New Reviews: Biography & Memoir

In this poignant memoir, author and narrator Nadia Owusu weaves an intricate narrative of home, belonging, trauma, family, geography, and the truths held in her Black female body. Using earthquakes as a metaphor to untangle the threads of her life, she recounts her childhood in Europe and Africa--a childhood defined by her mother's abandonment when she was a baby and her... Read More

Sophia Chang, the first Asian woman in the hip-hop industry, is fierce, vulnerable, and unique in the way she narrates the story of her career. Throughout her narration she inserts the actual voices of other people who were integral in shaping who she is. The voices of her mother and daughter, Wu-Tang Clan, certain film artists, and others remind Chang that she is not alone on... Read More

Shnayerson's brisk and absorbing profile of the brief, violent life of Bugsy Siegel, son of Ukrainian-Jewish immigrants, is afforded a warm, sensitive narration by Steven Jay Cohen. Siegel--gangster, bootlegger, and murderer--is humanized by Cohen's youthful, quiet performance. His narration is intoned with the occasional Yiddish accent, presented subtly. Insightful research on... Read More

Music critic and journalist Marcus J. Moore chronicles the meteoric rise and cultural impact of Compton-born rapper Kendrick Lamar in exhaustive detail. Narrator Adenrele Ojo does a credible job keeping the energy up as Moore traces Lamar's roots on the West Coast through his early projects and his commercial and critical success. Fans of Lamar and of music theory are likely to... Read More

Joe Barrett's commanding performance captures the complicated and flawed life of Edward Kennedy. The senator remains most widely known for his work as a liberal politician and for being responsible for the drowning death of a young staffer. Gabler's exhaustive audiobook serves both as a detailed portrait of the man and a history of U.S. policy from his viewpoint. Listeners hear... Read More

Kathe Mazur skillfully narrates this clear and well-researched biography of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, who, along with colleagues, advanced biochemistry by employing CRISPR technology to improve and simplify genetic engineering--ultimately leading to a safe, effective COVID vaccine. Moving beyond Doudna's own story, this audiobook also discusses the role of women in... Read More

Actress Gemma Dawson's British training and experience shine in this account of how Tolstoy's ANNA KARENINA was written. Blaisdell's account gives perceptive insights on how, as in WAR AND PEACE, Tolstoy's life is mirrored in the novel. Insights on Tolstoy's family life, especially his relationship with his wife, Sonya, along with his interactions with his servants and his... Read More

It may not have been until Hillary or Michelle that a first lady garnered nearly as much acclaim as Eleanor Roosevelt. Gabra Zackman narrates Michaelis's biography at just the right pitch. It is never overly dramatic, despite many tragic and heartbreaking events, and steers clear of hagiography. The audiobook engages by recalling life during the late-nineteenth and... Read More

Jill Larsen narrates this memoir with warmth and, well . . . empathy. As she alternates her delivery between storyteller and lecturer, her confident narration ultimately makes her a transparent surrogate for the author. To start, she mines the emotions felt by a child burdened by family secrets. When appropriate, she takes on an objective tone; for example, when unveiling the... Read More

Narrator Kaipo Schwab becomes the author, Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson, as he describes his life and accomplishments as the leader of the Westbank First Nation and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. As a businessman and chief, Derrickson has increased his tribes' wealth and position more than 3,500% since the 1970s through leasing and logging rights and through... Read More

Erin French recounts her life through her creation of The Lost Kitchen, a restaurant in Maine that riveted diners around the world with its reputation for stupendous food and a unique reservation system. French describes starting out as a line cook in her father's small-town diner, becoming a single mother, and building--more than once--her dream space in which to feed others... Read More

An outstanding cast brings these essays and poems vividly to life. Of the many incandescent narrators, JD Jackson ("Upon Arrival"), Kevin R. Free ("Cotton"), January LaVoy ("Sally Hemmings"), and Robin Miles ("Maroons and Marronage") are masterful. But at least two dozen more could be mentioned. Ninety entries, including 10 poems, encapsulate the African-American experience... Read More

You could spend the next year listening to nothing but audiobooks about George Washington. Biographer David O. Stewart purports to focus on Washington's political development, but, in fact, his biography includes a well-researched birth-to-death reconstruction of Washington's life. It's a listening experience that touches directly on our own concerns about political leadership.... Read More

