December 6, 2019

We seem to say this every week, but this has been QUITE the week—from zeitgeist-penetrating commercials to diminutive editions of iconic characters (and hm, some things happening in our nation’s capital), we’re swirling with inputs from all angles. Time to unpack!

Let’s start with the major news

Obviously the release of the Impeachment Inquiry Report topped the headlines this week, and while we're hearing all kinds of hot takes across various news outlets, we thought it was important to bring you the source material. Audible has a long history of releasing important official documents—making them free for our listeners—so we had narrators lined up to go as soon as the report was made public. So, our recording is live now, and it includes both the The Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report, as well as the official Republican rebuttal. Listen and learn.

And speaking of politics...

Is the current political climate giving anyone else serious Veep vibes? Audible Editor Katie can’t help but miss that zany cast of characters. To fill the Amy-sized hole in your heart, she recommends picking up 64th Man which stars Anna Chlumsky along with John Cena and a full cast, including Adam Pally, Leslie Jones, and more. It’s a laugh-out-loud tale of a former college football star’s attempts to make it to the NFL after going undrafted and being forced to return to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. The heart, humor, and incredible talent on this scripted audio series will keep you coming back for more.

Looking back on a tragic anniversary

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the killing of sleeping 21-year-old Fred Hampton, chairman of a local chapter of the Black Panther Party, and party member Mark Clark, in a controversial Chicago police raid. While a grand jury cleared the officers and government officials of any wrongdoing, the belief that it was more of a state-sanctioned execution under J. Edgar Hoover’s Cointelpro directives endures to this day thanks to disturbing evidence later uncovered, such as the fact that the Panthers only fired one of the more than 90 shots that day. The divisive event remains a key moment in the city’s racial politics evolution.

The cuteness is strong with this one

The Internet has spoken, and the poster child for 2019 is an actual child…the most adorable little alien child in all the galaxy! Baby Yoda, the breakout character from the new Disney+ show The Mandalorian, has entered our hearts and memes with his big black eyes, cozy burlap coat, and long pointy ears for days. Our favorite take might be The Rock trolling Kevin Hart with a perfect I am your father joke, but the memes just keep coming. If you too love a good universe expansion, join us in exploring the 20 best Star Wars audiobooks of all time. Enjoy them, we think you will!

File under: cute or terrifying

One of the things dominating our feeds and consciousness this week was a commercial involving a stationary bike a a supposedly romantic holiday gift. The internet was split on whether the ad hit the right notes, but as huge proponent of the power of exercise generally (and cycling specifically) to improve not just your physical state, but your mental state as well, editor Courtney was willing to look past the criticisms of the promotion (and in fact is sort of hoping her spouse will consider a similar gift this year). And P.S., anyone still needing convincing that movement is not solely about weight loss need only dig into the mind-body connection theories presented in titles like Two Turns From Zero, which was written by someone whose life was in fact transformed by a bike that goes nowhere.

Other swirling stories:

Cosmo UK revealed their January cover featuring Jonathan Van Ness in an orange tulle gown and sneakers *😍*. You can learn even more about the Queer Eye star in his memoir, Over the Top...Sci-fi author Annalee Newitz’s viral exploration into where social media went wrong has us eagerly revisiting their work—and their great conversation with editor Sam...Author and actress Gabrielle Union has spoken out about situations she found racially insensitive leading up to her departure from America’s Got Talent. We bet she’s really feeling the title of her memoir at the moment!...We know we’re not supposed to have favorites, but we’re quite fond of our Locke & Key adaptation. Now the graphic novel is coming to Netflix and we can’t wait!...Alyssa Cole's Audible Original sci-fi love story has arrived! Featuring Mindy Kaling as a wisecracking AI, it’s giving action romance from the '90s vibes.

Titles in This Edition

64th Man Audiobook By Bryan Tucker, Zack Phillips cover art
The Burglary Audiobook By Betty Medsger cover art
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson: The Life, Lessons & Rules for Success Audiobook By Influential Individuals cover art
I Can't Make This Up Audiobook By Neil Strauss - contributor, Kevin Hart cover art
Two Turns from Zero Audiobook By Stacey Griffith cover art
The Assassination of Fred Hampton Audiobook By Jeffrey Haas cover art