Though we’ll always have a wealth of history to explore, this year’s standout titles all aim to highlight some lesser-known figures and events. Whether it’s a look back at the accomplishments of boundary-breaking women, artists, and people of color that have long been overlooked or a refreshing new angle on some of our most-researched topics, this year's lineup also represents a new height in audio storytelling. From author and celebrity performances to immersive reenactments of historical events (as well as the return of some beloved author-narrator pairings), there’s one thing that we can guarantee—these are some of the best-performed histories of 2023.
Save this list to your Library Collections now.
Nothing grabs my attention quite like a disaster story set at sea. Offer me a cannibalistic saga of shipwreck, sabotage, and buried gold, and I’m all ears. Bestselling author David Grann (Killers of the Flower Moon) and powerhouse narrator Dion Graham bring this tempestuous tale to life and come together to create one sublime audiobook. The Wager props open a fascinating portal into hidden maritime history, examining everything from 18th century amputation procedures to the oceanic origins of common English expressions like “three sheets to the wind.” It’s truly narrative nonfiction at its finest. —Haley H.
Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch are back with the third installment in their Conspiracy series. And this time, they’re exposing the Nazi plot to murder the Allied leaders—FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill—at the height of World War II. In typical Meltzer fashion, The Nazi Conspiracy is a true tale of history that unfolds like a fast-paced thriller. And fan-favorite narrator Scott Brick delivers another incredible performance voicing the action. At this point, Meltzer and Brick have cemented themselves as a dynamic author-narrator duo within the genre, and I cannot wait for the next conspiracy these three will uncover—hopefully sooner rather than later! —Michael C.
Pulitzer Prize-and National Book Award-winning journalist Timothy Egan is back with another riveting American history—and this time, he also narrates. A Fever in the Heartland chronicles the expansion and impunity of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s and ‘30s. It is an eye-opening, chilling, and thorough account from Egan, who expertly paces this dark narrative of how one woman used her pain and sacrifice to bring down D.C. Stephenson, a charismatic charlatan and KKK Grand Dragon, and halt the hatred threatening to swallow America whole. —Phoebe N.
Journalist Donovan X. Ramsey debuts a full-length work of nonfiction with his self-narrated history of the war on drugs. Told in mosaic style, it’s a compelling mix of history and memoir. Alongside Donovan’s chronicle of the political and social upheavals leading up to and surrounding the crack era, he profiles four individuals who survived the decades, giving the narrative a deeply human and kaleidoscopic dimension. When Crack Was King is a necessary corrective to an overlooked piece of American history that demystifies the false narratives, junk science, and cultural mythologies surrounding the misguided war on drugs. —Kat J.
Released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, there's no other in-depth history of rap culture quite like Can You Dig It? Performed by Public Enemy’s Chuck D and told through a blend of reenactments, personal reminiscences, and expert discussions, the multi-episode series offers a deep examination of what allowed such acts of urban artistry and social influence to flourish, while also illuminating the sometimes painful history of the Bronx in the 1960s and ‘70s. It’s a thoroughly captivating oral history of an era, a community, and the origin of hip-hop—a movement that’s as engrossing as it is vital. —Alanna M.
Performed by actress Mara Wilson, Madame Restell is Jennifer Wright’s return to form with another sharp and witty medical history. In addition to diving into the life and work of the titular heroine—a fearless feminist and women’s health care provider in Gilded Age New York City—Wright also dives into the history and accessibility of reproductive health care across the United States before the rise in restrictions and bans of the 19th, 20th, and now 21st centuries. And in a genre that’s not often narrated by celebrity, Wilson delivers a lyrical and heartfelt performance that perfectly captures the nuance of Wright’s informative and irreverent style. —M.C.
Four years after her Grammy-winning performance of Blowout, Rachel Maddow is back with another self-performed history. Prequel takes us back to World War II and the fight against fascism as German agents and Nazi sympathizers tried to undermine US democracy, promote anti-Semitism, and destroy confidence in the government. By exposing the involvement of elected officials and shining a light on the public servants and private citizens who banded together to thwart fascist efforts in America, Maddow offers an expertly written, reported, and performed account that not only educates us about the past but offers a suggestion on how to approach moments of conflict and crisis today. —M.C.
The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts is a groundbreaking study of America’s first known Black woman novelist, Hannah Bond “Crafts.” Written by Gregg Hecimovich, the biographer who discovered her identity, and featuring a preface from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the historian who originally authenticated The Bondwoman’s Narrative in 2002, this is a long overdue and remarkable account of a hitherto unknown writer, finally acknowledging Crafts’s contribution to the American literary canon. The expert performance from Ron Butler and Janina Edwards manages to beautifully polish this gem of a hidden history to perfection. —M.C.
Following her sweeping history of Rome in SPQR, Mary Beard, the world’s most famous classicist, is back with another deep dive into the ancient world—and this time, she’s narrating! In Emperor of Rome, Beard focuses on the politics, empire, and emperors of ancient Rome, offering an account of Roman history as it’s never been presented before. And in a year when TikTok has us revisiting how often we think about the Roman Empire, this new history couldn’t have been better timed. There’s truly no one more suited to excavate the topic than Beard. —M.C.
Though most of the history of space flight and exploration has focused on men, Loren Grush offers a corrective as she refocuses the narrative to highlight the determination and achievements of the first class of women inducted into NASA’s astronaut program, in 1978—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. Sobering and insightful, The Six highlights the prejudice and discrimination these women faced from both the public and their peers. Performer Inés del Castillo breathes life into their inspiring stories, offering at once a celebration of their accomplishments and an exposé on the sexism they battled every step of the way. —M.C.
Douglas Brunt’s The Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel explores the disappearance of the celebrated inventor who vanished into thin air on the eve of World War I. Rudolf Diesel’s combustion engine was on the verge of revolutionizing the industry when he disappeared onboard the steamship Dresden, somewhere between Belgium and England. It’s a mystery that’s long left people wondering whether he died by accident, murder, or suicide. No matter what, this thrilling Scott Brick-narrated history manages to reopen a 100-year-old cold case and even suggests a startling new theory about Diesel's fate. —K.J.
In the same vein as his 2021 history Vanderbilt, Anderson Cooper is back with another unconventional and riveting history of the Gilded Age—but this time, he’s focusing on the Astors. Chronicling the rise, reign, and eventual fall of the great dynasty, Cooper and his co-author, Katherine Howe, manage to paint a vivid picture of the family tree and its key players while also acknowledging the bigotry and arrogance of the time. And much like Vanderbilt before it, Astor is a history that just feels natural being performed by the one and only Anderson Cooper. —M.C.
