Women Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire

Dubbed the "pirate queen" by the Vatican and Spain's Philip II, Elizabeth I was feared and admired by her enemies. Extravagant, whimsical, and hot-tempered, Elizabeth was the epitome of power. Her visionary accomplishments were made possible by her daring merchants, gifted rapscallion adventurers, astronomer philosophers, and her stalwart Privy Council, including Sir William Cecil, Sir Francis Walsingham, and Sir Nicholas Bacon. All these men contributed their vast genius, power, greed, and expertise to the advancement of England. In The Pirate Queen, historian Susan Ronald offers a fresh look at Elizabeth I, focusing on her uncanny instinct for financial survival and the superior intellect that propelled and sustained her rise. The foundation of Elizabeth's empire was built on a carefully choreographed strategy whereby piracy transformed England from an impoverished state on the fringes of Europe into the first building block of an empire that covered two-fifths of the world. Based on a wealth of historical sources and thousands of personal letters between Elizabeth and her merchant adventurers, advisers, and royal "cousins," The Pirate Queen tells the thrilling story of Elizabeth and the swashbuckling mariners who terrorized the seas, planted the seedlings of an empire, and amassed great wealth for themselves and the Crown.

Susan Ronald (Author), Josephine Bailey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Shaggy Muses

In Shaggy Muses, we visit Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Flush, the golden Cocker Spaniel who danced the poet away from death, back to life and human love. We roam the wild Yorkshire moors with Emily Bronte, whose fierce Mastiff mix, Keeper, provided a safe and loving outlet for the writer's equally fierce spirit. We enter the creative sanctum of Emily Dickinson, which she shared only with Carlo, the gentle, giant Newfoundland who soothed her emotional terrors. We mingle with Edith Wharton, whose ever-faithful Pekes warmed her lonely heart during her restless travels among Europe and America's social and intellectual elite. We are privileged guests in the fragile universe of Virginia Woolf, who depended for emotional support and sanity not only on her human loved ones but also on her dogs, especially Pinka-a gift from her lover, Vita Sackville-West-a black Cocker Spaniel who soon became a strong, bright thread in the fabric of Virginia and Leonard Woolf's life together. Based on diaries, letters, and other contemporary accounts-and featuring many illustrations of the writers and their dogs-these five miniature biographies allow us unparalleled intimacy with women of genius in their hours of domestic ease and inner vulnerability. Shaggy Muses also enchants us with a pack of new friends: Flush, Keeper, Carlo, Foxy, Linky, Grizzle, Pinka, and all the other devoted canines who loved and served these great writers. ADVANCE PRAISE FOR Shaggy Muses "An intimate look at famous women authors whose lives were more difficult than we would ever have imagined. Their dogs helped them to survive and create their great works of classic English literature. Lovers of literature and all those interested in the human-animal bond should read this fascinating book." -Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation "I so enjoyed Shaggy Muses. It manages very successfully to bring into focus exactly why these dogs were important to these writers-providing some with confidence, some with love, some with protection, and all of them with a curious sense of identification with another spirit that, sometimes, fueled their writing. No mean feat." -Margaret Forster, author of Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Biography "Shaggy Muses gives readers an intriguing new approach to these five authors. Writing can be a lonely profession. As a dog lover and writer, it's wonderful for me to think of how these important authors all seem to have needed the kind of comfort and love that dogs give best." -Diana Wells, author of My Therapist's Dog: Lessons in Unconditional Love

Maureen Adams (Author), Polly Stone (Narrator)

Audiobook

Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab

This is a hauntingly moving memoir of the relationship between a cadaver named Eve and the first-year medical student who cuts her open. Christine Montross brings an uncommon perspective to the emotional difficulty of the first year of medical school, and her disturbing, often entertaining anecdotes enrich this exquisitely crafted memoir, endowing an eerie beauty to the world of a doctor-in-training.

