Broken Horses
A Memoir
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Broken Horses
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Narrated by:
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Brandi Carlile
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By:
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Brandi Carlile
About this listen
Number-one New York Times best seller
The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time Grammy winner opens up about a life shaped by music in this candid, heartfelt, and intimate story.
“One of the great memoirs of our time...a gift from Brandi’s soul.” (Glennon Doyle)
“Brandi’s story is about perseverance, humor, forgiveness, and manifestation. I absolutely loved it.” (Elton John)
“Broken Horses led me right into Brandi’s heart, and my own.” (Brené Brown)
Brandi Carlile was born into a musically gifted, impoverished family on the outskirts of Seattle and grew up in a constant state of change, moving from house to house, trailer to trailer, 14 times in as many years. Though imperfect in every way, her dysfunctional childhood was as beautiful as it was strange, and as nurturing as it was difficult. At the age of five, Brandi contracted bacterial meningitis, which almost took her life, leaving an indelible mark on her formative years and altering her journey into young adulthood.
As an openly gay teenager, Brandi grappled with the tension between her sexuality and her faith when her pastor publicly refused to baptize her on the day of the ceremony. Shockingly, her small town rallied around Brandi in support and set her on a path to salvation where the rest of the misfits and rejects find it: through twisted, joyful, weird, and wonderful music.
In Broken Horses, Brandi Carlile takes listeners through the events of her life that shaped her very raw art - from her start at a local singing competition where she performed Elton John’s “Honky Cat” in a bedazzled white polyester suit, to her first break opening for Dave Matthews Band, to many sleepless tours over 15 years and six studio albums, all while raising two children with her wife, Catherine Shepherd. This hard-won success led her to collaborations with personal heroes like Elton John, Dolly Parton, Mavis Staples, Pearl Jam, Tanya Tucker, and Joni Mitchell, as well as her peers in the supergroup The Highwomen, and ultimately to the Grammy stage, where she converted millions of viewers into instant fans.
Evocative and piercingly honest, Broken Horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back.
Carlile recorded new stripped-down, solo renditions of more than 30 of the songs featured in the book, including her own and songs from artists who’ve inspired her, from Dolly Parton to Elton John, Leonard Cohen and more, available exclusively on the audiobook:
“I Don’t Hurt Anymore” by Hank Snow
“Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton
“Ride on Out” by Brandi Carlile
“Honky Cat” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
“Philadelphia” by Neil Young
“Happy” by Brandi Carlile
“That Year” by Brandi Carlile
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
“Eye of the Needle” by Brandi Carlile
“Turpentine” by Brandi Carlile
“Wasted” by Brandi Carlile
“The Story” by Brandi Carlile
“Closer to You” by Brandi Carlile
“Caroline” by Brandi Carlile
“Josephine” by Brandi Carlile
“Sugartooth” by Brandi Carlile
“Looking Out” by Brandi Carlile
“Beginning to Feel the Years” by Brandi Carlile
“Love Songs” by Brandi Carlile
“I Will” by Brandi Carlile
“I Belong to You” by Brandi Carlile
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
“A vulnerable document.... The resilience of her sense of self, through poverty and fame, is transcendent. One of her great strengths as an artist is a willingness to stare herself straight in the face and not flinch.” (Amanda Hess, The New York Times)
“[Carlile is] perceptive, vulnerable, humble, funny and above all else, a good storyteller. She’d already proven her storytelling chops as a lyricist and she proves them once again in these pages. She knows how to use a few words to make a big impact.... Readers walk away feeling like they know the real Carlile.” (Associated Press)
“Intimate...Carlile's story is too big to fit in a song..... The memoir covers it all with conversational ease.... This pulls the veil back in a way [Carlile] hadn’t done before.” (Vulture)
What listeners say about Broken Horses
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- booklover
- 25-06-21
The power of vulnerability
Her music is part of my everyday life.
Her words, her strength, her vulnerability, and her with are the best.
Listen to her, take notes, laugh and cry with her.
You won't regret it.
Joke's on them. For real.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- L. Detain
- 20-02-23
My new favourite audible of all time
Disclaimer - I am a big Brandi Carlile fan, so was always more likely to enjoy this
However, this is a really beautiful audiobook. Brandi's gentle narration was so listenable to (as a Brit, I don't always find North American narrators as easy to follow) but this memoir was easy to listen to with stories from her early childhood right up to recent times. The real treat of the audiobook is the way that each chapter finished with a song (or more!) performed acoustically by Ms Carlile from the chapter. Most were familiar from her back catalogue but also some gorgeous covers (Elton John, Dolly Parton, Leonard Cohen to name a few).
The absolute treat is the last chapter is just all the songs which is over an hour long! That will be listened to well.
It is rare that I think I will reread/listen to a book other than Harry Potter and the bible, but this will definitely be revisited in the future when I need 'chicken soup for the soul'. I have rationed it as it was so lovely to listen to and deserved my attention.
Thank you for this gem of an audio book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 04-07-21
What a gift ♡
I loved the story integrated with song, so very meaningful. Hers is a story of community indeed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Miss G.
- 29-08-23
Amazing and insightful
Intriguing and easy to read/listen book.
I love the end of chapter songs and other extras.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JW
- 07-09-24
Inspirationally Raw
A beautifully paced and insightful life story of a huge talent, interspersed with music and heart.
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- darcy
- 22-05-21
fabulous
loved every minute of this book 👌🏻
the music was a wonderful added bonus just brilliant
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 19-10-22
will listen again!
so so good!!! love Brandi's voice, speaking and singing. lovely storytelling of her life so far! will listen again! Have listened to her music since 2012, my favourite!
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- Gillian Kenny
- 09-01-23
Fantastic book
Really enjoyed reading this honest, and beautifully written account of Carlile's humble and transient beginnings to her stellar success in the music business. A great musical journey through Country, Folk to her arrivial at her own version of postmodern Americana. Loved the tracks at the end of each chapter and her accounts of forming her modern family. A must for young LGBTQI readers, especially creatives.
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- GS
- 01-12-21
Wonderful
The story, so far, of an interesting and wonderfully talented singer songwriter. Frank and honest this is an excellent biography made all the better by the addition of the solo, acoustic numbers at the end of many of the chapters.
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- Anonymous User
- 27-11-22
Such a good book
Loved this audio book! Learned so much more about brandi carlile and the reasons behind some of her songs!
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