Readers, “reading with your ears” is a great way to tackle the huge tomes on your TBR and get the most out of your audiobook credits. (Thanks to John Lee’s excellent narration, I finally read The Count of Monte Cristo this year, as well as this behemoth of a modern novel. Both were great!)
But for readers who are just getting acquainted with the audio format—or who just want to build some momentum in their reading life—short audiobooks provide a low stakes, low-commitment way to enjoy a good story and perhaps get acquainted with the format. You can try a wide variety of genres and listen to the end of the book, without spending much time doing so.
Shorter audiobooks also provide just the right amount of story for a week of quick commutes or a few hours of chores on the weekend.
Today I’m sharing a varied collection of audiobooks that clock in at four hours or less—the perfect amount of time for you to test the audiobook waters or finish a whole book in one week’s worth of walks.
This list includes a mix of sci-fi novellas, conversational nonfiction, and bite-sized literary fiction to suit any reading mood. I hope you find your next great (and quick) listen among today’s assorted titles.
15 audiobooks you can finish in one sitting, one short road trip, or one laundry marathon
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
With her knack for combining quirky characters with surprising science fiction plots, Chambers helps us step outside the “real world” to examine modern society with fresh eyes. In the first installment of her next series, a tea monk dedicates their life to comforting humans in times of need, until they meet a robot friend with an important question. Endearing and delightful, this novella isn’t just for sci-fi lovers. In fact, Chambers dedicates it to “anybody who could use a break.” This one's been making the rounds in our WSIRN team—about half of us have listened to the audiobook, narrated by Emmett Grosland. 4 hours 8 mins. More info →
The Poet X
I read this first in print, and then on audio because I really wanted to hear Acevedo perform the narration (SO GOOD). In this incredible novel-in-verse, Xiomara finds her voice as she pours her soul into her notebook. Every frustration, every harassment, every triumph and every secret is turned into a poem. When she gets invited to share her work in slam poetry club, Xiomara isn't sure if she can keep her passion secret from her strict family. But she soon learns that speaking up and living her truth is the only way to be fully herself. If "novel-in-verse" gives you pause because you don't love poetry, trust me: Acevedo is an incredible storyteller and narrator. 3 hours 30 mins. More info →
Address Unknown
This short epistolary novel might be slender, but it's anything but lightweight. In it, two German friends exchange a series of letters discussing Hitler's increasing power and changing sentiments in Germany. One friend is a Jewish art dealer living in San Francisco; the other is his business partner, who returns with his family to Munich. The tone of their letters quickly changes as each grapples with current events in their native Germany. Reading this story now, it's breathtaking to know it was first published in 1938. I'm grateful for the recent reissue that put this old book on my radar. It was excellent on audio, as narrated by Rob Shapiro and George Newbern. 1 hour 8 mins. More info →
Long Way Down
This tense and tautly-written novel-in-verse takes place in the short span of sixty seconds. Fifteen-year-old Will gets on the elevator with his brother's gun tucked into his waistband. His brother Shawn is dead, and he wants revenge. The elevator stops on the sixth floor, and Buck enters. He tells Will to check the gun; one bullet is missing. Did Shawn ever use his gun? And then Will remembers: Buck is dead. Another figure from Will's past enters a few floors later, and then another, all connected to Shawn. Each one reveals pieces of Shawn's story, and Will has a decision to make as the elevator reaches the ground floor. I loved listening to Jason Reynolds narrate his award-winning, fast-paced novel. 1 hour 43 mins. More info →
Binti
This Hugo and Nebula winner sat on my To Be Read list for too long before I finally listened to the audiobook edition by much-loved narrator Robin Miles. Okorafor's novella drops you right into another galaxy where Binti is the first of her people to receive an offer to attend Oomza University, basically an ivy league college. Accepting the offer requires a huge sacrifice and a treacherous journey. I sped through this quick audiobook thanks to the excellent narration and a propulsive plot. 2 hours 30 mins. More info →
Before the Ever After
I loved listening to this one, narrated by Guy Lockard: the story was AMAZING in his voice, and delivered a wholly satisfying story for middle grade readers and adults alike. Black preteen ZJ has always had a strong relationship with his father, a football star who's a living legend and fan favorite. But ZJ and his mom have been struggling lately, trying to make sense of his dad's increasingly erratic behavior. The doctors suspect the many concussions he's suffered over the years are the culprit, but they don't know what to do about it. Woodson doesn't sugarcoat the suffering, but a drumbeat of hope and resilience anchors ZJ's story. (My son read this in his fifth grade book club last year. He loved it.) 2 hours 14 mins. More info →
Half Light
