The 5 Best Audiobooks Under 5 Hours

3 hours and 7 minutes

This novella from the author of BROOKLYN follows the internal monologue of Mary, mother of Jesus. Tóibín offers a unique characterization of Mary, revealing the bitterness and self-doubt of an aging woman as she reflects on her son’s life, death, and legacy. Meryl Streep narrates the audiobook with one of the most incredible performances I’ve ever heard in an audiobook. The breadth of subtle emotions in her voice come through so naturally that it was easy to forget she was reading from a book.

Read by Meryl Streep

3 hours and 52 minutes

Jacqueline Woodson’s latest novel traces the ripple effects of an unplanned pregnancy on three generations. A full cast of narrators brings a richness to the voice of each central character as the story jumps through time—from Peter Francis James’s rich baritone narration as Po’Boy, the grandfather, to Bahni Turpin’s light yet mature interpretation of Melody, the unexpected baby who feels all grown up at age 16. The result is an engrossing audiobook that goes far deeper than you’d think possible in just under four hours.

 Read by Jacqueline Woodson, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small, and Bahni Turpin

1 hour and 22 minutes

This deeply moving poetry collection explores the author’s experience with incarceration and its aftermath. I got chills listening to Betts read—or rather, perform—his raw, affecting poems, a couple of which are set to a jazz backing track. I believe all good poetry is worthy of being revisited many times in order to fully appreciate the nuance and richness of each word. Betts’s poems are no exception. His narration offers a powerful interpretation of the work that is accessible on first listen, and also makes for an incredible way to revisit these poems again and again.

 Read by Reginald Dwayne Betts

4 hours

The late, great Maya Angelou authored a half-dozen bestselling autobiographies, most notably the heartbreaking account of her childhood, I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. For a shorter introduction to her work, I recommend MOM & ME & MOM; in it, she revisits her life story as framed by her relationship with her mother, who abandoned her at the age of three and did not reenter her life until ten years later. At just four hours, MOM & ME & MOM offers an all-encompassing overview of how this tumultuous, complicated relationship shaped Angelou into the phenomenal woman she became. Angelou has one of the smoothest voices of any audiobook narrator, and her deep connection to the material offers an added layer of emotion for listeners.

 Read by Maya Angelou

25 minutes

FOR EVERY ONE is a letter for dreamers of any age. Reynolds talks about the staggering uncertainty of following your dreams, and tells the listener that it’s crucial to follow them anyway, because “our dreams could be as far away as forever or as close as lunchtime.” I listened to this audiobook just a few days before I interviewed for my current job at Simon & Schuster Audio—naturally, its themes resonated with me in the coming weeks as I began working full-time in my dream industry. FOR EVERY ONE is a beautiful, bite-sized audiobook that I recommend revisiting whenever you’re feeling stuck or need a little encouragement. Stay tuned after the credits for extra commentary from the author that I find nearly as inspiring as the letter itself.

 Read by Jason Reynolds