From Cookie Monster to Colleen Hoover and Coca-Cola to Comic Strips: Pop Culture in Audiobooks

Recognize some of these catchphrases? Smile, you’re on Candid Camera. The tribe has spoken. Will you accept this rose? Expect the unexpected. You’re fired! Find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Emily Nussbaum takes us behind the scenes of the world of reality television from its earliest incarnations to groundbreaking series (An American Family), plenty of shows you might’ve forgotten about (Alien Autopsy, Joe Millionaire), and the show we love (and love to hate) that we’re still talking about today. A fascinating look at a genre, which, for better or worse, had a lot to do with making America what it is today. 

This Barbie pink cover is almost as enticing as the information it holds! The Barbie doll is one of the bestselling toys of all time. But its impact is far more reaching than just as a plaything. For over 65 years, Barbie has both reflected and influenced many aspects of American culture—opportunities for women, fashion trends, the definition of feminine beauty, and, with special thanks to a certain movie, evolving ideas about U.S. society’s emphasis on patriarchy. Emmy-nominated actress Robin Weigert presents the combination of surprising (and disturbing) facts and fun nostalgia in a highly listenable fast-paced stride.  

Archie, Veronica, Jughead, and the gang are looking (and sounding) pretty good—especially considering they’ve been around for over 80 years. America’s favorite teens jump off the page in this audiobook adapted from the 2015 reboot of the classic series. It’s a perfect way to discover these characters for the first time, but it is also a great way to revisit them if you’re missing the Archie-inspired Riverdale TV show or grew up with the original comics and want to see what the gang is up to these days. 

Colleen Hoover’s rise from self-published author to BookTok phenom to being named one of Time Magazine’s most influential people in 2023 is the stuff movies are made of, so it’s no surprise that her bestselling novel has made the jump from print to film. With over six million books sold, It Ends with Us will now reach an even larger audience with Blake Lively in the cinematic version’s title role. Complete your immersion in this contemporary romance by listening to the audiobook, which convincingly captures lead character Lily’s growth from a sweet and lonely lovesick teenager to a conflicted but strong adult, who battles past and present demons to learn how to live her life on her own terms.

There may be no pop culture entity more universally known and adored by Americans than Sesame Street, a brand that began in 1969 as a public television show to help urban kids learn and which has become, over five decades later, one of the most cherished parts of childhood for three-going-on-four generations. This is a surprisingly enlightening deep dive into the show’s beginnings during the civil rights movement, the rich and sometimes complicated lives of its creators, and its influence not just as kids’ entertainment but as a vehicle of tolerance and peace around the world. Plus, it has a narrator who is truly unmatched: Caroll Spinney, the original Big Bird! 

From the creators of the wildly popular Welcome to Night Vale podcast, this full cast audiobook is filled with the same mystery and supernatural conundrums that the groundbreaking “radio show” has been known for since it debuted in 2012. If you are already a fan, you need to listen to this to complete your Night Vale immersion, and if you’re a first-time visitor, then this is the perfect introduction to help you decide if you’d like to delve into the 240 (and counting!) episodes. 

Keep those tray tables up and seat belts fastened for a rip-roaring ride because yes, we are serious when we tell you that over 30 famous names—including the authors, who are also the writers and directors of the film—lend their voices to this behind-the-scenes look at the 1980s comedy classic that went on to inspire and influence several comedians on both sides of the camera. We recommend keeping a copy of the hardcover around, too, for the pictures and to round out the full experience as you listen to the stories and never-before-revealed factoids. Oh   . . . and don’t call me Shirley! 

A masterpiece of the science fiction genre, Dune laid the foundation for many of the epics that followed. This full cast edition was led by award-winning narrators Scott Brick and Simon Vance, creating a visceral cinematic experience so tangible that you’ll be able to taste the sand in your mouth. It’s Dune-derful (shameless wink).  

Superhero Hellboy’s first appearances were in throw-away pamphlets at comic conventions in the early 1990s. Since then, the character has appeared in comic books, video games, and live action films. Written exclusively for publisher GraphicAudio and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects, and cinematic music, Hellboy: A Plague Of Wasps is a tense romp through the rainforest to uncover the truth surrounding a supernatural infestation. The other originals in this audiobook series are Lobster Johnson: The Proteus Club, available here,  and Hellboy And The BPRD: The Goddess Of Manhattan, available here. 

The iconic and best-known sketch comedy show in the world, Saturday Night Live, has been a loud and pivotal part of the American laugh track for almost 50 years. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not have a favorite SNL skit or character. Appropriately irreverent at times, this is an oral history masterpiece of the show’s first 40 years. In addition to Lorne Michaels, some of the other famous names you’ll hear quotes from are legends of comedy Crystal, Curtin, and Carvey; Fallon, Fey, and Franken; Martin, Meyers, and Murray; Sandler, Short, and Shannon, and so many more!  

Here’s a sure sign of a character’s longevity and popularity: in 2024, almost 50 years after the first Star Wars movie premiered, a costume worn by actress Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia sold for $175,000. Of course, because Princess Leia is part of the Stars Wars franchise, she will continue to be part of the culture’s zeitgeist for many light-years to come. This audiobook biography looks at how an inexperienced teen actor transformed Leia from a token female role into one of its most complicated and beloved characters, and then struggled valiantly in her real life to achieve a happy ending. 

Coca-Cola is arguably the most recognizable brand in the world. It is a symbol of many different elements of American culture: entrepreneurship, family values, marketing prowess, sports, and even patriotism. Coke’s history goes back to the 1880s, and this audiobook of over 20 hours tells it all! From world wars to cola wars, this is a business book, a history book, and even a thriller all rolled into one quintessentially American story. 

It is hard to overstate how popular the original history-based American Girl dolls were in the 1990s. Before you pondered which Hogwarts house the Sorting Hat would place you in, you wondered which doll was your best match (Felicity here!). The way this brand became a long-lasting part of pop culture is through its brilliant marketing, which still includes traditional doll clothes, accessories, and books but also extends to tea parties, stage shows, TV movies, girl/doll manicures, a doll hospital, and a doll hair salon. In 2021, the dolls were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. The authors/narrators recorded 140 episodes of an American Girls podcast and call themselves “amateur pop culture critics.” They do address issues of diversity and the fact that these American dolls are made in China, but they mostly just happily reminisce. You know who you are if this audiobook is for you. 

The Golden Compass is a beloved modern classic, boasting a 2003 BBC Radio 4 adaptation, a 2007 film, and a 2019 TV series. Newsweek has called it a Top 100 book of all time. This continued love has contributed to an audiobook re-release, narrated by actress Ruth Wilson, who portrayed the villainess Mrs. Coulter in the HBO series. Also order the new audiobook versions of book 2 here and book 3 here. 

This book is a fun, zippy read through the films that made Tarantino the talent he is today, and it’s probably the closest he’ll come to writing an autobiography. He analyzes the influence of films that have become recognized as movie greats, like The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and Rocky, as well as others you may have never heard about. Unsurprisingly, he is a natural storyteller, and he reads the first chapter, “Little Q Watching Big Movies,” in his distinctive hurried and straightforward style, setting the stage for the very “real” approach to the entire book.