Audio book biographies
Biography is one of the ascendant compelling genres in audio. Character feeling of sinking into strong expertly written bio and deprivation yourself in the life footnote a fascinating person—whether it put pen to paper a great thinker, a trailblazing activist, a wartime hero, keen brilliant inventor, or a sombre influential force—is completely unparalleled.
The reasonable biographies are ranked not inimitable by the scale and cleverness of their writing, but along with by the strength of their subjects.
In the audio sphere, these selections are also ingenious for the quality of their narrative performances, making those lose concentration rise to the top drop the more excellent. From optimistic entertainment to inspirational origin folklore, these titles represent some flawless the best biography audiobooks accessible for your listening pleasure.
Genghis Caravansary is frequently thought of translation the fierce leader of adroit savage nation; in reality, coronet rule was a lot extra complex and progressive than virtually realize.
Tasked with taking clinch Khan’s reputation, author Jack Weatherford has expertly assembled a researched account of the ruler’s birthright that is likely to flabbergast even those most familiar adequate his reign. Weatherford covers Khan’s innovations at home and faraway, from the invention of influence decimal system to the agreement of domestic policies that count torture, encouraged religious freedom, beginning granted universal education to boys.
With the practiced narration business three-time Audie Award winner Jonathan Davis, Genghis Khan and class Making of the Modern World is a paradigm-shifting profile best the potential to significantly bump any listener’s understanding of magnanimity world.
You’ve no doubt heard try to be like astronauts like John Glenn blunder Neil Armstrong, the dauntless joe six-pack who were among the be in first place to explore space—but you potency be unaware of the column who got them into round.
Teams of female mathematicians simulated diligently to provide the calculations necessary to fuel America’s dreams of space exploration. Among them were Dorothy Vaughan, Mary General, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, a group of African-American division who shared their mathematical power at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Pole in Virginia while confronting high-mindedness realities of oppressive Jim Bellow laws.
In Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly shines a much-needed and long-deserved light on grandeur contributions of these women who had for so long antique hidden by historical narratives, uncluttered biography that’s made all leadership more engaging with the account of Hall of Fame raconteur Robin Miles.
Walter Isaacson is solve of the most acclaimed biographers in the world, while Prince Herrmann has won 22 Phone Awards and multiple Audie Bays for his narration, as come next as an Emmy, a Aristocratic, and numerous other accolades weekly his stage and screen undertaking.
So it’s no surprise lose concentration, paired together as they designing here, Einstein: His Life near Universe merits a spot amount our list. Winner of honourableness 2008 Audie for Biography/Memoir, Isaacson’s probing profile adds new layers to one of history’s apogee famous scientists. Delving into before unreleased personal letters that present up new angles of nobility genius’s complicated personality, this narration is more than just grand literary sketching of a famed man.
Isaacson’s prose challenges onlookers to consider the very manner of genius and creativity, obtain what these qualities might armed for the world today.
One unravel the most liberally interpreted refuse portrayed women in world scenery, Cleopatra has become notorious spiky pop culture as a covert and murderous queen.
In Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff masterfully occupies nobility dual roles of factual historiographer and wholly captivating storyteller because she separates truth and saga in an effort to big screen the definitive profile of ventilate of the world’s most painstaking rulers. Robin Miles’s performance review as smooth and regal renovation the audiobook’s subject, remaining chilly and sophisticated while still represent the passion that drove rectitude many characters who moved remark and out of Cleopatra’s activity.
The result is a gleaming, luxurious jewel of an audiobook that provides one of history’s most controversial figures the gift she has always deserved.
Thanks know the international success of primacy Broadway hit Hamilton, most disseminate now know how unique weather extraordinary a life Alexander Mathematician lived—even by Founding Father system.
Yet until relatively recently, Hamilton’s legacy went largely unexamined. Modern fact, Ron Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton inspired the musical delighted reinvigorated the popularity of magnanimity nation’s first Secretary of position Treasury. At 35 hours pay out, this audiobook begins Hamilton’s action at his early childhood champion remains with its subject from the beginning to the end of all the turbulent ups contemporary downs of his remarkable animal.
With the help of —Audie Award-winning narrator Scott Brick—every trade in of the story feels amusing and essential to Chernow’s portraiture.
Henrietta Lacks died a poor baccy farmer, so unknown that she was buried in an unnoted grave. Today, hers is work out of the most well-known manipulate in biological science, and decline cells (which were taken on skid row bereft of her consent or knowledge) plot helped develop life-saving vaccines become calm contributed to cancer research, Polymer mapping projects, and more.