Christine Montross (Author), Renee Raudman, Renée Raudman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life

When Lisa Najeeb Halaby was twenty-six, her father introduced her to King Hussein of Jordan. Within a year, she became his fourth wife. Born in 1951 to a distinguished Arab-American family, Lisa was unsure what her role would be. King Hussein was not only the head of state in Jordan, but also considered the spiritual leader of all Muslims. This memoir provides a vital perspective on thirty years of turbulent world history from the Arab point of view: the displacement of over one million Palestinians by the creation of Israel, Hussein’s frustrating efforts for peace, and the impact of Saddam Hussein and the Gulf War on Jordan and the royal family. A fascinating and dramatic portrait of a woman who took a great risk in a part of the world where women’s roles are narrowly defined. “Her pleasing memoir ends with the king’s death after his struggle with cancer, although readers may suspect that this smart, courageous woman will remain a world presence for years to come.”--Publishers Weekly

Noor Al-Hussein, Queen Noor (Author), Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Susana Wesley

In a period of twenty-one years, Susanna Wesley (1669-1742) bore nineteen children. Ten survived infancy. Two grew up to be influential church leaders whose legacies live on almost three centuries later.This is the story of one of Church history's most revered women, the godly mother of John and Charles Wesley. This biography recounts the story of a woman who used her strong leadership and faith to raise well educated and spiritually disciplined children. Her unwavering devotion to God and family in the face of grief, poverty, and a sometimes difficult marriage is a tremendous inspiration. Adam Clarke wrote of her, "I have been acquainted with many pious females...Susanna Wesley has excelled them all."

Kathy McReynolds (Author), Nadia May, Nadia May, Wanda Mccaddon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Extreme Makeover of Hillary (Rodham) Clinton

Positioning for her 2008 presidential run, Hillary has put away the liberal trappings and wrapped herself in a cloak of moderation. But Bay Buchanan rips the mask off Hillary and reveals that not only can Hillary not be trusted but her "makeover" is exactly what one would expect from an unprincipled left-wing politician. "Buchanan...takes Hillary Clinton to task in this unapologetically partisan biography....Buchanan outlines how Clinton's personality and character changed after she was elected to the Senate....Subsequent chapters criticize the senator's positions on hot-button issues, including healthcare, same-sex partnerships and the war in Iraq...."-Publishers Weekly

Bay Buchanan (Author), Pam Ward (Narrator)

Audiobook

Adventures in Darkness

In Adventures in Darkness, Tom Sullivan takes readers through his monumental eleventh summer. Blind since birth, Tom lived in a challenging world of isolation and special treatment. But he was driven to break out and live as sighted people do. This book is a hair-raising, heart-warming experience that culminates in Tom's reliance upon God to realize his dreams of a "normal" life.

Tom Sullivan (Author), Tom Sullivan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Why I Jumped: My True Story of Postpartum Depression, Dramatic Rescue & Return to Hope

Not long ago, network news carried the stunning video of a young woman trying to jump to her death off the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge in Green Bay. By God's providence, the Wisconsin State trooper who had been chasing her, Les Boldt, caught her by her wrist just as she began her plunge to certain death, and with the help of other officers, lifted her to safety. That woman is Tina Zahn, and the story of her struggle with postpartum depression, and the severe darkness that led to her suicide attempt, will grip listeners. But this is not just a story of a dramatic rescue, but a triumphant story of her return to hope, as Mrs. Zahn frankly explores what led to her deep hopelessness, and the love and care that brought light back to her life.

Tina Zahn, Wanda Dyson (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

Audiobook

Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose

I believe we were put on this earth to enjoy lives of joy and abundance, and that is what I want for you and for me. It's not my intention to give people advice on how to solve their problems (I leave that to my husband). But I've had my share of struggles over the years, and I know a thing or two about what has worked for me. I have chosen to be an active participant in my life rather than a spectator, and in so doing I have chosen how to be a woman, how to be a wife, and how to be a mother in ways that are uniquely my own. I offer the stories of these choices as evidence of the power of sheer determination, will, and faith in God. You've seen her on television with her husband, Dr. Phil. But now it's time for a heart-to-heart conversation with Robin McGraw. In Inside My Heart, Robin speaks woman to woman, inspiring you to embrace and celebrate the many roles you play and encouraging you to make deliberate choices that lead to a richer, happier, and more meaningful life. She shares with you the life-changing moments of her childhood years, dating and marrying Dr. Phil McGraw, raising two sons, and asserting herself as a woman in a man's world to show you that you have the power to make choices in your life. In fact, she's convinced that you must choose to go after the life you want. With a deep and abiding faith in God, Robin McGraw shares her story so you too can make choices that reflect your own heart's truest priorities and highest goals.

