Historical Audiobooks

Bluebird

"Sharon Cameron delivers another immersive, heartbreaking, uplifting historical novel, set in postwar New York City. In 1946, Eva leaves behind the rubble of Berlin for the streets of New York City, stepping from the fiery aftermath of one war into another, far colder one, where power is more important than principles, and lies are more plentiful than the truth. Eva holds the key to a deadly secret: Project Bluebird -- a horrific experiment of the concentration camps, capable of tipping the balance of world power. Both the Americans and the Soviets want Bluebird, and it is something that neither should ever be allowed to possess. But Eva hasn't come to America for secrets or power. She hasn't even come for a new life. She has come to America for one thing: justice. And the Nazi that has escaped its net. Critically acclaimed author of The Light in Hidden Places, Sharon Cameron, weaves a taut and affecting thriller ripe with intrigue and romance in this alternately chilling and poignant portrait of the"

Sharon Cameron (Author), Carlotta Brentan (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Rebel in Auschwitz: The True Story of the Resistance Hero who Fought the Nazis from Inside the Cam

"With exclusive access to previously hidden diaries, family and camp survivor accounts, and recently declassified files, critically-acclaimed and award-winning journalist Jack Fairweather brilliantly portrays the remarkable man who volunteered to face the unknown in the name of truth and country. This extraordinary and eye-opening account of the Holocaust invites us all to bear witness. Occupied Warsaw, Summer 1940: Witold Pilecki, a Polish underground operative, accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands interned at a new concentration camp, report on Nazi crimes, raise a secret army, and stage an uprising. The name of the camp -- Auschwitz. Over the next two and half years, and under the cruellest of conditions, Pilecki's underground sabotaged facilities, assassinated Nazi officers, and gathered evidence of terrifying abuse and mass murder. But as he pieced together the horrifying Nazi plans to exterminate Europe's Jews, Pilecki realized he would have to risk his men, his life, and his family to warn the West before all was lost. To do so meant attempting the impossible -- but first he would have to escape from Auschwitz itself..."

Jack Fairweather (Author), Betsy Meiman (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Sisterhood of Secret Ambitions

"Throughout history, Anonymous has been a woman. Behind every powerful man is a trained woman, and behind every trained woman is the society. It started with tea parties and matchmaking but is now a countrywide secret. Gossips pass messages in recipes, spinsters train to fight, and women work together to grant safety to abused women and children. The society is more than oaths—it is sisterhood and purpose. In 1927, seventeen-year-old Elsie is dropped off in a new city with three other teenage girls, who have each trained since childhood to become the wife of a powerful man. And when they learn that their next target is earmarked to become president, their mission becomes more than just an assignment; this is a chance at the most powerful position in the society. But as these ambitious girls compete for the heart of a boy who has been given everything, Elsie starts to wonder what would happen if the name on that future ballot was hers."

Sheena Boekweg (Author), Chelsea Stephens (Narrator)

Audiobook

The White Indian Boy: The Pioneer Boy Who Ran Away With The Shoshones And Became A Hero In The Wild

"You are about to go back in time to the Wild West of the 1800s. These true, real-life adventures were told first hand by Elijah Nicholas Wilson. He was a cavalry spy, hired to track down bands of murdering bands of Indians. Before that he was a stagecoach driver on roads filled with outlaws. Before that he was one of the first Pony Express riders and was chased by Indians who nearly killed him with arrows. And before that he was a bronc buster who accepted a bet to ride the meanest bucking horse in the West. But before all that, and most notably, he was the 12-year-old who ran away from his family farm to live with a tribe of Shoshones. He thus became the legendary “White Indian Boy.” This audio dramatization contains music and sound effects. Elijah “Uncle Nick” Wilson is voiced by Jonathan Best as a boy, and Bryson Walker as a young man."

Elijah Nicholas Wilson, Howard R. Driggs (Author), Bryson Walker, Jonathan Best (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Certain Death: Book 2 of the Shiloh Series

"The battle at Pittsburg Landing altered the course of the war in the west and changed the lives of thousands who fought there and survived. Will Hunter's pursuit of higher command has been interrupted by his capture, the fault of his jealous commanding officer. Stuck far behind enemy lines with little hope for exchange, escape seems improbable. Neither high prison walls nor hundreds of miles of Ohio backwoods trails will keep him from trying. Philip Pearson survived Shiloh but wonders if his luck will hold much longer. Pursuing reinstatement in the Methodist Episcopal Church brings him full circle: his battlefield experience calling him back to the collar he left behind. Only convincing the bishop of Dayton and surviving the coming assaults on Corinth stand in his way of a chaplaincy. Ohio, far from the theaters of war, will test both men's ambitions and trust in their fellow man."

Phillip Bryant (Author), Phillip Bryant (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix

"'Emily Woo Zeller offers an exciting narration of this sapphic TREASURE ISLAND retelling with Asian characters.' -Audiofile Magazine This program features an author's note, read by the author Two intrepid girls hunt for a legendary treasure on the deadly high seas in this YA remix of the classic adventure novel Treasure Island. 1826. The sun is setting on the golden age of piracy, and the legendary Dragon Fleet, the scourge of the South China Sea, is no more. Its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Head of the Dragon, is now only a story, like the ones Xiang has grown up with all her life. She desperately wants to prove her worth, especially to her mother, a shrewd businesswoman who never seems to have enough time for Xiang. Her father is also only a story, dead at sea before Xiang was born. Her single memento of him is a pendant she always wears, a simple but plain piece of gold jewelry. But the pendant's true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. The revelation that Xiang's father sailed with the Dragon Fleet and tucked away this secret changes everything. Rumor has it that the legendary Head of the Dragon had one last treasure—the plunder of a thousand ports—that for decades has only been a myth, a fool's journey. Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea—and especially those who sail it—are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe. A Macmillan Audio production from Feiwel & Friends"

C.B. Lee (Author), C.B. Lee, Emily Woo Zeller (Narrator)

Audiobook

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

"This program includes an author's note read by the author. Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women, by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow. North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the 'old life.' It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters: Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own. Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained. Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose. Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home. As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together. A Macmillan Young Listeners Production from Feiwel & Friends Praise for So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix 'Morrow’s ability to take the lingering stain of slavery on American history and use it as a catalyst for unbreakable love and resilience is flawless. That she has remixed a canonical text to do so only further illuminates the need to critically question who holds the pen in telling our nation’s story.' —Booklist, starred review 'Bethany C. Morrow's prose is a sharpened blade in a practiced hand, cutting to the core of our nation's history. ... A devastatingly precise reimagining and a joyful celebration of sisterhood. A narrative about four young women who unreservedly deserve the world, and a balm for wounds to Black lives and liberty.' —Tracy Deonn, New York Times-bestselling author of Legendborn 'A tender and beautiful retelling that will make you fall in love with the foursome all over again.' —Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times-bestselling author of White Smoke and Grown"

Bethany C. Morrow (Author), Adenrele Ojo, Bethany C. Morrow (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Other Merlin

"ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR! - Publishers Weekly 'Simultaneously heart-pounding and hilarious, Robyn Schneider gives us a veritable romp through Camelot fueled by adventure and romance.' -Kerri Maniscalco, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Kingdom of the Wicked and Stalking Jack the Ripper Channeling the modern humor of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, bestselling author Robyn Schneider creates a Camelot that becomes the ultimate teen rom-com hotspot in this ultra-fresh take on the Arthurian legend. Welcome to the great kingdom of Camelot! Prince Arthur's a depressed botanist who would rather marry a library than a princess, Lancelot's been demoted to castle guard after a terrible lie, and Emry Merlin has arrived at the castle disguised as her twin brother since girls can't practice magic. Life at court is full of scandals, lies, and backstabbing courtiers, so what's a casually bisexual teen wizard masquerading as a boy to do? Other than fall for the handsome prince, stir up trouble with the foppish Lord Gawain, and offend the prissy Princess Guinevere. When the truth comes out with disastrous consequences, Emry has to decide whether she'll risk everything for the boy she loves, or give up her potential to become the greatest wizard Camelot has ever known. "

Robyn Schneider (Author), Rosie Jones (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Corpse Queen

""Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent." -Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper In this dark and twisty feminist historical mystery, a teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murderer's plans. Soon after her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies, orphaned seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her 'aunt.' With no relations that she knows of, Molly assumes she has been sold as a maid for the price of an extra donation in the church orphanage's coffers. Such a thing is not unheard of. There are only so many options for an unmarried girl in 1850s Philadelphia. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is very much real, exceedingly wealthy, and with secrets of her own. Secrets and wealth she intends to share-for a price. Molly's estranged aunt Ava, has built her empire by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need bodies to practice surgical procedures. And she wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt's trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on her aunt's property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle's lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But the cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in the city, the pursuit of power and opportunity becomes a deadly dance."

Heather M. Herrman (Author), Alana Kerr Collins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Code Name Badass: The True Story of Virginia Hall

""Bringing together rigorous research and a vibrant writing style" (School Library Journal), Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this riotous, spirited biography of the most dangerous of all Allied spies, courageous and kickass Virginia Hall. When James Bond was still in diapers, Virginia Hall was behind enemy lines, playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Hitler's henchmen. Did she have second thoughts after a terrible accident left her needing a wooden leg? Please. Virginia Hall was the baddest broad in any room she walked into. When the State Department proved to be a sexist boys' club that wouldn't let her in, she gave the finger to society's expectations of women and became a spy for the British. This boss lady helped arm and train the French Resistance and organized sabotage missions. There was just one problem: The Butcher of Lyon, a notorious Gestapo commander, was after her. But, hey—Virginia's classmates didn't call her the Fighting Blade for nothing. So how does a girl who was a pirate in the school play, spent her childhood summers milking goats, and rocked it on the hockey field end up becoming the Gestapo's most wanted spy? Audacious, irreverent, and fiercely feminist, Code Name Badass is for anyone who doesn't take no for an answer."

Heather Demetrios (Author), Nikki Massoud (Narrator)

Audiobook

When Can We Go Back to America?: Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

"Four starred reviews! A Kirkus Reviews Best YA Nonfiction of 2021 In this "riveting and indispensable" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) narrative history of Japanese Americans before, during, and after their World War II incarceration, Susan H. Kamei weaves together the voices of over 130 individuals who lived through this tragic episode, most of them as young adults. It's difficult to believe it happened here, in the Land of the Free: After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States government forcibly removed more than 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from the Pacific Coast and imprisoned them in desolate detention camps until the end of World War II just because of their race. In what Secretary Norman Y. Mineta describes as a "landmark book," he and others who lived through this harrowing experience tell the story of their incarceration and the long-term impact of this dark period in American history. For the first time, why and how these tragic events took place are interwoven with more than 130 individual voices of those who were unconstitutionally incarcerated, many of them children and young adults. Now more than ever, their words will resonate with readers who are confronting questions about racial identity, immigration, and citizenship, and what it means to be an American."

Susan H. Kamei (Author), Allison Hiroto, Andrew Kishino, Jennifer Ikeda, Kurt Kanazawa, Mizuo Peck (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Last Cherry Blossom

"Yuriko was happy growing up in Hiroshima when it was just her and Papa. But her aunt, Kimiko, and her cousin, Genji, are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable: World War II is coming to an end, and since the Japanese newspapers don't report lost battles, the Japanese people are not entirely certain of where Japan stands. Yuriko is used to the sirens and the air-raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home. When the bombs hit Hiroshima, it's through Yuriko's twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror. This is a story that offers young listeners insight into how children lived during the war, while also introducing them to Japanese culture. Based on author Kathleen Burkinshaw's mother's firsthand experience surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, The Last Cherry Blossom hopes to warn listeners of the immense damage nuclear war can bring, while reminding them that the enemy in any war is often not so different from ourselves."

Kathleen Burkinshaw (Author), Yuuki Luna (Narrator)

Audiobook