Women Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

Wendy Pratt (Author), To Be Announced, Wendy Pratt (Narrator)

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Merkel's Law: Wisdom from the Woman Who Led the Free World

For readers of Notorious RBG and The World According to Star Wars, a fun and inspiring biography filled with lessons from the most powerful woman in the world, based on New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy's more than a decade's worth of coverage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the modern nation she helped shape. Angela Merkel is a boss. A trailblazer. An icon of colorful suits. Formerly the new leader of the free world. With an entire hand gesture named after her (the "Merkel Diamond"), and celebrated in a viral meme for sparring with Trump, Angela Merkel spent a decade economically and politically revitalizing her country. The first woman chancellor of Germany and one of the longest-serving European leaders ever, Merkel's quiet resolve, calculated confidence, and extreme privacy around her personal life have made her a feminist role model for the ages. Merkel's Law is a revelatory look at an unlikely vanguard, and at the country she led for sixteen years. No one is better positioned than New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy to pull back the curtain on the woman who engineered Germany's rise to wealth, power, and an economy worth 3.8 trillion in USD. Drawing upon an unparalleled well of sources close to Merkel, Merkel's Law traces her childhood in East Germany as the daughter of a clergyman, her meteoric rise to power, and her more recent public acclaim—as well as the numerous setbacks she faced along the way both from political rivals and from men in her own party who scoffed at her ambition. Told in short chapters framed by the laws of Merkel's leadership, like "Know Where You Come From" and "Nothing Remains the Same, Embrace Change," it is a clever and insightful tour of the wisdom of Merkel. Painting a portrait of a political genius, savvy businesswoman, and model for modern power, Merkel's Law is not only the story of her life, but the lessons we can learn from it.

Melissa Eddy (Author), Lisa Flanagan, TBD (Narrator)

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The Lucky Ones: A Memoir

A moving memoir by a survivor of anti-Muslim violence in contemporary India that delicately weaves political and family histories in a tribute to India's vibrant multiethnic society and the resilience of its women and minorities, especially in the face of growing religious extremism "A warning, thrown to the world, and a stunning debut-Chowdhary is a much-needed new voice.'-Alexander Chee In 2002, Zara Chowdhary was sixteen years old and living with her family in Ahmedabad, one of India's fastest-growing metropolises, when a gruesome anti-Muslim pogrom upended her world. Instead of taking her school exams, she was put under a three-month lockdown with thousands of others, fearing for their community and their lives. The chief minister in the state at the time, Narendra Modi, accused of fomenting anti-Muslim violence, would become prime minister of India and lead a government committed to eroding the rights of India's 220 million Muslims. In The Lucky Ones, Chowdhary weaves the past and the present of her multigenerational Muslim family, juxtaposing the horrific violence of rising fascistic forces on the streets with the more mundane violence of patriarchal Indian joint families at the dinner table. Through the stories of sisters, daughters, and mothers raising each other, Chowdhary shows how women hold this world together with their ability to forgive, find laughter, and offer grace even as the world they know, and their place in it, is falling apart. With lyrical clarity and intimacy, The Lucky Ones is a poetic remembrance of how a country's promise of a multiethnic secular democracy can so easily dissolve and descend into extremism. Chowdhary's story is a protest against the erasure of India's Muslims, a testimony of a lost girlhood, and a testament to her family and country's entwined lives.

Zara Chowdhary (Author), TBD, Zara Chowdhary (Narrator)

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Send Me: The Incredible True Story of a Mother at War

The extraordinary story of American special operator and trailblazer Shannon Kent, who was killed at the age of 35 by a suicide bomber while hunting high value targets on a classified mission in Syria in 2019. Of the 1.3 million active-duty service members in the U.S. military, only a tiny fraction are selected as “operators” in elite special mission units. Shannon Kent was one of the first women to serve at this level and was widely recognized as one of the best. Shannon served as a Cryptologic Warfare Technician, responsible for signals intelligence and electronic warfare, but her proficiency with language set her apart. She was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command, where she worked clandestinely to hunt the most wanted terrorists in the world. Send Me is Shannon’s heroic life story, revealing the truth of both her work and her death. Shannon’s team wasn’t on a routine patrol the day she died, nor out for lunch as many news outlets reported. She was hunting ISIS cells. Joe, a retired Special Forces soldier, recalls how he and Shannon met in a war zone, their love forged during an elite special operations training course, their dedication spanning multiple combat deployments and the birth of their two boys. It is the legacy of an extraordinary woman who rose to the apex of the military, working with the most elite forces in the world, lifting the veil from the life of a Special Forces family to share their duty, sacrifice, and humanity.

Joe Kent, Marty Skovlund (Author), Joe Kent, Marty Skovlund, Tbd (Narrator)

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I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: (But I'm Going to Anyway)

