AUDIBLE EDITOR

Rachael Xerri

Rachael is a firm believer in unapologetic self-care and positive personal intention. When she’s not catching up on her latest listen, she’s either trying to perfect her downward dog or eating a bowl of ice cream. Follow her on Twitter @EditorRachael.

COLLECTION

The Case Against Fragrance

By: Kate Grenville

Narrated by: Belinda McClory

Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins

Release date: 08-01-18

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

Sensitive to smell?

Kate Grenville is a novelist and sense-triggered migraine sufferer with some questions: What is fragrance made of, how is it regulated, and what is it doing to our bodies? In this well-researched and skeptical exploration of what’s (quite literally) under our noses, Grenville reports that the smells we covet are often made from questionable, and even known carcinogenic, substances—and there’s little being done to regulate them. Hidden in the elusive label parfum are ingredients such as hydroxyphenol, linalool, ethylhexyl palmitate, hexyl benzoate, methyl phenylacetate, formaldehyde, and more. Everything from the air we breathe to the clothes we wear contains chemical cocktails that Grenville alleges could be making you sick. This debut audiobook performance from narrator Belinda McClory (best known for her role as Switch in The Matrix) delivers exactly what a perfume promises: allure, hypnotism, and delight—without the potential side effects. As a migraine sufferer myself, I’m looking forward to seeing if choosing unscented products and politely asking my friends to forgo the cologne will positively affect my health.
Like She Owns the Place

Give Yourself the Gift of Confidence and Ignite Your Inner Magic

By: Cara Alwill

Narrated by: Cara Alwill

Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins

Release date: 07-10-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 671 ratings

While Cara Alwill Leyba’s Girl Code provided the pep talks needed to get through a tough workday, Like She Owns the Place promises to "ignite confidence from within." In her latest book, Cara focuses on lifestyle changes to help you find and assert your most authentic self—like dumping that toxic boyfriend, forgiving yourself for skipping your cycling workout, and blocking out the idea that you need to chase promotions to find success. Even though some of us don’t share a deep bond with our hair stylists (or have the funds to take champagne breaks at our desks), we can still learn a thing or two from our categorically metropolitan, pink-haired powerhouse. Her real-talk reminders, such as "stop saying you’re sorry when you have nothing to apologize for," "you don’t need plastic surgery," and "check your f*cks at the door," are confidence-building mantras intended to inspire all women to rock a neon 'do if they want to.
Educated

A Memoir

By: Tara Westover

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Release date: 02-20-18

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 125,731 ratings

Tara Westover's story of survival will heal you

While listening to Educated on the bus, a curious coworker asked me if it was enjoyable. Given the heavy themes of abuse and mental illness, I had to hesitate before landing on my answer: Yes, but only in the way getting your breath back after crying is. Sticking with this narrative requires patience, empathy, and faith (ironic given the context); you have to see yourself in Tara and you have to believe that she will be OK. So, if you’ve ever paid tears and tremors to become yourself then yes, these words will move you and you will come to a revelation—they are you. Even if you haven’t yet realized your abilities but know you have to, even if you only know it deep down. If I could choose only one book to add to my library this year, this would be it.
Five Stars

The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great

By: Carmine Gallo

Narrated by: Carmine Gallo

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Release date: 06-05-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 343 ratings

Build your soft skills—no training required

Carmine Gallo, the best-selling author of Talk like TED, explores the power of persuasion in his new book Five Stars. In this inspirational and informative business listen, Gallo provides insight into some of the toughest questions troubling the workforce today. Namely, “How can I outsmart the robots so they don’t take my job?” and “What would it take for me to make a successful career switch?” Through compelling interviews with today’s most successful minds—from Fortune 500 company leaders to neuroscientists and historians—Gallo argues that he has found the common thread that makes humans irreplaceable: communication. Does this philosophy sound familiar? That’s because Aristotle conceived of this message centuries before the first AI. To hammer home the importance of voice, Gallo performs each passage with an assured and encouraging tone.
You Think It, I'll Say It

Stories

By: Curtis Sittenfeld

Narrated by: Emily Rankin, Mark Deakins

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Release date: 04-24-18

Language: English

3.5 out of 5 stars 1,031 ratings

What would you sacrifice for stability?

