Non-Fiction Audiobooks

Modern Tantric Buddhism: Embodiment and Authenticity in Dharma Practice

This essential guide to socially engaged Tantric Buddhism reveals how modern practitioners can use the wisdom of the Vajrayana to confront systems of power and abuse. Today, a new generation of Buddhists searches for ways to adopt Vajrayana while staying true to its historical legacy. Modern Tantric Buddhism unpacks the principles and applications of this esoteric practice in an accessible and meaningful manner, connecting its roots to a socially engaged, modern-day dharma. Taking a traditional Tibetan pedagogical approach, Lama Justin von Bujdoss divides the book into 3 thematic sections: • Body, as it applies to physicality and embodiment • Speech, or ethical action • Mind, the context of awakening Von Bujdoss challenges assumptions about what it means to be a socially engaged Buddhist, and presents Tantra as an ideal vehicle for critically examining today's most pressing social issues while confronting the structural inequities of patriarchy, sexism, colonialism, and racism within Buddhist institutions.

Justin Von Bujdoss (Author), A'rese Emokpae (Narrator)

Audiobook

Loving Your Black Neighbor as Yourself: A Guide to Closing the Space Between Us

An inspiring and actionable guide to moving toward racial healing by seeing your Black Neighbor through "Love Lenses" that flow from God's deep devotion. Jesus calls you to love your neighbor, and in the fight against racial injustice, that call includes your Black Neighbor: your Black colleagues, the Black congregants at church, the Black family in your neighborhood. Yet maybe you're unsure of how best to show your love, or maybe you fear either saying or doing the wrong thing. In Loving Your Black Neighbor as Yourself, Chanté Griffin equips you to see and love your Black Neighbor with God's deep, holistic love. Using Black Love Lenses birthed from African American cultural values, you'll learn meaningful ways through which you can see and care for your Black Neighbor: - Intimacy: cultivate intentional closeness and community - Honor: show overflowing respect and love - Stand Up: use your voice and influence to stand up - God's-Gifts: allow God's resources to flow through you to your Black Neighbor - The Spirit of Love: love lavishly through intercessory prayers Through guided readings, prayers, and heart checks, you'll undergo a spiritual and relational transformation that grows a deeper love for your Black Neighbor and yourself. Are you ready to answer Jesus's call?

Chanté Griffin (Author), Chanté Griffin, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Every Contact Leaves a Trace: My Life as a Crime Scenes Investigator

Enter the fascinating world of crime scene investigation with this chilling memoir from a senior investigator. For most people, dead bodies are horrifying. They are the physical representation of everything we're afraid of - our own mortality, the unknown, the inevitability, and lack of dignity of the end. But for Jo Ward, a dead body is absolutely fascinating… For Jo, a normal day's work involves getting up-close and personal with the dead - generally the murdered dead - exploring every inch of their battered and bloody bodies and finding the clues that will lead the police to their killers. Every scene teaches her something new. Every murder is a chance to obtain justice for the dead. Because every contact leaves a trace… Jo Ward is part of a generation of pioneering women who lead forensic investigation around the world. She investigates high-profile crimes - murder, domestic killings, infanticide, and rape. If you're a fan of Sue Black and Patricia Wiltshire, Every Contact Leaves a Trace is for you. It's a rare glimpse into a formidable woman and the world of forensics, chronicling some of Jo's toughest and most groundbreaking cases, and offering insight into how she copes despite seeing the most shocking excesses of humanity.

Jo Ward (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Safe Space

A collection of essays and advice about navigating racism in modern Australia, and creating your own safe space, from writer and activist Alyssa Huynh. I've played the role of the quiet and embarrassed Asian girl who shyly laughs along more than I should have in my lifetime. Enough is enough. Alyssa has always found comfort in writing, but she never expected her thoughts on racial discrimination to resonate with so many people. Unfortunately, they were also divisive. First, she called out the problematic fox eye style of makeup that was ironically trending at the same time as anti-Asian hate in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also told a restaurant that naming a burger the 'honey fried cat' was perpetuating a harmful stereotype. Every commentary resulted in racist backlash, but the hate only spurred Alyssa on - here was more proof that the work was necessary. In Safe Space, Alyssa offers new insight into the complexities of growing up Asian in Australia and shares the experiences that have made her the advocate she is today. She offers advice to those wanting to add their voice to the discourse and fosters the safe space she always wished she had. Honest and heartfelt, Safe Space is at once unapologetically angry and sincerely hopeful. This is a book for anyone who believes that racism has no place in Australia's future and is ready to take action.

Alyssa Huynh (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Which Way Is Up?: Finding Heart in the Hardest of Times

A heartfelt guide for meeting difficult times with mindfulness, compassion, and courage-from a psychotherapist and Buddhist practitioner who learned from her own crisis. Using personal examples from her own recent bardo crisis-undergoing cancer treatment during the pandemic-and offering contemplative prompts for inner-reflection and a meditation practice in each chapter, psychotherapist and Buddhist practitioner Susan Chapman demystifies the three main types of fear people experience (frozen, awake, and core), and how to meet each with love. This heartfelt guide from someone who's been there and done the work will help us get through life's challenges and restore our equilibrium, while also inviting a valuable opportunity for personal growth. Which Way Is Up? draws from traditional Buddhist teachings on the bardo, a Tibetan word most often associated with the period between death and rebirth. Chapman likens the bardo to abrupt episodes in our lives when things seem to turn upside down and we can't find our footing. In such times of not-knowing, our fearful mind tends to panic trying to make sense out of our experience. Instead, Chapman meets the listener in their groundlessness to show how these turning points can force us to let go of our assumptions about the future and allow something new to be reborn.

Susan Gillis Chapman (Author), Dina Pearlman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Little Book of Sanuk: The Thai Secret to a More Joyful Life

We all need a little more sanuk in our lives Sanuk is a Thai concept that can loosely be translated as meaning ‘fun’. Though sanuk is in fact much more than that; it’s about achieving pleasure and joy in all aspects of life. For Thai people, if it’s not sanuk, it’s not worth doing. Thai people believe that it’s the little things that add up to a joyful life. Whether it’s raising happy kids, enjoying a quick chat with your neighbour or having a laugh with friends, they try to bring a sense of joy into their daily routines. This easygoing, fun-loving way of life is why Thailand is often called The Land of Smiles. But how can we learn to prioritise this sense of fun and pleasure in our own lives? With recent clinical studies showing a clear link between a person’s outlook on life and their health, a mindset of optimism and positivity has obvious benefits. Being a glass half full kind of person doesn’t just help us live longer, it helps us live better. Embracing sanuk and approaching life a glass-half-full attitude can make you happier, healthier and more productive – and this book will show you how.

Karen Sinotok (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

But What Will People Say?: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love and Family Between Cultures

Brought to you by Penguin. Growing up in the USA as a child of South-Asian immigrants, Sahaj straddled multiple cultures. While reading self-help and going to therapy helped her make sense of the world and her psyche, she soon realised that the advice of white, western writers didn’t cater to her experience. Unlike the outside world, at home the idea of mental health was feared as a sign of weakness, often met with the question ‘But what will people say?’ And for many like her who are navigating two cultures at once, the traditional advice to just ‘set boundaries’ or ‘put yourself first’ is not possible, or even safe. Since then, Sahaj has made it her mission to make therapeutic advice accessible and inclusive of the multicultural experience. Combining her personal story with research, insights from her personal and online communities, and practical advice, this book is a much-needed and revolutionary approach that enables multicultural people to show more compassion for themselves, for others and, above all, feel seen. ©2024 Sahaj Kaur Kohli (P) 2024 Penguin Audio

Sahaj Kaur Kohli (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Woke: The Journey of a Word: A BBC Radio 4 Series

Matthew Syed traces the origins and evolution of the word 'woke’ Once a watchword for African Americans in the early 1900s, 'woke' is now used as an insult across the political spectrum, and it has become synonymous with our era of angry debate. As the word has spread, what people mean by it has become less clear than ever. Award-winning journalist and author Matthew Syed is on a mission to uncover the roots of this social phenomenon and, in this series, he follows the evolution of 'woke' through five key stories. Beginning with the first ever use of 'woke', which appeared on a 1938 recording by the musician Lead Belly, Syed uncovers what the singer meant when he instructed people to ‘stay woke, keep their eyes open’. Matthew then explores one of the earliest uses of 'woke' in print, by young Black author William Melvin Kelley in 1962. He goes on to look at #StayWoke and how the use of 'woke' online exploded in 2014, following the shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Next, Matthew considers how the adoption of 'woke' at the 2017 Women's March aided the term's movement away from Black communities and into the mainstream. In the final episode, he examines the actions of Governor Ron DeSantis, tipped by some to be the next President of the United States. The politician has labelled his state of Florida as 'Where Woke Goes to Die', and introduced a 'Stop W.O.K.E.' bill aimed at reducing the spread of identity politics. Has the word become too politically charged? What relationship – if any – does the word ‘woke’ have to its original sense? Syed considers its multiple meanings in this fascinating series that sheds new light on a word that is often used – and often misunderstood. Cast and credits Presented by Matthew Syed Produced by Sam Peach Episode 1 Featuring Peggy Parks Miller and Kip Lornell Episode 2 Featuring Jesi Kelley Readings by Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong Excerpts from ‘If You're Woke You Dig It’ (New York Times, 1962) and ‘Dunfords Travels Everywheres’ by William Melvin Kelley Episode 3 Featuring Johnetta Elzie and Nicole Holliday Episode 4 Featuring Prisca Kim and Aja Romano Episode 5 Featuring Nicole Holliday, James O'Malley and Prof Matthew Goodwin First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20-24 February 2023 Copyright © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Matthew Syed (Author), Matthew Syed (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death in Order to Live More Fully

