Browse audiobooks narrated by Heather Alicia Simms, listen to samples and when you're ready head over to Audiobooks.com where you can get 3 FREE audiobooks on us
Foreword by DeAndre Hopkins In this extraordinary memoir—a story of hardship, loss, redemption, faith, and ultimately reclaiming your power—Sabrina Greenlee, the mother of NFL star DeAndre Hopkins, shares her experience growing up Black and poor in South Carolina, how she survived domestic violence and coped with the loss of her sight, and how she continued to remain strong even in the face of despair. Sabrina Greenlee has known darkness. Born in South Carolina to Black teenaged parents, Sabrina grew up in a family that lacked the means—financial and emotional—to offer her and her two brothers the safety, comfort, and love every child deserves. Growing up Black and poor in the South, she endured years of sexual and domestic violence and suffered tragedy after tragedy, including the death of her younger brother during a drunk driving accident, and surviving another car accident that claimed the life of her one true love. Coupled with the pain of her childhood, she faced crushing heartbreak, including an abusive relationship that endured for years and later, the loss of her sight in a brutal public attack. But the trauma that Sabrina experienced and eventually overcame is what makes her life truly remarkable. After years of tremendous setbacks, Sabrina was able to built herself back up again and achieved the kind of life she always dreamed. She became the loving and dependable mother she wished she’d had, raising four children—including star athletes—who attended college and are successful in their chosen fields. She also found the courage to break the silence that enshrouded her life, ending the generational trauma that had damaged her family for generations. Grant Me Vision is her riveting story—a memoir of faith and resilience in the face of life’s most difficult challenges. At its heart, it is a story of claiming your power by making peace with your past and finding the faith to have strength even when the future seems hopeless.
Sabrina Greenlee (Author), Deandre Hopkins, Heather Alicia Simms, TBD (Narrator)
Audiobook
What They Found: Love on 145th Street
By the groundbreaking author of the award-winning Monster-a visionary who influenced and inspired a generation-this story take us back to the world of 145th Street: Short Stories to show how love can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places. Curtis finds love in Iraq as he struggles to stay alive in a war he doesn't want to fight, and Letha discovers her own beauty in the love of her child. There is the 'good daughter' who realizes that there's only one way to help her brother and her family. Other stories center on the daily drama of the Curl-E-Que beauty shop, or capture the slapstick side of passion. AWARDS FOR WALTER DEAN MYERS: New York Times Bestselling Author 3-Time National Book Award Finalist Michael L. Printz Award 5 Coretta Scott King Awards 2 Newbery Honors National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (2012-2013) Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement Children's Literature Legacy Award
Walter Dean Myers (Author), Amanda Alcántara, Brandon Gill, Emana Rachelle, Heather Alicia Simms, JaQwan J. Kelly, James Fouhey, Jaqwan J. Kelly, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Kamali Minter, Karen Murray, Khaya Fraites, Shayna Small, Tyla Collier, William DeMeritt, William Demeritt (Narrator)
Audiobook
Changes: An Oral History of Tupac Shakur
A New Yorker writer's intimate, revealing account of Tupac Shakur's life and legacy, timed to the fiftieth anniversary of his birth and twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. In the summer of 2020, Tupac Shakur's single "Changes" became an anthem for the worldwide protests against the murder of George Floyd. The song became so popular, in fact, it was vaulted back onto the iTunes charts more than twenty years after its release—making it clear that Tupac's music and the way it addresses systemic racism, police brutality, mass incarceration, income inequality, and a failing education system is just as important now as it was back then. In Changes, published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of Tupac's birth and twenty-fifth anniversary of his death, Sheldon Pearce offers one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive accounts yet of the artist's life and legacy. Pearce, an editor and writer at The New Yorker, interviews dozens who knew Tupac throughout various phases of his life. While there are plenty of bold-faced names, the book focuses on the individuals who are lesser known and offer fresh stories and rare insight. Among these are the actor who costarred with him in a Harlem production of A Raisin in the Sun when he was twelve years old, the high school drama teacher who recognized and nurtured his talent, the music industry veteran who helped him develop a nonprofit devoted to helping young artists, the Death Row Records executive who has never before spoken on the record, and dozens of others. Meticulously woven together by Pearce, their voices combine to portray Tupac in all his complexity and contradiction. This remarkable book illustrates not only how he changed during his brief twenty-five years on this planet, but how he forever changed the world.