Curtis Sittenfeld's characters are successful, settled, suburban, and yet, their pasts continue to haunt them. The mean girl from high school, the unlikely hookup, and the persistently present friend from college all threaten to disrupt carefully crafted lives. Tensions rise through inner monologues; outlets for relief come at a premium; change becomes an ever-moving target. Set in post-2016 election America, the stories told in You Think It, I’ll Say It are told through a semi-nihilistic lens and grapple with the question: What is the true price of contentment?
Creative Quest

By: Questlove

Narrated by: Questlove, Fred Armisen, Tariq Trotter, Dion Flynn, Robin Thede, Norm MacDonald

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Release date: 04-24-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,928 ratings

Required listening for the artistic soul

Questlove has some impressive points on his CV. To name a few: he’s the percussionist for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots (also known as the in-house performers on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon), a guest star on shows ranging from The Chappelle Show to Top Chef – and he has a producer credit for the Broadway hit, Hamilton. Not to mention his collaborations with artists such as Jay-Z, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Al Green, Amy Winehouse, and John Legend. His latest achievement? Published author and narrator of his breakthrough ode to the artistic process, Creative Quest. It has expertly woven personal anecdotes, quotable musings (“If you think you’re a creative person, then you are one”), punctuated facts about advancements in the culinary, musical, and visual arts, and thoughtful assertions seasoned with charming laughter, mellifluous melodies, and meditational interludes. In this immersive audiobook, Questlove has created something truly admirable: a pastiche of inspirational advice that is, in and of itself, an innovation.
The Strangest Secret

Enhanced for the 21st Century

By: Earl Nightingale, Janice Bryant Howroyd

Narrated by: Janice Bryant Howroyd

Series: Nightingale-Conant: Motivational

Length: 41 mins

Release date: 02-15-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 217 ratings

Listen to This on Your Run

As the first African-American woman to own a billion-dollar company, Janice Bryant Howroyd knows a thing or two about achieving goals. In her words, “success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal…We become what we think about.” Make this 40-minute listen your daily-mantra to help you get the most out of your exercise routine.
Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility

By: Patty McCord

Narrated by: Patty McCord, Alex Hyde White

Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins

Release date: 01-09-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,105 ratings

Netflix's Strong Female Lead

Former chief talent officer of Netflix Patty McCord knows how to build a better team. Through close analysis and firm decision making, McCord brought Netflix from the brink of bankruptcy to leading entertainment platform. She’s tough on convention, weary of procedure, and strict on discipline. Whether you're a manager at large company, or a thought leader invested in the early stages of defining company culture for a budding startup, McCord's tested advice on boosting productivity, predicting growth, and overcoming challenges will help you empower your staff, create better products, and attract customers.
Thinking in Bets

Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts

By: Annie Duke

Narrated by: Annie Duke

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Release date: 02-06-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 6,145 ratings

How to play the hand you’re dealt

American Professional Poker Player Annie Duke knows all about luck. More specifically, how it can skew our perception of what’s a good idea, or a bad one. Duke teaches us that while there are forces outside of our control, there are strategies to better play the hand we’re dealt. Thinking in Bets is not a book about gambling, but it is about making decisions when you don’t know all the details. Learn why the choices that lead to your success aren’t always the best ones, and why the ones that end in failure aren’t always the worst. This book will challenge everything you think you know about making predictions and reflecting on your actions. . .you can bet on it.
Close to Om

Stretching Yoga from Your Mat to Your Life

By: Andrea Marcum

Narrated by: Andrea Marcum

Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 12-26-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

Andrea Marcum's yoga-as-lifestyle approach is just what I need to stretch past my current physical and mental limits—and keep my wellness resolutions on track.
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts

By: Gary Chapman

Narrated by: Gary Chapman

Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins

Release date: 12-26-04

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 42,443 ratings

Reliable Relationship Advice

For most millennials, love truly is a four-letter word. It’s not that we want to connect any less than our parents did, in fact, we’re over-connected—to the point where we obsess over micro-actions, such as a swipe right or a thumbs up, to determine if things are going well with a certain someone (or someones). So this year, stop tirelessly attempting to decode social media posts and resolve to listen to your elders. Gary Chapman tells it like it is (in a twangy, but firm, Southern accent): you have to learn how your partner expresses love, and vice versa, in order for it to work. You might not speak the same love language—after all, there are five of them—but you can work to understand each other. Whether you want to turn your situation-ship into a relationship, or revitalize your marriage, start here for solid, time-tested advice on how to communicate—without character limits. –Rachael
When to Jump

If the Job You Have Isn't the Life You Want

By: Mike Lewis

Narrated by: Mike Lewis, full cast, Sheryl Sandberg

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 01-09-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 222 ratings

Go Your Own Way

“Life is what you make it.” For Mike Lewis, who left a high-paying corporate job at the young age of 24 to become a professional squash player, these words could not be truer. Which, is not to say that accomplishments happen overnight. In the course of his own “jump,” Lewis spoke to over 40 highly qualified experts, everyone from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, to the designer of the Lyft logo, Ethan Eyler, and learned that fulfillment requires risk. When to Jump isn’t just a kick-ass collection of stories narrated by an impressive full cast, it’s also a road map to creating your own success. Change is intimidating, but these experts have handed us a parachute. Make the jump. –Rachael
Sleep Smarter

21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success

By: Shawn Stevenson, Sara Gottfried MD - foreword

Narrated by: Sara Gottfried, Shawn Stevenson

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Release date: 08-16-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,629 ratings

Get Smart about Sleep

Getting to sleep does more than just keep you energized, it’s also crucial to your health. Sleeping better can even help you meet your weight-loss goals. But if you’re anything like the millions of Americans who have a tough time falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting deep sleep, then it’s time to Sleep Smarter. Shawn Stevenson used sleep to repair his body after a degenerative bone disease crushed his dreams of becoming a professional athlete. Through his 14-day sleep makeover, you can rejuvenate your health, mind, and even career—that’s a manageable amount of time to spend on a resolution, don’t you think? –Rachael
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

By: Daniel H. Pink

Narrated by: Daniel H. Pink

Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins

Release date: 01-09-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,683 ratings

Timing is everything

Daniel H. Pink (#1 New York Times best-selling author of Drive and To Sell Is Human) explores why, how, and, yes, when timing really does matter. If you’ve ever asked yourself, "What time should I go to sleep? Is it better to be the first person interviewed, or the last? Am I going through a mid-life crisis? When should I get married? What time of day should I schedule my surgery? Why do I procrastinate so much?" or even, "What are my chances of making it to the next round in a national singing competition?" then this book is for you. Pink’s writing isn’t just informative and backed by leading research in psychology, biology, and economics, it’s eerily relatable—like listening to the plot of what your life could be if only you were in all the right places at all the right times. So, when should you listen to this book? Now.
The Disaster Artist

My Life inside 'The Room', the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made

By: Greg Sestero, Tom Bissell

Narrated by: Greg Sestero

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Release date: 05-19-14

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 8,793 ratings

The Role Greg Sestero Actually Deserves

The first time I watched The Room, I laughed, cringed, gasped, and teared up -- for all the wrong reasons. The story behind the "worst movie ever made" is arguably everything director Tommy Wiseau envisioned, but ultimately failed to deliver. Greg Sestero (actor who played Mark) tells his side of the story -- one that's ripe with creative passion, friendship, and betrayal -- on the making of this flub film turned cult classic.
Ep. 1: You Need Help to Help Her

By: Esther Perel

Narrated by: Esther Perel

Length: 44 mins

Release date: 10-24-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 979 ratings

My favorite this year

Relationships are complex and with so much controversy in 2017, there seems to be a shortage of common ground. People lie, they cheat, they have hang-ups, and they aren’t always there for the ones they love. Thankfully, this year also brought two seasons of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel. In this Audible Original audio show, expert relationship counselor and celebrated author, Esther Perel, helps real-life couples understand their own shortcomings, leading them on the path to mutual resolution, even when the answer is to go separate ways. Esther offers insight on everything from healing after trauma, to overcoming infidelity, to navigating mental health issues. Esther’s empathy and truthfulness is refreshing in a time of uncertainty, and it’s what makes her show the very best of 2017.
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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

By: Junot Díaz

Narrated by: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Karen Olivo

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Release date: 12-20-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,785 ratings

Wondrous, Indeed

Junot Díaz’s prose is already animated on the page—but when I first heard the talented Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Moana) perform The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, I couldn’t help but wonder if Díaz designed this work for audio. As Miranda narrates in the first person as Oscar’s friend, Yunior, the colorful language, teen angst, identity crisis–fueled awkwardness, and cringe-worthy adolescent male attempts to “get a girl” seamlessly come together to produce undeniably human characters.
Beloved

By: Toni Morrison

Narrated by: Toni Morrison

Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins

Release date: 05-22-06

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,108 ratings

New Love for Beloved

My hard copy of Beloved is bursting at the seams with sticky notes, so when I first heard Toni Morrison through my earbuds, I nearly gasped. All of the lines sound like a first line: they hook you in and haunt you for some time after. Embedded in Morrison’s lyricism are powerful truths about the horrors of American slavery. Morrison explores how humanity in the face of oppression could turn an unspeakable act into a defiant display of autonomy. The character of Baby Suggs seeks to prove that there are fates worse than death.
I Am Malala

The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

By: Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb - contributor

Narrated by: Archie Panjabi

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 10-08-13

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 11,937 ratings

Impressive Courage from a Young Woman

In a world where terror begets violence, upends lives, and paralyzes the masses, Malala Yousafzai (winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, 2015) is among the brave who fight back. But Malala wasn’t a trained soldier or an undercover journalist when the Taliban in Pakistan shot and almost killed her in 2012—she was a fifteen-year-old girl. Archie Panjabi seamlessly performs the voice of a triumphant young Muslim woman navigating a dangerous landscape to fight for the right to receive an education.