I recommended this Audible Original novella to Ashley on What Should I Read Next Episode 274: #Bookstagram made me do it. Jones explores common themes in her work: sisterhood, family bonds, and the creative process. In this short bite of literary fiction, identical twins Amelia and Camelia are total opposites, but their lives remain intertwined for years. When Lia decides to take drastic measures in getting a precious piece of art back from her ex-husband, their relationship is tested. I was riveted and listened to Bahni Turpin's narration in one “sitting” aka long walk with Daisy. 1 hour 20 mins. More info →
Evidence of the Affair
I thought I'd read everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid ... until our team member Shannan gushed about how much she loved this very short (just 86 pages) 2019 release, and told me she thought I'd love it, too. (She advised me to opt for the audiobook narrated by some of my favorites: Julia Whelan, George Newbern, James Daniels, and Dara Rosenberg.) In this epistolary novel, two strangers strike up a correspondence about the tie that binds them together: their respective spouses, who are having an affair—with each other. In every letter, a little more is revealed, until each couple is forced to decide what they ultimately want for their future. This little book worked for me. (Keep your ears perked for an effortless Daisy Jones reference.) 1 hour 19 mins. More info →
All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries
I had to laugh when Emily selected this as one of her favorites on WSIRN episode 259 and described the series as "A Man Called Ove meets Frankenstein." Narrated by Kevin R. Free, the first novella introduces a curmudgeonly security droid that hacked its programming and can now control itself. It really just wants to be left alone to watch TV, but a team of annoying humans keeps interrupting it as they conduct interplanetary research. I find novellas to be an excellent gateway to science fiction, and this well-loved series is a great place to start. 3 hours 17 mins. More info →
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Some stories in this collection are quick five page reads, and others are closer to 40 pages, and on audio you'll be so absorbed you won't know the difference—all of them make you feel like you're right there in the main character's life. This collection is about love, sex, relationships, work, mistakes and successes. Each story explores the unique predicament of one character, but they flow seamlessly from one woman's life to another, thanks to Philyaw's evocative prose and rich detail. I read my favorite story “How to Make Love to a Physicist” twice through (on paper) because I loved it so much. Janina Edwards narrates this fabulous collection. 4 hours 6 mins. More info →
Nathan Coulter
Wendell Berry may not be the first author who comes to mind when you think "quick read," but this short novel clocks in at just over four hours. The first book in a loose series introduces us to Nathan Coulter, a young boy finding his way through grief as he comes of age in the small community of Port William, Kentucky. You'll see common themes from Berry here: farming, family, and the small moments that make up a fulfilling life. Narrated by Paul Michael, this audiobook makes the slice of life scenes leap off the page. Contemplative, absorbing, and classic. 4 hours 16 mins. More info →
The Deep
For a short-but-sweeping read, I recommend listening to the audiobook performed by Daveed Diggs. Yetu takes on the role of historian for her people, descendants of pregnant African women who were thrown overboard built a new society underwater. Holding everyone's painful memories is too much for Yetu, so she flees to the world above water where she learns more about the past and the future of her people. Originally inspired by a song from rap group Clipping that aired on This American Life in the episode "We Are In The Future,” this imaginative fantasy novella presents a powerful allegory. 4 hours 1 min. More info →
Letters to a Young Poet
When Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke received a series of verses from a young student with the request to reply with feedback, he poured his insights and advice into the letters compiled here. You've probably encountered snippets from this compilation somewhere along the way; in less than two hours you can hear the complete work. If you have a creative bone in your body, it's well worth the time to give this a listen at least once, especially because it's read by Dan Stevens. 1 hour 52 minutes. More info →
The Comfort Book
A book that is “as messy as life” for those moments when you need a little extra encouragement. In a wide assortment of essays, lists, quotes, recipes, and musings, Matt Haig shares his “life rafts,” the things he turns to for comfort and reassurance when he’s feeling low. As someone who has lived with depression and suicidal thoughts for many years, Haig collects snippets to cling to when it feels like life has thrown him overboard, such as an ode to peanut butter toast, 10 books that helped his mind, or an essay titled “Ferris Bueller and the Meaning of Life,” and shares them here with tenderness and wit. Haig narrates the audiobook with a conversational tone (and his British accent). 3 hours 9 mins. More info →
I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
This essay collection is written BY a book lover (me) for book lovers (YOU). And thanks to copious cups of Throat Coat tea, I narrated the audiobook, too. For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time--it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them. I wax poetic on the magic of the library next door, bookworm problems, the books that made me fall in love with reading, and an "instructive" piece on how to organize your bookshelves that would fit right in at McSweeney's. 2 hours 23 mins. More info →
Have you listened to any great audiobooks lately? What’s your sweet spot for listening time? Share your recommendations and thoughts in the comments.