Sheldon Pearce (Author), Aden Hakimi, Ashton Grooms, Cary Hite, Fred Sanders, Guy Lockard, Heather Alicia Simms, Jackie Sanders, Jd Jackson, Landon Woodson, Leon Nixon, Pete Simonelli, Robin Miles (Narrator)
Audiobook
The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights
From the intimate perspective of three friends and neighbors in mid-nineteenth century Auburn, New York—the "agitators" of the title—acclaimed author Dorothy Wickenden tells the fascinating and crucially American stories of abolition, the underground railroad, the early women's rights movement, and the Civil War. Harriet Tubman—no-nonsense, funny, uncannily prescient, and strategically brilliant—was one of the most important conductors on the underground railroad and hid the enslaved men, women and children she rescued in the basement kitchens of Martha Wright, Quaker mother of seven, and Frances Seward, wife of Governor, then Senator, then Secretary of State William H. Seward. Harriet worked for the Union Army in South Carolina as a nurse and spy, and took part in a river raid in which 750 enslaved people were freed from rice plantations. Martha, a "dangerous woman" in the eyes of her neighbors and a harsh critic of Lincoln's policy on slavery, organized women's rights and abolitionist conventions with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Frances gave freedom seekers money and referrals and aided in their education. The most conventional of the three friends, she hid her radicalism in public; behind the scenes, she argued strenuously with her husband about the urgency of immediate abolition. Many of the most prominent figures in the history books—Lincoln, Seward, Daniel Webster, Frederick Douglass, Charles Sumner, John Brown, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Lloyd Garrison—are seen through the discerning eyes of the protagonists. So are the most explosive political debates: about women's roles and rights during the abolition crusade, emancipation, and the arming of Black troops; and about the true meaning of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Beginning two decades before the Civil War, when Harriet Tubman was still enslaved and Martha and Frances were young women bound by law and tradition, The Agitators ends two decades after the war, in a radically changed United States. Wickenden brings this extraordinary period of our history to life through the richly detailed letters her characters wrote several times a week. Like Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals and David McCullough's John Adams, Wickenden's The Agitators is revelatory, riveting, and profoundly relevant to our own time.
Dorothy Wickenden (Author), Anne Twomey, Gabra Zackman, Heather Alicia Simms (Narrator)
Audiobook
Passengers: True Stories of the Underground Railroad
Brought to you by Penguin. WITH AN INTRODUCTION FROM TA-NEHISI COATES, AUTHOR OF THE WATER DANCER A riveting collection of the hardships, hairbreadth escapes, and mortal struggles of enslaved people seeking freedom: These are the true stories of the Underground Railroad. A secret network of safe houses, committees and guides that stretched well below the Mason-Dixon Line into the brutal slave states of the American South, the Underground Railroad remains one of the most impressive and well-organised resistance movements in modern history. It facilitated the escape of over 30,000 slave 'passengers' through America and into Canada during its peak years of 1850-60, and, in total, an estimated 100,000 slaves found their freedom through the network. Abridged from William Still's The Underground Railroad Records - an epic historical document that chronicles the first-hand stories of American slaves who escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad - Passengers tells of the secret methods, risks and covert sacrifices that were made to liberate so many from slavery. From tales of men murdered in cold blood for their part in helping assist runaways and terrifyingly tense descriptions of stowaways and dramatic escape plans, to stories of families reunited and the moments of absurdity that the Underground Railroad forced its 'passengers' to sometimes endure, Still's narratives testify to the humanity of this vast enterprise. ABRIDGED FROM WILLIAM STILL'S THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RECORDS © William Still 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020
William Still (Author), Bahni Turpin, Heather Alicia Simms, J. D. Jackson, Kevin R. Free, Sullivan Jones (Narrator)
Audiobook
Chaurisse and Dana have a lot in common. They both grew up in Atlanta, they shop at the same stores, visit the same restaurants. But unlike Chaurisse, Dana knows the truth: that the girls share the same father. A father with two families, one of which he is determined to keep secret. When the girls meet and become friends, the unsteady balance of both their lives is threatened. Theirs is a relationship destined to explode.
Tayari Jones (Author), Heather Alicia Simms, Rosalyn Coleman-Williams (Narrator)
Audiobook
The Underground Railroad Records: Narrating the Hardships, Hairbreadth Escapes, and Death Struggles
A riveting collection of the hardships, hairbreadth escapes, and mortal struggles of enslaved people seeking freedom: These are the true stories of the Underground Railroad. Featuring a powerful introduction by Ta-Nehisi Coates As a conductor for the Underground Railroad-the covert resistance network created to aid and protect slaves seeking freedom-William Still helped as many as eight hundred people escape enslavement. He also meticulously collected the letters, biographical sketches, arrival memos, and ransom notes of the escapees. The Underground Railroad Records is an archive of primary documents that trace the narrative arc of the greatest, most successful campaign of civil disobedience in American history. This edition highlights the remarkable creativity, resilience, and determination demonstrated by those trying to subvert bondage. It is a timeless testament to the power we all have to challenge systems that oppress us.
William Still (Author), Bahni Turpin, Heather Alicia Simms, J. D. Jackson, Jd Jackson, Kevin R. Free, Sullivan Jones (Narrator)
Audiobook
A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street. We get to know the oldest resident; the cop on the beat; fine Peaches and her girl, Squeezie; Monkeyman; and Benny, a fighter on the way to a knockout. We meet Angela, who starts having prophetic dreams after her father is killed; Kitty, whose love for Mack pulls him back from the brink; and Big Joe, who wants a bang-up funeral while he's still around to enjoy it. Some of these stories are private, and some are the ones behind the headlines. In each one, characters jump off the page and pull readers right into the mix on 1-4-5.
