Maman | Friend Accomplices

Maman’s Birthday

Our Mom is a Renaissance Woman. Art, literature, religion, history—and give that woman a crossword puzzle? Done!!!

We used to put on little shows for her where we would display our skating or our dancing prowess, and she’d always applaud like we were the most gifted girls in the world. What better Accomplice is there in the world than a Mom?

Well, here we’re honoring our Mom and are celebrating the woman who taught US to be women.

Many, many thanks Maman.

And much, much love from your girls!

Go to Mom’s 2022 Newsletter to read our 2022 birthday wishes for her!

Go to Mom’s 2021 Newsletter to read our 2021 birthday wishes for her!

Go to Mom’s 2020 Newsletter to read our 2020 birthday wishes for her!

Go to Mom’s 2019 Newsletter to read our 2019 birthday wishes for her!

Audiobooks for a Renaissance Woman!

Click on any book image, book title or Read More link below to read the full review for each book. Click the back arrow to return to this page.

Birthday Audiobooks

Fiction, Kids, Fantasy

Bob

Fiction, Kids, Fantasy

By: Wendy Mass, Rebecca Stead / Narrated By: Rob Dircks, Nora Hunter

Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins

For Maman’s b-day? I wanted to LOVE this, truly I did!

Fiction, Kids, Fantasy

Nonfiction, Military, History, European

Churchill's Hellraisers

Nonfiction, Military, History, European

The Secret Mission to Storm a Forbidden Nazi Fortress

By: Damien Lewis / Narrated By: Matt Bates

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Is it just me, or did the Publisher’s Summary get this AWEsome story entirely wrong?!

Nonfiction, Military, History, European

Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Kids

The Luck Uglies

Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Kids

Series: The Luck Uglies, Book 1

By: Paul Durham / Narrated By: Fiona Hardingham

Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins

Just how it should be! Forget about the kids who’ll LOVE this cuz it’s all about meeeeee!!! I LOVED it too!

Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Kids

Fiction, Animals

As the Stars Fall

Fiction, Animals

Series: Books for Dog Lovers, Book 1

By: Steve N Lee / Narrated By: Karissa Vacker

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Dude! the writing? Not so much… The narration? Danged Karissa Vacker had me swallowing a lump in m’ throat…!

Fiction, Animals

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality

Creating a Culture of Tenderness

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality

Embracing Our Kinship with All of Life

Written and Narrated By: Gregory Boyle, Pema Chödrön

Length: 1 hr and 48 mins

Whizbang-ish intros lead to a bit of a Whoops, but it all leads to the BEST meeting of two peaceful, joyful Souls…

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality

Fiction, Fantasy

Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower

Fiction, Fantasy

By: Tamsyn Muir / Narrated By: Moira Quirk

Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins

Gruesome, gruesome, GRUESOMELY charming… uhm, but ya may barf… barf in a gooood way

Fiction, Fantasy

Fiction, Sci Fi, Classic

A Canticle for Leibowitz

Fiction, Sci Fi, Classic

By: Walter M. Miller Jr. / Narrated By: Tom Weiner

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Iffy narration doesn’t get anywhere neeeear keeping this from being an absolutely BEAUTIFUL book!!!

Fiction, Sci Fi, Classic

Nonfiction, Military

The Women with Silver Wings

Nonfiction, Military

The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II

By: Katherine Sharp Landdeck / Narrated By: Gabra Zackman

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Such AWEsome women in this well-crafted and engaging audiobook!

Nonfiction, Military

Nonfiction, Bio & Memoir, Well Known Figure

Rita Moreno

Nonfiction, Bio & Memoir, Well Known Figure

A Memoir

Written and Narrated By: Rita Moreno

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

A hit with a few misses

Nonfiction, Bio & Memoir, Well Known Figure

Fiction, Historical, Classic, World, Performance

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Fiction, Historical, Classic, World, Performance

Stage Play

By: Choderlos de Laclos / Narrated By: Dominic West, Janet McTeer, Una Stubbs, Elaine Cassidy, Adjoa Andoh, Edward Holcroft, Morfydd Clark

Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins

French noblemen with English accents? Yesssss… An abridgment? Hmmmm….

Fiction, Historical, Classic, World, Performance

Nonfiction, History, Lecture & Course, Social Science

The Real History of Witches and Witch Hunts

Nonfiction, History, Lecture & Course, Social Science

Written and Narrated By: Thomas Fudge

Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins

Snooooze… hypotheses suggested… snooooze…. no conclusions drawn… snooooooze… Whazza? Is it over?!

Nonfiction, History, Lecture & Course, Social Science

Fiction, Classic, American

The Color Purple

Fiction, Classic, American

Written and Narrated By: Alice Walker

Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins

Sometimes Walker’s narration is stilted and unemotional, but all in all: Gosh, I love this book!

Fiction, Classic, American

The Color Purple, Book 1

Fiction, Classic, American

Series: Color Purple, Book 1

By: Alice Walker / Narrated By: Samira Wiley

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Seriously—if you already have this audiobook read by A. Walker, you are TOTALLY going to wanna buy it again. Brava to Ms. Wiley!!!

Fiction, Classic, American

Fiction, Fantasy, Kids, Animals, Action & Adventure

The Tale of Despereaux

Fiction, Fantasy, Kids, Animals, Action & Adventure

Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread

By: Kate DiCamillo / Narrated By: Graeme Malcolm

Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins

What can be more charming than a mouse with a sword… er… a needle…?!?

Fiction, Fantasy, Kids, Animals, Action & Adventure

Fiction, Contemporary, Sci Fi

Parable of the Sower

Fiction, Contemporary, Sci Fi

Series: Earthseed, Book 1

By: Octavia E. Butler / Narrated By: Lynne Thigpen

Length: 12 hrs

Hope amongst the stuff that will give you nightmares

Fiction, Contemporary, Sci Fi

Nonfiction, Science & Technology

What If?

Nonfiction, Science & Technology

Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

By: Randall Munroe / Narrated By: Wil Wheaton

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Dunno which I enjoyed more: Munroe’s crafty, hyper intelligent wit? Or Wheaton’s raucous BOOMs?

Nonfiction, Science & Technology

Fiction, Kids, Animals

The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City

Fiction, Kids, Animals

Series: Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, Book 1

By: Jodi Kendall / Narrated By: Cassandra Morris

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Simply written, but nicely done!

Fiction, Kids, Animals

Fiction, Kids, Animals, Contemporary

Pax

Fiction, Kids, Animals, Contemporary

Series: Pax, Book 1

By: Sara Pennypacker / Narrated By: Michael Curran-Dorsano

Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins

A stunner filled with love, loss, and the Human War Sickness

Fiction, Kids, Animals, Contemporary

Fiction, Historical, Empowerment

Circe

Fiction, Historical, Empowerment

By: Madeline Miller / Narrated By: Perdita Weeks

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Goddesses, monsters, and heroes! Oh my!

Fiction, Historical, Empowerment

Nonfiction, History, American

The American Home Front

Nonfiction, History, American

1941-1942

By: Alistair Cooke / Narrated By: John Byrne Cooke

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Is it shameful that I really wish someone other than Alistair’s son narrated this?

Nonfiction, History, American

Nonfiction, Self Development, Motivation & Inspiration, Empowerment

Big Magic

Nonfiction, Self Development, Motivation & Inspiration, Empowerment

Creative Living Beyond Fear

Written and Narrated By: Elizabeth Gilbert

Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins

The joy of saying YES!

Nonfiction, Self Development, Motivation & Inspiration, Empowerment

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Food, Bio & Memoir

Save Me the Plums

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Food, Bio & Memoir

My Gourmet Memoir

Written and Narrated By: Ruth Reichl

Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins

A 60’s rebel takes on corporate media… oh, and recipes too!

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Food, Bio & Memoir

Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Hiroshima Boy

Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Series: Mas Arai Mysteries, Book 7

By: Naomi Hirahara / Narrated By: Brian Nishii

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Wonderful but not much of a mystery—

Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Bio & Memoir

Leonardo and the Last Supper

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Bio & Memoir

By: Ross King / Narrated By: Mark Meadows

Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins

Intrigue, scandals, excesses, plus painting techniques: This is endlessly entertaining!

Nonfiction, Well Known Figure, Bio & Memoir

Nonfiction, History, Military

One Damned Island After Another

Nonfiction, History, Military

The Saga of the Seventh

By: Clive Howard, Joe Whitley / Narrated By: Will Stauff

Length: 13 hrs

Wow! It really IS about one damned island after another!!!

Nonfiction, History, Military

Nonfiction, History

When Women Ruled the World

Nonfiction, History

Six Queens of Egypt

Written and Narrated By: Kara Cooney

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Well… I liked it, but I can see how they haaaaaated it over on Audible :(

Nonfiction, History

Fiction, Fantasy, Teens

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Fiction, Fantasy, Teens

By: Kelly Barnhill / Narrated By: Christina Moore

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

Because the Moon tastes better than Starlight! Gosh, what a book!

Fiction, Fantasy, Teens

Fiction, Contemporary

Britt-Marie Was Here

Fiction, Contemporary

A Novel

By: Frederik Backman / Narrated By: Joan Walker

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Beautiful—Simply Beautiful!

Fiction, Contemporary

Fiction, Historical

The Song of Achilles

Fiction, Historical

A Novel

By: Madeline Miller / Narrated By: Frazer Douglas

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Sheer poetry, this!

Fiction, Historical