With one winter storm
hitting after the next, this year's particularly eventful February has made me hyperaware of my cellphone habits. For one, I’m now tethered to my weather app, and for another, I’ve made a huge dent in my audiobook queue thanks to all the transit delays. Although it may not be stellar for my phone’s battery life, at least it's allowed me to stay on top of everything happening this month. Between planning for Valentine’s Day, studying up on the science of love, and keeping track of the long list of winners this awards season, February has become a serious contender for busiest month of the year. But to make things a little easier, take a look below for what I consider to be a pretty robust digest of this month's most necessary touchpoints.
- Michael, Audible editor
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Slavery by Another Name
- The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II
- By: Douglas A. Blackmon
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,987
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,691
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1,682
In this groundbreaking historical expose, Douglas A. Blackmon brings to light one of the most shameful chapters in American history - an Age of Neoslavery that thrived from the aftermath of the Civil War through the dawn of World War II.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Steel Yourself
- By Mark on 05-23-14
The Black leaders of our past, present, and future
From the big names you already recognize to the newer faces you haven’t gotten to know yet, it takes a movement of people to inspire change—and the Black authors, narrators, and other noteworthy voices in this collection are all part of that movement. As robust as this list already is, I’m excited to see how it will continue to grow as we no doubt get to hear more about the lives and experiences from the next generation of Black leaders.
Listen Up
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The Presidents and the Constitution
- A Living History
- By: Ken Gormley - editor
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 21 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
In this sweepingly ambitious volume, the nation's foremost experts on the American presidency and the US Constitution join together to tell the intertwined stories of how each American president has confronted and shaped the Constitution. Each occupant of the office - the first president to the 44th - has contributed to the story of the Constitution through the decisions he made and the actions he took as the nation's chief executive.
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4 out of 5 stars
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great book about the presidency & Constitution
- By Rob on 12-27-16
It's more than just a day off
Fun fact I only just learned: as far as the federal government is concerned, Presidents' Day is still officially on the books as Washington’s Birthday. Despite the name (and date) change since its inception in the 1880s, it’s still a fantastic reminder to consider the history of the position. And thanks to the extra day off, I was able to come up with this little list all about the presidency and the people who’ve held it.
The More You Know
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A Serial Killer's Daughter
- By: Kerri Rawson
- Narrated by: Devon O'Day
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,561
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,382
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,383
In 2005, Kerri Rawson opened the door of her apartment to greet an FBI agent who shared the shocking news that her father had been arrested for murdering 10 people, including two children. That’s also when she first learned that her father was the notorious serial killer known as BTK, a name he’d given himself that described the horrific way he committed his crimes: Bind, torture, kill.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Couldn't Get Through it
- By M. Waite on 01-30-19
A new side to the story
Editor Kat called this listen the most soul-searching, insightful, and compelling account by a serial killer’s loved one (and victim) that she’s ever come across. And with her expertise of everything true crime, I’m totally sold on the sentiment. Listen to her interview with the author—the daughter of the notorious BTK.
Sleep Tight
Best Sellers
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Zucked
- Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe
- By: Roger McNamee
- Narrated by: Roger McNamee
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 510
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 444
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 439
The New York Times best seller about a noted tech venture capitalist, early mentor to Mark Zuckerberg, and Facebook investor, who wakes up to the serious damage Facebook is doing to our society—and sets out to try to stop it.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Important story made almost unbearable
- By vince on 03-14-19
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Merchants of Truth
- The Business of News and the Fight for Facts
- By: Jill Abramson
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 111
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 100
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
Merchants of Truth is the groundbreaking and gripping story of the precarious state of the news business told by one of our most eminent journalists. Jill Abramson follows four companies: The New York Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, and Vice Media over a decade of disruption and radical adjustment. The new digital reality nearly kills two venerable newspapers with an aging readership while creating two media behemoths with a ballooning and fickle audience of millennials.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Exhaustive collection of notes
- By LEE on 03-30-19
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Parkland
- Birth of a Movement
- By: Dave Cullen
- Narrated by: Dave Cullen, Robert Fass
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 197
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 170
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Story4 out of 5 stars 169
On the first anniversary of the events at Parkland, the acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author of Columbine offers an intimate, deeply moving account of the extraordinary teenage survivors who became activists and pushed back against the NRA and feckless Congressional leaders - inspiring millions of Americans to join their grassroots #neveragain movement.
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1 out of 5 stars
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10 Hours of Gen Xer in Awe of Gen Z
- By Incog Neat Oh on 02-22-19
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The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
- By: Tom Wolfe
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,112
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 953
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Story4 out of 5 stars 953
Tom Wolfe - one of the 20th century’s foremost voices in cultural criticism - went from local news reporter to international icon in 1968, with the publication of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Now voiced with vivacity and vigor by Audible Hall of Fame narrator Luke Daniels, the non-fiction swan-dive delves into the world of hippies, hedonism, and everything in between.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Maybe it resonated with a different time and place
- By S. Phillips on 04-11-19
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Zucked
- Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe
- By: Roger McNamee
- Narrated by: Roger McNamee
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 510
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 444
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 439
The New York Times best seller about a noted tech venture capitalist, early mentor to Mark Zuckerberg, and Facebook investor, who wakes up to the serious damage Facebook is doing to our society—and sets out to try to stop it.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Important story made almost unbearable
- By vince on 03-14-19
-
Merchants of Truth
- The Business of News and the Fight for Facts
- By: Jill Abramson
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
Merchants of Truth is the groundbreaking and gripping story of the precarious state of the news business told by one of our most eminent journalists. Jill Abramson follows four companies: The New York Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, and Vice Media over a decade of disruption and radical adjustment. The new digital reality nearly kills two venerable newspapers with an aging readership while creating two media behemoths with a ballooning and fickle audience of millennials.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
Exhaustive collection of notes
- By LEE on 03-30-19
-
Parkland
- Birth of a Movement
- By: Dave Cullen
- Narrated by: Dave Cullen, Robert Fass
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 197
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 170
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 169
On the first anniversary of the events at Parkland, the acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author of Columbine offers an intimate, deeply moving account of the extraordinary teenage survivors who became activists and pushed back against the NRA and feckless Congressional leaders - inspiring millions of Americans to join their grassroots #neveragain movement.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
10 Hours of Gen Xer in Awe of Gen Z
- By Incog Neat Oh on 02-22-19
-
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
- By: Tom Wolfe
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,112
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 953
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 953
Tom Wolfe - one of the 20th century’s foremost voices in cultural criticism - went from local news reporter to international icon in 1968, with the publication of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Now voiced with vivacity and vigor by Audible Hall of Fame narrator Luke Daniels, the non-fiction swan-dive delves into the world of hippies, hedonism, and everything in between.
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2 out of 5 stars
-
Maybe it resonated with a different time and place
- By S. Phillips on 04-11-19
About the Editor
With a broad range of interests, it’s hard to guess what Michael’s going to listen to next. Although he likes to get his ears into a little bit of everything, some of his favorite listens deal with environmental issues, gender studies, and LGBTQ+ topics. Follow him on Twitter @mikecollina.