Although Audible was founded 30 years ago, and audiobooks have been around for much longer, it was in the 21st century that digital storytelling exploded. Technology—from the iPod and smartphones to streaming in our cars and homes—has allowed us to take a listening library with us wherever we go.
To capture the greatest listens from the past 25 years, we needed some guardrails. We excluded recent audio adaptations of classics and older books, sticking to works that are original 21st-century creations. Of course, they had to be special in audio. Featuring world-class performances and cutting-edge audio production, these 50 listens exceeded our expectations in both style and substance. These are the listens that shaped the past 25 years, presented chronologically by publication date: 25 in fiction, and 25 in nonfiction.
Explore the best listens of the 21st century so far, and save this list to your Library collections.
Zadie Smith's debut, a witty, richly imagined novel about immigration and belonging in modern Britain, is brought to life by a stellar full cast.
Narrator Vikas Adam is the perfect complement to this novel's complex and lyrical style, capturing its wonder, humor, and heartbreaking reality.
Jill Tanner narrates this unabridged audio version, reading McEwan’s piercingly beautiful prose with nuance, passion, and style.
The full-cast audiobook is a fantastic way to savor the different stories and time periods of this intricate story's six nested tales.
Capturing the mysterious listlessness of the characters, Rosalyn Landor’s narration of Ishiguro's genre-defying masterpiece will bring you to tears.
The all-star cast of narrators (Martin Scorsese!) brings this oral-history-style zombie-apocalypse story to life with even greater authenticity and suspense.
Tom Stechschulte's reading of this profound dystopian novel allows you to immerse yourself in the poignant father-and-son tale at its center.
With so many fans of the movie franchise, the new edition of the audiobook required a narrator as skilled as Tatiana Maslany to reimagine Katniss and the world of Panem.
This impeccably performed Swedish thriller introduces us to an unforgettable heroine while ushering in a golden era of dark and gritty Scandi noir.
King’s romp into alternate history blends time travel, romance, and political intrigue, with Craig Wasson bringing the fictional (and real) characters brilliantly to life.
Following the lives of two best friends in the 1980s, this novel’s poetic prose, paired with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s performance, makes it much more than a coming-of-age story.
Of course, you'll start your journey following the rise of Thomas Cromwell in the court of King Henry VIII with Wolf Hall, but Simon Vance narrating this sequel is perfection.
Gillian Flynn subverts expectations in ways that shock and amuse, and with Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne inhabiting the unreliable narrators, pressing pause is not an option.
David Pittu narrates this Pulitzer-winning novel, conveying the main character's enthralling journey from a grieving 13-year-old boy to his struggles with addiction and the art underworld.
Polly Stone's narration—including a melodic Parisian accent—adds to the emotional impact of this heroic WWII story about two sisters coping with German occupation.
Following the friendship and love between four men over the course of 50 years, and with Matt Bomer as your guide, this story will shake you to your core.
Nicholas Guy Smith's masterful narration will transport you to the Metropol Hotel to rub elbows with the resilient, charming protagonist, Count Rostov.
This book was positively (and literally!) made for audio. Who else but Ray Porter could assign unique voices to a pack of otherwise-identical clones?
This wildly surreal audiobook is voiced by 166 narrators, creating the immersive cacophony effect (almost a Greek chorus of Americana) that Saunders imagined.
Inspired by Black Lives Matter, this elegant debut is riveting. Narrator Bahni Turpin gives voice to a broad cast of characters, each with their own authentic perspective.
Carey Mulligan captivated audiences with this harrowing story about family, ambition, gender, and violence, originally performed at Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre.
Written as an oral history, this multicast performance—with Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, and Pablo Schreiber—is the perfect way to experience Taylor Jenkins Reid's novel.
Andy Weir and narrator Ray Porter deliver the kind of fun, smart, immensely entertaining production that reminds us why we love listening.
Following the struggles of two Pakistani American teens, this YA novel spans generations and continents, beautifully performed by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan, and Kausar Mohammed.
Dominic Hoffman's performance captures the depth and humor in this clever reimagining of a Mark Twain classic told from the perspective of Huck Finn’s enslaved companion, Jim.
Listening to David Sedaris deliver his hilarious, inimitable personal essays is unforgettable. Get ready for plenty of cringe and belly laughs.
While it won't make you a chef, there's nothing quite like hearing Bourdain's voice deliver this funny, no-holds-barred look at professional kitchens.
Larson’s true crime gem about Chicago's 1893 World's Fair is a touchstone of the genre, and Scott Brick's narration will have you hanging on every suspenseful word.
A much-needed corrective on the legacy of the Mongol Empire, this fascinating history unfolds in novelistic detail, aided by Jonathan Davis’s crisp narration.
Pollan's book, deftly narrated by Scott Brick, sparked a national conversation about the American diet, connecting it to larger issues of sustainability, health, and ethics.
This compelling family saga restores Sally Hemmings and her children with Thomas Jefferson to their rightful place in history, with magnificent narration from Karen White.
Patti Smith adds an intimate dimension to her lyrical prose by narrating the memoir of her scrappy, well-spent youth in New York City with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin skillfully narrate this revelatory book about bioethics, bridging history, science, and humanity in one richly told narrative.
Robin Miles captivates with her performance of Isabel Wilkerson’s stirring history about the transformative 20th-century migration of Black Americans.
Self-development trends come and go, but Brené Brown’s witty, relatable magnum opus about vulnerability (recorded in front of a live audience) remains.
Listening to Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer narrate her meditative treatise on the state of the Earth's ecosystem is both soothing and empowering.
Anne Twomey is perfect as your guide to Kolbert's reporting, a now-you-can-never-unsee-it narrative of what humans are doing to the planet.
Balancing gravitas with humor, Derek Perkins delivers Harari’s paradigm-shifting history of human civilization in a distinctive, accessible style.
Coates's poignant narration of his landmark work, written as a letter to his teenage son, lays bare the intimate, intergenerational repercussions of racism.
Trevor Noah's illuminating look at his life in South Africa is heartfelt and nuanced, and the Xhosa and Zulu languages shine in his dynamic narration.
This is the inspiring, actionable listen by Mel Robbins that launched an empire. You’ll never make decisions the same way again.
Julia Whelan captures the gut-wrenching realism of Westover's bestselling memoir about her sheltered upbringing and the world she discovers through education.
Don't think you have time to change your life? James Clear focuses on small, manageable changes, making it easy to digest and apply, even when listening on the go.
A fearless writer, Kiese Laymon's narration of his memoir—about family, the Black body, trauma, and so much more—may just leave you speechless.
The former first lady shares her life with great warmth and truth, tracing her inspirational journey from the South Side of Chicago to the White House.
Both memoir and self-improvement guide, the retired Navy SEAL and endurance athlete's book has changed innumerable lives with its message of determination and resilience.
This Audie Award-winning history is narrated by 45 different voices, crafting an experience that echoes the multitude of people who experienced 9/11 firsthand.
Gladwell's innovative use of audio, including interviews, court transcripts, and sound effects, creates an immersive listen perfect for his timely insights into how we relate to others.
Carmen Maria Machado beautifully narrates her genre-bending memoir about domestic violence in queer relationships, providing an intimate and unforgettable experience.
Chronicling the history of the Sackler family and their role in the opioid crisis, Patrick Radden Keefe's calm, restrained delivery will leave you shaken.