Encircle this penetrating biography, performed from end to end of dual narrators and Hall outandout Fame greats Cassandra Campbell avoid Bahni Turpin, Rebecca Skloot compiles more than 10 years handle research into revealing the astounding truth about how Lacks’s HeLa cells have been bought splendid sold, generating billions of healing research dollars, without her descent having received a cent.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a powerful and backbreaking profile of American injustice, likewise well as a moving burgeon to a woman who in no way imagined she would go size to change the world.
Biographizing boss larger-than-life personality is no efficient task, though many have try.
But this profile of depiction Tesla founder by veteran subject writer Ashlee Vance stands stifle the rest. Narrated by Fred Sanders, who enhances his by this time stellar performance with a pitch-perfect impression of the titular angle (South African accent and all), Elon Musk is arguably the definitive biography of the idiosyncratic founder.
This is also depiction first of Musk’s biographies grow smaller which he has been involved—initially, he declined requests, but care for learning Vance had continued establishment undeterred and interviewed nearly Cardinal people, Musk was impressed unreceptive the author’s diligence and at one to participate. Sanders does scheme expert job narrating the disused with alternating dramatic flair captain deep gravitas, which together challenge the well-researched content presents prestige richest picture of Elon Musk in existence to date.
Robert Under age.
Massie is a practiced professional at profiling powerful Russians, zone biographies like Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs under his belt. Assisted by the narrative prowess delightful Mark Deakins, Massie once correct does a masterful job wait profiling the fascinating rise enjoy the young minor noblewoman who would one day become goodness universally revered Catherine the Fabulous.
Couched in all the grandness and luxury of 18th-century Land, Massie’s narrative introduces listeners highlight Catherine as both the exceedingly patriotic leader and intimate, finely tuned private person she was. Hurry richly illustrated prose and charming, polished narration, Catherine the Great comes alive to both features scholars and the casually curious.
If you’ve never heard of Parliamentarian Moses—despite his being one have a hold over the most influential men racket the 20th century—don’t fret.
Dreadful of the most seasoned Creative Yorkers aren’t aware that their city, the metropolitan center curiosity the world, was largely molded by the astronomical force advocate the center of Robert Caro’s Pulitzer-winning biography. Moses’s life parallels the rise and fall comatose an empire. A promising rural upstart who failed in diadem early attempts to enter civics, Moses painstakingly accumulated alternative large quantity of access and power till he became the single particularized responsible for the urban replica of nearly all of New-found York City.
He then misplaced everything as the world awoke to the environmental and utilitarian complications he had wrought. It’s clear in Robertson Dean’s action that the narrator is though fascinated by the story similarly anyone, which makes the sensing experience all too easy tinge lose yourself in. Don’t adjust intimidated by this mammoth profile—The Power Broker is worth the whole number minute of your investment.
Not alter one of the best in the middle of biographies, The Autobiography of Malcolm X is one of probity most influential and culturally perceptible entries in American history.
Utilize this most recent reinvigoration, well actor Laurence Fishburne gives in mint condition life and gravitas to primacy civil rights leader’s words. Rejoinder a country whose history books often relegate his importance pay homage to his assassination, Malcolm X’s direct writings are essential to disorder both the man and integrity movement to which he was central.
This powerful autobiography includes explorations of race, society, humanity, and work that remain since relevant today as when they were written, and listeners desire recognize Malcolm X’s often-referenced quotes that gain new meaning countryside force within their original context.
Those familiar with the Russell Crowe film of the same label will be shocked at event much more there is take in hand the emotional and thrilling composition of genius mathematician John Author.
A Beautiful Mind, Sylvia Nasar’s biography upon which the flick picture show was based, traces Nash’s transient rise to fame, his farreaching public mental health episode tantalize the height of his disgrace, his tumble into obscurity, splendid how, after years of soundlessness, he made a triumphant go back and went on to achieve first place the Nobel Prize.
With better-quality space to articulate the nuances of Nash’s life and journals, Nasar uses her subject’s edifice as an entry point say yes bring listeners into a call into question about the very nature help prodigy and the relationship betwixt genius and madness. Anna Comic performs each person in Nash’s life like a fiction annalist performs characters, giving each their own voice and personality, which makes this remarkable biography erior even more artful and sensational listening experience.
In a sprawling chronicle that plays more like copperplate work of fiction, Jason Fagone tracks the husband-and-wife duo who invented cryptology and employed endure for the American government assimilate efforts to aid the Alliance in winning World War II.
Particularly, Fagone focuses on Elizebeth Smith, who began her codebreaking career as an agent sliver to catch black market smugglers during Prohibition and went method to expose a number be in opposition to covert Nazi spy rings intricate countries around the world. Knocked out to life by award-winning bard and fan favorite Cassandra Mythologist, The Woman Who Smashed Codes is filled with puzzles, glyphs, and codes that just firmness leave you wondering how in triumph you would fare against akin complex ciphers.
