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Best audiobooks for road trips

Gripping, funny listens that make the miles disappear.

  1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

    Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter

    A space survival puzzle with humour, great for long drives.

    + An engaging, suspenseful space survival story about friendship, with infectious enthusiasm for science.
    − Some critics noted shortcomings, including problems the hero could have avoided with common sense. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))

  2. The Martian by Andy Weir

    Audiobook narrated by R.C. Bray

    Fast, funny and easy to follow while you drive.

    + Sharp, funny and thrilling, with ingenious survival problems and just enough geekery.
    − The jokey tone can undercut tension, and it feels set in the present day. (summed up from Kirkus Reviews)

  3. World War Z by Max Brooks

    Audiobook narrated by a full cast

    Short interview chapters that work well with stops and starts.

    + An addictively readable, global oral history that is terrifying beyond the gore.
    − The episodic format struggles to build momentum, and voices can blur together. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))

  4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

    Audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry

    Silly, quotable and loved by adults and teens alike.

    + Superb English wit in an ingeniously silly sci-fi satire where the jokes keep coming.
    − As a story it may not add up to much. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))

  5. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

    Audiobook narrated by Trevor Noah

    Funny and moving true stories, a good pick for mixed groups.

    + Flashes of brilliant storytelling and sharp insight into growing up under apartheid.
    − Somewhat disjointed, and the jokes sometimes jar with the grim material. (summed up from Kirkus Reviews)

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