Robin McGraw (Author), Robin McGraw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Enchantment

Her name is synonymous with elegance, style and grace. Over the course of her extraordinary life and career, Audrey Hepburn captured hearts around the world and created a public image that stands as one of the most recognizable and beloved in recent memory. But despite her international fame and her tireless efforts on behalf of UNICEF, Audrey was also known for her intense privacy. With unprecedented access to studio archives, friends and colleagues who knew and loved Audrey, bestselling author Donald Spoto provides an intimate and moving account of this beautiful, elusive and talented woman. Tracing her astonishing rise to stardom, from her harrowing childhood in Nazi-controlled Holland during World War II to her years as a struggling ballet dancer in London and her Tony Award winning Broadway debut in Gigi, Spoto illuminates the origins of Audrey's tenacious spirit and fiercely passionate nature. She would go on to star in some of the most popular movies of the twentieth century, including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face, The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady. A friend and inspiration to renowned designer Hubert de Givenchy, Audrey emerged as a fashion icon as well as a film legend, her influence on women's fashion virtually unparalleled to this day. But behind the glamorous public persona, Audrey Hepburn was both a different and a deeper person and a woman who craved love and affection. Donald Spoto offers remarkable insights into her professional and personal relationships with her two husbands, and with celebrities such as Gregory Peck, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Robert Anderson, Cary Grant, Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney and Ben Gazzara. The turbulent romances of her youth, her profound sympathy for the plight of hungry children, and the thrills and terrors of motherhood prepared Audrey for the final chapter in her life, as she devoted herself entirely to the charity efforts of an organization that had once come to her rescue at the end of the war: UNICEF. Donald Spoto has written a poignant, funny and deeply moving biography of an unforgettable woman. At last, Enchantment reveals the private Audrey Hepburn and invites readers to fall in love with her all over again. She was as funny as she was beautiful. She was a magical combination of high chic and high spirits. Gregory Peck In spite of her fragile appearance, she's like steel. Cary Grant Audrey was known for something which has disappeared, and that is elegance, grace and manners . . . God kissed her on the cheek, and there she was. Billy Wilder There is not a woman alive who does not dream of looking like Audrey Hepburn. Hubert de Givenchy Her magnetism was so extraordinary that everyone wanted to be close to her. It was as if she placed a glass barrier between herself and the world. You couldn't get behind it easily. It made her remarkably attractive. Stanley Donen She has authentic charm. Most people simply have nice manners. Alfred Lunt From the Hardcover edition.

Donald Spoto (Author), Kimberly Farr (Narrator)

Audiobook

Microthrills

Raised in Manhattan by her overly protective, sex therapist mother who wore "seven layers of shoulder pads" and her two doting grandparents, life in Wendy Spero's world has never been dull. As a child, she passed the time organizing impromptu "garage sales" on city sidewalks, sniffing fruit-scented magic markers to intoxication, parenting dozens of high-maintenance stuffed animals, and seeking out other "microthrills", which she writes about in this hilarious book of odd but true stories. Life got increasingly more interesting for Wendy as she grew up and embarked on a stint of door-to-door knife-selling before taking an office day job, where she developed an abnormally close, paternal relationship with her big-time executive boss, which involved as much pot smoking as it did mentoring. (Wendy, in turn, sprinkled glitter in his expense reports and placed gold stars on his paychecks.) Now, as a budding young comedian living in L.A., Wendy grapples with such "grown-up" issues as trying to kick her addiction of eating candy in bed and finally learning how to drive.

Wendy Spero (Author), Wendy Spero (Narrator)

Audiobook

Grayson

An early-morning workout becomes an enchanting adventure when a record-holding swimmer reunites a baby whale and its mother. An inspiring, irresistible story for all ages, from the beloved author of Swimming to Antarctica. It's five o'clock in the morning and still dark. Swimming outside the wave break off the Catalina coast, training for her next long-distance swim (she has already crossed the English Channel twice), 17-year-old Lynne Cox senses that something is following her. She worries that it might be a great white shark. Instead, it's a baby gray whale, separated from its mother on their journey to the Bering Sea 8,000 miles away. Lynne needs to leave the water to rest, but she knows that if she does, the calf will follow her onto shore and die. To save its life, she must reunite mother and calf in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Miracles happen now and then. Sometimes we recognize them when they occur; sometimes it takes years of experience to understand. Looking back on that chilly morning, a beloved author and inspirational speaker shares her personal story of love, hope, loss, and faith.

Lynne Cox (Author), Lynne Cox (Narrator)

Audiobook

Women Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir