The best politics audiobooks and podcasts you should be listening to

Before he became the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama had a vision for America he shared during his time in the Senate: the end of partisan politics and an American people united by both faith in our democracy and the natural inclusivity of our own humanity. This pre-presidency audiobook includes not only Obama’s ideas for America’s future, but also his deep understanding of the country’s past on both sides of the aisle. In between his compelling arguments, listeners are treated to stories of the campaign trail, the reality of Congress, and the inner-workings of life on The Hill. Obama is well known for his intelligence, his articulation of thought, and his skillful elocution; all three work in tandem in The Audacity of Hope. It’s impossible to overstate just how valuable it is to hear this Grammy Award-winning audiobook in Obama’s own voice—a perfect marriage of content and narrator. And if you loved The Audacity of Hope, be sure to listen to Obama’s latest memoir, A Promised Land, which deftly explores the historical journey to his landmark presidency.

Perhaps the only thing all Americans can agree on when it comes to Donald Trump is that he’s unlike any other president who’s come before him. In this in-depth look at Trump, his campaign, and the first three years of his presidency, New York Times best-selling author and TV personality Bill O’Reilly provides a window into the divisive political figure. Rather than narrate his work, O’Reilly sticks to the introduction and passes the rest of the audiobook to experienced narrator Rick Adamson, who offers a crisp, coherent delivery. The result is a frank, direct examination of our 45th President.

Narrator Derek Perkins—with his crisp enunciation, lively tone, and stately accent—is a great match for the words of revered thinker and number one New York Times best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari. The massive scope of 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is driven home by Perkins’s delivery, which makes the text feel not unlike the recitation of a great myth. Already well known for Sapiens and Homo Deus, which dealt with the history and future of humankind respectively, Harari cements himself into the current global conversation with 21 Lessons. In this title, he explores the most pressing questions facing humankind today, from robots to unconscious biases to global warming. No corner of the world escapes his meditative scrutiny, and the structure of taking one lesson at a time allows listeners to slowly adjust to thinking on a global scale.

Many listeners will be familiar with Rachel Maddow as a hard-hitting anchor on MSNBC; in Blowout, she reminds us just how far and wide her knowledge and expertise reaches. Self-narrated with her signature compelling tone and unrelenting quest for the truth, Blowout presents a portrait of massive corruption within the oil and gas industry. The story that unfolds is chilling, supported by thousands of hours of research on Maddow’s part, and difficult to listen to at times. Maddow is an excellent guide through a complicated, crooked subject; she distills obtuse concepts and organizations in a matter of moments, presenting evidence thoroughly and knitting disparate pieces together.

When Edward Snowden exposed classified NSA information on global surveillance programs in 2013, no one had any idea who he was—just another 29-year-old tech contractor in government. Since then, he’s become a household name, in turn called a hero and a traitor. Granted asylum in Russia, Snowden maintains and defends the morality of his decision to blow the whistle on the federal government. Permanent Record gives listeners, for the first time, a direct line into Snowden’s work in the system and his reasons for bringing it to light. We love this memoir for the way it draws listeners deep into Snowden’s thought processes with the help of narrator Holter Graham’s conversational, natural delivery, and for the way it feels absolutely essential for the cultural moment we’re living in currently. Snowden lays his journey out from start to finish and blatantly asks listeners the question: What would you do if you were burdened with such earth-shattering information?

This past September, the nation and the world at large were deeply saddened by the loss of one of the most trailblazing and influential women in history. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought tirelessly as a lawyer, activist, and judge, becoming the second female justice sworn onto the Supreme Court, where she served until her passing at the age of 87. Though she was fighting a difficult, painful battle with pancreatic cancer, she remained committed to serving her country and ensuring that the rights promised by the Constitution were afforded to all Americans. But her commitment and indefatigability are only two of the traits that make her a hero and role model to all who’d like to get more engaged with politics and law. In My Own Words, listeners can hear a selection of Ginsburg’s speeches, writings, and decisions, all of which offer a deeper look into her thoughtful process and powerful use of language. From her elementary school newspaper to SCOTUS, Ginsburg’s brilliant style was both incomparably contemplative and markedly empathetic, and her meditative but decisive approach will truly be missed.

One of the most important documents of our time, The Mueller Report details the two-year investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, and potential connections from this interference to Republican nominee Donald Trump. The audio version, provided free to listeners by Audible, makes this critical report more accessible than ever. Each of the three narrators—Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett, and Victor Bevine—makes the experience of wading through legal jargon less daunting with his expert use of tone, emphasis, and pacing. This edition also clearly identifies redacted sections and comes with additional footnotes that listeners can use for context during the report.

In The Education of an Idealist, Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power turns her attention to the exploration of her life, her ability to hope, and her calling as an activist for human rights. Starting with her early childhood, Power takes listeners from her young awakening all the way through her work in foreign policy and aid. It’s fascinating to learn what motivates Samantha Power, but most impactful in this selection is the way she teaches listeners about their own ability to affect change. Through her unflinching idealism and ferocity, listeners are empowered to examine ordinary and extraordinary ways to fight for human dignity, crafting a rare foreign policy selection that will leave listeners hopeful.

Authors Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson spent nearly two decades researching and refining material for Why Nations Fail, and their thoroughness shows itself in this thought-provoking listen that is not only undeniably credible but also completely engrossing. Coupled with epic narration by Dan Woren, this audiobook has the gravitas and intrigue of a top-tier documentary. Why Nations Fail tells listeners the answer to its question from the very start: nations fail because they are supposed to fail—because existing, man-made political and economic structures determine which nations fail. The authors expound on this thesis on a case-by-case basis that makes the length of this selection quite easy to parse, breaking up the listen naturally to allow time for much-needed reflection.

Jon Meacham isn’t interested in despair—what concerns him in The Soul of America is hope. Not simply hope as a meaningless catchphrase or platitude, but the kind of genuine hope that is supported by evidence spread across the pages of history, from the time of President Roosevelt to President Johnson, from the Civil War to World War II, and all the tumultuous times in between. In this refreshing selection, Meacham takes listeners through some of the most harrowing times in the United States to prove that what President Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature" have always managed to win in the end. His steady, calming voice and his buoyant message are a balm to the struggles that we continue to face as a nation and a global community.

Rebecca Lowman performs just as Naomi Klein writes: the author and narrator both share their message rhythmically, in an efficient staccato and urgent tone that compel listeners to pay attention. And that compulsion is incredibly fitting, considering Klein’s On Fire deals with the looming threat of climate disaster— a concern that, many scholars agree, is the preeminent issue of our time. She uses her best-selling storytelling skills to extrapolate scientific research, firsthand observed conditions, and moral arguments supporting a Green New Deal. This urgent listen looks unflinchingly at the political, spiritual, and imaginative facets of what such a deal could mean for society.

Joining the conversation on identity is not easily done with eloquence, but Douglas Murray, one of the foremost voices in the English neoconservative movement, manages it—despite sharing a fairly controversial message. In The Madness of Crowds, he argues for an end to tribal politics and posits that culture wars between identity groups are harming the global conversation. Since Murray’s no stranger to the microphone, his narration is confident, assured, and a pleasure to listen to. Hearing Murray philosophize openly on the intersection of humankind’s identity and the identity of one human is a standout experience; for those interested in seeing all sides of the conversation about identity, this is an excellent place to start.

A National Book Award winner crafted by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Tim Weiner, Legacy of Ashes is a not-to-be-missed selection. Its release in 2007 sent shockwaves through American society as it revealed the deep flaws inherent in the Central Intelligence Agency, an organization many citizens deemed untouchable. Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, whose deep and formidable voice drives home Weiner’s message by lending a solemnity to the words, this selection features extensive, newly declassified research from CIA archives made easy to grasp through the combination of Weiner and Rudnicki’s styles. Weiner deftly uses this research to point out how, time after time, the CIA has failed, then attempted to bury evidence of that failure, making for a listen that, even more than a decade later, can still shake Americans’ faith in their government.

Almost everyone has subjects they avoid at family gatherings because of the inevitable disagreements that occur if the topic is broached. Those subjects are often important ones like politics and religion, where personal truths can imbue conversations with combativeness. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt specializes in the psychology of morality and examines just such divisive subjects. In The Righteous Mind, he shares his scholarly opinion—based on years of research and field work—on what causes these divisions in the first place, and how certain people can be predisposed to disagree. Haidt is an accomplished and experienced lecturer, and it shows in his riveting, intelligent narration. The desire to take Haidt’s valuable lessons into the world may even have some listeners taking notes.

