Essays & Memoirs Audiobooks | Comedy

Apple, Tree: Writers on Their Parents Audiobook

It happens to us all: we think we've settled into an identity, a self, and then out of nowhere and with great force, the traces of our parents appear to us, in us-in mirrors, in gestures, in reaction and reactivity, at weddings and funerals, and in troubled thoughts that crouch in dark corners of our minds. In this masterful collection of new essays, the apple looks at the tree. Twenty-five writers deftly explore a trait they've inherited from a parent, reflecting on how it affects the lives they lead today-how it shifts their relationship to that parent (sometimes posthumously) and to their sense of self. Apple, Tree's all-star lineup of writers brings eloquence, integrity, and humor to topics such as arrogance, obsession, psychics, grudges, table manners, luck, and laundry. Contributors include Laura van den Berg, S. Bear Bergman, John Freeman, Jane Hamilton, Mat Johnson, Daniel Mendelsohn, Kyoko Mori, Ann Patchett, and Sallie Tisdale, among others. Together, their pieces form a prismatic meditation on how we make fresh sense of ourselves and our parents when we see the pieces of them that live on in us.

Lise Funderburg, Various Authors (Author), Bronson Pinchot, Dara Rosenberg, Elisabeth Rodgers, Feodor Chin, Janet Song, Kevin Kenerly, Kyla Garcia, Robin Miles, Steven Jay Cohen (Narrator)

Audiobook

Happy to Be Here: Selected Facebook Posts

'Happy to be Here' is Berg's third collection of Facebook posts. Her first, 'Make Someone Happy,' was written in response to her many fans' requests that she put her posts together in a book that they could take on the plane, to the beach, or give to others. The book did indeed make people happy and so she followed up with a second book, 'Still Happy.' Her fans encouraged her to write still another one. The 'Happy' books exemplify, as the Boston Globe wrote, Berg's 'ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, the remarkable in the everyday.'

Elizabeth Berg (Author), Elizabeth Berg (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nash: The Official Biography

The first-ever book about Nash Grier, one of the biggest digital superstars in the world. When he was still in high school, Nash Grier had no idea his life was about to change—forever. With the launch of the popular Vine app came the beginning of Nash's career as a viral social media sensation. Now, in his official biography, the twenty-one-year-old digital media phenomenon shares never-before-told stories about life behind the camera. From growing up as a regular kid in North Carolina, to finding his calling as a top social media tastemaker, to landing leading roles in major feature films, to being a millennial ambassador for top brands, to using his platform to promote change, to leaning on the love and support from his fan base when the going gets tough, this is the story of a how Nash found his voice—and how readers can find their own.

Nash Grier (Author), Emily Tremaine (Narrator)

Audiobook

Do You Mind If I Cancel?: (Things That Still Annoy Me)

'Gary Janetti's book is so rolling-on-the-floor funny, so brilliantly observant, and so full of heart." - Kevin Kwan, New York Times bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy This program is read by the author. Fans of David Sedaris, Jenny Lawson, and Tina Fey... meet your new friend Gary Janetti. Gary Janetti, the writer and producer for some of the most popular television comedies of all time, and creator of one of the most wickedly funny Instagram accounts there is, now turns his skills into a hilarious, and poignant audiobook chronicling the pains and indignities of everyday life. Gary spends his twenties in New York, dreaming of starring on soap operas while in reality working at a hotel where he lusts after an unattainable colleague and battles a bellman who despises it when people actually use a bell to call him. He chronicles the torture of finding a job before the internet when you had to talk on the phone all the time, and fantasizes, as we all do, about who to tell off when he finally wins an Oscar. As Gary himself says, "These are essays from my childhood and young adulthood about things that still annoy me." Original, brazen, and laugh out loud funny, Do You Mind if I Cancel? is something not to be missed. 'The writing of Gary Janetti, whether televised or tweeted, is famously incisive and sharp-tongued. What a revelation it was, therefore, to discover in these revealing personal essays an artist of great tenderness and vulnerability. And he's still funny as hell.' - Armistead Maupin "It's no surprise that Gary Janetti's book is laugh-out-loud funny. It is just as cutting, wild, and droll as I hoped." - Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and the Six

Gary Janetti (Author), Gary Janetti (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nice Try

