If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t find joy in throwing themselves into a long to-do list filled with mundane activities, you’re not alone. No one likes to be put on hold for hours or get stuck waiting in the doctor’s office. To help you waste less time and reduce frustration, we’ve got seven great audiobooks to pair with seven painful activities that will make them less awful.
1. Standing in line
The only time anyone thinks, “Oh, great! A long line!” is if they’re hoping to prolong another activity, like getting a root canal or that friend’s networking event you promised you’d attend. Listening to an audiobook (especially one that’s laugh out loud funny) is a great way to make the time go by faster — even if you get curious looks from other errand goers.
Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson, narrated by Phoebe Robinson
Phoebe Robinson is back with a hilarious essay collection on gender, race, dating, and the dumpster fire that is our world. Outfitted with pop culture references, she tackles a wide range of topics: giving feminism a tough-love talk on intersectionality, telling society’s beauty standards to kick rocks, and calling foul on our culture’s work obsession. Robinson also gets personal about money problems, hot messes, and more.
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2. Being put on hold
Have you ever called your insurance company or Internet provider only to be greeted with someone saying, “Can I put you on hold?” without waiting for an answer before being thrown into the abyss of other callers? We’ve all been there, wondering whether we’ll be on hold for two minutes or two hours. Listening to this horror audiobook will make you want to reverse the question once it’s your turn so you can at least finish the chapter you’re on.
In the Dark of the House of the Woods by Laird Hunt, narrated by Vanessa Johansson
In this horror story set in colonial New England, a woman goes missing. Or perhaps she left her family. Or perhaps she’s been kidnapped, set loose to wander the woods. Alone and lost, she meets a woman in the forest. On a journey that will take her through dark woods full of wolves, a deep well, and on a ship made of human bones, she may find that the evil she flees has been inside her all along.
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3. Waiting for take out
I recently discovered a gem of a Thai restaurant near my house, but it appears it’s already been discovered by everyone else. Every time I order take out, I’m told it’ll take 20 minutes — and every time, I find myself in a long line with other Thai food lovers. The 20 minutes it was supposed to take turns into 30, and then 40. Listening to an intriguing audiobook like November Road has helped me not mind the wait so much.
November Road by Lou Berney, narrated by Johnathan Mcclain
A loyal street lieutenant to a New Orleans’ mob boss, Frank Guidry’s luck has run out. He knows everyone is expendable — and he knows too much about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. To make things more complicated, he also knows fugitives shouldn’t fall in love, but a woman on the road changed that. As his ruthless hunters are close in, Guidry comes to a realization that may have come too late.
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4. Sitting in a waiting room
Whenever I go to the doctor or dentist, I always find myself sitting in a room full of strangers wondering the same thing — what should I do to occupy myself while I’m waiting? Sure, you could flip through a magazine issue that’s two years old or scroll mindlessly on your phone, or you could get educated, entertained, and inspired by Sally Field’s stunning memoir.
In Pieces by Sally Field, narrated by Sally Field
One of the most celebrated actors of our time, Sally Field tells her story about a challenging and lonely childhood, the craft that helped her find her voice, and a powerful emotional legacy. With raw honesty and with all the humility and authenticity her fans have come to expect, Field brings readers behind-the-scenes for not only the highs and lows of her career, but deep into the truth of her life.
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5. Being the victim of a perpetually late friend
We all have one. That friend who says they’ll meet you at a certain time, and never does. Sometimes you get a text as a heads up, but it’s usually too late — like, already sitting in the café too late. Rather than sit there feeling frustrated about your friend’s poor timeliness (and let’s be real — poor manners), listen to an audiobook that’ll help you learn how to… well… it’s in the title.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, narrated by Roger Wayne
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be ‘positive’ all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. In his wildly popular blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat. He tells it like it is — a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today.
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6. In transit
Whether you take public transit or drive, we all have the same end goal — we’re trying to get somewhere as quickly as we can, as safely as we can (unless you’re taking a leisurely drive through the countryside, in which case I’m jealous). Make your time in transit more bearable by listening to this gripping audiobook until you reach your destination.
Juror #3 by Nancy Allen and James Patterson, narrated by Megan Tusing
Ruby is new to the Mississippi Bar — and to the docket of Circuit Judge Baylor, who taps Ruby as defense counsel in a racially charged felony. The murder of a woman from one of the town’s oldest families has residents howling for blood, and the prosecutor is counting on Ruby to help deliver a swift conviction. As investigations unfold, no one in Rosedale can be trusted — especially the jury. They may be hiding the most incendiary secret of all.
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7. Attacking your inbox
Is there anyone out there who enjoys having their inbox pile up? I try to be as organized as possible, and I still find it difficult to keep my email account below three digits. If you’ve been putting off prioritizing your inbox, deleting spam, and unsubscribing from emails that simply don’t inspire you, listen to Susan Orlean’s dazzling love letter to a beloved institution.
The Library Book by Susan Orlean, narrated by Susan Orlean
On April 28, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. Patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. By the time it was extinguished, it consumed 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. More than 30 years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library — and if so, who?
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