It’s no surprise that an audiobook by Pulitzer Prize winner Ronan Farrow is incredibly articulate, expressive, and beautifully crafted. But what is a pleasant surprise: Farrow also makes a great narrator for his own elegant content, speaking with the confidence and ease of an experienced performer. In War on Peace, Farrow turns his considerable talent to the subject of diplomacy, painting a simultaneously intimate and far-reaching portrait of the current state of American affairs. The selection alternates between stories about his work with and observation of Richard Holbrooke—the statesman who made peace in Bosnia—and high-profile interviews with the likes of Henry Kissinger and Hillary Clinton. In finding the perfect balance of scope for his title, Farrow shows listeners a damning report of diplomacy’s decline, his personal opinions on the decline, and what might be done to rectify it.

If Tina Fey had worked in the White House instead of 30 Rock, her memoir may have sounded a bit like this. Author Alyssa Mastromonaco tells the humorous and insightful story of her own career in politics, her childhood in Vermont, and her relationship with President Obama. After working on the campaign trail with Obama, Mastromonaco was appointed as his Deputy Chief of Staff—the youngest woman to ever hold the position. Her comfortable, comic delivery makes this listen feel like catching up with a very funny friend...who just happens to know a former president. The material itself switches between Mastromonaco’s personal life and her life in politics, and each hour is filled with anecdotes that anyone interested in the inner workings of political campaigns and Obama’s presidency will find engaging.

Part one of a two-part intensive look at politics throughout history, The Origins of Political Order is an incredibly thorough listen for those interested in diving deep into the development of politics across the globe. Author Francis Fukuyama structures his knowledge through case studies on China, India, the Ottoman Empire, Europe, and Egypt. As he approaches each of these societies, the noted political scientist and economist offers his own expert insights into the nature of democracy as we know it today and the realities of politics in general. Fukuyama’s clear writing style and helpful introduction mapping out the title are matched by Hall of Fame narrator Jonathan Davis’s easy delivery, keeping The Origins of Political Order approachable. Davis does a particularly excellent job with pacing and distinguishing between the main body of the text and explanatory footnotes, making this selection one of the best choices for listeners seeking a long-form political history.

Named the best book of the year not only by The New York Times but also eight other publications in 2017, We Were Eight Years in Power is a collection of essays by journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates. The lyricism of Coates’s writing is particularly well-suited for audio; listening is as meditative as the subject matter is enlightening. In this extraordinary collection, narrated by the skilled Beresford Bennett, Coates presents eight reflections on race, one from each year of Barack Obama’s presidency, including his acclaimed essays "Fear of a Black President" and "The Case for Reparations." His introductions to each essay contain further jewels of wisdom and add introspective contextualization to the audiobook. Being able to engage essay by essay enables listeners to pause and consider Coates’s concepts at the thoughtful pace they deserve.

According to David Wallace-Wells’s decades of climate research, the end of the world as we know it is close, nigh-unavoidable, and worse than we can possibly imagine. Wallace-Wells gives listeners a harrowing look at the facts surrounding climate change, as well as a window into his personal fear around the subject, as he reports ruinous scenario after ruinous scenario in The Uninhabitable Earth. At turns scholarly and personal, his impassioned narration helps listeners digest what is undeniably terrible news. Climate change is currently affecting us all, and climate disaster would leave no place on earth untouched. While difficult to reckon with, Wallace-Wells’s call to face reality is required listening for all conscientious citizens.

James Comey entered the zeitgeist because of his conflict with President Trump as FBI Director. Yet rather than being a tell-all about the contentious end to his federal appointment, A Higher Loyalty is a compelling memoir about Comey’s entire life and calling as an attorney. This is a memoir that reveals Comey’s fascinatingly complex moral fortitude and a career that’s touched some of the most significant legal cases of the past decade of American history. Everything listeners might expect from a Comey memoir is present in this Audible Editor’s Pick—Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, the Russian interference investigation, even Martha Stewart’s trial—but the treasure in this selection lies in the surprisingly vulnerable moments when Comey details his personal life. The emotional, intimate narration by Comey himself makes a listen about what shaped him as a lawyer and a man all the more captivating.