P.S. Keep track of your audiobook TBR with my new reading journal, out September 21! Pre-order My Reading Life: A Book Journal today to get bonus book lists, bookmarks, and more! If you’d like a signed copy, place an order from my local indie Carmichael’s Bookstore and include a note in the order comments for personalization.
P.P.S. Check out 20 extra long audiobooks to make the most of those credits or find a new favorite narrator among these 10 stellar voices.
45 comments
oh my gracious- add Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. So different from what I usually read but totally worth it. I remember being delighted by the main character, Keiko (I taught elementary school- I still say “main character” instead of protagonist or heroine- haha) and rooting for her the whole time. She’s so DIFFERENT but totally herself in a way that I wish we all could be. A lot to be learned from Keiko. Only 3 hrs. 22 min. Totally recommend.
I, too, adored Convenience Store Woman! Such a great, quirky, fun character!
Such a great book! I loved Keiko too I just wanted everything to work out for her! I read this in print last year but may revisit the audio as it’s highly recommended! x
They’re not short, but I really loved the full cast recordings of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev and Anatomy of Desire. Both of them are written documentary style, so they loans themselves to an audiobook form. And the casting is just perfect!
I often keep an audiobook in the car, currently I’m listening again to the Connie Willis novel Blackout.
Ummm, are you in my brain? While I was laying await last night I was thinking “I wish Anne would put out a list of short audiobooks!” And, here it is! Thanks so much…and I have listened to a few on this list and really enjoyed them!
Going to grab a few more from the library now!
I recently was looking through hoopla on my library’s website and found a category for short audiobooks. I found some short stories by Agatha Christie that I really enjoyed and a short novella by Karin Slaughter and Lee Child (also good). Just another place to look if your public library has hoopla. If they do, you will have access with your library card.
*The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson! Not a short book, but everything he writes is AMAZING!!!!!!!
*Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen was a short audiobook and very good.
*Is this Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld was hilarious!
*OCDaniel by Wesley King was an eye-opening book about a middle schooler with OCD trying to help his friend solve the possible murder of her father!
*Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry was very short and such a sweet book about a girl with Tourette’s Syndrome.
*Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Lead Remini. I loved her accent and it was mind-blowing what she said about scientology.
*Animal Farm by George Orwell. Very short and a creepy classic!
*The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Very short and read by Jeremy Irons who has a beautiful voice.
*I read The Guest List by Lucy Foley and The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides on paper and then re-read them on audio and loved them even more that way.
I read The Silent Patient on audio and my house has never been cleaner! I kept finding things to do so I could keep listening…
Totally agree with the Murderbot Diaries series. I’m generally not a scifi fan but loved those on audio. I tried to read one with my eyes and just couldn’t, but the voice actor is great and the stories are a lot of fun on audio. Also, Scribd is a great way to go for audio books.
Celebrity memoirs are perfect for this category. I love listening to familiar voices telling their stories. I just finished Leslie Jordan’s hilarious and touching essay collection “How Y’all Doin’ “ on audiobook and was sad at how quickly it went! Some other all- time favorites are Mindy Kaling’s memoir “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me” and Carrie Fisher’s “Wishful Drinking”. (All clock in under 4 1/2 hours or less.)
“The Mysterious Howling” by Maryrose Wood, the first in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series (YA), a hilarious version of the Victorian governess trope only this time the wealthy children were found raised by wolves. The narrator is sort of an Julie Andrews with a twist and absolutely delightful. You will want to listen to the rest of them to hear more and to figure out the mystery of the children’s origin.
I’ve read these on paper. I imagine they would be GREAT on audio.
Another great Audio book read by Elizabeth Acevedo is Clap When You Land. Currently listening to If We Were Villains (M.L.Rio) in anticipation of book club!
When I can’t focus and can’t find a short audiobook that fits, my next strategy to regain momentum is to turn to a familiar series or author, much like the Nathan Coulter you mentioned. A favorite grab might be a Louise Penny or a loosely connected collection where I’m familiar with the characters and don’t have to orient myself from scratch. An example might be the works of Elizabeth Strout or Marilynne Robinson. Often times the audiobooks will have the same narrator as previous works in the collection (such as Robert Bathhurst for Louise Penny and Kimberly Farr for Elizabeth Strout) and this helps me feel settled in the story right away since the characters sound the same.
I miss Robert Bathhurst.
The One and Only Bob, by Katherine Applegate, is just 4 hours long and narrated by Danny DeVito! It’s middle grade, but Applegate is so good at not hiding the bad stuff in life from kids that the adults in our car enjoyed it as much as the kids (actually teens now;)) Besides, Danny DeVito!
I listened to and LOVED 84, Charing Cross Road this summer, after it was recommended in a WSIRN episode. It was right around 2 hours, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend those 2 hours.
I cannot more highly recommend Long Way Down. Hearing Jason Reynolds narrate it exactly as he intended it to sound was an incredibly experience!
I agree! It was so good! So glad Anne included it!!
My Sister the Serial Killer is a terrific short audiobook.
I am sure Long Way Down is wonderful as an audio book, especially if read by the author. But I would encourage everyone to pick up the book, because the graphic design is absolutely wonderful, with textured backgrounds and the text as artwork. I remember being absolutely struck by how the design of the book reinforced that feeling of fragmentation.
I came here to suggest My Sister the Serial Killer. Quick, yet great character development and story.
I am assuming you are referring to the graphic novel version of this book, which came after the actual book.
I’ve recently liked She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh about Dolly Parton (I think that was an Anne recommendation) and Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
A good portion of Neil Gaiman’s books are short for audio & he narrates them himself. Also, Jenny Lawson’s Furiously Happy or Brené Brown’s books are nice for audio. Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana White was a nice audio read.
84 Charing Cross Road, always charming and a favorite for book lovers. Less than two hours long and wonderfully read.
All of the Ladies No 1 Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith are fabulously done on audio and are not too long. Actually I wish they were a lot longer as the stories and characters are so well done. I listen to books on cd on my commute to and from work. Also the Mrs. Pollifax books by Dorothy Gillman are easy to listen to and a nice light mystery. The Tea Shop mystery series by Laura Childs are nice to listen to and are cozy mysteries. While not short, the Louise Penny, Gamache mystery series, is fabulous to read or listen to. I greatly enjoy the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters but for some the accents and old fashioned speech may be distracting but as someone who has read the books, I appreciate listening to them on cd. And the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are fabulous. But not short.
In contrast, I’ve been listening to John Adams my David McCullough for months, primarily listening in the car & while washing dishes. I’m at the last CD (24!) & may finish by reading the print version.
At one point, Anne, you recommended Half Light by Tayari Jones on the podcast. I listened to that one day on a run and then finished it on a drive to work. Her writing was fantastic and very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it so when you then recommended An American Marriage by the same author, I was in. I knew from listening to her novella that I would enjoy the writing. I enjoyed the story as well. Thanks for the recommendations.
Parnassus on Wheels is short and such a delight. Who wouldn’t love a book about a traveling horse drawn bookstore?!
Loved this book on audio!
I recently listened to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It’s not my usual genre, but I sped it up a bit and found myself laughing out loud. It’s medium length I would say, but easily done in a day.
Just a suggestion, something I like to do. I use short novels, memoirs, and Audible Originals as palate cleansers between longer audiobooks. It works better for me than going from longer one straight into another.
Hi, Debi!
I take a day off between listens, and I try to start each month with a short listen. Glad to know I’m not the only listener who plans this way.
My favourite short audiobook is Sourdough by Robin Sloan! It reads like a normal novel about a young engineer trying to find their place in San Francisco,but then there’s a slightly monstrous sourdough that comes into their life 🙂 About 4 hours long.
Sourdough was such a delightful, happy book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it often when someone needs something fun and not heavy!
Such a great list! Excited to start mLibg my way through them. Thanks!
Yikes! I was hoping to correct my typo. That should be “making”🤪☺️
I’ve been listening to a cozy mystery series and they’re roughly 6 hours each. It’s the Pancake House series by Sarah Fox. They’re light and entertaining.
I always look for the loooongest books to listen to, The Outlander series is a great example. So, I was reading this a little leery and a with a slight smirk on my face (I’m sorry, but I confess it and beg forgiveness). In reading your list and descriptions, I’m very interested in “Evidence of the Affair”. I have an in-law relative where something very similar happened. The husband of the woman in the affair visited the wife of the man in the affair and said, would you like to have coffee … They eventually married and were so very happy for decades. So, you see, I’m forgoing my snobbery and can’t wait to listen to this one. Thank you. 🙂
My favourite short audiobook is Sourdough by Robin Sloan! It reads like a normal novel about a young engineer trying to find their place in San Francisco,but then there’s a slightly monstrous sourdough that comes into their life 🙂 About 4 hours long.
Just a suggestion, something I like to do. I use short novels, memoirs, and Audible Originals as palate cleansers between longer audiobooks. It works better for me than going from longer one straight into another.
Kwame Alexander’s books are very good on audio since they are told in verse.
Hitting up the comment section a year later to recommend “Another Brooklyn” by Jaqueline Woodson. Absolutely stunning and about 3 hours if I remember correctly.
Most of the Enola Holmes series are 4 hours or so. Fun, YA series.