Editors at AudioFile magazine must be the best-informed people in the business when it comes to audiobooks, reviewing some 2,500 titles a year. Each year, they put together a list of exceptional new titles in a number of genres. Here are their six audiobook picks in nonfiction and culture for 2024:
Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum, read by Gabra Zackman
Gabra Zackman’s narration fully embodies a balance of deep insight and affability—a perfect fit here. Nussbaum’s approach to the topic of reality television transcends the usual narrative history as it captures key social commentary of programs unique to their time and place. Zackman’s voice is gently entertaining and always engaging, guiding listeners through this fascinating history of modern pop culture.
(15.25 hrs; nb. not yet available in the UK)
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by the author
Author Ta-Nehisi Coates narrates this must-listen, a powerful and thought-provoking collection of essays. Coates frequently addresses listeners in the second person, a technique that creates an intimate connection to his words. This audiobook is a haunting, timely examination of global affairs and the importance of truth and inclusivity in our culture.
(5.25 hrs)
Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity, by Michele Norris, read by the author and a full cast
Peabody Award-winning journalist Michele Norris and a full cast deliver a must-listen performance of Norris’s riveting examination of race in America. Based on 12 years of submissions to Norris’s Race Card Project—six words about race from over half-a-million people—the audiobook shifts between Norris’s clear, warm, thoughtful commentary and participants’ contributions, all delivered by a talented group of narrators.
(17.75 hrs)
A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry by Mary Oliver, read by Kimberly Farr
The best poets get that way because they have given a great deal of thought to questions such as: “What is poetry?” “How does it get that way?” Mary Oliver was one of those best poets, and in this audio version of her classic work about how to write and read poetry she offers some answers, both detailed and expansive, to John Ciardi’s classic question: “How does a poem mean?” Kimberly Farr’s performance is wonderful, as witty and wise as the text.
(3.5 hrs)
There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, by Hanif Abdurraqib, read by the author
Hanif Abdurraqib’s latest book is a transcendent feat of poetry, memoir, and—well, magic. His narration is as breathless and beautiful as his prose; this book is epic in every sense of the word. It’s an ode to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; a love letter to basketball; a meditation on home and belonging; and an exploration of faith, Blackness, music, and place.
(8.75 hrs; nb. not yet available in the UK)
What’s Next is Now: How to Live Future Ready, by Frederik G. Pferdt, read by Sean Pratt
Narrating this cutting-edge guide to personal growth and initiative, Sean Pratt captures every bit of the author’s enthusiasm for the lessons he learned while leading an innovation team at Google. Pratt’s tone and intensity sync perfectly with the author’s stories and insights.
(7 hrs)
Throughout December, AudioFile editors will be focusing on the best books in different categories in their ‘Behind the Mic’ podcast, starting with fiction on December 5th.
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