Short on length but long on quality, these titles deliver an elevated listening experience.
Bigger isn’t necessarily better, and sometimes what we’re really craving is something short and sweet.
We all have a lot on our schedules and our attention is so often pulled in multiple directions. What to make for dinner, what to dress the kids in for school, what to add to the grocery list — sometimes our brains are full to bursting.
Many of us want a chance to unwind, but don’t necessarily have the focus to invest in a forty-hour listening experience.
If you’re in the mood for delectable podcasts and audiobooks in Canada but prefer a snack rather than a meal, shorter form content can often be a lot more digestible.
For a fantastic way to unwind — without a major commitment — why not check out one of the incredible Audible audiobooks or Audible Original Podcasts on our list below?
Each one clocks in under 10 hours, which means you can finish in a day or snack on a single audiobook or podcast episode throughout the week.
Get Your Fiction Fix
This year, Audible released a savoury slate of short-form listening titles, many of which were only made available through Audible. Here are some of the choicest cuts served up for your listening pleasure.
The Gentleman from Peru by André Aciman
Written by André Aciman (the New York Times best-selling writer of Call Me by Your Name) and performed masterfully by Edoardo Ballerini, this Audible Original listen follows a group of university friends who get marooned near Positano in Italy and await repairs on their yacht in a charming hotel.
When they meet a mysterious man at their hotel who claims to have psychic healing powers, the students learn more about each other and themselves than they bargained for.
Exploring love, mysticism and even journeys into past lives, this title will hook you in no time.
The Getaway by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, already well-known architects of clever, thrilling fiction, design a new gothic masterpiece with The Getaway. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that gets into your head and stays there, you’ll love this short, sharp story about newly unemployed Chloe who needs a change and decides to escape to the Lakewood Retreat to recharge.
What starts as a calming getaway with organic meals, celebrity testimonials and self-betterment classes ramps up quickly as Chloe comes to learn the truth behind the true nature of the retreat and its mysterious host.
As a perfect pairing to the narrative, Kate Mara (of House of Cards fame) adds depth and complexity with a gripping performance. If you’re looking for a quick thrill ride, this title is well worth the price of admission.
Nom-Worthy Non-Fiction
“The times they are a changin’” as Bob Dylan would say, and the best way to keep up with the trends is to take in your fair share of non-fiction. Hungry for a bit of knowledge? These are the perfect titles for you.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Until recently, few people would think of astrophysics as a breezy topic, but popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson proves you don’t need a lot of background — or a lot of time — to learn the basics.
The author uses a mix of facts, explanations and anecdotes to make difficult scientific concepts digestible. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about this fascinating subject, deGrasse Tyson’s easy-to-absorb narrative style — further captured by the author’s own identifiable, casual, almost chatty vocal performance — is the perfect intro to astrophysics for anyone who’s asked of the cosmos “How come?”
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
In this profound piece of writing that is part memoir, part cultural study, part essay, writer and editor Ta-Nehisi Coates offers up a title Entertainment Weekly called “a work that’s both titanic and timely.”
This title shifts masterfully between history and racial politics to deeply intimate considerations of fatherhood. It is also an exploration of race, history and the compromised condition of Black lives and Black bodies in America.
We learn alongside Coates’ son, for whom the author wrote the work, and re-live Coates’ most formative moments from Howard University to the streets of Paris, from his childhood home to the battlefields of the Civil War.
These experiences of awakening are made all the more real by the author’s performance as he takes listeners to a place of love, learning and lessons that cannot be ignored.
Peckish for Canadian Podcasts?
If you’re craving a nibble of quality Canadian Original podcast content, Audble.ca has you covered with stellar Audible Originals. And now there’s an entire collection of homegrown Canadian titles available. If you’ve got a taste for Canadian Original content, why not sink your teeth into these titles?
True North Heists featuring Colm Feore
Ever wanted to learn more about the Great Maple Syrup Heist, a truly Canadian caper that involved the theft of 9,561 barrels of maple syrup (worth more than $18 million) in 2012? This and many other robberies are explored in True North Heists, a new Canadian Original podcast performed by resident Canadian tough guy, Colm Feore.
Listeners are treated to 10 episodes of content focusing on real-life stories of Canada’s most daring crimes from the 1800s to today.
You’ll not only learn about the capers but also the larger-than-life crooks who executed them. Get the skinny on The Stopwatch Gang and Mingo the Mastermind — they’re all here.
The Revisionaries with Michele Romanow
Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur, but you just need a little nudge to get started? In the new Audible Original, The Revisionaries, entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den host Michele Romanow sits down to chat with tech and finance visionaries to discuss their stories. In each episode, you’ll learn how they got started and what obstacles they overcame to get to where they are today.
Michele and her guests discuss topics any budding entrepreneur would want to hear more about, such as how to iterate, how to cope with and even learn from failure and how to stay persistent and motivated in a competitive market.
The podcasts are great for listeners who want to learn more about the Great White North. Depending on the size of your appetite, you can enjoy an episode in under an hour, or binge an entire season in a single weekend.
Spice Up Your Life with a Little Listening
We all need a break and when you can’t find the time for a major dive into quality content, remember that Audible has titles in all shapes, sizes and length.
Take a short excursion into content that will enchant, inform and enrich your life — without taking too much of your time — with these tasty titles.
Do you like our picks? Did we leave anything off the menu? Let us know on Facebook today.
