AUDIBLE SCHOLAR

Ama Hagan

When Ama first joined Audible as a high school intern back in 2017, she listened to mostly romance novels (the more dramatic the better). Now an Audible Scholar and full-time student at Wesleyan University, she still likes a good romance but has broadened her range of listening considerably. Most recently, inspired by a course in African literature, she's become a bit of an expert on African writers and the talented narrators whose performances bring their stories to life.

I'm Not Dying with You Tonight

By: Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Channie Waites

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

Release date: 09-04-19

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 609 ratings

Two Colors, One Goal

Race is thrown out of the window when two colors, black and white, find themselves stuck in a dangerous night. The two high school girls desperately try to make it home alive as riots seem to sprout everywhere around them. Each having their own personal problems, they still manage to travel throughout the night to their eventual safety. I felt as if I was running and hiding for my life with these two, occasionally losing them in the mix and finding them all over again. I was also just as frustrated as Campbell was to see Lena’s desperateness in getting to her boyfriend rather than getting home. In all of these tragic events, color did not matter although it may have seemed like that in the background. The ultimate goal was to stay alive together. As far as the narration, the switch between the two narrators made the story that much more amazing, especially since it made the conversation come alive. The differences in the tones and speeches would even have the reader feeling as if they are there hearing the two girls in talk, yell, fight each other and more.
The Beauty in Breaking

A Memoir

By: Michele Harper

Narrated by: Nicole Lewis

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Release date: 07-07-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 952 ratings

Its Doctor Hagan to You

Medical school all of a sudden became a little more nerve wrecking than it already was with this amazing listen that hones into the personal life and journey of a physician. As I started off listening in the first few chapters, I became very excited because I felt like I knew somewhat what was going on when it came to the health care workers tending to patients in the ER. My knowledge came from virtual clinical cases that I have been observing over the summer which also taught me how to approach different situations, such as a stroke, decreased cardiac output, etc. in the Emergency Room. Not only does this listen go through the personal life of a medical student who became a physician, but it highlights her experiences with different types of cases and people that she confronts in the ER. I loved this listen as it really speaks to the reality of a physician especially for an aspiring physician like me and all aspiring doctors should definitely come across this somewhere throughout their medical journey.
Presence

Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

By: Amy Cuddy

Narrated by: Amy Cuddy

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Release date: 12-22-15

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 7,441 ratings

How to Actually BE There

We find ourselves in situations where we know we are physically at a place, but people don’t seem to notice us. This listen teaches the listener what it means to not be present in a situation and how to actually be present in one. From the way we think, to our body language and even deeper into how we may eat, the idea of “presence” occurs in every aspect of our lives. Through this listen, we learn that people will only respond to us when we are actually present. This would be great for people who are preparing for big interviews, whether it is for a job or graduate school.

Getting To The Heart Of The Matter

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is the most controversial piece of literature I have ever come across in my years of reading about African people, African history, or anything African. Here's what I learned by confronting this "classic" and finding my own truth.

READ ON

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Novel

By: James Baldwin

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Release date: 02-01-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 3,719 ratings

Love vs. the American System

This is a beautiful story of love, loss, hope, and faith. Watching the movie does not compare to listening to this book. It captivates the listener’s attention to the point where the narration will have the listener thinking that certain scenes were absent while watching the movie. I enjoyed the moments she remembered being with Fonny before he was put in jail. It was as if the story of the present moments were actually a series of her love life when he walked around as a free man. I could not stop listening to such a beautiful story from the very beginning where Trish struggled to tell the love of her life that she was pregnant with his baby to the end where she has her baby. Trish is so full of hope when it comes to trying to take her innocent Fonny out of jail. Although we can hear her pain stricken voice when their witness decided to run from the trial, she still struggles to keep the little bit of faith left. Now she has to focus on the future of her and her child.
The Poet X

By: Elizabeth Acevedo

Narrated by: Elizabeth Acevedo

Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins

Release date: 03-06-18

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 3,667 ratings

Girl & Poetry vs. The World

I’ve only listened to one other poetry book as a member of Audible, which was beautiful, but I didn’t expect to fall in love with this novel—written and performed by poet Elizabeth Acevedo—as hard as I did. Her narration is pure artistry. Her voice perfectly captures the despair she feels while confronting familial problems—particularly her struggles as a young Hispanic female with different aspirations than her strictly reverent mother imagines for her. However, as she ever so poetically reveals, it becomes clear that she is not alone. Through her poetry she can express how she feels and she finds solace in discovering that she has an enthusiastic audience eager to listen to her every word! This book is an engaging reflection of the life of so many teens who face similar problems—which is why I highly recommend it as a great listen.
A Body, Undone

Living On after Great Pain

By: Christina Crosby

Narrated by: Christina Crosby

Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 08-11-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

Living a Livable Life

The listener lives on with Christina Crosby after her major accident that caused her to become quadriplegic. Her story is tragic as she sullenly, yet so strongly describes her limitations in life and the life of her family who confronted so many struggles in life. Her brother was also quadriplegic and her mother and father did not live long to care for her through the rest of her life. The only person close to her left in her life was her lover Janet. She speaks through the novel with different emotions as she highlights her past life with her family with joy and contentment. She happily reminisces the time she had with her brother and father as she played games differently from girls. Yet, as she moves away from the flashback to her more present life, the listener sympathizes with her as her tone shifts and becomes more morose. However, she does become more uplifting as she grows in strength in order to take over the body that has taken over her and the listener now becomes elated with hope for a better future especially as she end the book off by saying “I have my life back” as she accomplished the turning of a page in a book with a pencil. Her different tones evoke different emotions within the novel, but the reader learns at the end to stay strong even through the most difficult adversities.
The Hate U Give

By: Angie Thomas

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Series: Garden Heights, Book 2

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Release date: 02-28-17

Language: English

5 out of 5 stars 45,874 ratings

One Gun, One Community

Starr has no idea what to do or say regarding the death of her friend Khalil--which she witnessed first hand. We can hear the frustration and the fear in her voice throughout the novel as news of the incident is broadcast nationwide. We can hear the anger of the people who protest against such injustice as well as the apathy of those who believed Khalil was just a drug dealer or gang member. But the only person who knows what happened the night Khalil got shot is Starr. Now her life and the life of her family is at stake and she does not know whether to voice the truth or to stay hidden and from the wrath of the world. This book is a great listen for those who are mustering up the courage to fight the wrong. Narrator Bahni Turpin does a fascinating job expressing the emotions of each character in her different voices. She makes the listener feel a part of the novel and a part of the movement.
The Last Black Unicorn

By: Tiffany Haddish

Narrated by: Tiffany Haddish

Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins

Release date: 12-05-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 36,588 ratings

Tragedy to Comedy

Tiffany Haddish is one of the funniest narrators I have ever listened to. She is a realist and she is very honest about her life. What makes her story interesting is that she narrates it in a way that makes it comical to the audience. She drops her goals, aspirations, trials, and tribulations all in a novel that highlights her life story. We travel with her from the time she has been bullied in school, to each and every foster care that she was raised up in, to the moments of fame. She made each section of her life a comedy show for her audience which engages the listener into listening more into her life. It is her strong tone that makes her story appealing and it is her ability to entertain others that makes this books one of the greatest recommendations. Her storytelling is also very natural and does not even feel like she read off of the words in her book. Tiffany Haddish is indeed, The Last Black Unicorn and she has a lot to tell about her tragic, yet uplifting life.
I Can't Make This Up

Life Lessons

By: Neil Strauss - contributor, Kevin Hart

Narrated by: Kevin Hart

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Release date: 06-06-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 56,000 ratings

Trust Him! It's Not Made Up!

Kevin Hart’s humor grabs the listener’s attention in a way that I have not seen any other book accomplish. His narration is full of excitement no matter what story he is telling and this is to prep his listener for what will be said next in his books. I also admire the way Kevin Hart jumps out of his narration from time to time to actually speak to the audience, but with him being a comical individual, he would immediately remember that we cannot respond to the audio and return back to narrating his book. I found this to be a very engaging listen because he told his story as if he was telling his jokes on the stage. Throughout the book, I not only laughed or smiled a couple of times, but I was also able to grasp on to the actual advice that he was giving to the audience and it seemed universal, meaning it not only applied to adults but to teenagers as well. This has become one of my favorite audio and I recommend this book which teaches how to become successful, but with time and patience. After all, Kevin Hart really could not make that up.
Homegoing

A Novel

By: Yaa Gyasi

Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman

Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins

Release date: 06-07-16

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 10,468 ratings

A Sister's Journey

Homegoing is such a remarkable debut, an amazing story narrating the lives of two sisters, born in Ghana, separated, living two very different lives. The narration of Dominic Hoffman is phenomenal and he does a great job switching from English to Ghana’s native language, Twi whenever it is applicable in the novel. The characters are well formed to the point where they would not even be considered fictional. What makes this story powerful as well is the fact that it starts in Ghana, then we travel with the characters to America and it ends up back in Ghana as if we never left from the start. The listener is also reminded that in the beginning, the whites were the ones who accumulated all the power in Ghana but over the course of 300 years, power fell back in the hands of the native inhabitants of the country. Family is also an important aspect that can’t be missed when listening to this great book.
Everything, Everything

