Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning: Staying True to Myself from the Pews to the Stage

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, keyboardist for the mega pop band Maroon 5, and founder of Morton Records, PJ Morton details the inspiring journey that led to his unique sound and urges readers to follow their own dreams. The son of pastors and gospel artists, PJ Morton grew up in church, singing gospel music, grounded by its soulful sound. As he was drawn to R&B and pop, PJ experimented in combining genres to create his own sound that record labels struggled to categorize. Pressured to align with industry standards but committed to his own dream of his original music, he defied expectations and risked launching his own label, Morton Records. Under it, he developed six self-released and self-produced albums that garnered twenty Grammy nominations and awards, and included collaborations with such acclaimed artists as Stevie Wonder, Kirk Franklin, and Lil Wayne. PJ Morton is the rare artist who has straddled the tensions of life, whether in music or faith expressions, or in racial and cultural identities, while staying true to his New Orleans and Christian roots. A pioneer blazing his own path, he developed an independent sound without even knowing what that was in an industry he didn't fully understand, setting the way for artists who follow him. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning captures his powerful, courageous journey of combining his two worlds, showing readers how to overcome obstacles as they seek their own dreams.

Pj Morton (Author), Ernie Johnson Jr., PJ Morton, TBD (Narrator)

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A Yard of Sky: A Story of Love, Resistance and Hope

Brought to you by Penguin. THE HEART-STOPPING BOOK EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IN 2023 The extraordinary story that united the nation to bring a mother home On 3 April 2016 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was at the airport in Tehran, getting ready to board her flight with her baby daughter. They'd been visiting family in Iran, and were looking forward to getting home and seeing Richard, who would be there to meet them. When a man suddenly appeared and marched Nazanin away, they couldn't know their family was about to be changed forever. That moment would test their love, confront five foreign secretaries and take an ordinary family behind the curtain of international hostage diplomacy and secret debts. Their story galvanised a campaign of hope for millions, which would eventually free Nazanin and bring her home. Six years later, almost to the day, Nazanin landed back in the UK. This is the full account of that long journey, told by Nazanin and Richard for the very first time. © Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Richard Ratcliffe 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Richard Ratcliffe (Author), TBD (Narrator)

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A Woman Like Me: A Memoir

Brought to you by Penguin. A powerful memoir that tells the story of modern Britain, from one of the UK's most original and inspiring politicians June 1987: Diane Abbott makes history as the first elected Black female MP in the UK. Since then, she has survived more than three decades in parliament, campaigning tirelessly for a better future for Britain, from increasing access to education through the Black Child Initiative, to consistently voting in favour of higher disability benefits. With her trademark frankness and humour, her memoir, A Woman Like Me, will celebrate an extraordinary life and encourage a new generation to surpass expectations, just as she has done. In her honest and moving book, Diane takes the reader through her incredible journey, from growing up in North London with her Jamaican parents to entering the Houses of Parliament as a bright and ambitious young politician. In doing so, she paints a candid portrait of what it's like to face a barrage of hostility every day, shows us how she was able to battle impostor syndrome and succeed against the odds, and empowers us with the strength to change the fabric of this country for the better. © Diane Abbott 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Diane Abbott (Author), Diane Abbott, TBD (Narrator)

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A Little More of Me

Paulina Rubio, the Mexican singer, songwriter, actress, model, and businesswoman known as the “Queen of Latin Pop” opens her heart to her millions of fans in this soul-baring memoir. With her infectious pop songs, Paulina Rubino has taken the world of Latin Pop by storm, and her popularity knows no borders. In this no-holds-barred memoir, she chronicles the incredible highs (sold out tours worldwide) and soul-shattering lows (two divorces, both on account of cheating husbands) that have defined her life. For the first time the pop star speaks openly about the events that have shaped her and the challenges she has overcome. Paulina shares crucial moments in her past, reveals her battles with body image issues, recalls how she made her way to the top in a male-dominated industry, shares the joys and pitfalls of raising her children as a single mother, and divulges how she learned the hard lesson that she could depend only on herself. Includes 8-pages of color and black-and-white photos.

