10 most popular audiobooks of all time
Once people start listening to audiobooks, they quickly discover their numerous advantages. Not only can you store thousands of audiobooks on one device, but you can also listen to them anywhere, even while doing other things. If you’re new to audiobooks, here’s a list of the 10 best audiobooks of all time.
Ten audiobooks you have to try
Most popular books have audio versions, which is why you can now listen to your favorite classics. These are the most popular audiobooks of all time to get you started:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming was written by Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States. In this memoir, she talks about her time in the White House and how it coincided with her role as a mother and wife. This book was so popular that it broke the record for the highest-selling book in 2018, with two million copies sold in the first 15 days after it was released.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Written by Ann Patchett, The Dutch House is a must-read historical fiction story. It follows Danny and Maeve Conroy, a brother and sister who are exiled from their home by their stepmother. They must find a way to survive poverty without breaking their strong bond. This book was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The Dutch House is voiced by Tom Hanks on Audible.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
If you’ve never read the Harry Potter books, this is your sign to listen to the audiobooks. Written by the brilliant J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter series will throw you into a world of witchcraft and wizardry, which you will never want to leave. Depending on the audiobook app you use, you’ll be able to listen to various narrators. The movie actor of Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, voices the audiobooks on Spotify.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing is a coming-of-age murder mystery written by American author Delia Owens. This story has two timelines, both of which take place in the desolate parts of North Carolina. Ever since a movie adaptation was announced in July 2022, the book sold over 15 million copies.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Another world-famous fantasy series, A Game of Thrones, is a must-listen-to audiobook for fans of this genre. Right now, there are five books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, but George R.R. Martin announced there would be two more coming out. If you enjoyed the Game of Thrones series, you will love listening to the audiobooks.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Written by American author Diana Gabaldon, Outlander is a historical fiction series. There are nine books in the series, and the final one is expected to come out in the near future. The Outlander series follows Claire Randall, a 20th-century nurse who travels back in time and goes to 18th-century Scotland.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Girl on the Train is a mystery thriller written by Paula Hawkins. This book became the No. 1 New York Times bestseller, and it even got a movie adaptation in 2016. The full cast of the movie includes Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, and Rebecca Ferguson.
Educated by Tara Westover
If you want something a little bit different, Educated by Tara Westover is a memoir about the author’s Mormon family and her struggle to get a real education. This memoir became a non-fiction best seller on the New York Times list.
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Fifty Shades of Grey is the first book in a three-part erotic novel series by E. L. James. The second book is called Fifty Shades Darker, and the third is Fifty Shades Freed. The main character of the books is Anastasia Steele, who signs a contract with a businessman Christian Grey.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
If you would like to listen to a self-help book, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie might be to your liking. Having sold over 30 million copies, it became one of the best-selling books of all time. Dale Carnegie has written many similar self-help books, which cover self-improvement, corporate training, communication, salesmanship, and public speaking.
Speechify—The text to speech app for people who love books
If you love listening to audiobooks and want to listen to all types of text in audio format, Speechify can help you.
Speechify is a text to speech platform that converts written text into spoken language. This includes digital text like websites, emails, social media, PDFs, Word Docs, Google Docs, and more—as well as traditional print text thanks to OCR technology. You can choose from a variety of voices, languages, and accents for your audio. Speechify has other useful tools and features that can make your listening experience even better like the ability to speed up or slow down the reading speed.
If you want to see how Speechify works, you can try the online text to speech tool for free.
FAQ
What are some popular audiobooks that aren’t on this list?
If you’ve already listened to all the best audiobooks from this list, here are a few more you might like:
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- The Dark Tower I by Stephen King
- Naked by David Sedaris
- Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Circe by Madeline Miller
Who is the most famous audiobook narrator?
It’s hard to pick just one audiobook narrator, so here are a few of them that are considered the best audiobook narrators: Stephen Fry, Toni Morrison, Bahni Turpin, Jim Dale, Neil Gaiman, Alan Cumming, Julia Whelan, and George Saunders.
Which app has the largest collection of audiobooks?
The app with the largest collection of audiobooks is Audible. Owned by Amazon, Audible offers over 200,000 e-books, audiobooks, and podcasts. While there are some free audiobooks on Audible, most of them require a paid subscription.
What audiobook should I listen to next?
The audiobook you should listen to next depends on the genre you prefer. Any books we talked about in this guide are worth your time.
What audiobook genres are most popular?
The most popular audiobook genres include science fiction (or sci-fi), fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and thrillers.