Brought to you by Penguin. What if we didn’t consider death the worst possible outcome? What if we discussed it honestly, embraced end-of-life care and prepared for the end of our lives with hope and acceptance? In this empathetic and knowledgeable guide, TikTok star Julie McFadden – known online as ‘Hospice Nurse Julie’ – shares the valuable lessons she’s learned in her fifteen years as a palliative care nurse. Expertly weaving emotional insight with practical advice, you’ll find out: - which medical interventions help and which make things worse - facts and myths about hospice care - the most important conversations to have before you die - the many inexplicable and fascinating deathbed experiences people have - how to navigate the grieving journey, before and after death Set to become a go-to resource for years to come, Nothing to Fear shows how a better death goes hand-in-hand with a better life. ©2024 Julie McFadden (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Julie Mcfadden (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Half of It

The world and its politics are becoming ever more polarised, leaving no room for the light and the shade. In The Half of It, Emma and Nicole will explore race and identity through the lens of the mixed race experience, creating a space for discussion and illuminating the true nuances of the mixed-race identity and what this really means. In The Half of It, Emma and Nicole, hosts of the critically acclaimed podcast Mixed Up, will discuss what it truly means to be mixed-race and all the different layers that fall into this. They will delve into everything from culture and identity, to interracial relationships, to adoption, to understanding the historical context of mixed-race people – and ultimately culminating in a rounder and deeper appreciation for the mixed-identity. They will illuminate us on their own experiences of growing up mixed, interweaving guest interviews and insights from people they talk to along the way. Emma and Nicole want to break down barriers and open up a deeper dialogue of the mixed-race experience. Although this was born out of a desire to speak directly to the mixed-race community, they discovered there is something in it for everyone. Whether you are mixed, you know someone mixed, if you have ever considered dating outside of your race, if you’re a parent committed to exposing your child to a more diverse view of the world, or indeed an adult committed to expanding your view of culture and identity – this is for you.

Emma Slade Edmondson, Nicole Ocran (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Other Olympians

Brought to you by Penguin. In December 1935, Zdenek Koubek, one of the most famous sprinters in European women’s sports, declared he was now living as a man. Around the same time, the celebrated British field athlete Mark Weston, also assigned female at birth, announced that he, too, was a man. Periodicals and radio programs across the world carried the news; both became global celebrities. A few decades later, they were all but forgotten. And in the wake of their transitions, what could have been a push toward equality became instead, through a confluence of bureaucracy, war, and sheer happenstance, the exact opposite: the now all-too-familiar panic around trans, intersex, and gender nonconforming athletes. In The Other Olympians, Michael Waters uncovers, for the first time, the gripping true stories of Koubek, Weston, and other pioneering trans and intersex athletes from their era. With dogged research and cinematic flair, Waters also tracks how International Olympic Committee members ignored Nazi Germany’s atrocities in order to pull off the Berlin Games, a partnership that ultimately influenced the IOC’s nearly century-long obsession with surveilling and cataloging gender. Immersive and revelatory, The Other Olympians is a groundbreaking, hidden-in-the-archives marvel, an inspiring call for equality, and an essential contribution toward understanding the contemporary culture wars over gender in sports. ©2024 Michael Waters (P) 2024 Penguin Audio

Michael Waters (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Inheritance: The Evolutionary Origins of the Modern World

Brought to you by Penguin. Homo sapiens is a maker of unnatural history. For countless millennia, evolution has shaped our behaviour. But over just a few millennia, that behaviour has reshaped the world: building sprawling cities, global faiths, states, and empires. Nature made humanity, and humanity remade nature. Here, one of the world's leading anthropologists reveals how our evolutionary past informed the birth and rise of global civilisation. Unveiling a visionary new way of studying human history - one that stunningly weaves together experimental psychology, anthropology and quantitative social science - Harvey Whitehouse uncovers the three evolutionary biases that shape our social behaviour: conformism, religiosity and tribalism. And he reveals how these biases were harnessed and extended to produce the greatest revolutions in human history, from the transition to agriculture to the rise of the first bureaucracies and organised religions. Above all, he argues that only by understanding our natural biases can we hope to survive the challenges of our unnatural present - from violent criminality to environmental meltdown. The result is a landmark study of the past and future of the world we made. It transforms our understanding of who we are and who we can be. ©2024 Harvey Whitehouse (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Harvey Whitehouse (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook