A Native Hawai’ian Memoir for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day this week, I thought I’d recommend one of my favorite audiobooks for the occasion. Madden is a hapa kānaka writer who wrote the brilliant memoir Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls.

Madden’s memoir follows her childhood and adolescence through essay-like chapters that each give a snapshot of Madden’s life. From show jumping to her first middle school dance, we see these key moments in her life. When Madden moves to New York City, she falls in love with a woman for the first time.

In the later chapters of the memoir, we learn more about her Chinese-Hawai’ian mother’s family and Madden’s own search for belonging and reconnection with her Native Hawai’ian heritage. Through every twist and turn in her life, Madden remains hopeful and resilient, always moving forward to better understand herself and where she comes from.

Madden’s prose possesses this beautiful intensity that stays with you. I can still remember where I was when I listened to certain paragraphs. Madden performs the audiobook herself, and I loved listening to her read her essays.

Narrated by T Kira Māhealani Madden

Jeanette Winterson, the author of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is back with a collection of essays all about the rising influence of AI technologies. What does it mean to be human? What will happen to societal norms we share the world with non-human beings? If that wasn’t exciting enough, Winterson narrates the collection herself—I always adore her narration!

Narrated by Jeanette Winterson (Christmas Days & Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson)

Ahn, a teenage girl, meets Altan, an exiled heir to the throne, and they both realize they each might be able to help the other. Their country is on the brink of war, but will Ahn be able to find a way to discover her hidden powers in time to help Atlan reclaim the throne? I’m always here for a magical adventure story, and this novel seems like just the thing.

Narrated by Natalie Naudus and Kevin Shen (One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston and The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang)

Hannah travels back to Lagos, Nigeria to get to know the family of her late father who she never knew. There she meets her father’s family, learning more about her father and who he was. There’s also a little romance with a man she meets in Lagos. Her experience changes everything she thought she knew herself.

Narrated by Sandra Okuboyejo (Black Girl Magic ABC by Sandra Okuboyejo and Minecraft: The Haven Trials by Suyi Davies)

Tales from the Cafe follows four new customers as they venture into a cafe that is rumored to give visitors a chance to travel back in time, allowing customers a chance to visit special moments in their lives. Cats, coffee, and bookstores—this heartwarming listen feels like a comforting hug. 

Narrated by Kevin Shen (Playing at the Border by Joanna Ho and The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa)

Jean Swinney is a feature writer for a small London newspaper. She feels stuck, stifled in her career, but when a woman claims that her daughter is a result of a virgin birth, Jean thinks this may be her big break. If Jean can get to the real story, she might be able to give her career just the boost it needs. This audiobook has already taken the UK by storm. Now’s the chance for those of us in the US to get our hands on a copy.

Narrated by Karen Cass (The Other Wife by Claire McGowan and The Missing by Daisy Pearce)

Readers of the much-beloved Practical Magic series have been highly anticipating this last book about the Owens family. Delightfully bittersweet, The Book of Magic follows three generations of women as they work to break the curse that has been upon their family for centuries. 

Narrated by Jennifer Ehle (A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle and Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare)