Life Changing Listens. Our editors reveal the transformative titles that have made a lasting impression. Explore Now.

Life Changing Listens

Our editors reveal the transformative titles that have made a lasting impression.
It's hard to top the feeling of being totally hooked on a listen. If you listen like us, you may find yourself replaying the good parts, crying through the sad ones, clutching your chest when things get tough, and laughing when it’s funny (though this may look odd to anyone around you). Listening gives us the power to escape, to feel, to understand, and to learn. But some listens do so much more: they change us. We’re sharing some of our favourite titles, ones that have made us laugh and cry but also reflect on ourselves and the world around us. We hope you’ll love these listens as much as we do!

—Audible Editors

"There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories."


— Ursula K. Le Guin
Product list
  • The Four Agreements cover art

    • The Four Agreements

    • Written by: don Miguel Ruiz
    • Narrated by: Peter Coyote
    • Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
    • Release date: 2005-01-27
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,705 ratings
    • A Little Self-Reflection Goes a Long Way
    • I attended a work conference years ago and the facilitator asked, “who here has read The Four Agreements?” I proudly raised my hand, as a close friend recommended it the year prior. He is an executive in the music industry, so why would I read it? It forever changed my life! One’s judgement of themselves and other people can be one sided. Humans in general do not consider how they are perceived by others, and how that can have a great effect on their lives. Years later, in listening to it again, the effects of teachings like these are still felt strongly. The Four Agreements delves into a lot of self-reflection. We do things based off of what we may have been taught as a child, learned behaviors, and even life traumas. The first step is learning to look at yourself honestly, to see who you really are. Once you have accomplished this, you will understand The Four Agreements and live an enhanced life.

      — Parris, Guest Contributor

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  • What I Talk about When I Talk about Running cover art

    • What I Talk about When I Talk about Running

    • A Memoir
    • Written by: Haruki Murakami
    • Narrated by: Ray Porter
    • Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
    • Release date: 2008-07-29
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 294 ratings
    • A Runner’s (and writer’s) Manifesto
    • Prior to listening to What I Talk about When I Talk about Running, I was (and still am) an ardent fan of Haruki Murakami’s fiction; his novels broadening my ideas of where storytelling can go. And yet the surrealist master, with a genre-defying memoir, changed my life in a truly physical sense: he made me a runner. I picked up this short listen while arduously training for my first half-marathon, looking for empathy and inspiration from someone who also did not start seriously running until his early 30s. The memoir draws parallels between marathon training and the writing process-another vocation Murakami did not start until he was in his late 20s. Beyond affirming the axiom that it’s never too late, Murakami granted me patience and a certain grit in my future running routines. It may sound borderline masochistic, but I still hold these words of the audiobook—taken from an old Buddhist saying—at the forefront when dealing with soreness, or a cramp: ‘’Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.’’ With that mantra, I finished my first half-marathon, and then in the subsequent years, I finished 6 more. With the goal of a full marathon on the (very) distant horizon, I know that this is a deserved re-listen to help get me on the right path to a successful race.

      — Sarah, Audible Editor

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  • The Burnout Generation cover art

    • The Burnout Generation

    • Written by: Anne Helen Petersen
    • Narrated by: Anne Helen Petersen
    • Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
    • Release date: 2019-10-03
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 148 ratings
    • Speaking Out on Burning Out
    • Whether they know it or not, many working folks have experienced burnout. It’s the proverbial monster under the bed for millennials pining after the American dream. I found myself drawn to this listen out of pure necessity, I wanted to put a name to gnawing feeling that I wasn’t getting enough done. I’ll be honest, I was hoping to hear some type of cure-all antidote for my individual symptoms of burnout and while I didn’t get that exactly, I found something better. Anne briefly shares her burnt-out story and then allows the narrative to flow into different perspectives, work-life experiences, and symptoms. It was refreshing to hear that I was not alone. Who would have thought that we were all silently going through our own version of the exact same thing.

      — Aiyonnah, Audible Editor

    Price: $9.97 or 1 Credit

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  • How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen cover art

    • How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

    • A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7
    • Written by: Joanna Faber, Julie King
    • Narrated by: Heather Alicia Simms, Michele Pawk, Candace Thaxton, January LaVoy, Rebekkah Ross, Gibson Frazier, Molly Pope
    • Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
    • Release date: 2017-01-10
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 403 ratings
    • Dealing with the Terrible Twos
    • As someone new to parenthood five years ago, I was both eager for advice and reluctant to drive myself into information overload with all the dos and don’ts in books and on parenting forums. My mom and other relatives would surely provide just enough guidance—and I’d figure the rest out as I went along. Right? Wrong. My daughter’s baby years were surprisingly easy. Then came the twos, when my daughter’s strong-minded nature made its debut. The threes brought their own set of frustrations. My good eater was now impossibly picky. And she had opinions about what to wear, what bedtime stories to read, and everything else imaginable. Raising my voice and time-outs were stressful battles I rarely won. I’m forever grateful for an excellent audiobook recommendation from a member of Audible’s moms group: How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Julie King. The tips, for parents of kids ages 2 to 7, are simple yet ingenious. I’m no longer shouting constantly at my child or giving endless time-outs. As a result, my little one is so much more cooperative. And I am so much less frazzled. A true lifesaver.

      — Valerie, Guest Contributor

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  • The Baddest Bitch in the Room cover art

    • The Baddest Bitch in the Room

    • (Explicit Version)
    • Written by: Sophia Chang
    • Narrated by: Sophia Chang
    • Length: 8 hrs
    • Release date: 2019-09-26
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 76 ratings
    • A Necessary Listen
    • One of my favorite recent listens is The Baddest Bitch in the Room by Sophia Chang, in which she talks about her life-long journey of rediscovering and reconnecting with her cultural roots. In this Audible Original, she describes how she went from being the daughter of Korean immigrants in Vancouver to becoming an A&R rep in New York City who would go on to work with the Wu-Tang Clan, have two children with a Shaolin Monk, and learn the practice of Kung Fu. It’s an extremely beautiful story and really confronts all the traditional stereotypes that society constantly tries to impose on Asian women. Sophia Chang is powerful, strong, and unapologetically authentic, and I highly recommend this inspiring memoir to my fellow Asian women listeners—it might make you uncomfortable, but it’s a necessary listen.

      —Hsin, Audible Editor

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"When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new."


— Dalai Lama
Product list
  • How to Do Nothing cover art

    • How to Do Nothing

    • Resisting the Attention Economy
    • Written by: Jenny Odell
    • Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel
    • Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
    • Release date: 2019-05-07
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 81 ratings
    • Where Have Our Attention Spans Gone?
    • You might look at the title of Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing and think it contains some simple tips on relaxation and self-care–which we all need more of these days, right? But start listening, and you'll quickly realize this unassuming title with a flowery cover contains something much deeper and darker: a poignant, tour-de-force critique of modern society and the roles we all play within it. Productivity as self-worth, the stark decline of attention spans–and the commercialization of said attention spans by digital media–are all broken down and laid bare by Odell's unsparing and articulate prose. This listen brought me to so many ''a-ha!'' moments that I was constantly pausing and taking notes. If you've ever questioned the role of ''the attention economy'' in our lives and how we can better live with it (or without it, as some have managed to do), then this is the listen for you.

      — Sarah, Audible Editor

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  • A Promised Land cover art

    • A Promised Land

    • Written by: Barack Obama
    • Narrated by: Barack Obama
    • Length: 29 hrs and 10 mins
    • Release date: 2020-11-17
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 4,960 ratings
    • An Unforgettable Memoir-Manifesto
    • Simply a majestic piece of writing. Regardless of political affiliation or ideology, anyone can admire how President Obama was willing to meticulously describe, reflect, critique, and of course celebrate key aspects of his political career and his first presidential term. As a young African-American male who witnessed the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests this past summer, and the recent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, A Promised Land gave me much needed guidance into how I can politically engage in my community and in the world. President Obama is also not shy to admit his faults and roadblocks as he navigated the United States both before and during his presidency, which gave me a newfound respect for the President’s job. I can confidently say that A Promised Land has taught me that no matter what your role is in the broader fight for justice, whether as an activist, organizer, healthcare worker, or politician, you must continue to express optimism and a strong commitment to the betterment of your community.

      — Azeez, Audible Intern

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  • Wildest Dreams cover art

    • Wildest Dreams

    • Written by: Kristen Ashley
    • Narrated by: Tillie Hooper
    • Series: Fantasyland, Book 1
    • Length: 19 hrs and 19 mins
    • Release date: 2016-06-21
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 56 ratings
    • Single and Listening For Love
    • As an avoider of romance stories, I had mixed feelings about this listen when I stumbled across it while working on our Destination: Fantasy page. It sat in my library for days where I would stare at it for a while and then re-listen to something from my Star War’s collection. When I finally clicked play, it took me about an hour to sink into this listen and then I was hooked. I was rooting for the heroine, blushing at the cutesy moments, face-palming myself when the characters did or said something dumb and when it was over I actually took a few hours to reflect. I couldn’t put a finger on what was bothering me. The book had ended perfectly, the characters had developed nicely but then I slowly came to realize my problem; I wanted what this story oozed with, love. I know this may sound silly, but I have never really been into the idea of relationships, they just weren’t a priority for me. It was like this listen took all of what I thought I wanted crumbled it up and promptly tossed it into the trash bin.

      —Aiyonnah, Audible Editor

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  • Kick Ass with Mel Robbins cover art

    • Kick Ass with Mel Robbins

    • Life-Changing Advice from the Author of “The 5 Second Rule”
    • Written by: Mel Robbins
    • Narrated by: Mel Robbins
    • Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
    • Release date: 2018-05-08
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,168 ratings
    • Everyone needs a kick in the ass from time to time
    • I don’t listen to many personal development audiobooks, but something about Mel Robbins sucked me in. Oh man, did Mel DELIVER! First of all, this isn't a traditional self-help audiobook. This is a collection of life coaching sessions with an expert, each with a new client with a different set of problems. She drills down to the source of an issue, and got me thinking about the deeper sources of my own concerns. Even if you don't identify directly with each person, you'll gain insight into how to identify areas in your life where you could use a little help. It’s been three years since I first listened to this audiobook, and I still keep close many of the lessons I learned during it, particularly the 5 Second Rule.

      —Tori, Audible Editor

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