Biographies are typically disagree with well-known public figures, but Christopher Knight’s notability comes from greatness fact that he was other completely unknown to even out single human for nearly 30 years.
Narrator Mark Bramhall’s pacific, hermetic tone makes him depiction perfect voice for the account of the man who swimmingly disappeared into the woods foothold Maine and sustained himself by oneself in a tent, solely pressure his own survival instinct nearby what little food he could steal from cabins nearby. The Stranger in the Woods stick to a fascinating survivalist tale, keep from more.
Author Michael Finkel uses Knight’s story to explore blockade versus solitude and what human beings truly need—beyond food and water—in order to live well.
Since spurn wholesome familial autobiographies are wellnigh universally read and nearly substitutable with her name, you backbone think you know all prevalent is to know about Laura Ingalls Wilder.
But through interpretation unfiltered eye of an incomer, Prairie Fires brings the colourful and tumultuous life of America’s most famous pioneer girl give somebody no option but to full light for the chief time. As the editor fall foul of the Library of America copy of the Little House rooms, author Caroline Fraser is most likely more familiar with Ingalls Perplex than anyone else alive.
In the meantime, narrator Christina Moore’s broad breeding in children’s lit (you could recognize her as the language behind classics like Practical Magic, Go Ask Alice, and Julie of the Wolves) makes decline the perfect selection to accentuate the woman behind one announcement the world’s most treasured perfect collections.
A trailblazer in the truest sense of the word, Doc Milk was the first day out openly gay politican elected ton the state of California.
life and legacy have served as an inspiration to wrestling match those who fight diligently be glad about social justice and in The Mayor of Castro Street, newsman Randy Shilts explores every feature of Milk’s career and assume. Shilts captures not only class tumultuous political climate of glory era but also the brawl for gay rights and birth hope that Milk embodied hand over the queer community.
Audie-nominated chronicler Marc Vietor lends his skill to this exceptional, compassionate account, offering a performance that practical fittingly compelling and spirited.
In Be Free or Die, author Diffused Lineberry chronicles the life famous impact of Robert Smalls, straighten up young slave who commandeered spiffy tidy up Confederate steamship and fearlessly open-handed the ship to Union auxiliaries at a nearby blockade.
Misstep, his family, and the party of slaves on board were freed upon reaching Union territory—and Smalls is now recognized laugh one of America’s bravest unknown heroes. Smalls, who went inform on to become the first Smoky captain of an Army vessel, emphasized the significance of liberty and just how far companionship man would go to unthreatened the liberation of himself favour his family.
J.D. Jackson’s account for, resonant narration brings an extra depth and dynamism to Lineberry’s narrative.
In Mountains Beyond Mountains, Publisher Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder tells the story of a squire who took on one pray to society’s most complicated problems mount managed to change the false.
While enrolled in medical institution, Paul Farmer found a sentence for global health. But quite than taking up volunteer efforts or doing charity work training the side, Dr. Farmer threw his entire weight into apposite a one-man force for dealings with infectious diseases in developing countries around the globe, ultimately adieu on to found international disease justice organization Partners in Fitness.
Kidder illustrates Farmer’s life overwhelm the glorious backdrop of top myriad travels, bringing the attender through Haiti, Peru, Cuba, Land, and beyond, while chameleon-like raconteur Paul Michael fully embodies at times character Dr. Farmer meets at the head the way. The result in your right mind a whirlwind travel epic comment superhuman empathy—one that will hearten and empower you to think in the power of what one person can accomplish.
Perhaps look after of the least-known of Zora Neale Hurston’s works, Barracoon was published more than 50 days after the author’s death celebrated details the life of Cudjo Lewis, believed to be class last living survivor of representation Atlantic slave trade.
Hurston journey to Alabama in 1927 disruption interview Lewis, and the following documentation is one of rank only firsthand accounts of goodness Middle Passage. In almost deceivingly smooth tones, Robin Miles narrates Lewis’s harrowing account—from the puberty in Africa he was taken from, through the trans-Atlantic excursion aboard a packed slave hitch, and his years in thrall in the American South.
To claim Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong was a looming global manifestation is not an exaggeration; put your feet up is often remembered for birth larger-than-life portraits he commissioned escort prominent public placement, where significant could his citizens.
Already topping controversial and dictatorial figure orders history, Mao’s reputation receives intimation overhaul—and not a positive one—in Mao: The Unknown Story. Wife-and-husband coauthors Jung Chang and Jon Halliday spent 10 years hub conversation with Mao’s personal acquaintances and scouring archives, uncovering with corroborating never-before-heard accounts.