"It's f*cking great!!! Raw, intimate, hilarious, actually inspiring." -Jon Stewart A dynamic memoir-in-essays by comedian, screenwriter, and podcaster Chelsea Devantez, detailing her tumultuous upbringing and uproarious career path into Hollywood. There are things Chelsea Devantez probably shouldn't be telling you. Many of them are in this book: some are embarrassing (like when she tried to break her three year spell of celibacy using a guide of seduction tips). Some are confessional (getting sentenced to the "hell hill" at Mormon church camp). Some are TMI (a series of outrageous doctor visits that ended with one doctor misdiagnosing her as "pregnant." Woopsies!). Then there are things Chelsea really shouldn't be telling you: like the time her biggest family secret was publicly outed, or about the drive-by shootings and the precipitating domestic violence she survived. Yet through it all, it's the women in Chelsea's life who kept her going - from the lowest points of her childhood when she and her mom had only $100 left to their name, all the way to her career highs as the Emmy-nominated Head Writer for The Problem with Jon Stewart and sensational podcaster deemed "the celebrity memoir whisperer" by her fans. In I Shouldn't Be Telling You This, Chelsea centers each story around a different woman who shaped her life, taking us on a tour of friends and strangers, fictional characters and celebrities, heroes and villains who will destroy any Netflix algorithm for a "strong female lead." Reading it will feel kinda like that moment at a party when your friend beckons you close, sloshes her martini around, and covertly whispers, "I really shouldn't say this, but…"

Chelsea Devantez (Author), Chelsea Devantez, TBD (Narrator)

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How Was It for You?: Stories from a sex worker

Eve Smith (Author), Chloe Massey, TBD (Narrator)

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A Life Reimagined: A Memoir of Hope in the Midst of Loss

Jill Halfpenny (Author), Jill Halfpenny, TBD (Narrator)

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Travelling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell

Celebrated music critic Ann Powers explores the life and career of the legendary Joni Mitchell One of the most celebrated artists of her generation, Joni Mitchell has inspired countless musicians and authors, while never stopping still herself. In Traveling, Ann Powers seeks to understand the paradox of Mitchell – at once both elusive and inviting – through her myriad journeys. Drawing on extensive interviews with Mitchell’s peers and deep archival research, Powers takes readers to rural Canada, charts the course of Mitchell's musical evolution, follows the winding road of Mitchell's collaborations with other greats and explores her loves along the way. Kaleidoscopic in scope, and intimate in its detail, Travelling is a fresh and fascinating biography, and one that questions whether an artist can ever truly be known to a fan.

Ann Powers (Author), Hillary Huber, TBD (Narrator)

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Modern Slave

Gaia was groomed, abused and enslaved – but then she fought back Aged just 14 years old, Gaia Cooper was groomed, raped and held captive by a group of paedophiles. Before long, she was exploited and forced to take part in organised credit card fraud. Once she was in their grasp, Gaia found it impossible to escape this new adult world – a carousel of abuse, crime and drugs. For more than four years, Gaia endured the horrific abuse before she was finally able to fight back, not only against the men who had stolen her childhood, but the authorities that had fed her directly into their hands.

Gaia Cooper (Author), Imogen Wilde, TBD (Narrator)

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The Blood Countess: A Tale of Deception, Disinformation, and History’s Deadliest Woman

THE BLOOD COUNTESS is an ambitious, sweeping investigation into the singularly fascinating case of Elizabeth Báthory, a woman who, until now, has been known as 'the Western World’s most prolific female murderer.” If The Dark Queens is about the systemic erasure of powerful women, then THE BLOOD COUNTESS is about the culturally sanctioned, coordinated smearing of one, how it happens and why, which leads to even bigger questions: how do we construct our personal and cultural realities? How do we parse the truth? THE BLOOD COUNTESS will, of course, appeal to the same readers who fell in love with The Dark Queens, but it will undoubtedly bring in fresh audiences: true crime aficionados, lovers of legal sagas, fans of the Elizabethan era, readers already aware of the Báthory legend, etc. It is the sort of undeniably juicy, complex narrative that will have both academic circles and book clubs arguing for days, as it does what the best historical non-fiction does: holds up a mirror so we can see our own time more clearly, all while still being a wild, entertaining ride.

Shelley Puhak (Author), TBD (Narrator)

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The Scandal of the Century

Lisa Hilton (Author), Emma Gregory, TBD (Narrator)

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Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World

Former White House Press Secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki shares the surprising lessons she's learned on her path to success and offers unique yet universal advice about how to be a more effective communicator in any situation. Not many White House Press Secretaries capture the nation's interest the way Jen Psaki did. Refreshingly candid and clear, Psaki quickly became known for her ability to break through the noise and successfully deliver her message. In her highly anticipated book, Psaki shares her journey to the Briefing Room and beyond, taking readers along the campaign trail, to the State Department, and inside the White House under two Presidents. With her signature wit, Psaki writes about reporting to bosses from the hot-tempered Rahm Emanuel to the coolly intellectual Barack Obama to the surprisingly tenderhearted John Kerry. She also talks about her time working closely with President Joe Biden from the start of his administration to set a new tone for the country, restoring a sense of calm and respect for the role of the media in our Democracy. Since leaving the White House, Psaki's star has continued to rise. She launched a highly rated show on MSNBC and was so successful that in just six months she was given an additional primetime Monday slot, ahead of Rachel Maddow. And Psaki's work doesn't end at the office. She is the mother of two young children and shares her stories about the journey of communicating as a parent: During one bedtime briefing, her young daughter asked the question, "Why do wars start?", which Jen carefully explained and then got a follow up: "Have you ever seen a unicorn?" In Say More, Psaki explains her straightforward approach to communication, walking readers through difficult conversations as well as moments where humor saves the day—whether it is with preschoolers, partners, or presidents. She addresses the best ways to give and receive feedback, how to connect with your audience, how to listen actively, and much more. Say More is the book Psaki wishes she had when she started her career, and is a trove of entertaining, essential lessons from one of the most prominent voices in American politics today.

Jen Psaki (Author), Jen Psaki, TBD (Narrator)

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Women Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir