Memoir/essay audiobooks
November 30, 2020 7:43 AM Subscribe
I've discovered I like essay collection/memoir-type audiobooks that are (preferably) read by the author. What are your favorites in this genre?
Examples of what I've liked have been The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile or Dear Girls by Ali Wong -- both are read by the author, are collections of essays/memoirs on a number of different subjects, a little bit funny, and easy to dip in and out of.
I'd like to avoid very dark/grim subjects (doesn't have to be Pollyanna-ish but if the whole book is about abuse or things like that, it doesn't work for me in audiobook format), don't want straight-up fiction, and would like audiobooks with chapters/episodes that are more on the "self-contained" side, i.e. enjoying the book doesn't depend on having closely paid attention to one narrative through the whole book. (I listen to audiobooks almost exclusively when driving, and I don't drive every day, so I often go long times without listening to a book.)
If it's not read by the author but otherwise fits these recs, I would be open to considering it as well.
Bonus points for lightly humorous, LGBTQ, non-white or non-American content, but please don't limit yourself to those categories!
Examples of what I've liked have been The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile or Dear Girls by Ali Wong -- both are read by the author, are collections of essays/memoirs on a number of different subjects, a little bit funny, and easy to dip in and out of.
I'd like to avoid very dark/grim subjects (doesn't have to be Pollyanna-ish but if the whole book is about abuse or things like that, it doesn't work for me in audiobook format), don't want straight-up fiction, and would like audiobooks with chapters/episodes that are more on the "self-contained" side, i.e. enjoying the book doesn't depend on having closely paid attention to one narrative through the whole book. (I listen to audiobooks almost exclusively when driving, and I don't drive every day, so I often go long times without listening to a book.)
If it's not read by the author but otherwise fits these recs, I would be open to considering it as well.
Bonus points for lightly humorous, LGBTQ, non-white or non-American content, but please don't limit yourself to those categories!
Big +1 on David Sedaris' audiobooks. His work is best listened to in my opinion, he has such a great delivery.
I've really enjoyed Amy Poehler's Yes Please, Craig Ferguson's American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot, Bossypants by Tina Fey, and Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin.
Also everything by Carrie Fisher -- The Princess Diarist, Shockaholic and especially Wishful Drinking. All read by Fisher and delightful. You can also find her fiction Postcards from the Edge and Surrender the Pink read by her, but I haven't listened to those and haven't read the books in ages. I would imagine the audiobooks are also great, though.
posted by jzb at 8:19 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I've really enjoyed Amy Poehler's Yes Please, Craig Ferguson's American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot, Bossypants by Tina Fey, and Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin.
Also everything by Carrie Fisher -- The Princess Diarist, Shockaholic and especially Wishful Drinking. All read by Fisher and delightful. You can also find her fiction Postcards from the Edge and Surrender the Pink read by her, but I haven't listened to those and haven't read the books in ages. I would imagine the audiobooks are also great, though.
posted by jzb at 8:19 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. I believe it fits your criteria quite well. Light and breezy, chapters full of funny anecdotes, and read by the authors.
posted by Juniper Toast at 8:27 AM on November 30, 2020
posted by Juniper Toast at 8:27 AM on November 30, 2020
Parker Posey's You're on an Airplane: A Self-Mythologizing Memoir is a sheer delight. It's a memoir, but like (my impression of) Parker, it's charmingly wandering and disjointed, following no straight line. It's her chatting to you, sitting next to her on an airplane. Also, it's one of those audiobooks which rather than doing a straight narration, takes full advantage of the form to turn it into a new and distinct work of art.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:27 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:27 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ha, yes, I came to mention Posey's You're On An Airplane, too. In addition to what Capt. Renault said, it also has wonderful (yet minimal) sound design, including frequent sounds from her dog Gracie, who is also on the plane with you both.
This might be TMI, but when I lost the ability to focus enough to read books in print, this was the first audiobook I ever listened to. I'd go on long walks to fill up my time, and Parker Posey would tell me stories about her odd life. It was a surprising comfort. The literal first time I laughed out loud post-divorce stuff was because of Posey's retelling of a particular story in this book. That's not to say that there's nothing dark in it, but that certainly doesn't color the tone of the entire thing.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 8:51 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
This might be TMI, but when I lost the ability to focus enough to read books in print, this was the first audiobook I ever listened to. I'd go on long walks to fill up my time, and Parker Posey would tell me stories about her odd life. It was a surprising comfort. The literal first time I laughed out loud post-divorce stuff was because of Posey's retelling of a particular story in this book. That's not to say that there's nothing dark in it, but that certainly doesn't color the tone of the entire thing.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 8:51 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed Blair Braverman’s “Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube,” a memoir of Norway and dogsledding and being a woman and toughness and vulnerability.
