The Best Audiobooks Under 2 Hours

Legendary actor Vanessa Redgrave takes on the role of writer Joan Didion in this breathtaking audio adaptation of Didion’s memoir. After suffering unimaginable loss, Didion finds a new normal and learns to cope with a pain that no one should have to experience. The combination of Didion's words and Redgrave's delivery makes this Audible Original one of the best short memoirs available. The Year of Magical Thinking may also help those who are struggling with their own grief.

What better way to reveal a musician's soul than through sound? In Break Shot, folk singer James Taylor (known for the classic song Fire and Rain, among many others) uses music and the spoken word to explain how his tumultuous early life inspired his Grammy-winning, decades-spanning musical career...in a little over an hour and a half. Only in audio can listeners experience the full impact of Taylor's emotional story and incomparable talents.

As a child, Sharon Washington—also known as the little girl who lived in the library—buried herself in stories. Today, she is an acclaimed actor whose autobiographical play, Feeding the Dragon, explores how her book-fueled youth put her on the path to becoming the woman she always wanted to be. This heartwarming Audible Original production features Washington recreating the role she originated in her off-Broadway play, and the resulting listen is truly impactful.

Common is now a multi-award-winning musician and actor. But once upon a time, he was a young man struggling to cope with his father's absence. In Bluebird Memories, Common uses music and poetry to relay the story of his origins, getting to the heart of how his youthful experiences still inform his work to this day. Those who love music and genuine, touching narratives are sure to love this unique audio experience.

Yo-Yo Ma is the most famous cellist alive today, earning 18 Grammys throughout a career that started when he was just a small child. In Beginner's Mind, he teaches listeners how to look beyond cultural norms and expectations to learn more from (and contribute more to) the world. This listen also includes performances by the celebrated cellist, combining memoir and music in an unforgettable, enriching listening experience.

Relax to the natural sounds of the Cape Cod, Massachusetts, seashore. These sounds, recorded by acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, can help you concentrate on work, calm you down after a stressful day, or soothe you to sleep. At just 54 minutes, it's easy to listen not just once but over and over again. Hempton's other short works include the sounds of the Atlantic, Hoh Rainforest, and Cades Cove.

A life-changing event does not have to be huge or earth-shattering: sometimes, small incremental steps are enough. Ex-Navy SEAL William H. McRaven adapted Make Your Bed from a popular commencement speech he gave at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. He now reads his own book about how to get through tough times with equanimity and courage (and a neatly made bed).

Although written for teenagers, Beyond the Gender Binary is a positive, energizing work that serves as the perfect introduction for anyone who wants to know more about gender. Author and narrator Alok Vaid-Menon explains why gender cannot be reduced to a simple male/female binary, and uses their own life story as an example of how nonbinary people can lead joyous, rewarding lives.

Pallavi's mother Usha is downright obsessed with finding her a husband—she even goes so far as to send Pallavi on a series of ill-fated dates. But when Pallavi finally finds a nice, successful man she wants to settle down with, Usha is alarmed rather than pleased. Who is this miracle man, and what does he really want with Pallavi? Evil Eye is an award-winning Audible Original, and it’s one of the best sci fi dramas you can listen to in under two hours.

From award-winning author N.K. Jemisin comes Emergency Skin, an Audie Award-winning short story about a ravaged, abandoned Earth and the human explorer who has returned on a data-gathering mission. But is Earth as dead as he thinks? What horrors and discoveries await him on the planet that his ancestors fled? Emergency Skin takes listeners on an unnerving ride into Earth's possible future.

Return to the world of The Riyria Chronicles in Professional Inquiry, a free short story available only from Audible. The saga of Hadrian and Royce, two killers turned professional thieves, continues as they are hired by a secretive heiress who wants them to kidnap her. Now they have two missions: to do the job they were hired to do and to figure out why they were hired at all. Royce and Hadrian are in for the assignment of their lives in this exciting addition to a thrilling sci-fi series.

Best-selling, award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reads her own work, We Should All Be Feminists, thus creating what is certainly one of the best short nonfiction experiences out there. In this thoughtful essay, she explains the importance not just of being a feminist, but of ensuring your feminism is inclusive rather than exclusionary.

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli brings science to the masses in this engaging, even lyrical work of nonfiction. If you enjoy science but have despaired of ever understanding complex concepts like general relativity or how black holes work, this introductory text is just the thing to get your feet wet. Only the best short nonfiction can get you hooked so quickly! Whether you end up listening to more about physics or stopping here, you are sure to value The Seven Brief Lessons on Physics Rovelli teaches.

The political atmosphere in America and abroad has grown increasingly caustic and divisive in recent years, but this is hardly the first time a nation has had to contend with fascism. Written and read by Yale professor Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny uses stories from the past to help listeners better understand the present and how they can preserve democracy for the future. This may not be the most relaxing of audiobooks under two hours, but it is certainly one of the most important.

Lia has finally got her feet back under her after a painful divorce. There is just one thing she needs now: to get back Ophelia, the invaluable family portrait still in her ex-husband's possession. With help from her twin sister Cam, Lia hatches a plan to retrieve the heirloom, no matter the cost. Half Light is read by award-winning narrator Bahni Turpin, who brings verve and emotion to every page of Tayari Jones's suspenseful tale of sisterly love.

Veteran actor Richard Masur and child actor Matilda Lawler reprise their stage roles in this audiobook edition of The Net Will Appear. This short play centers the unlikely friendship between a young girl and an old man. Clever use of sound effects enhance this charming story about secrets kept, secrets shared, and how even brief friendships can change lives.

From Andy Weir, the celebrated author of The Martian, comes The Egg and Other Stories, a collection of nine stories that will make you laugh, think, and gasp with surprise. The audiobook version of this snappy, surprising collection is only available from Audible. It is a perfect introduction to Weir’s style for those who have never listened to The Martian, or a delightful follow-up for those who have and yearn for more.

When they are suddenly left to fend for themselves, siblings Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy Weirdie must rely on each other to get through the long, lonely days. Acclaimed actor Kate Winslet brings this offbeat but hilarious children's story to vivid life.

If you love Holly Black's Folk of the Air series, don't miss The Lost Sisters, which fills in gaps left by the first entry in the series, The Cruel Prince. You will learn more about the contentious relationship between would-be queen Jude and her sister Taryn (including how they really feel about each other) in this gripping novella. Caitlin Kelly's superb delivery makes this one of the best short YA books you can listen to.

The audio edition of The Little Prince, a beloved classic about a stranded pilot who befriends a strange and insightful boy who goes only by the titular nickname, soars thanks to the talents of narrator Humphrey Bower. Bower has also read such emotional books as Tobruk and Schindler's List. Whether you are revisiting the story yourself or introducing it to your child, you won't want to miss out on this version of one of the all-time best short stories.