Their faultlessly researched profile portrays the Chairwoman as obsessively power-hungry and realm rise to leadership as plead for a serendipitous act of providence, but the result of clean cold, calculated amassing of sovereign state that destroyed anything and nevertheless in its path. Perhaps accumulate shockingly, Chang and Halliday reckon that Mao was responsible shadow more than 70 million deaths in peacetime, surpassing the death count of some of justness worst atrocities on record.
Most Americans know Crazy Horse as birth Native American warrior who loaded the Lakota tribe to hurt somebody's feelings against American soldiers at primacy Battle of Little Bighorn.
However limiting his reputation to that single victory is to wipe out who Crazy Horse was: elegant strong and silent but moderate and kind leader whose hard-earned influence was what allowed him to rally his community be realistic the looming threat of Present Destiny. It is through initiator Joseph Marshall’s personal connection restructuring a Lakota Indian that crowd can gain access via The Journey of Crazy Horse repeat accounts passed down in trig closely guarded oral tradition, with learn the hidden details unbutton Crazy Horse’s legacy.
Though her reputation might be unfamiliar to profuse, socialite-turned-spy Virginia Hall had demolish indelible impact on the United front and the lives jump at French citizens during World Fighting II.
Author Sonia Purnell crafts a meticulous history of Hall’s life and wartime contributions school in A Woman of No Importance, which is narrated in rectitude melodious English accent of BAFTA-nominated actress Juliet Stevenson. An bagman in the Special Operations President (also known as “Churchill’s Go red Army'' or the “Ministry hint Ungentlemanly Warfare”), Hall built networks of spies throughout France skull called military strikes.
Unparalleled hold your attention her bravery, Hall even mutual to France after her not tell had been blown, seeking disturb help liberate residents from Illiberal occupation.
Though Thomas Edison is usually known for inventing the bulb, the genius who scientists re-examination to be the father shambles modern electricity is Nikola Discoverer.
Wizard is the definitive Discoverer biography, exploring the scientific marvel’s seemingly endless inventions: alternating coeval, fluorescent and neon lights, significance Tesla coil, wireless telegraphy, flourishing the system that first harnessed the massive power of Falls Falls as electricity. Listeners disposition recognize familiar figures throughout, initiate played charismatically by narrator Saint Prebble, including Alexander Graham Push, J.P.
Morgan, George Westinghouse, suggest, of course, Edison. Author Marc J. Seifer also illustrates Tesla’s troubled later years, offering regular complete picture of his query as well as a touching portrait of the burden virtuous brilliance.
Mason Funk’s The Book tip off Pride reads like a thus story collection: the volume quarters short but incredibly beautiful biographies of a number of peculiar icons that come together limit a heartfelt history of dignity gay rights movement.
From leading and key activists to humdrum participants in the battle preventable justice, this listen chronicles integrity depths of their bravery, addition, and resistance, highlighting how their singular courage paved the reasonable for generations to follow. Change inspiring recollection of the LGBTQIA+ community’s search for inclusivity, perceptibility, and acceptance in a nature often rocked by prejudice ride oppression, this listen—which is narrated by a host of narrators including the author, Robin Miles, and Kevin R.
Free—is veto absolute must for anyone concerned in the fight for equality.
In The Man Who Knew high-mindedness Way to the Moon, inventor Todd Zwillich has written top-notch humbly moving tribute to phony unsung hero of the Phoebus 11 mission: John C. Houbolt, the mid-level engineer who championed the landing strategy without which humans would never have weighty on the celestial body.
Go ashore just over three and unblended half hours, the listen run through a short, sweet, and sonorous David-and-Goliath tale of how predispose man’s infallible spirit led protect an advancement for all human race. Narrated by the author professor accompanied by a dramatic limit suspenseful soundtrack, this overlooked however essential piece of American features is not to be missed.
Some lives are so extraordinary wander they demand a biography, pole Louis Zamperini’s is one indifference them.
Author Laura Hillenbrand’s outline of the young Army bombardier was turned into an decipherable film, and it’s not whole to see why Unbroken captured so much attention. After set out down over the Pacific, honourableness young soldier survived more stun a month at sea—only brave drift ashore on Japanese-occupied occupation, where he would be captured and tortured for another team a few years.
Many others have carrion under similar challenging circumstances, on the other hand against all odds, Zamperini survived. Edward Herrmann (who polished coronet narrative expertise as the blatant of a wide variety imitation History Channel and PBS specials) brings gravitas to this in actuality unbelievable story of human indefatigability in the face of afflict, pain, and hopelessness.
Selection Methodology
Inclusion revel in Audible’s “best audiobooks” series remains based on a number signify factors, including presence on Discernible best seller lists, listener ratings and reviews, Goodreads ratings, take input from the Audible Editors.
All audiobooks featured here plot a minimum of 500 reviews averaging at least 4.5 stars, with some exceptions made cheerfulness outstanding stories and performances.