It’s lovely and funny and features many dogs. What more could you want?
posted by Dorinda at 8:58 AM on November 30, 2020
It’s lovely and funny and features many dogs. What more could you want?
posted by Dorinda at 8:58 AM on November 30, 2020
Mindy Kaling has a couple books of personal essays that she narrates. I really enjoyed them both - interesting stuff about her parents, career, and life as a comedy writer. I think she did some Amazon originals this fall as well, but I haven't listened to those yet.
posted by the primroses were over at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by the primroses were over at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'm quite fond of Tim Kreider's essays. His book, We Learn Nothing: Essays, is one of my all-time favorites. And he's the narrator on the audio version. I've also heard good things about his other book, I Wrote This Because I Love You: Essays, but I haven't read it myself (he's the narrator on that one, as well).
posted by alex1965 at 9:07 AM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by alex1965 at 9:07 AM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'd also recommend Dick Cavett's Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks, which is a collection of columns he wrote for the New York Times' Opinionator blog. Dick knows how to tell a story, and he has stories about everybody. Being a series of columns, it's easy to check in and out. Wide series of topics, and always interesting.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:08 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:08 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Trevor Noah's 'Born a Crime' has some bummer parts, being about Apartheid, but is overwhelmingly charming and funny.
posted by cobaltnine at 9:18 AM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by cobaltnine at 9:18 AM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin helped me through a painful post-breakup holiday move a few years back.
posted by mykescipark at 9:30 AM on November 30, 2020
posted by mykescipark at 9:30 AM on November 30, 2020
For lightly humorous, non-American, lesbian bonus points on top of ticking the other boxes, Sandi Toksvig's Between the Stops: The View of My Life from the Top of the Number 12 Bus is delightful collection of short essays on different topics, each inspired by a stop on that bus route, combining women's history with stories about her life.
posted by northernish at 9:42 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by northernish at 9:42 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
all of Samantha Irby's audiobooks are great!
posted by euphoria066 at 10:04 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by euphoria066 at 10:04 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Jenny Lawson! She blogs as The Bloggess, but her reading of her memoirs is DELIGHTFUL. Let's Pretend This Never Happened is the first one.
posted by gideonfrog at 10:10 AM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by gideonfrog at 10:10 AM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
I HIGHLY recommend the podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Green. It's also coming out in book form this spring. The concept is that he reviews everyday objects and experiences on a five star scale, but they are deeply reflective and often autobiographical.
I can't even give you a favourite episode, because honestly, whichever one I listen to becomes my favourite. The Piggly Wiggly one stands out, as does the Jerzy Dudek one.
It is on hiatus right now while John Green works on the book. Which means it's a great time to catch up on the back catalogue.
posted by guster4lovers at 10:27 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I can't even give you a favourite episode, because honestly, whichever one I listen to becomes my favourite. The Piggly Wiggly one stands out, as does the Jerzy Dudek one.
It is on hiatus right now while John Green works on the book. Which means it's a great time to catch up on the back catalogue.
posted by guster4lovers at 10:27 AM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
A Promised Land - Barack Obama
Talking As Fast I Can - Lauren Graham
Dad Is Fat - Jim Gaffigan
Scrappy Little Nobody - Anna Kendrick
The Truths We Hold - Kamala Harris
posted by saturdaymornings at 11:55 AM on November 30, 2020
Talking As Fast I Can - Lauren Graham
Dad Is Fat - Jim Gaffigan
Scrappy Little Nobody - Anna Kendrick
The Truths We Hold - Kamala Harris
posted by saturdaymornings at 11:55 AM on November 30, 2020
Amy Poehler’s book Yes Please is great on audio. It’s a memoir of her life, especially focusing on the comedy business. She actually takes advantage of the audio format and makes it a unique experience from reading the print book.
posted by wsquared at 12:30 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by wsquared at 12:30 PM on November 30, 2020
2nding Jenny Lawson, she's excellent
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:48 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:48 PM on November 30, 2020
I read both of Jenny Lawson's books in physical book form but I've heard her read her own stuff out loud at a book signing and she is very good at it. Also David Sedaris is quite the master at reading his own work (probably due to getting his start on This American Life).
I read Born a Crime as a physical book and thoroughly enjoyed it, read it on the rec of my ex-husband who listened to it.
Also agree that The Anthropocene Reviewed is a lovely podcast full of beautifully-written and wonderfully-read essays, totally feels like an audiobook.
posted by radioamy at 5:46 PM on November 30, 2020
I read Born a Crime as a physical book and thoroughly enjoyed it, read it on the rec of my ex-husband who listened to it.
Also agree that The Anthropocene Reviewed is a lovely podcast full of beautifully-written and wonderfully-read essays, totally feels like an audiobook.
posted by radioamy at 5:46 PM on November 30, 2020
Growing up Crystal, by Billy Crystal. There are some part when he talks about the deaths of family members but, overall, it’s a good listen.
posted by SillyShepherd at 7:06 PM on December 15, 2020
posted by SillyShepherd at 7:06 PM on December 15, 2020
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