In their Own Voice

When books are recorded as audiobooks, a voice actor is usually hired to bring it to life. Sometimes, though, the best person to narrate an audiobook is the author themselves. Most often this happens with memoirs but it can also happen in other genres as well. Here are some audiobooks across multiple genres narrated with particular skill by their authors.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
In this novel, another city exists under the streets of London, one that most have no idea exists: Neverwhere. It’s a city for those who have fallen through the cracks of society. One day after an act of kindness a young businessman finds himself in a world he never would have dreamed of. What destiny is in store for him there?

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Comedian Trevor Noah was born in South Africa near the end of apartheid. His very birth was considered a criminal act since he was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother. In his memoir Trevor tells his story, starting from his early childhood when his mother had to hide him from the government. This is a story of both his coming-of-age and his relationship with his mother.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A story of two families from Afghanistan, The Kite Runner is a powerful, heartbreaking novel. One family immigrates to America and must contend with all that comes with their new home and circumstances. The other stays behind in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban. However, the destinies of these families are still linked.

Beloved by Toni Morrison
Set in Ohio in 1873, this poetic novel tells the story of Sethe, an escaped former slave who is still not free. Sethe is haunted by her unthinkable past in slavery and by the ghost of the nameless child she buried with just ‘Beloved’ engraved on her tombstone. When a teenage girl with the name Beloved arrives, Sethe must face the past and secrets she’s been trying to leave behind.

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Author Malcolm Gladwell here seeks to find the answer to the question: what makes high-achievers different? The best, the brightest, the most famous, the most successful. Instead of just looking at what these people are like, he examines the ways in which cultures, families, generations, and differences in upbringing can be contributing factors to their success.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
This is the first of three memoirs written by Irish-American teacher Frank McCourt. He was born in Brooklyn to Irish Catholic immigrants but his family went back to Ireland in 1934 where they lived in poverty in the slums of the city of Limerick. Despite these humble beginnings he managed to survive and rise past his circumstances.