Every October, the UK celebrates Black History Month, and we’re marking the occasion with these audiobooks written by a few of the very best Black British authors. Whether literary fiction, romance, poetry, or memoir, the selections compiled here explore Black culture, identity, and heritage. While the majority of the audiobooks collected here are set in contemporary Britain, others dig into the past. No matter the setting or theme, each audiobook brings something special to the table.
Five years before her death, decorated author Andrea Levy collected these seven short works, which span her 20-year writing career. The first autobiographical essay is about her writing, her heritage (she was born in England to Jamaican parents), and how the six stories gathered here reveal facets about both in revealing ways. The rest of the fictional short stories highlight the hallmarks of her writing, showing her depth of vision while writing about Britain’s complicated past and the people who have had to endure it. Plus, her narration is simply exquisite.
Bolu Babalola’s first novel (followed up by the newly-released sequel Sweet Heat) introduces us to Kiki Banjo, a uni student who hosts a campus radio show. After she calls out playboy Malakai live on her show, she finds herself in the inexplicable situation of needing to kiss him—in public. And then? Obviously, the only next step is to pretend to be dating, for both their sakes. Weruche Opia’s expert narration will pull you in immediately, bringing to life this witty, powerful love story.
In this highly acclaimed audiobook, British-Ghanaian writer Caleb Azumah Nelson unfolds the unforgettable story of two Black artists meeting and slowly falling in love in London. Lyrical and poetic, Open Water is at its core an exploration of love in its quietest moments, a tender listen that doesn’t shy away from the more painful aspects of Black existence. Azumah Nelson narrates his own novel with a poetic lilt, a perfect fit for the novel’s lyrical construction.
This novel earned Bernardine Evaristo the Booker Prize in 2019 and nominations for a number of other literary honors. Girl Woman, Other is a feat of storytelling that's particularly suited for audio. In the varied, dynamic voice of the remarkable Anna-Maria Nabirye, this audiobook brings an additional layer of vibrancy to Evaristo’s characters and layered writing. Following 12 interconnected characters, the novel builds out the circumstances of each person, weaving a pattern of connection and identity that acts as a microcosm of modern society.
Narrated by the unparalleled Adjoa Andoh, Get a Life, Chloe Brown is the first in the Brown Sisters trilogy, a contemporary romance trio filled not only with love stories, but self-realization and discovery. Here, Talia Hibbert introduces Chloe, a young disabled woman who has spent her life sheltered in her parents’ home. When she has a near-death experience, it leads her to the creation of her get-a-life list. The first item? Move out on her own. The rest? A little harder to attain. Luckily, she has the help of Red, the very attractive resident handyman.
Hearing a Warsan Shire collection narrated by the poet herself is incredible. This brief-but-striking series of poems traverses girlhood, womanhood, and everything in between. You might have heard Shire’s star turn on tracks in Beyoncé’s Lemonade or Black Is King, but those brief glimpses into her psyche and skill are only the tip of the iceberg. Her vivid imagery and emotional depth will make you want to listen to each poem again and again.
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, the author of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband, brings us another romantic comedy set in the world of publishing. Temi and Wale once had a whirlwind romance, until Wale decided to end the relationship to go on a reality dating show. In the meanwhile, Temi has been trying to sell her book. When the opportunity to ghostwrite a celebrity memoir arises, she takes it, never dreaming the celebrity would be Wale. Narrated by relative newcomer Faith Alabi, The Re-Write is a delightful book of second chances that you might occasionally have to listen to while peeking through your fingers (regardless of the fact that you’re not actually seeing anything).
When scholars and activists encourage others to “decolonize your learning”, this is the very kind of book they’re referring to. Narrated by the author Kehinde Andrews, The New Age of Empire brings us through the establishment and evolution of Western colonization and imperial ambition, and examines the current landscape of the countries and peoples devastated by several centuries of colonial ravagement. Andrews argues that, while the globalisation of industry has been touted by governments and individuals alike, the imperialist nature established in the West continues to negatively affect everyone.
In Wahala, by Nikki May, three Anglo-Nigerian friends at different points in their lives deal with the ups and downs of family and professional ambition. Then, their lives are disrupted when Isobel joins the group. Natalie Simpson skillfully navigates the numerous characters and events that enrich the story, bringing to life the joys and complications of the intersectional life of modern Brits trying to retain their Nigerian heritage.
The dual timelines of Rainbow Milk shine in audio, narrated with extraordinary skill by author Paul Mendez. It alternates between a Windrush-era family narrative—when a large number of Caribbean people arrived in the UK—and that of a gay young man coming of age and discovering sex work in the late 1990s. This bold, gritty debut novel is daring—and harrowing at points—but it ultimately arrives at a satisfying conclusion.
A combination of memoir and workbook, Me and White Supremacy challenges listeners to examine their own biases and make the effort to change their perspectives. Inspired by an Instagram hashtag, Layla Saad has taken key tenets of anti-racist work and combined them with history and context. As author and narrator, she patiently presents concepts and a step-by-step guide to unraveling the knots of white supremacy that a listener might encounter daily.
Shimmering with the voices of Maria Gbeleyi, Adjoa Andoh, Julie Maisey, Nicky Diss, and Luke Thompson, Dorothy Koomson’s follow-up to The Ice Cream Girls will draw readers in from the very first word. Though this suspenseful thriller is nearly 16 hours long, there are enough twists, turns, and tumbles within the narrative that it hardly feels time spent at all. Overall, it asks the question: How many of the lies people tell are truly dishonest?
Both heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measures, Kit de Waal’s memoir takes listeners back to her youth in 1970s Birmingham, as she dealt with familial turmoil and financial insecurity. It takes a certain kind of strength to recount and laugh through your trauma, and there's something truly healing about de Waal’s narration—as though you were sitting down to hear stories from an old friend.
Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson takes us into space with a locked-room mystery set in the far flung reaches of the universe, in which several of the sleeping passengers of a colony ship will never see the end of their journey. When secrets and intrigue arise on the ship, no one will be able to escape the consequences. Narrated by stage actor Clifford Samuel, this compelling, immersive story is best experienced in audio.
Zadie Smith is a name that everyone should know, and it's best to start with her debut, which was released in 2000 when she was just 24 years old. White Teeth opens in 1975, drawing listeners into the vivid, multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith world of Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal, two longtime friends. As we follow their lives and those of their families—meeting new connections along the way—we fall deeper and deeper into the interconnected web of people’s ambitions and how they’re affected by the chains of colonialism. As the points of view shift, the voices of Lenny Henry, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Ray Panthaki, and Sagar Arya trade off, crafting a magnetic audio experience.
