In the past year, I have probably read more nonfiction than in the rest of my life combined, excluding required reading for class. Part of the way I’ve been doing that is by listening to nonfiction audiobooks, especially memoirs. There’s just something about hearing someone’s life story told in their own voice that I’ve come to love.

So, I thought I would tell you guys my favorite nonfiction audiobooks narrated by the authors themselves that I’ve read in the past year:

Number 5: So Close to Being the Sh*t Ya’ll Don’t Even Know by Retta

Retta is so funny and she has some really interesting stories. I loved her in Parks & Recreations so I’m sure that helped me enjoy the story but I think it would be enjoyable anyway. Length: 6 hours, 56 minutes.

Number 4: Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham

I don’t know that anyone else could have pulled off her unique style. I would highly recommend this to fans of The Gilmore Girls as she does discuss both the original and the reboot. I will warn that she does reference some photos that you obviously you can’t see with the audiobook but I think it’s worth it (and you can do like me and borrow a physical copy from the library to look at the pictures, real quick) . Length: 4 hours, 38 minutes.

Number 3: Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

I love the authors voice, especially because she has a British accent (for those of us not from Britain, anyway). The book discusses race relations in Britain which I found fascinating. It’s very different from the U.S., but also kind of the same.

I thought the part about intersectional feminism was very informative and I think everyone should hear it/read it, but particularly white feminists (like myself). Length: 5 hours, 53 minutes.

Number 2: We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union

Listening to Gabrielle Union tell me about her life made me feel like one of her besties, which I am unfortunately not.  She is so fierce, funny, and real. There was so much I could relate to and also, of course, a lot that I couldn’t. Trigger warning for rape. Length: 7 hours, 48 minutes. 

Number 1: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah’s accent is so swoonworthy! This book was at times heartwarming, heartbreaking, and hysterical. It’s the best audiobook I’ve ever read and I can’t imagine having read it with my own voice in my head. Seriously, if you read this book you MUST go the audiobook route. 

Do you have any recommendations? I’m always looking for good audiobooks!