Walter Dean Myers (Author), Adenrele Ojo, Almarie Guerra, Bahni Turpin, Brandon Gill, Dominic Hoffman, Heather Alicia Simms, Jaqwan J. Kelly, Johnny Heller, Paula Parker, Sullivan Jones (Narrator)
Audiobook
Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson
The inspiring autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11. As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father's words in mind: "You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you." In the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of NASA's biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon. Katherine Johnson's story was made famous in the bestselling book and Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Now in Reaching for the Moon she tells her own story for the first time, in a lively autobiography that will inspire young readers everywhere.
Katherine Johnson (Author), Heather Alicia Simms (Narrator)
Audiobook
Tina Turner—the long-reigning queen of rock & roll and living legend—sets the record straight about her illustrious career and complicated personal life in this eye-opening and compelling memoir. TINA TURNER READS THE INTRODUCTION! From her early years in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise to fame alongside Ike Turner to her phenomenal success in the 1980s and beyond, Tina candidly examines her personal history, from her darkest hours to her happiest moments and everything in between. My Love Story is an explosive and inspiring story of a woman who dared to break any barriers put in her way. Emphatically showcasing Tina's signature blend of strength, energy, heart, and soul, this is a gorgeously wrought memoir as enthralling and moving as any of her greatest hits.
Tina Turner (Author), Heather Alicia Simms (Narrator)
Audiobook
Tina Turner: My Love Story (Official Autobiography)
Random House presents the audiobook edition of Tina Turner: My Love Story by Tina Turner, read by Heather Alicia Simms with an introduction by the author. 'Astonishing, soul-baring - the must-read memoir by rock's greatest survivor' DAILY MAIL ***The full, dramatic story of one of the most remarkable women in music history, celebrating Tina Turner's 60th year in the industry*** 'Unbearably poignant' THE TIMES, Book of the Week Love's got everything to do with it. Tina Turner is the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, a musical icon celebrating her 60th year in the industry. In this dramatic autobiography, she tells the story of a truly remarkable life in the spotlight. From her early years picking cotton in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise to fame alongside Ike Turner, and finally to her phenomenal success in the 1980s and beyond, Tina candidly examines her personal history, from her darkest hours to her happiest moments and everything in between. In her honest and heart-felt voice, Tina reveals: · How (love) and a kidney transplant saved her life - and how her new husband made an incredible personal sacrifice · How she has coped with the tragic suicide of her son · How ex-husband Ike Turner forced her to go to a brothel on their wedding night... and why she tried to kill herself because of Ike's mistresses · The Cinderella moment when David Bowie made Tina a star ... · ...and the day Mick Jagger ripped her skirt off! AND MUCH MORE Brimming with her trademark blend of strength, energy, heart and soul, My Love Story is a gripping, surprising memoir, as memorable and entertaining as any of her greatest hits. 'The book is written with a warm heart and a generous spirit... It is a thoughtful, moving reflection on a life of spectacular achievement' DAILY EXPRESS 'Turner comes across as courageous, optimistic, big-hearted and generous' SUNDAY TIMES 'Fascinating, dramatic, surprising' OK! MAGAZINE
Tina Turner (Author), Heather Alicia Simms, Tina Turner (Narrator)
Audiobook
From award-winning actress and political activist America Ferrera comes a vibrant and varied collection of first person accounts from prominent figures about the experience of growing up between cultures. America Ferrera has always felt wholly American, and yet, her identity is inextricably linked to her parents' homeland and Honduran culture. Speaking Spanish at home, having Saturday-morning-salsa-dance-parties in the kitchen, and eating tamales alongside apple pie at Christmas never seemed at odds with her American identity. Still, she yearned to see that identity reflected in the larger American narrative. Now, in American Like Me, America invites thirty-one of her friends, peers, and heroes to share their stories about life between cultures. We know them as actors, comedians, athletes, politicians, artists, and writers. However, they are also immigrants, children or grandchildren of immigrants, indigenous people, or people who otherwise grew up with deep and personal connections to more than one culture. Each of them struggled to establish a sense of self, find belonging, and feel seen. And they call themselves American enthusiastically, reluctantly, or not at all. Ranging from the heartfelt to the hilarious, their stories shine a light on a quintessentially American experience and will appeal to anyone with a complicated relationship to family, culture, and growing up.
America Ferrera (Author), America Ferrera, Auli'i Cravalho, Bambadjan Bamba, Eugene Kim, Geena Rocero, Heather Alicia Simms, Janina Edwards, Jennifer Ikeda, Jennifer Lim, Joy Cho, Lameece Issaq, Martin Sensmeier, Neela Vaswani, Ramón De Ocampo, Roxana Ortega, Sunil Malhotra, Tanaya Winder, Tim Chiou (Narrator)
Audiobook
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer