While we’ll never give up the pleasure of cracking the spine and turning the pages of a great new book, the audio version fits a particular niche. Audiobooks are ideal for a hands-free reading experience: when you can’t get a seat on a crowded commuter train or to make the drive to work go faster, to help the miles fly by on family road trips when you need to keep everyone in the car occupied (and not fighting with each other) and you just can’t listen to more Kidz Bop or while you’re doing chores, preparing dinner or otherwise just have your hands occupied. Some people also process information better by listening rather than visually. You can take in a great literary classic or the best books of 2022 hands-free.
The next time you find yourself in need of a creative way to pass the time, break out one of these awesome audiobooks. (Don’t forget to sign up for the Audible free trial using your Amazon account before you go, to make working your way through that TBR pile even more affordable). Some of our favorites are recorded with big-name casts full of voices you may recognize, others are just the author or a voice actor sharing the work; some are brand-new, others are classic literary texts reinvigorated through your headphones. The one thing they have in common is that all of them are positively captivating. Work your way through these, then hit up the Good Housekeeping Book Club for even more feel-good favorites.
‘Sabrina & Corina’ by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
This stunning collection about Indigenous Latina women living in the Northwest will break your heart open, and the sensitivity and range of the cast that reads them is astounding. Short stories make great audiobooks for dipping into one at a time, so turn to this one if you don’t have long stretches to fill.
‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas
There may be no better time to listen to this sadly relevant story about a young Black man’s senseless shooting and how his best friend Starr, who witnessed it, deals with the aftermath. The narration only makes it that much more powerful of a listen for adults and teens alike.
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston
Save this spicy LGBTQ+ romance for listening when the kids aren’t in the car. Press play and escape into a world in which the president’s son can fall for his very own Prince Charming. Who doesn’t need to indulge in a little love story now and then?
RELATED: 40 Fantastic LGBTQ+ Books
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators’ by Ronan Farrow
Ronan Farrow won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking the Harvey Weinstein scandal for The New Yorker but the road to publication was a long and rocky one. News and history buffs will love this behind-the-scenes story about how he got his work out into the world — along with the scare tactics, from surveillance to intimidation, employed to try and stop him.
‘One by One’ by Ruth Ware
Does getting snowed in at a remote ski resort with your coworkers sound like your worst nightmare? Oh don’t worry, it could get so much worse. And it does, in this gripping suspense by mistress of horror Ruth Ware. You’ll want to hold your breath all the way to the shocking end.
‘The Vanishing Half’ by Brit Bennett
Twin sisters raised in a small, Southern Black community run away at 16 and end up taking very different paths. One returns with her daughter years later, the other goes on to live as a white woman, with a husband who knows nothing about her background. It’s a story about family and identity that addresses the subject of race in a fresh way that will stick with you.
‘Sherlock Holmes’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Actor Stephen Fry is an audiobook legend. In addition to voicing the hysterical Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, he also did his own take on the Harry Potter franchise. This time, he takes on another titan of British literature: Sherlock Holmes. He reads all four novels and five collections of short stories featuring the world’s greatest detective in a classic series mystery buffs will love.
‘Know My Name: A Memoir’ by Chanel Miller
Listening to Chanel Miller tell her own story of how she was assaulted by Brock Turner in 2015 and the aftermath is even more powerful than the print book. Hearing her become emotional during this devastating story’s more difficult moments will move you too.
‘Lafayette in the Somewhat United States’ by Sarah Vowell
This humorous biography of Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette is narrated by an all-star, A-team lineup of comedians, including Patton Oswalt, Fred Armisen, John Hodgman and Nick Offerman. It’s still on Amazon’s bestseller list for audiobooks, even though it came out in 2015. Even if you aren’t a history person, this one is worth your time.
Talking to Strangers’ by Malcolm Gladwell
This immersive version of Gladwell’s book explores the ways our approach to strangers can invite conflict. It features the voices of the criminologists, scientists and military psychologists Gladwell interviewed for the book, as well as reenactments of court transcripts and even audio from the arrest of Sandra Bland.
‘At Home: A Short History of Private Life’ by Bill Bryson
With so many of us spending more time at home these days, you may have found yourself thinking more about your own house and how it came to be the way that it is. This comforting book delves into the history behind our habitat and habits that may make you look at your own surroundings in a new way.
The ‘Harry Potter’ Series by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter needs no introduction, but the audiobook can be a great way to start kids off on the series. British actor Jim Dale’s whimsical take on each of the characters’ voices gives the story a renewed sense of wonder, so you’ll fall even more in love with all of your favorite Hogwarts inhabitants.
RELATED: 30 Magical Harry Potter Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Potterhead
‘Lock In’ by John Scalzi
In this sci-fi thriller, FBI detective Chris Shane’s consciousness jumps between machines. And because Shane is therefore genderless, readers can fill in that information for themselves. You can listen to the book narrated by Amber Benson, or the version read by Wil Wheaton, depending on your preferred experience.
‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ by Gabriel García Márquez
Fall for this timeless tale of love and devotion all over again by listening to the audiobook. It’s also available in Spanish, for non-English speakers or those who want to brush up on their language skills in a more interesting way than a textbook.
‘Stone Mattress’ by Margaret Atwood
Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale will want to try Stone Mattress, a series of short stories by legend Margaret Atwood. Because each story has its own narrator, readers range from Catastrophe‘s Rob Delaney to The Young and the Restless star Lorna Raver. Atwood herself narrates the last one, to top it all off.
‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama
‘A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin
Lots of audiobooks have won awards, but this one has also broken records: It won a spot in the Guinness World Records for the “most character voices in an audiobook.” If you’re counting, that’s 224 characters to be exact. According to the record, Roy Doltrice gives each of them a “distinct and distinguishable” voice, a real feat for any actor.
‘A Long Petal of the Sea: A Novel’ by Isabel Allende
This epic tale of love triumphing over adversity follows two young refugees fleeing the Spanish Civil War aboard a boat chartered by poet Pablo Neruda. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Allende’s heartstring-tugging novels or coming to her for the first time, this one is a beautiful escape into a romantic story.
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee
Actress Sissy Spacek narrates this classic novel with an unfussy and confident style that lets Harper Lee’s story shine through. She doesn’t need to rely on a bunch of gimmick voices and accents when the source material gives her so much fantastic material to work with.
‘The Glass Hotel’ by Emily St. John Mandel
What does the collapse of a massive Ponzi scheme have to do with a woman mysteriously disappearing from a ship between ports of call? You’ll just have to tune into this masterful audiobook from the author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility.
‘The Graveyard Book’ by Neil Gaiman
This spooky tale follows the story of Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod. He’s being raised by ghosts and ghouls in a graveyard in this story that will send chills crawling up your spine. A whole band of actors, including Fleabag‘s Andrew Scott and Gladiator‘s Derek Jacobi, bring the story to life in a wonderfully robust way.
‘Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood’ by Trevor Noah
The Daily Show host and comedian Trevor Noah grew up in South Africa under apartheid, and his stories from that time vacillate between hilarious and poignant. Noah’s masterful switching between English, Xhosa and Zulu in voicing his memoir earned him an Audie Award for Best Male Narrator.
‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald
If you haven’t read this classic since high school, let Jake Gyllenhaal’s narration help you fall back in love with it. The jazz age never sounded so good. And if your kids have to read it for school, listening will give them a different perspective than the page and maybe get them to finish their reading assignment with less nagging.
‘Angela’s Ashes’ by Frank McCourt
The best memoirs make the author’s voice really shine, and audiobooks let you do that literally. In this heartstring-tugging version, Frank McCourt reads his stirring story of growing up in poverty in Ireland. Fair warning: Grab some tissues before you press play.
‘The Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead
Tune in to this 2020 Pulitzer Prize winner to hear the harrowing story of Elwood, a young Black boy unjustly sentenced to a violent reform school in Florida. As Elwood befriends a fellow student in his struggle to survive, their actions have long ramifications that echo through the decades. Don’t worry, there are some fun boyhood hijinks to balance out the horrors.
‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Two loner teens Aristotle and Dante couldn’t be more different, and that’s part of what brings them together. The unlikely match form a deep and lasting friendship in this coming-of-age novel your tweens will adore. Hamilton creator and Mary Poppins Returns star Lin-Manuel Miranda narrates this one, so you know the voice work is stellar.
‘The Dutch House: A Novel’ by Ann Patchett
If there’s a better voice for this expansive Patchett novel than Tom Hanks, we’ve never heard it. This moving story explores the bonds between siblings, the meaning of home and how much our past influences who we become.
‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ by Mark Twain
“Being paid to perform such a gratifying activity as reading Mark Twain aloud felt powerfully akin to Tom Sawyer hoodwinking other boys into paying him for the privilege of whitewashing a fence,” said Nick Offerman, about narrating The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for this audiobook. If that’s not an endorsement, we’ve never heard one.
‘Me Talk Pretty One Day’ by David Sedaris
True confession time: I once laughed so hard while listening to David Sedaris that I nearly fell off a treadmill. So maybe sit down before you turn on this audiobook that features Sedaris moving to France and butchering the language, among other too-funny tales.
‘Elizabeth II: Life of a Monarch’ by Ruth Cowen
Just about everyone’s fascinated with the British monarchy in all of its juicy glory. If you finished Netflix’s The Crown and still crave your royal history fix, press play on this one. It covers Queen Elizabeth II’s whole life — all the way from her birth and the ascension of her father to the throne and even the modernization of the royal family.
Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor
Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala covers all things parenting, from the postpartum period through empty nests, for Good Housekeeping; she previously wrote about motherhood for Parents and Working Mother.
Senior editor
Lizz Schumer is the senior editor for Good Housekeeping, and also contributes to Woman’s Day, and Prevention, covering pets, culture, lifestyle, books, and entertainment.
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