Emmy-Award winning writer and comedian Josh Gondelman's collection of personal stories of best intentions and mixed results. Josh Gondelman knows a thing or two about trying-and failing. The Emmy Award-winning stand-up comic-dubbed a "pathological sweetheart" by the New York Observer-is known throughout the industry as one of comedy's true "nice guys." Not surprisingly, he's endured his share of last-place finishes. But he keeps on bouncing back. In this collection of hilarious and poignant essays (including his acclaimed New York Times piece "What if I Bombed at My Own Wedding?"), Josh celebrates a life of good intentions-and mixed results. His true tales of romantic calamities, professional misfortunes, and eventual triumphs reinforce the notion: we get out of the world what we put into it. Whether he's adopting a dog from a suspicious stranger, mitigating a disastrous road trip, or trying MDMA for the first (and only) time, Josh only wants the best for everyone-even as his attempts to do the right thing occasionally implode. Full of the warm and relatable humor that's made him a favorite on the comedy club circuit, Nice Try solidifies Josh Gondelman's reputation as not just a good guy, but a skilled observer of the human condition.

Josh Gondelman (Author), Josh Gondelman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Idiot: Essays

From YouTube star and Facebook Video sensation Laura Clery comes a collection of comedic essays in the vein of We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby and You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein. Laura Clery makes a living by sharing inappropriate comedy sketches with millions of strangers on the Internet. She writes songs about her anatomy, talks trash about her one-eyed rescue pug, and sexually harasses her husband, Stephen. And it pays the bills! Now, in her first-ever book, Laura recounts how she went from being a dangerously impulsive, broke, unemployable, suicidal, cocaine-addicted narcissist, crippled by fear and hopping from one toxic romance to the next…to a more-happy-than-not, somewhat rational, meditating, vegan yogi with good credit, a great marriage, a fantastic career, and four unfortunate-looking rescue animals. Still, above all, Laura remains an amazingly talented, adorable, and vulnerable, self-described…Idiot. With her signature brand of offbeat, no-holds-barred humor, Idiot introduces you to a wildly original—and undeniably relatable—new voice.

Laura Clery (Author), Laura Clery (Narrator)

Audiobook

John Goblikon's Guide to Living Your Best Life

In a world filled with trolls, we all need to live life more like a goblin. What does it mean to 'live life like a goblin'? It means to give no fucks, but also all the fucks in the world at the same time. It means to be constantly anxiety ridden while also eternally optimistic. A goblin's heart, specifically John Goblikon's, is filled with love, joy, angst, constant quandary, Chili's Southwestern Egg rolls, metal, and empathy. Through the goblin eyes of being an internet celebrity/insurance salesman/rock and roll mascot for the Goblin Metal outfit Nekrogoblikon, we learn about life, death, business, food, music, travel, culture, dating, school, drinking, compassion, and much more! John walks listeners through crucial life steps, from becoming internet famous, to getting dates with special someones, to even correct ordering techniques for the perfect meal at Chili's. Have a problem? John Goblikon assumes he knows how to help you solve it . . . all in this new, for-sure-to-be-a-New-York-Times-bestseller-and-win-like-a-hundred-awards debut book: John Goblikon's Guide to Living Your Best Life.

John Goblikon (Author), John Goblikon, Nicky Calonne (Narrator)

Audiobook

Zen Bender: A Decade-Long Enthusiastic Quest to Fix Everything (That Was Never Broken)

Forty, chronically single, and up an extra twenty pounds, TV news producer Stephanie Krikorian fell victim to The Great Recession, finding herself suddenly unemployed. One unwanted pregnancy away from being a Lifetime Original Movie, Stephanie had to reinvent herself . . . and fast. So, to keep her head above water, she started ghostwriting self-help and diet books for a variety of well-known experts. However, she didn't just write each book she took on, she lived it-chanting, journaling, reflecting, reframing-whatever it took to get deep into the heart of each project. And then, as her ghost-writing business grew, she started reading other self-help books as well-for 'research.' Or so she told herself. That's when things went next level. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of life fixes available, Stephanie scrambled to plug the multiple holes that surely must have existed in her mind, body, and soul. She went on what turned out to be a near decade long Zen Bender. She hit the guru circuit hard, like it was her job-no psychic, class, coach, fixer, or self-help book left behind. Zen Bender is a collection of witty, moving, insightful stories, bookended with both the zany words of wisdom Stephanie picked up during her decade seeking personal growth and enlightenment, and some more concrete, grounded advice of her own.

Stephanie Krikorian (Author), Tiffany Morgan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me

From the disability rights advocate and creator of the #DisabledAndCute viral campaign, a thoughtful, inspiring, and charming collection of essays exploring what it means to be black and disabled in a mostly able-bodied white America. Keah Brown loves herself, but that hadn't always been the case. Born with cerebral palsy, her greatest desire used to be normalcy and refuge from the steady stream of self-hate society strengthened inside her. But after years of introspection and reaching out to others in her community, she has reclaimed herself and changed her perspective. In The Pretty One, Brown gives a contemporary and relatable voice to the disabled—so often portrayed as mute, weak, or isolated. With clear, fresh, and light-hearted prose, these essays explore everything from her relationship with her able-bodied identical twin (called "the pretty one" by friends) to navigating romance; her deep affinity for all things pop culture—and her disappointment with the media's distorted view of disability; and her declaration of self-love with the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute. By "smashing stigmas, empowering her community, and celebrating herself" (Teen Vogue), Brown and The Pretty One aims to expand the conversation about disability and inspire self-love for people of all backgrounds.

Keah Brown (Author), Keah Brown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Don't Wait Up: Confessions of a Stay-at-Work Mom

"The parenting genre is never going to be the same" (Jancee Dunn, author of How Not to Hate Your Husband After Having Kids) with this candid and hilarious collection of essays on motherhood from the award-winning television comedy writer and producer of 2 Broke Girls and The King of Queens, who swears she loves her kids—when she's not hiding from them. Some women feel that motherhood is a calling and their purpose on earth. They somehow manage to make pregnancy look effortless, bring out the beauty in a screaming child, and keep the back seat of their cars as spotless as their kitchens. And then there's women like Liz Astrof—who originally had children because "everyone else was." In this blunt and side-splittingly funny book of essays, Liz Astrof embraces the realities of motherhood (and womanhood) that no one ever talks about: like needing to hide from your kids in your closet, your car, or a yoga class on the other side of town, letting them eat candy for dinner because you just can't deal, to the sheer terror of failing them or at the very least losing them in a mall. And sometimes, many times, wondering if the whole parenting thing wasn't for you. Perfect for fans of Let's Pretend This Never Happened and I Heart My Little A-Holes, Don't Wait Up is an soul-baring and honest look at parenting and relationships for moms who realize that motherhood doesn't have to be your entire life—just an amazing part of it.

Liz Astrof (Author), Liz Astrof (Narrator)

Audiobook

Funny, Sad & True: Historias de humor existencial

Funny, Sad & True nos relata un camino de autodescubrimiento que, a primera vista, podría resultar inspirador – si no fuera porque se trata de una historia de tropiezos. En este conjunto de ensayos cómicos, la comediante abarca temas tan diversos como los poderes mágicos de las frutas, las preocupaciones generacionales que atormentan a la clase media, y los niños chamanes que ofrecen tours de plantas alucinógenas. Esta introducción al humor existencial nos habla sobre la desgarradora experiencia de tener una crisis de fe, al tiempo que nos proporciona algo de fashion advice para la ocasión. Y sobre todo, nos motiva a seguirlo intentando aunque nada tenga sentido.

Ale Solis (Author), Ale Solis (Narrator)

Audiobook

I Ain't Doin' It: Unfiltered Thoughts From a Sarcastic Southern Sweetheart

Social media comedian Heather Land uses her trademark sassy, laugh-out-loud humor to remind us of the many ways that real life can be really funny. Heather Land has something to say about almost everything in life—the unbelievable, inconceivable, and downright frustrating—and why she "ain't doin' it." In her first book, Heather shines a light on the (occasional) ridiculousness of life through a series of hilarious essays, dishing on everything from Walmart and ex-husbands to Southern beauty pageants and unfortunate trips to the gynecologist. I Ain't Doin' It reminds us that when it comes to life's messy moments, it's all about perspective—and that we too can say, I ain't doin' it! Perfect for fans of Jim Gaffigan, Anjelah Johnson, and Brian Regan, I Ain't Doin' It is a fun, breezy read for anyone who appreciates someone who tells it like it is and wants to embrace the lighter side of life.

Heather Land (Author), Heather Land (Narrator)

Audiobook

Essays & Memoirs Audiobooks in Comedy