By: Nicola Yoon

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Robbie Daymond

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Release date: 09-01-15

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,028 ratings

Everything is Outside

This book follows the extraordinary life of young Madeline Whittier, a sick girl who hasn’t left her house for 17 years. What captivates me is the plot where she is able to find true love from a boy who moves in next door and he compels her to take risk. He finds love through her as well even though it may be peculiar that he loves someone who cannot leave the house or touch other humans. However, this barrier does not stop both Madeline and Olly from having adamant communications and getting to know each other through the internet. The narration of this book is also amazing because the narrator, Bahni Turpin has a voice that intrigues the listener and she does a good job in altering her tone to match the different characters. Her emotions follow the same emotions that are in the book. The story events are beautiful and the listener fears for Madeline’s life while simultaneously wanting more for her.
Their Eyes Were Watching God

By: Zora Neale Hurston

Narrated by: Ruby Dee

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Release date: 12-26-04

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 11,634 ratings

These eyes Are watching God

Whose eyes were watching God? This books is a very emotionally dynamic book that takes us through the journey of three different relationships of Janie. The question though is, “Does Zora Neal Hurston write this book as a portrayal of racial relations or gender relationships?” Janie was raised with the mentality that her only source of protection would be a man that she married. Although somewhat upsetting that she was not able to find herself independently, she is able to discover herself through the experience of a positive patriarchal love. Her first two husbands were demanding forces in her life who prohibited her from obtaining any power. Her last husband, despite age difference, was different in that he was her equal. He shows her love sentimentally that would uplift her, yet he drops subtle hints of his patriarchal domination that would have the reader thinking otherwise. The language of this novel flows through the ears and would be a highly recommended book to listen to.
Citizen

An American Lyric

By: Claudia Rankine

Narrated by: Allyson Johnson

Length: 1 hr and 37 mins

Release date: 04-21-15

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 633 ratings

An American Lyric

Citizen to me seems to somewhat tell the story of my life as a black citizen in the United States. What makes the series of short American lyrics so interesting is the fact that anyone can share and relate to the same story and experiences. As cognizant as I am of the small, and some large circumstances where racism still exists this books continues to highlight systems of racism that may have been missed before or even not acknowledged. The story that resonated with me the most was the story about stop and frisk because it related so much to stories seen on TV and the news about police interaction with black people. This section inflicted the most amount of emotion on me knowing that my people confront the situation daily. Everyone’s story can be found in this book and it is a great short classic to listen to.
If Not for You

A Novel

By: Debbie Macomber

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Series: New Beginnings (Macomber), Book 3

Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins

Release date: 03-21-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 993 ratings

A Crash to Love Novel

Beth’s story becomes adventurous when she decides to move away from his mother in Chicago to Portland with her aunt Sunshine to pursue her dream of being a music teacher. However her life changes as she gets into a fatal car crash where she soon met the love of her life, Sam. Building her relationship with him helped her come to many realizations such as overcoming fears and phobias and mustering up enough strength to debate with her mother about her life decisions. This novel is one of the best love stories and also familial stories because not only does it involve the common plot theme of a man meeting a woman in an exotic manner such as a car crash, but Beth also has to juggle the opinions of her very blunt mother. Relationships in this book also are not as steady which is similar to real world relationships. If Not for [Sam] this book may have taken another shift in its plot which is why it becomes a must read romantic novel.
Brown Girl Dreaming

By: Jacqueline Woodson

Narrated by: Jacqueline Woodson

Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 08-28-14

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,269 ratings

Dreams to Reality

Jacqueline Woodson narrates the story which such a lyrical voice which allows the reader to understand the poetry within each story. This book gives us the story of her life from the time she was born and how she got her name to the time when she was writing this book. Looking into her life, growing as an African America opens the readers’ eyes to an eyewitness account of a child’s growth during the 1960s and the 1970s. She was just a young black girl with better hopes and dreams for her life in the future and this book explains that matter very thoroughly. Woodson should be credited for such an outstanding job of turning poetry into such a cohesive story.
The List

By: Siobhan Vivian

Narrated by: Allison McLemore

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Release date: 06-10-13

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 403 ratings

Eight Girls, One List

The List puts to the light 8 different girls from each grade in high school and lets them know whether they are the prettiest or worst yet, the ugliest in their grade. Some girls seemed to be new to this old tradition while others took it to the heart as it may not have been the first time they ended up on the list. Vivian does a great job in narrating in these different voice and imitating each of these girls from their emotions and reactions to the list as well as their actual personalities. The List is a great read for teens in high school and it is like a journey of how each girl will make it through the year as either prettiest or ugliest. It doesn’t end there, but Homecoming is also around the corner and the listener gets a glimpse of how each girl is preparing for this dance. The question is, who will end up on this list next?
The Handmaid's Tale

By: Margaret Atwood

Narrated by: Claire Danes

Series: The Handmaid's Tale, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Release date: 01-01-12

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 44,253 ratings

Rebellion or Passivity?

