Audio Auras: Redefinition Era
By Kristen Capano, Victoria Hernandez, and Rebecca Scalese
As winter shifts to spring, we’re likely to see changes in many aspects of our lives, including our environment, wardrobe, and even the time (hello, daylight saving time)! As these changes occur, it’s completely natural to take a look back at previous stages of our lives and redefine our values. How have we grown? What aspects of ourselves are we leaving in the past, and which ones are we choosing to take with us into the future?
This spring we, your Audio Aura crew, used our expertise in manuscript tracking, contract creation, and project coordination, as well as our passion for the audio industry, to curate a playlist of audiobooks that redefine the familiar and help us visualize change.
From exposing and reflecting on racial bias in healthcare, to navigating our relationships, to changes taking place in our political society, movement is all around us. As you browse our picks below, be sure to also check out our This Is the Author podcast, where the authors of these audiobooks talk more about their experiences writing and narrating their work.
Redefining Healthcare
ER physician and professor in academic medicine Dr. Uché Blackstock wrote her memoir, Legacy, after being inspired by her mom and the other generational influences that led her to pursue medicine. Throughout her childhood in 1980s Brooklyn, Uché and her twin sister Oni were surrounded by Black female physicians. Uché’s upbringing and degree from Harvard Medical School earned her a spot in the 2% of all U.S. Black female doctors. This startling statistic, along with learning about the racist medical policies and practices toward Black Americans throughout history and presently, sparked her health equity advocacy, and she began chronicling the connection between racial bias and healthcare. With her unique perspective, Dr. Blackstock’s memoir challenges the systemic obstacles Black Americans endure in a corrupt healthcare system.
On the podcast: Molly Roden Winter, Uché Blackstock, MD, and Brandi Sellerz-Jackson
Redefining Romantic Partnerships
Although it wasn’t the original plan, Molly Roden Winter and her husband have found themselves in an open marriage. In her debut book, More: A Memoir of Open Marriage, Molly discusses the highs and lows of balancing multiple partners, raising children, and developing her sense of self. Through therapy sessions and soul searching, Molly examines what support and love can be in a romantic partnership. She deconstructs the myths of non-monogamy and dives into the complexities of love and desire, giving us a no filter look at what an open marriage can look like and how it feels in the modern world. Her memoir encourages listeners to reflect on their identities and understand that no matter their age, relationship status, or job title, there’s always room for more.
On the podcast: Molly Roden Winter, Uché Blackstock, MD, and Brandi Sellerz-Jackson
Redefining Financial Literacy
Madeline Pendleton knows what it’s like to get creative. The California native grew up in a low-income home and lived paycheck-to-paycheck, working a range of odd jobs to get by. Madeline found a support system in her friends and the local punk scene, which helped her make ends meet. However, she was left with the understanding that even working a full-time job doesn’t equal financial security. Pendleton’s experience with difficult bosses and exploitative workplaces helped inform her own management style when she built the clothing company Tunnel Vision. When she became a CEO, Pendleton was well versed in the rules of capitalism and how some workplaces took advantage of those practices to increase shareholders value. Peppered with tips, recommendations, and advice, I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt encourages listeners to re-think business structure, labor practices, and what it means to be a successful business.
On the podcast: Madeline Pendleton, Judson Brewer, and Jessica McCabe
Redefining Neurodiversity
While there have been many strides taken within the last decade to understand autism, the topic is still widely considered uncomfortable to discuss. Enter autistic influencer Daniel M. Jones, who has created the ultimate handbook for success on the spectrum by redefining what it means to be a neurodivergent person living today. As someone on the spectrum himself, Dan gives actionable advice for common challenges, such as dating on the spectrum, holding down a job, or performing in school. Autism for Adults is part manual, part memoir that is an exciting breakthrough for autism awareness, and re-examines what it means to have autism in a positive, groundbreaking light.
On the podcast: Alyssa Ages, Jen Lumanlan, and Daniel M. Jones
Redefining Masculinity
Tough, the raw, vulnerable memoir by actor Terry Crews examines the detriments of toxic masculinity in society today, and redefines what it means to “be a man.” Terry takes listeners behind-the-scenes, past his bodybuilder physique and bravado, and into his quest to find the true meaning of toughness. Throughout most of his life, Terry maintained an outwardly tough appearance with both his inner circle and the public. But this fixation became an exhausting performance that forced him to repress his emotions, resulting in addiction and broken relationships with his loved ones. By confronting his insecurities, painful memories, and limiting beliefs, Terry was able to discover the inner strength that lived inside of him all along. He no longer needed to appear tough: facing his demons gave him a genuine confidence he didn’t need to fake. Terry’s testimony redefines cultural norms of manhood and illustrates the true meaning of being a “tough guy.”
Redefining Physical Strength
Physical strength was Alyssa Ages’ expertise…until it wasn’t. As a weightlifter, she was used to lifting hundreds of pounds on her back on the daily. But one day, she found out she was pregnant, and her body reached a level of exhaustion she had never experienced. Months later, she miscarried. After the miscarriage, Alyssa felt broken. The only activity that reinvigorated her was lifting weights. In Secrets of Giants, Alyssa redefines physical strength: it isn’t solely about how much you can lift, but rather how we hold and manage life’s struggles. Alyssa interviewed over seventy athletes, psychologists and researchers about how physical strength can alter every aspect of one’s life, from teaching confidence to finding joy in discomfort. Ages’ encourages listeners to continuously pursue the journey of strength throughout our lives, for reasons beyond the physical.
On the podcast: Alyssa Ages, Jen Lumanlan, and Daniel M. Jones
