Elizabeth I to Cromwell Elizabeth I's long reign; the Civil War, the execution of Charles I and the establishment of Cromwell as Lord Protector. 1660-1702 Restoration and Glorious Revolution The return of Charles II, the Great Plague and Great Fire of London, and a ruler from a different country on the throne: William of Orange. Narrated by Anna Massey, with extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's A History of the English-speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington and Peter Jeffrey, this is the definitive radio account of the events and personalities that have shaped our nation. Duration: 15 hours approx.

Christopher Lee (Author), Anna Massey, Paul Eddington (Narrator)

Audiobook

Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung

Penguin presents the complete unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Gone by Min Kym, read by Rebecca Yeo. 'The hours fell away as I read this spellbinding tale of love, loss, and above all devotion to art. You probably don't know what it feels like to be a child prodigy or a world class violinist, but you will after reading this luminous memoir' - Susan Cain, author of 'Quiet' 'All my life my Stradivarius had been waiting for me, as I had been waiting for her . . .' At 7 years old Min Kym was a prodigy, the youngest ever pupil at the Purcell School of Music. At 11 she won her first international prize. She worked with many violins, waiting for the day she would play 'the one'. At 21 she found it: a rare 1696 Stradivarius, perfectly suited to her build and temperament. Her career soared. She recorded the Brahms concerto and a world tour was planned. Then, in a train station café, her violin was stolen from her side. In an instant her world collapsed. She descended into a terrifying limbo land, unable to play another note. This is Min's extraordinary story - of a young woman staring into the void, wondering who she was, who she had been. It is a story of isolation and dependence, of love, loss and betrayal, and the intense, almost human bond that a musician has with their instrument. Above all it's a story of hope through a journey back to music. Includes music from Gone: The Album Gone: The Album has been released on Warner Classics and is available for streaming, download and as a physical CD. For links and more information, visit: www.gonethealbum.com

Min Kym (Author), Rebecca Yeo (Narrator)

Audiobook

La ninfa de porcelana

Escucha el audiolibro de La ninfa de porcelana narrado por Isabel Allende mientras coloreas. «Don Cornelio siempre ha ocupado un lugar distinguido en mi corazón. Cuando lo conocí era un caballero miope, vestido con un traje gris con catorce bolsillos. Vivía en una pensión de mi barrio y nosotros, sus vecinos, ajustábamos los relojes cuando él pasaba por la mañana. Jamás se adelantaba ni atrasaba. Salía a las ocho y tres minutos en punto, echaba a andar hacia la esquina midiendo los pasos, y tomaba el autobús a su trabajo.» Bienvenidos a la historia de un hombre gris, cuya vida da un maravilloso vuelco un día de otoño: ha conocido a alguien. Pero no es un alguien cualquiera. Es una ninfa llamada Fantasía, que parece decidida a dar color a su vida. Disfruta del audiolibro de esta mágica nueva aventura de Isabel Allende al tiempo que coloreas tú también el universo de don Cornelio. Siguiendo sus pasos, nosolo verás con otros ojos el mundo que nos rodea, sino que podrás dar rienda suelta a tu imaginación y liberar al artista que llevas dentro. Las regalías de la autora correspondientes a esta obra se destinan íntegramente a la Fundación Isabel Allende (isabelallendefoundation.org), cuya misión es ayudar a mujeres y niñas de alto riesgo. Reseña: «Un regalo. Eso es La ninfa de porcelana, un maravilloso libro de colorear para adultos de la escritora viva más leída del mundo en lengua española.» Woman Los lectores opinan... «El regalo añadido es muy especial y acertado en este libro y hace que puedas escuchar a la propia Isabel Allende contándote el cuento durante 24 minutos. A mí me ha propiciado sesiones muy íntimas y relajantes, mágicas, poder escucharla y aislarme de todo, mientras daba vida a los dibujos con los colores.» Blog Libros y Literatura «Un libro novedoso y original en el que Isabel Allende relata un cuento sobre un hombre gris cuya vida da un vuelco cuando un día de otoño conoce a alguien que va a llenar su vida de color.» La guía go

Isabel Allende (Author), Isabel Allende (Narrator)

Audiobook

Inflammatory

If you believe in Safe Spaces, run to yours now, as Nick Di Paolo once again shows why he’s the master of slaughtering sacred cows and being absolutely hilarious while doing so. Laugh along as he treats subjects as sensitive as domestic violence, transgender bathrooms and black parenting with all the sentimentality of a Bill Belicheck press conference. In an increasingly humorless society, Di Paolo’s voice is needed now more than ever.

Nick Di Paolo (Author), Nick Di Paolo (Narrator)

Audiobook

Art & Music Audiobooks in Non-Fiction