In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, the narrator, Offred, tells an interesting story of her journey through a new restrictive institution called Gilead. Listening to this book through Audible has been a great asset especially while simultaneously reading the book as an English class assignment. I would come home every night, find a quiet place to sit and focus, and turn on the Audible app. Following the voice of the narrator on the physical pages increased my understanding of this very complex book. It also allowed me to take notes more efficiently as I searched for ways in which she was either rebellious or passive. Listening to the book was like hearing Offred narrate her life and tell her story. It also highlighted her shifts of tone throughout. Offred jumps around a lot in the book and sometimes digresses from telling her own story to that of another female under the same agonizing system. As I am listening, I also understand clearly Offred’s “inten[t] to last.” She becomes successful at this considering her story lasts longer than the rest. Her narration also strongly implies that she has a close connection with the other handmaid’s, not that the reader can say was physically strong but rather that each female had the same mental mindset. This book is filled with a flood of emotions like fear, apprehension, nostalgia, etc. The Handmaid’s Tale is a great Audible suggestion not only for English class, but also for one’s own leisure and free time.
Women of Brewster Place

By: Gloria Naylor

Narrated by: Tonya Pinkins

Length: 3 hrs and 7 mins

Release date: 06-03-09

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 261 ratings

Strong Women

The narration of this novel is amazing because Gloria Naylor speaks in a tone that brings out the characteristics of the people in the novel. We start off with jazz music that sets the mood for the book throughout. We start off with the struggle of one black girl Maddie, who lives in the restrictive home of her mother and her father. She reluctantly finds love in a man who her father despises and is viciously punished for her interaction with him. The books fast forwards to a couple years later, where she has had her son named Basel who she has raised to be dependent of him. The narration does a good job highlighting diction and language of different people.
Mama's Child

By: Joan Steinau Lester

Narrated by: Rachel Leslie, Eliza Foss

Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins

Release date: 09-03-13

Language: English

3.5 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

Who Am I?

Mama’s Child is an interesting story about a white woman who marries an African American man. Out of the two children that they have, their biracial daughter, Ruby struggles the most with her identity of whether she is white or black. The narrators Rachel Leslie who plays Ruby as well as Eliza Foss who narrates as the voice of Elizabeth really brings out those two most important characters in the novel. Listening to the narration helps me to understand the depth of the conversations as well as the arguments that went on between Ruby and her mother Elizabeth. Leslie’s narration highlights Ruby’s desperation to get away from her mother as she tries to affiliate with the black side of her identity even more. Foss’s narration does the same as she demonstrates the mother’s passionate desire to stay connected to her daughter as she slowly loses her. This novel is a great listen for many adolescents.
I Have Lost My Way

By: Gayle Forman

Narrated by: Nicole Lewis, Michael Crouch, Sunil Malhotra

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Release date: 03-27-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 113 ratings

Three Are Lost, Then Three Are Found

The three of them are lost and do not know where to go. However, they have indeed found their way to each other. Freda loses her way when she loses her voice. She does not know who she is anymore but must keep this a secret to the public eye. Harun desires to find his lover, James, yet fears that he will not be accepted by his family and plans to run away from home. Nathaniel, is lost in New York City where he calls his father who seems to never return his calls. This narration is spectacular because the listener can hear how the three narrators begin their stories separately, but end as one representing they have found their way. With this narration, it grabs the readers’ attention as they follow the different paths that eventually leads to one friendship.
American Street

By: Ibi Zoboi

Narrated by: Robin Miles

Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins

Release date: 02-14-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 796 ratings

Is this American Street?

Listening to American Street was an enjoyable experience. The listener gets pulled into the life of Fabiola Toussaint as she enters American ground with her mother, yet is soon separated from her. Now she has to become accustomed to the American customs and learn to speak more English as her aunt demands. At the same time, she has to deal with her three American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess in Detroit. The listeners can hear the confidence in Fabiola’s voice as she gets accustomed to the American way of life while still maintaining the pride of her Haitian identity. She becomes a known name in her new school and she builds up a romance that she would not have ever expected to be in. However, this does not last too long in Fabiola’s favor as the terror and pain chokes her voice near the end of the emotional story as she finds out that her desire to bring her mother back to her in Detroit also costs her the life of her boyfriend. She was not aware, but soon learns that in that part of town where she is residing in, you do not speak with the law enforcement authorities. She wishes to have learned this earlier, but it seems like now it is too late. Now her romance has ended and she may have to continue living out this American life on her own, without her mother, without her boyfriend, but just with her cousins and aunt.