Harold Ramis's daughter, Violet Stiel, narrates most of her memoir about growing up with her father. Ramis was the mastermind behind such comedy classics as GHOSTBUSTERS and CADDYSHACK. Stiel recounts how her father made her laugh--and at times cry--throughout her childhood. This is a meditation on life and times with a father who was a household name, and Stiel alternates... Read More

In this audiobook offshoot of his film project SIDE BY SIDE, filmmaker Glenn Morey presents moving first-person accounts of 15 people who were separated from their families in South Korea and adopted by people in Western countries. Morey, himself a South Korean adoptee, narrates with earnest warmth, explaining what inspired him and his wife to follow up with the South Korean... Read More

Jill Blackwood gives a lively narration of this audiobook--part memoir and part lesson on religion. Blackwood capably conveys Passarella's intention to bridge the divide between her conservative Christian upbringing in Memphis and her present-day life as a New York City writer, wife, and mother of three. Passarella is an admirably honest storyteller who reveals many intimate... Read More

At a time when gardening is offering the world a respite from a seemingly endless pandemic, Sarah Frey's story of entrepreneurship, farming, and community strikes a welcome and hopeful chord. The memoir details Frey's beginnings as a plucky kid from rural Illinois with many siblings, who was at one time hailed as "America's Pumpkin Queen." Frey's voice has a lovely softness... Read More

Narrator Emily Woo Zeller homes in on the powerful essence of the 12 interrelated essays that comprise Korean-American Laura Lee's memoir. As is the case with many nonfiction accounts of mental health struggles, traumatic subject matter risks oversaturating the listener in emotional pain. But Zeller's performance adroitly navigates this complicated terrain, adjusting voice to... Read More

At the start of this touching audiobook, Curtis Jackson, known as the rapper 50 Cent, says that while he's never been shy talking about his success, he's screwed up many things and is reluctant to call himself an expert on life. Yet his achievements in the entertainment world and his harrowing life as a drug dealer before that taught him lessons on managing himself and his... Read More

The listener might think Jesse Washington's voice sounds too young to reflect that of the venerable basketball coach John Thompson, who died in 2020. But he settles quickly into just the right tone to help shape the autobiography. The late Thompson's life, opinions, and career are interesting topics. He never pulls punches in this honest reflection of his life. Much of what... Read More

Author Michelle Duster delivers her biography of her great grandmother, Ida B. Wells, with obvious admiration and love. She moves smoothly from past to present as she documents Wells's life from her birth into slavery through Reconstruction, her role in establishing the NAACP, her work in the suffrage movement, and her lasting impact as it is acknowledged by today's Black... Read More

Karen Peakes narrates this true-crime story of Shelly Knotek, a woman who knew no bounds. Peakes's performance sucks the listener into the scenes of abuse, torture, sadism, and, eventually, murder committed by Shelly. Her victims were her three daughters, Nikki, Sami, and Tori; her husband's nephew, Shane; and her friends, Kathy and Ron. Peakes delivers the narrative in an... Read More

The Elizabethan seaman Sir Francis Drake is one of history's most dashing figures, and this fine audiobook revives all the romance and excitement of a story that circumnavigates the globe. Drake, though a pirate, turned his back on the racist and imperialist practices that taint most European explorers and helped establish Britain as a naval power. Lawrence Bergreen, the... Read More

Naturalist John Muir is best known for his intimate writing about the Sierra Mountains in California, but he was far more complex, as this audiobook shows well. His entire life was shaped by religion, literature, an inquiring mind, and a love of nature, especially wilderness. John McLain offers a solid narration. The audiobook is packed with details about Muir's life, but... Read More

After a deeply touching foreword by Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis and an introduction by the indomitable force that was Cicely Tyson (1924-2021)--narrator Robin Miles picks up the torch and delivers 16 riveting, thought-provoking hours on the life and times of the author. She was born in Harlem to parents who were West Indian immigrants. Her career in modeling and show... Read More

Anyone who watched the inauguration already knows the outline of Kamala Harris's life story. A former California senator, she's the first person of Afro-Caribbean and East Indian descent to be elected to the office of vice president. This audiobook seeks to fill in some of the details. Soneela Nankani offers an even narration. Her tone suits the material, and her pace is good,... Read More

John Pruden's performance is welcoming yet authoritative, a perfect fit for this biography of astronaut John Glenn. George's audiobook frames Glenn's life comprehensively, covering his time at NASA, his political career, and his triumphant return to space at age 77. The audiobook captures the thrilling moments of Glenn's historic Earth orbit as Glenn describes his views of... Read More