Paulina Rubio (Author), TBD (Narrator)

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Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman

For fans of books like Oscar Wars, London’s Number One Dog Walking Agency, and Waiter Rant, and all those who have always wondered what the driver for Sex and the City’s Mr. Big has to say, comes this heartfelt, laugh-out-loud memoir from a New York City doorman with astute ears and a penchant for storytelling. As an academically gifted Latino kid growing up in the Bronx, Stephen Bruno’s family had high aspirations for his future. He attended magnet schools and selective academic programs and was on track to realize his potential. But those dreams were derailed when, much to his Mami’s dismay, he followed a girlfriend to Minnesota and a dead-end job. Languishing and unable to get it together, Stephen eventually moved back home. Broke and eager to make a way for himself—and away from the oppressively religious father wreaking havoc on his love life—the affable, easy going, and quick-witted Stephen lands a much-coveted job as a doorman at a high-end building on Park Avenue. Hilarity and drama soon abound as Stephen learns the dos and don’ts of being a doorman for the rich and famous and witnesses the antics going on behind the front entrance of this swanky building. In Building Material, he shares those entertaining tales and introduces an unforgettable cast of characters—from Puerto Rican and Albanian doormen battling it out for turf to quirky one percenters to slimy sugar daddies to his peers, both friends and frenemies. Throughout, Stephen offers a glimpse into the unfathomable lives of the residents and a sharp portrait of an everyday man wanting more for himself. Both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, Building Material is a captivating true tale of class, failure, and redemption—and how to come back swinging—from a gifted young talent.

Stephen Bruno (Author), Stephen Bruno, TBD (Narrator)

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You Can Do It!: Speak Your Mind, America

An unfiltered and hilarious commentary on the threats to free speech in America from the legendary comedian, actor, and Emmy-nominated SNL writer. Rob Schneider's childhood in the San Francisco Bay area with parents of mixed-race backgrounds shaped his view of the world: that America affords the greatest opportunity for peoples from all nations and all faiths. But today, in this world gone mad, free speech is under attack. And Rob Schneider keeps finding himself in controversy for expressing a few irreverent -- but commonsense -- opinions about what woke ideology is doing to our great nation. Still, he refuses to be censored. In his debut book, Schneider will make you laugh out loud as he tells his unique story of a Hollywood-comedian-turned-vocal-advocate for open dialogue. He takes readers along for a ride through his life in show business (where he's starred in 27 movies with his friend Adam Sandler), shares stories from the glory days of Saturday Night Live, and makes a persuasive case for fearlessness in comedy and speech. Comedians matter because they have a unique position in society to stand up against tyranny. For hundreds of years, the role of the satirist has been to explain society to society in real time. Now, in the present day, you won't lose your head for daring to mock the king and question the approved narrative, but the pro-censorship crowd will go after your pocketbook -- and you might lose your YouTube channel. It was said during the days of Covid the difference between a conspiracy theory and the truth was about six months. Schneider refuses to believe he's dangerous for saying what he thinks. In fact, the opposite is true-it's dangerous to not question the narrative. It's dangerous to not exercise your free speech. This book is part celeb memoir, part warning, and part siren call to action. It's not for the easily offended (though they should probably burn the text into their brains). It's time America says what it really thinks. That's what Rob Schneider's doing. And as this humorous but vitally important book shows readers, you can do it too.

Rob Schneider (Author), Rob Schneider, Tbd (Narrator)

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What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beauti

From dealing with your mean teenage daughter to rebelling against the latest diet trend, America's newest standup sensation packs a hilarious punch with her real talk about what it's like to be a regular woman today. For a long time, no one pulling the strings in the comedy world thought that an over-fifty woman from rural Tennessee could make it in the industry. But Leanne Morgan has defied the odds, reaching millions with her musings on menopause, Weight Watchers, and her opposites-attract relationship with her husband, Chuck. In her charming, Southern-accented voice, Morgan brings readers inside her quest to find her calling after so many years trying to figure out what that meant. Along the way, she discusses everything from growing up as a butcher's daughter, to her strategy for landing a husband with health insurance, to the glories of aging and the comfort of wearing big old grannie panties. Equal parts warm and hilarious, this book is a must-read by one of comedy's rising stars-reminding you that every time life leaves you asking, "What in the world?", something good is going to come out of it someday.

Leanne Morgan (Author), Leanne Morgan, TBD (Narrator)

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Friendly Fire: A Fractured Memoir

One month before his college graduation, Paul Rousseau is accidentally shot in the head by his roommate and best friend. At some point in the course of Paul and Mark's friendship, Mark acquired-legally and with required permits-five firearms. Those weapons lived with them in their college apartment. It was a non-issue for the two best friends. They were inseparable. They were twenty-two-year-old boys at the height of their college experience, unaware that everything was about to change forever. The bullet ripped through two walls before it struck Paul's skull. Mark had accidentally pulled the trigger while in the other room and-frightened for his own future-delayed getting treatment for Paul, who miraculously remained conscious the entire time. In vivid detail, Friendly Fire brings us into the world of both the shooting itself and its surgical counterpoint-the dark spaces of survival in the face of a traumatic brain injury and into the paranoid, isolating, dehumanizing maw of personal injury cases. Friendly Fire is the story of a friendship-both its formation and its destruction. Through phenomenal writing and gripping detail, Paul reveals a compelling and inspirational story that speaks to much of contemporary American life.

