8 of the Best History Audiobooks You Can Listen to Right Now

Philippe Sands’ The Ratline provides fresh insight into the life and mysterious death of Nazi war criminal Otto Wächter, who was complicit in the murder of thousands of Jews as Governor of Krakow and Galicia during World War II, including the family of the author’s own grandfather. Wächter was later indicted for mass murder but never appeared in court and subsequently died, in Rome, in unexplained circumstances. The “Ratline” of the book’s title refers to the escape route taken by the Nazis fleeing Europe after the war. 

What makes Sands’ riveting account so unique is the fact that it was written in cooperation with Wächter’s son, Horst, who allowed the author unparalleled access to the family archives. Drawing on the correspondence between Wächter and his wife, Charlotte, the author cleverly combines their story with that of their son, Horst, exploring how in the present day he deals with the consequences of his father’s actions. 

This interesting juxtaposition of ideas works especially well in the audiobook version, in which Philippe Sands narrates his own book alongside the contrasting voices of veteran British actor/broadcaster Stephen Fry (Horst Wächter), and German actor Katja Riemann (Charlotte Wächter). 

As well as being an actor of some repute, the late Edward Herrmann is also widely regarded as one of the best audiobook narrators of all time and, shortly before his death, he won an AudioFile Best of 2013 History Award for his work on Daniel James Brown’s The Boys in the Boat. The book itself tells the dramatic story of the underdog rowing team from the University of Washington who, against all odds, achieved Olympic glory at the 1936 Berlin Games. Set against a backdrop of the Great Depression and Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, Brown’s evocative and gripping account draws on the rowers’ own personal recollections and journals. 

Based on extensive new archival research and eyewitness interviews, Adam Higginbotham’s minute-by-minute account of events surrounding the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster is riveting and harrowing in equal measure. This fresh take on the catastrophe has proved particularly timely in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Midnight in Chernobyl was named a 2019 New York Times Best Book of the Year and the audiobook’s narrator, Jacques Roy, picked up an award from AudioFile for his “nuanced performance”.

Erik Larson’s gripping The Demon of Unrest examines the five-month period between Abraham Lincoln’s election to the presidency in November 1860 and the start of the Civil War in April 1861. The Los Angeles Times describes Larson’s intricately researched investigation into this pivotal moment in American history as a “riveting reexamination of a nation in tumult”. Award-winning actor and narrator Will Patton joins the author for the audiobook, which vividly brings to life Larson’s compelling new perspective on the events that led to the Civil War.

Simon Winchester’s Land provides unique insight into the history of humanity’s interaction with the land over many centuries and across different cultures from around the world. Along the way, he addresses many of the most important topical issues, such as the land ownership rights of Indigenous peoples, global warming, and loss of wildlife habitats. The New Yorker praised Land for exuding “the comfort and charm of a beloved encyclopedia come to life”.  Winchester himself makes the ideal narrator for the audiobook, with his passion for the subject and depth of knowledge clearly evident throughout.

In addition to her reputation as one of the world’s pre-eminent classical scholars, Mary Beard is a well-known broadcaster and so is the perfect choice to narrate her latest book, Emperor of Rome. In this New York Times bestseller, she offers a different perspective on the Roman Empire’s rulers, forgoing the usual chronological version of events in favor of a more nuanced approach. 

Beginning with Julius Caesar (assassinated in 44 BCE) and ending with Alexander Severus (assassinated in 235 CE), Beard investigates what it took to become a Roman emperor and then remain in the role, as well as providing plenty of interesting background into the day-to-day life of the man in the Roman Empire’s top job.

Jonathan Eig made extensive use of personal eyewitness accounts and public records, including recently declassified FBI files, to produce this first major new biography on Martin Luther King Jr. in many years. Eig has garnered many plaudits for his success in portraying the complex personal nature of the private man behind the towering public persona in this fresh and intimate look at the life of the iconic civil rights leader. 

King: A Life has been recently awarded a 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Biography, and Barack Obama selected it as a 2023 Favorite Book of the Year. For the audiobook, multi-award-winning narrator Dion Graham provides a sensitive portrayal of MLK, while also successfully bringing to life the many other diverse characters that feature in Eig’s sweeping biography.

Back in 2020, Arthur Morey was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his work in the field of audiobook narration, and he utilizes all of this considerable expertise to great effect in the audiobook edition of David I Kertzer’s riveting The Pope at War. This is the third in a trilogy of books by Kertzer about the Papacy’s response to the rise of fascism in Western Europe, investigating the role played by Pope Pius XII during World War II. 

Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on Vatican history, the author has made extensive use of recently released wartime archives to produce this authoritative account and sheds light on many of the questions surrounding the wartime conduct of possibly the most controversial Pope of the modern era. Important topics include Pius XII’s relationship with Fascist leaders Hitler and Mussolini, and his response to the Holocaust.