Nonfiction Audiobook Recommendations for Busy People
A great way to read on the go
Audiobooks are a game-changer for commutes, road trips, and boring chores. They are such a great way to get your time back and enhance your less-than-exciting experiences.
(Don’t know about you, but trying to read on transportation is no bueno for me. I get nauseous in T-minus 30 seconds. When I moved to Thailand and suddenly had to spend over an hour on the bus to get anywhere in Bangkok, I jumped into audiobooks and podcasts and never looked back!)
Personally, I can only listen to nonfiction audiobooks because your girl here will occasionally zone out, and that one or two lines of dialogue in a fiction book can make a BIG difference! Nonfiction, on the other hand, is easier to follow in bits and pieces.
Without further ado, here are my top 6 nonfiction audiobook recommendations!
Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
10 hours and 42 minutes
I’m a sucker for a good book read by the author. John Green has such a friendly voice that exudes his thoughtfulness and gentle wit. If you’ve watched Vlog Brothers on Youtube or read John Green’s other works, this has the same quirky reflections and interesting trivia. He explores topics like NASCAR, the QWERTY keyboard, and more alongside his personal anecdotes. The audiobook is especially cool because you get to hear the last recording of a now-extinct bird! Be warned this audiobook is equal parts amusing and touching which had me tearing up at the end.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
6 hours and 26 minutes
This audiobook read by the author, an actress since childhood, possesses excellent comedic timing and authentic emotion that only Jennette McCurdy could deliver. With such polished storytelling, we learn about her dysfunctional family, her chaotic upbringing, and her unethical experiences in Hollywood. McCurdy does not shy away from her own mistakes and poor choices and that candid vulnerability leaves you rooting for her even more. I’m so excited to see what else she writes and I hope she reads those audiobooks too.
This Is Your Mind On Plants by Michael Pollan
7 hours and 37 minutes
This book is an excellent blend of history and the author’s personal experience with three plant drugs — opium, caffeine, and mescaline. The history of these drugs makes for some great trivia to share at parties and the author’s thorough, and at times comical, experiences acquiring, growing, taking, and detoxing these drugs had me finding ways to sneak more audiobook time into my day.
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
3 hours and 8 minutes
This is a short audiobook that’s perfect for a road trip: it’s funny and engaging and you will lose little if you zone out for a minute to chat with friends for a moment on which exit to take next. I listened to it as my friends and I drove 14 hours overnight to Colorado and the dad’s boisterous voice helped me stay awake.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
8 hours and 19 minutes
Anthony Bourdain walks the line of the loveable asshole. He pulls back the curtain on the restaurant industry, spills the beans on kitchen shenanigans, and teaches you how to elevate your cooking game. Anthony lived a wild and full life and he holds nothing back — he has an eye for detail which shows in his prose and he is a natural and charming storyteller. The audiobook is narrated by him and I can’t imagine it any other way. It was so good it led me to binge-watching his shows.
Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool by Clara Parkes
5 hours and 55 minutes
I love learning about topics I know nothing about and Clara Parkes is the perfect person to take us on a journey of the wool industry in America. (I mean the girl somehow found a way to make a full-time living writing about yarn for over a decade, folks!!) The subject material is surprisingly interesting and the author presents it in a hopeful way. Clara has a warm and soothing voice which would make this a great audiobook to help you unwind at the end of the day.
I love me a good book but sometimes I don’t have time to sit down and physically read. Audiobooks have been such a great way to bridge that gap.
I personally get most of my audiobooks from the library (hello, Libby and Hoopla!) but if you want to buy your audiobooks I would recommend you stay away from Amazon’s Audible (as tempting as they are) so do your research, folks, and use your money to support what you want more of in the world!
Which one of these audiobooks catches your fancy??
Let me know in the comments below!
