When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullers and asha bendele, Narrated by Patrisse Khan-Cullers
In When They Call You a Terrorist, Patrisse Khan-Cullers, with asha bendele, examines why political protest is an important tool to rectify injustice and shares her insights on life, love, and what drove her to co-found the Black Lives Matter movement. With the narration performed by the author, there’s an extra layer of emotion and openness added to the story, lending the memoir an extra touch of personal insight into Khan-Cullers’ story. The authors remind us that there is still a lot of work to be done and encourages readers to keep fighting for Black people’s rights in an America torn apart by systemic racism.
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar, Narrated by Priya Ayyar
Set after the 1979 Iranian revolution, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree features a narrator who is a ghost, a casualty of the revolution. She follows the remaining members of her family to a rural village where they try to make a life for themselves. With each chapter, Azar features a different episode in the family’s post-war lives. She combines magical realism and Persian folklore to create a truly unique blend of storytelling. With The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree, Azar examines life in post-revolution Iran in this stunning novel filled with magical realism and Persian folklore. Priya Ayyar performs the audiobook beautifully and has quickly become a a new favorite of mine.
Say Hello by Carly Findlay, Narrated by the Author
Carly Findlay was born with a genetic condition that effects her skin. When people meet Findlay, they often don’t even say hello. Instead they ask intrusive questions about her appearance, like “What happened to you?” and “Are you contagious?” In Say Hello, Findlay calls out these ableist behaviors and challenges would-be allies to examine their own perception of bodily difference and disability. Findlay narrates her memoir with a blunt honesty, reinforcing her no-nonsense prose. As someone with a disability, I felt so seen by this book, and even though Findlay and I have different conditions, I kept saying, “Yes! I experience that too!”
A Burning by Megha Majumdar, Narrated by Vikas Adam, Priya Ayyar, Deepti Gupta, Soneela Nankani, Neil Shah, Ulka Mohanty
One of my most recent listens, A Burning, Megha Mujumdar tells the story of Jivan, a young Muslim girl in India who is arrested for suspected involvement in a terrorist group. With each chapter, we jump to a different character’s perspective, each with their own unique voice and connection to Jivan. Through the story, we learn each character’s complex involvement in Jivan’s arrest and what they choose to do about it. This audiobook includes an all-star cast, and I loved their performance so much that listened to the book in one day!
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Narrated by Rebecca Lowman, Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey
In their book She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey give you a front row seat to the story of how they investigated the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. While many of us have read their original piece and their follow up articles about Weinstein, She Said gathers all of their work together in one place, making it easier to see the complete picture. Throughout the book, I was impressed by their determination to uncover the truth and the great lengths they went to care for their sources while encouraging them to speak up and fight back.