Paul Rousseau (Author), Michael Crouch, TBD (Narrator)

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Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal: My Adventures in Neurodiversity

Robin Ince (Author), Robin Ince, TBD (Narrator)

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Mayor of the Tenderloin: Del Seymour's Journey from Living on the Streets to Fighting Homelessness i

The unforgettable account of Del Seymour, who overcame 18 years of homelessness and addiction to become one of the most respected advocates in San Francisco In the Mayor of Tenderloin, journalist Alison Owings slips behind the cold statistics and sensationalism surrounding San Francisco's Tenderloin to reveal a harrowing and life-affirming account of Del Seymour-whose addiction led him into eighteen years of homelessness, pimping, and drug dealing. Once sober, he started Tenderloin Walking Tours and later Code Tenderloin, the remarkable organization teaching homeless, recovering addicts, sex workers, dealers, ex-felons, and other marginalized people how to get and keep a job. Owings traces Del's story and those in his orbit: from his daughters, sobriety buddy, and ex-girlfriend, to a police captain and a psychiatric social worker, housing activists and corporate philanthropists, and Del's Code Tenderloin students. In the Tenderloin, in a city known for its beauty and currently infamous for its divide between haves and have-nots, Owings highlights how Del gives back to people struggling with the same daunting setbacks-including a criminal record-he once faced. Honest and compelling, The Mayor of Tenderloin follows homelessness in one of America's toughest neighborhoods as it was lived-in the words of someone who lived it and is now fighting to solve it.

Alison Owings (Author), Jeremy Durm, Kevin Jasper, TBD (Narrator)

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Confronting the Presidents: No Spin Assessments from Washington to Biden

Every American president, from Washington to Biden: Their lives, policies, foibles, and legacies, assessed with clear-eyed authority and wit. Authors of the acclaimed Killing books, the #1 bestselling narrative history series in the world, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard begin a new direction with Confronting the Presidents. From Washington to Jefferson, Lincoln to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Kennedy to Nixon, Reagan to Obama and Biden, the 45 United States presidents have left lasting impacts on our nation. Some of their legacies continue today, some are justly forgotten, and some have changed as America has changed. Whether famous, infamous, or obscure, all the presidents shaped our nation in unexpected ways. The authors' extensive research has uncovered never before seen historical facts based on private correspondence and newly discovered documentation, such as George Washington's troubled relationship with his mother. In Confronting the Presidents, O’Reilly and Dugard present 45 wonderfully entertaining and insightful portraits of each president, with no-spin commentary on their achievements—or lack thereof. Who best served America, and who undermined the founding ideals? Who were the first ladies, and what were their surprising roles in making history? Which presidents were the best, which the worst, and which didn’t have much impact? How do decisions made in one era, under the pressure of particular circumstances, still resonate today? And what do presidents like to eat, drink, and do when they aren’t working—or even sometimes when they are? These and many more questions are answered in each fascinating chapter of Confronting the Presidents. Written with O’Reilly and Dugard’s signature style, authority, and eye for telling detail, Confronting the Presidents will delight all readers of history, politics, and current affairs, especially during the 2024 election season.

Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard (Author), Robert Petkoff, TBD (Narrator)

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Connie: A Memoir

In an industry dominated by white men, Connie Chung stood alone, the first and only Asian woman to break into the television news industry. This is her extraordinary story, told with incisive wit and remarkable candor. Connie Chung is a pioneer. In 1969 at the age of 23, this once-shy daughter of Chinese parents took her first job at a local TV station in her hometown of Washington, D.C. and soon thereafter began working at CBS news as a correspondent. Profoundly influenced by her family's cultural traditions, yet growing up completely Americanized in the United States, Chung describes her career as an Asian woman in a white male-centered world. Overt sexism was a way of life, but Chung was tenacious in her pursuit of stories - battling rival reporters to secure scoops that ranged from interviewing Magic Johnson to covering the Watergate scandal - and quickly became a household name. She made history when she achieved her dream of being the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News and the first Asian to anchor any news program in the U.S. Chung pulls no punches as she provides a behind-the-scenes tour of her singular life. From showdowns with powerful men in and out of the newsroom to the stories behind some of her career-defining reporting and the unwavering support of her husband, Maury Povich, nothing is off-limits - good, bad, or ugly. So be sure to tune in for an irreverent and inspiring exclusive: this is CONNIE like you've never seen her before.

Connie Chung (Author), Connie Chung, Tbd (Narrator)

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