Celebrate Black history with these voices in action

One of the things I love most about a well-curated list is when it mixes classic, category-defining works with new additions that challenge old categories and help redefine and grow the canon. At Audible, editor Abby West has done just that with the collection she curated for Black History Month. I encourage everyone to explore the many fiction masterpieces as well as the array of other genres strongly represented in her selections—it’s so much more than just a list.

Explore the Collection

A captivating conversation

Editor Abby has been busy. Not only has she been curating cutting edge collections—she also recently talked to novelist Kiley Reid about her buzz-worthy debut, Such A Fun Age. This story takes a fresh and daring look at race and class today that has everyone talking. This unpausable and immensely entertaining listen gives voice to social tensions as Reid goes beyond the now-ubiquitous scenario of a Black person being filmed in a fraught confrontation. Listen in as Reid talks about writing, labor laws and hair stories.

Discover a New Author

10 Contemporary Irish Authors

A real keeper

I know it’s ridiculous, but a small part of me wondered if Reese Witherspoon might have been in-the-know about some new-fangled smell-o-vision technology when I first learned of her February Book Club pick. Was she eyeing The Scent Keeper as a novel prime to be adapted to screen to coincide with a cinematic advancement? After listening, I realize that such technology would be completely unnecessary, and might even detract from the power of the story. Almost magically, author Erica Bauermeister has created words you can smell with your imagination—beautifully expressed through narrator Gabra Zackman’s aromatically-inspired performance. I’d still watch the movie, but was more than satisfied by listening.

Heighten Your Senses