About This Collection
The first half of 2021 offered some magical memoirs, novels, podcasts, thrillers, and more that deserve their time under an early spotlight. We’ve chosen 20 titles across all genres to present as the best of the year—so far. These are the stories that made us laugh, cry, cheer for, and shout about—the ones we immediately wanted to share with our fellow Audible listeners.-
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Who is Maud Dixon?
- A Novel
- By: Alexandra Andrews
- Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- unabridged
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Overall2656
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Performance2317
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Story2316
“Part Patricia Highsmith, part All About Eve and pure fun.”―Maria Semple Florence Darrow has always felt she was destined for greatness, but after a disastrous affair with her married boss, she starts to doubt herself. All that changes when she sets off for Morocco with her new boss...
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Happened upon this and am stunned by the hold the characters, plot and performance had on me
- By Dianne Warner
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Who is Maud Dixon?
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Release date: 03-02-21
- Language: English
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Klara and the Sun
- A Novel
- By: Kazuo Ishiguro
- Narrated by: Sura Siu
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- unabridged
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Overall10506
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Performance8989
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Story8959
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER Once in a great while, a book comes along that changes our view of the world. This magnificent novel from the Nobel laureate and author of Never Let Me Go is “an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures ... a poignant...
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Beautiful, charming, and endearing little mystery
- By Brian
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Klara and the Sun
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Sura Siu
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Release date: 03-02-21
- Language: English
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Hit Job
- By: Eric Cunningham, Achilles Stamatelaky, Lauren Gurganous
- Narrated by: Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, full cast
- Length: Not Yet Known
- original_recording
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Overall2032
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Performance1930
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Story1921
Hit Job follows Brynn Morris (Palmer), an aspiring artist desperate for a job to help her ailing grandmother….
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A lot of fun
- By Julie Brockles
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Hit Job
- Narrated by: Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, full cast
- Length: Not Yet Known
- Release date: 04-09-21
- Language: English
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The History of Sketch Comedy
- A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor With Keegan-Michael Key
- By: Elle Key, Keegan-Michael Key
- Narrated by: Keegan-Michael Key
- Length: Not Yet Known
- original_recording
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Overall723
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Performance692
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Story687
From the beginning of time, there have been many monumental questions that have perplexed the human race....
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Well worth a listen. Funny and good formatting.
- By Joey Duncan
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The History of Sketch Comedy
- A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor With Keegan-Michael Key
- Narrated by: Keegan-Michael Key
- Length: Not Yet Known
- Release date: 01-04-21
- Language: English
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Black, White, and The Grey
- The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant
- By: Mashama Bailey, John O. Morisano
- Narrated by: Mashama Bailey, John O. Morisano
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- unabridged
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Overall372
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Performance331
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Story330
A story about the trials and triumphs of a Black chef from Queens, New York, and a White media entrepreneur from Staten Island who built a relationship and a restaurant in the Deep South, hoping to bridge biases and get people talking about race, gender, class, and culture. NAMED ONE OF THE...
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Great Book
- By MR
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Black, White, and The Grey
- The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant
- Narrated by: Mashama Bailey, John O. Morisano
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Release date: 01-12-21
- Language: English
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Shootout
- The Battle for North Hollywood
- By: Grant Anderson, Peter McDonnell
- Narrated by: Maureen O'Connell
- Length: Not Yet Known
- original_recording
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Overall912
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Performance844
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Story839
One typical Friday morning in February 1997, two masked men dressed in body armor and carrying automatic rifles burst into the Bank of America in North Hollywood, California and started shooting....
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Loved This
- By Rebecca Carfagno
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Shootout
- The Battle for North Hollywood
- Narrated by: Maureen O'Connell
- Length: Not Yet Known
- Release date: 02-04-21
- Language: English
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Detransition, Baby
- A Novel
- By: Torrey Peters
- Narrated by: Renata Friedman
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- unabridged
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Overall1410
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Performance1198
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Story1204
NATIONAL BESTSELLER The lives of three women—transgender and cisgender—collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires in “one of the most celebrated novels of the year” (Time) “Reading this novel is like holding a live wire in your hand...
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Too much
- By June Kelso
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Detransition, Baby
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Renata Friedman
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Release date: 01-12-21
- Language: English
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Firekeeper's Daughter
- By: Angeline Boulley
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- unabridged
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Overall7186
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Performance6435
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Story6414
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother....
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Read this book! You will be better for it.
- By null
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Firekeeper's Daughter
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Release date: 03-16-21
- Language: English
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Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
- By: Kaela Rivera
- Narrated by: Almarie Guerra
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- unabridged
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Overall234
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Performance213
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Story213
When a powerful desert spirit kidnaps her sister, Cece Rios must learn forbidden magic to get her back, in this own voices middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of The Storm Runner and Aru Shah and the End of Time. Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the...
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just like Pokemon
- By W. Wehr
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Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
- Narrated by: Almarie Guerra
- Series: Cece Rios, Book 1
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Release date: 04-13-21
- Language: English
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Sleeping Dogs Lie
- A Novella
- By: Samantha Downing
- Narrated by: Melanie Nicholls-King, Lindsey Dorcus
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- original_recording
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Overall12638
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Performance11532
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Story11481
From the internationally best-selling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It comes a twisted, entertaining novella about a dog walker swept into a criminal investigation when her client winds up dead....
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Great mystery!
- By Annie Lauterbach
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Sleeping Dogs Lie
- A Novella
- Narrated by: Melanie Nicholls-King, Lindsey Dorcus
- Series: Audible Original Stories
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Release date: 04-01-21
- Language: English
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You Are Your Best Thing
- Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience
- By: Tarana Burke, Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Tarana Burke, Brené Brown, the Contributors, Mirron Willis, Bahni Turpin, JD Jackson, L Morgan Lee
- Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
- unabridged
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Overall1693
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Performance1463
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Story1453
Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience....
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I can’t stop playing this audio
- By Queen
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You Are Your Best Thing
- Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience
- Narrated by: Tarana Burke, Brené Brown, the Contributors, Mirron Willis, Bahni Turpin, JD Jackson, L Morgan Lee
- Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
- Release date: 04-27-21
- Language: English
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The Four Winds
- A Novel
- By: Kristin Hannah
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- unabridged
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Overall37895
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Performance33008
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Story32778
From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression....
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Should be called "The One Sad Really Long Wind"
- By Ramona Petersen
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The Four Winds
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Release date: 02-02-21
- Language: English
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Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- unabridged
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Overall229680
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Performance211514
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Story210964
When the Sun is threatened by an alien microbe, the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of an unlikely hero – and an even more unlikely friendship.
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Bazinga
- By Davidgonzalezsr
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Project Hail Mary
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Release date: 05-04-21
- Language: English
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Just as I Am
- A Memoir
- By: Cicely Tyson
- Narrated by: Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, Robin Miles
- Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
- unabridged
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Overall6706
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Performance5965
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Story5949
“In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only exceeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.” –President Barack Obama, 2016 Presidential Medal of Honor ceremony ""Just As I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set...
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Beautifully Human; Great Narration
- By Queen
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Just as I Am
- A Memoir
- Narrated by: Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, Robin Miles
- Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
- Release date: 01-26-21
- Language: English
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We Should All Be Millionaires
- A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power
- By: Rachel Rodgers
- Narrated by: Rachel Rodgers
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- unabridged
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Overall2912
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Performance2478
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Story2468
Are you ready to fill your life with more peace, power, and joy? We Should All Be Millionaires details a realistic, achievable, step-by-step path to creating the support, confidence, and plan you need to own your success and become the millionaire the world needs you to be. Only 10 percent of...
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Excellent
- By Jasmin
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We Should All Be Millionaires
- A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power
- Narrated by: Rachel Rodgers
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Release date: 05-11-21
- Language: English
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One Last Stop
- By: Casey McQuiston
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- unabridged
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Overall2713
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Performance2405
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Story2401
For cynical 23-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone....
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IN LOVE
- By Mallory Spiers
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One Last Stop
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Release date: 06-01-21
- Language: English
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Crying in H Mart
- A Memoir
- By: Michelle Zauner
- Narrated by: Michelle Zauner
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- unabridged
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Overall12609
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Performance10943
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Story10912
From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity. In this exquisite story of family, food, grief...
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Beautifully written and read.
- By Izzy T.
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Crying in H Mart
- A Memoir
- Narrated by: Michelle Zauner
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Release date: 04-20-21
- Language: English
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The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
- By: Dawnie Walton
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Bahni Turpin, James Langton, André De Shields, Dennis Boutsikaris, Steve West, Gabra Zackman, full cast
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- unabridged
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Overall1062
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Performance942
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Story934
2022 FICTION AUDIE AWARD WINNER! An electrifying and "provocative, rich, and assured" (Vogue) debut novel about the meteoric rise of an iconic interracial rock duo in the 1970s, their sensational breakup, and the dark secrets unearthed when they try to reunite decades later for one last tour...
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Incredible, relevant, powerful storytelling
- By Patti V
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The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Bahni Turpin, James Langton, André De Shields, Dennis Boutsikaris, Steve West, Gabra Zackman, full cast
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Release date: 03-30-21
- Language: English
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Empire of Pain
- The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
- By: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins
- unabridged
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Overall9277
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Performance8079
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Story8035
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE NOMINEE A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by...
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MUST READ... you need to know who the Sackler family is
- By Elizabeth Lund
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Empire of Pain
- The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
- Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins
- Release date: 04-13-21
- Language: English
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Beginner's Mind
- Words + Music, Vol. 13
- By: Yo-Yo Ma
- Narrated by: Yo-Yo Ma
- Length: 1 hrs and 32 mins
- original_recording
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Overall7803
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Performance6707
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Story6644
Journey with musical virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma as the iconic performer and global phenomenon delves into the world of self-discovery and our deeply interwoven humanity....
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Simply beautifully, deeply humane ...
- By lesley ann
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Beginner's Mind
- Words + Music, Vol. 13
- Narrated by: Yo-Yo Ma
- Series: Words + Music
- Length: 1 hrs and 32 mins
- Release date: 04-08-21
- Language: English
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