The smooth-sounding Simon Vance employs an authoritative and engaging narration of Clive Irving's gossipy yet highly articulate biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Irving argues that the Queen's discomfort with significant social changes during her reign is the reason she likely believes she will be the final queen of the British monarchy. Vance applies a pleasing melding of a... Read More

Throughout this absorbing memoir-in-essays, there are moments when you can hear laughter beneath author Randa Jarrar's narration. Her warm, no-nonsense tone adds levitiy to the heavy subject matter, which includes domestic abuse and sexual violence. But Jarrar's laughing voice, sly asides, and obvious affection for her friends and lovers also highlight what makes this audiobook... Read More

Performed with grace and care, Daniel Henning's outstanding narration of this fine biography reveals, warts and all, the larger-than-life James Beard. The renowned chef--who was six foot three and 300 pounds-- is considered the dean of American cookery. Henning narrates with intelligence at a good pace, and he gives the elegant prose its due. This is an audiobook filled with... Read More

Narrator Nigel Shawn Williams seemingly reanimates the late Barbadian poet Austin Clarke, who spent decades living in Toronto, won Canada's Giller Award, as well as other literary recognition, and was named a Member of the Order of Canada. Williams's Caribbean-inflected speech and deliberate pacing fully deliver Clarke's delight in language as this memoir unfolds--from island... Read More

This audiobook chronicles the life of adventurer Maurice Wilson, who returns from WWI with a dream of conquering Mt. Everest. Narrator James Langton skillfully introduces listeners to the fascinating and utterly outrageous Wilson, his mistresses, and his wives as he hunts down sources of money to fund his quest. He makes several attempts to climb and one attempt to fly and land... Read More

Throughout this engrossing audiobook, author Frenchy Brouillette emphasizes that all he's ever wanted to do is show people a good time. Narrator Louis Herthum does just that, using a stellar Cajun accent as he takes listeners on a bumpy ride through Brouillette's colorful life. That starts with the teenaged Frenchy escaping from a stifling rural Louisiana town to New Orleans,... Read More

Playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes brings warmth and exuberance to her narration in this memoir of family, language, home, and coming of age as an artist. A collection of heartbreaking and joyful moments comes alive through her voice. Her narration embodies the rhythms of her beloved North Philly neighborhood; the love and familiarity she uses to capture the voices of the many... Read More

To author Megan Margulies, "Daddy Joe" was a kind, loving grandfather with perpetually ink-stained fingers who doted on her as she grew up and he grew old. Narrator Natasha Soudek brings out all the emotions in Margulies's relationship with her grandfather, who was known to the world as Joe Simon, the revered co-creator of Captain America. Soudek voices the tenderness and love... Read More

Gutkind made his name writing creative nonfiction, an offshoot of new journalism. After a lifetime of telling other people's stories, MY LAST EIGHT THOUSAND DAYS is Gutkind's look inward. Narrator Johnny Heller is the perfect voice for sharing Gutkind's honest reflections--from successes to failures--both professional and personal. Gutkind explores what it means to be nearing... Read More

This audiobook biography tells the story of Raye Montague, the engineer who developed the first computer-generated ship design. That the engineer who pioneered this technological advancement was both female and African-American is especially inspiring. The main narrator is Robin Eller, who brings enthusiasm and vocal integrity to the task of showing listeners just who this... Read More

Hilary Holladay's biography of one of America's important poets occasionally falls into polemic, and Rich's sons disappear from it for long stretches, but it is a strong telling of a life. Maggi-Meg Reed narrates with an engaged and engaging passion. Rich knew most of the significant American poets of her era, and Reed does not attempt to create voices for the many speaking... Read More

Two uniquely matched voices tell the story of Nazis escaping Europe through Rome's "Ratline" after WWII. Author Phillippe Sands focuses on the life story of Otto von Wächter, the Nazi governor of Galicia and Krakow, who was complicit in the murder of many thousands of Polish Jews, including members of Sands's own family. Wächter's son, Horst, leads Sands to a family trove of... Read More

Fans of the classic graphic novel series Tintin will enjoy this biographical audiobook about its creator, Herge. Listeners will learn about his lower-middle-class childhood in Belgium, his experience as a teenage illustrator for a Boy Scout magazine, and his years as the illustrious and sometimes controversial originator of the beloved boy reporter. With his hefty catalog,... Read More

With crisp British enunciation, narrator Susan Myers portrays the preeminent paleoanthropologist Meave Leakey. Leakey, wife of Richard Leakey, daughter-in-law of Mary and Lewis Leakey, who discovered the early human ancestor called Lucy, describes her digs and finds on the shores of Lake Turkana in northwest Kenya. Throughout this history of science and discovery, Leakey... Read More

Listeners will have a wonderful time diving into this accomplished history of the female "stunt reporters" of the late nineteenth century. This audiobook is indeed a sensational adventure for the ears. Narrator Maggi-Meg Reed is the ideal choice to deliver these narratives of women journalists who donned disguises and affected alternate identities to go undercover in medical... Read More

Narrator Sachi Lovatt's measured, almost detached, tone suits author Elizabeth Miki Brina's candid memoir of her challenges with racial identity. Brina, the daughter of a war bride from Okinawa and an American veteran of the Vietnam War, shares her intimate and emotional story. Lovatt's calm tone and relaxed pace help listeners settle into the narrative's complexities as she... Read More

During the 1930-40s, Austrian actress turned screenwriter Salka Viertel maintained her salon in Santa Monica as a refuge for the emigré community of German and other European intellectuals. At one point in time, Viertel earned the highest screenwriter salary on the MGM Culver City lot. Even with the well-written content of this audiobook, Heather Henderson's narration, while... Read More

Critic and podcaster Rebecca Carroll narrates her accomplished memoir about growing up the adopted daughter of a white couple and being the only Black resident in her small New Hampshire town. This affecting chronicle illuminates the overt and subtle racial discrimination she encounters as she searches to find her place in the world. As Carroll recounts her bohemian upbringing... Read More

Jan Morris's piquant, irreverent daily diary about life as a nonagenarian in the 21st century is brought to vibrant life by narrator Jennifer M. Dixon. As she did in her first book of jottings, the famous Welsh author and historian, who died in 2020, observes everything from world politics to neighborhood birds--from aging, family, and love to the pleasures of jam on toast in... Read More

As author and narrator Anna Malaika Tubbs states at the beginning of her audiobook, these examinations of three of the most important mothers in this nation's history are long overdue. For decades, the lives and stories of James Baldwin, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcom X have been told and retold, thoroughly researched, and subject to ongoing scholarship. But the... Read More

Priyanka Chopra Jonas narrates her story of growing up in an Indian military family before becoming a Bollywood, then Hollywood, starlet. She does so with heartfelt earnestness that is endearing and unexpected, given her star status. Jonas takes listeners on an intimate and detailed emotional journey from her feelings of having been abandoned at boarding school to her lack of... Read More

No one other than Colin Jost could have narrated his life story, which he does so perfectly in this audiobook memoir. His trademark self-effacing delivery, honed from 15 years on "Saturday Night Live," is flat-out wonderful. In this funny and revealing audiobook, Jost discusses growing up on Staten Island, where occupational choices were limited to firefighting or garbage... Read More

Irish actor Gabriel Byrne's smoky voice whispers in your ear, gets into your head, and takes you on a deeply personal journey into his life. Byrne is brutally honest and down-to-earth as he explores the people and events that made him who he is today. In gorgeous writing that feels like stream-of-consciousness poetry, he reveals his attraction to the rituals of the Church in... Read More

Bilingual voice artist Marisa Blake narrates with a lovely warmth that makes this combination biography/personal growth audio as delightful to hear as it is inspiring to absorb. Her beguiling tone and phrasing draw people into the world of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican-born painter who overcame the crippling effects of polio and a disfiguring bus accident to become an international... Read More

Author Susan Orlean, who is most known for her book THE ORCHID THIEF, narrates a short essay about overcoming her fear of flying. She highlights her phobia and the path she took to overcome it. She also provides a short history of those psychological treatments--chiefly hypnosis. As she switches from first- and second-person points of view, Orlean's experience is shared in an... Read More

This is an extraordinary audiobook about four extraordinary women who were war correspondents--the three women who are the subject of Becker's book, as well as the author herself. Adding to the remarkable story of these groundbreaking journalists is the skill of narrator Lisa Flanagan, who is pitch-perfect throughout this account of the trailblazers. She moves from harrowing... Read More

Author/narrator Annabelle Gurwitch is spunky, funny, and upbeat in this no-holds-barred memoir about her unconventional life as a divorced mom of a nonbinary 20-something in recovery. Listeners will find her performance refreshing and revelatory as she takes them through the ups and downs of her unusual life. Gurwitch takes everything--from her home to her marriage to... Read More