My Recent & Current Audiobook Listens
I’ve written (more than once) about my love for podcasts. Naturally, I progressed from exclusively listening to podcasts to also listening to audiobooks!
This is thanks to my friend Brigitte, who introduced me to Libby. With the use of a library card, the Libby app allows you to digitally check out audiobooks (and eBooks) for free on any electronic device.
I thought this was amazing especially considering an Audible membership ranges from $8-$15 a month.
As I said above, all you need to use Libby is a library card. I decided to use my LA Public Library card as the selection of what you can check out ranges from library to library.
Note: If you live in LA county, you can register for a library card online and you will be emailed an e-card. Within minutes, you can start listening to audiobooks.
This is not an ad (although I wish it was), I simply want to share with you all a great resource!
That being said, I’m going to discuss audiobooks I have listened to recently using the app and what I’m currently listening to as it can be overwhelming to choose your first listen!
Recent:
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
Caitlin Doughty, otherwise known as Ask A Mortician on Youtube is, you guessed it, a mortician. In Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, (narrated by the author), Doughty candidly tells her story and how she ended up working in the death industry.
She also openly talks about death, something most people can’t or won’t do. Full of anecdotes, Doughty is downright hilarious and at many points, morbid. This is a fantastic listen that draws you in and makes you laugh out loud. It also gives you plenty of insight on how the death industry works!
Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny by Holly Madison
When I was in elementary school, I LOVED watching “The Girls Next Door”. The lives of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends Holly, Bridget, and Kendra looked glamorous and so incredibly fun. Never mind that they were living and sleeping with someone who could literally be their great grandfather.
In her memoir (narrated by Madison), she dispels the fantasy life we all thought she was living. Amongst many things, she writes about how trapped and ashamed she felt about her lifestyle and how living at the mansion felt like being a prisoner. This is a juicy listen that I could not get enough. Ultimately, it made me respect Madison even more as a person, entrepreneur, and mother.
Current:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Truthfully, I could write an entire blog post about the story of Henrietta Lacks but I’m going to give you a quick summary. Lacks was an African-American who died in 1951 at the age of 31 due to cervical cancer. Unbeknownst to her, samples of her cells were taken for research. Miraculously, those cells never died and they became known as the first immortal cell line.
Her cells are used to this day for research and medical purposes (they even helped create the polio vaccine!). However, Lacks never consented and her family (the descendants of slaves) never saw a dime from any of this.
In her book, Skloot takes us back into history to learn about who Henrietta Lacks was. Before this book, not much known was about her short life and what happened to her family after her death. She tells her story by speaking with Lack’s family.
I’m currently listening to this audiobook and let me tell you, it does a good job of making you feel like your there with Henrietta as she discovers she is sick and as the disease progresses. Of course, this book also delves into some medical history as well as ethical and race issues.
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