The World in Books Audiobook By Kenneth C. Davis cover art

The World in Books

52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The World in Books

By: Kenneth C. Davis
Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo, Leon Nixon, Kenneth C. Davis
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $22.49

Buy for $22.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A bestselling historian takes listeners on an intellectual and cultural adventure, offering a carefully curated guide to great, short nonfiction works by some of the world’s most influential writers—from Plato to Toni Morrison, Ernest Hemingway to bell hooks, and Marcus Aurelius to Joan Didion. A delightful roadmap to a year’s worth of reading briefly, plus biographies, fascinating facts, and idea-rich insights into the lives of the thinkers, historians, and literary giants who have shaped our world.

For both avid readers and those looking to spark a new habit, The World in Books is an invitation to a more lively and meaningful intellectual life. Davis’s literary adventure guides listeners through some of the most important works of nonfiction of all time, offering a political, literary, and cultural history through reading.

Each of the fifty-two entries provides the book’s opening lines or a brief excerpt from the work; a summary of the work; a biography of the author; why you should read the work; and what to read next. Davis offers insights into some of the most enduring issues of our time—from the existential perspective in Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, to questions of race in Toni Morrison’s The Origin of Others, and the climate crisis in Elizabeth Kolbert’s Under a White Sky. With insights from ancient times to the present day, Kenneth C. Davis offers a wide-ranging historical education through pleasure reading. In an accessible, conversational style, he explores texts that both mirror our contemporary moment and present new ways to think about our lives.

These 52 selections, with books perfect for reading one week at a time, offer a year-long journey through history, philosophy, nature, and personal growth. More than just a literary companion, The World in Books is an education that combines wisdom with practical application. Davis’s work has been called “a wealth of succinct, entertaining advice” (Kirkus Reviews). The World in Books provides an engaging way to explore some of the most influential books ever written. A refresher course for lifelong learners.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Kenneth C. Davis (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
Literary History & Criticism United States World Literature War
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
All stars
Most relevant  
I now have quite a few books that I am very eager to read because I am confident they are a great read, a great education —and that will in my mind to my last days.

An enticing, concise overview.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

As someone who discovered books later in life, this guided tour of great thinkers is a welcome map of ideas and opportunities to learn.

An amazing survey

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.