-
The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty-four-year-old Russel Middebrook and his boyfriend have moved to Los Angeles so Russel can try to make it as a screenwriter. Almost right away, in a forgotten old house off of Sunset Boulevard, Russel meets Isaac Brander - a once-famous film producer who is convinced he can turn Russel's screenplay into a movie.
-
-
Couldn’t finish it
- By emily on 11-18-20
By: Brent Hartinger
-
The Elephant of Surprise
- The Russel Middlebrook Series
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People aren't always what they seem to be. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves. So discovers seventeen-year-old Russel Middlebrook in The Elephant of Surprise, a stand-alone sequel to Brent Hartinger's landmark 2003 gay young adult novel Geography Club (which has now been adapted as a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky). In this latest audiobook, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise - the tendency for life to never turn out as expected.
-
-
Please write about their senior year one day!
- By Huge Golfer on 01-12-15
By: Brent Hartinger
-
The Otto Digmore Difference
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Otto Digmore is a 26-year-old gay guy with dreams of being a successful actor, and he's finally getting some attention as a result of his supporting role on a struggling sitcom. But he's also a burn survivor with scars on half his face, and all indications are that he's just too different to ever find real Hollywood success.
-
-
I wanted to like it....
- By Jillian MacLeod on 02-20-20
By: Brent Hartinger
-
Boyfriend Material
- By: Alexis Hall
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Luc O'Donnell is tangentially - and reluctantly - famous. His rock-star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next 20 years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything. To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and someone who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. He’s perfect boyfriend material.
-
-
The right material!
- By Cranky Reader on 07-08-20
By: Alexis Hall
-
Carry On
- By: Rainbow Rowell
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face.
-
-
So glad I stumbled into this
- By JM on 10-11-15
By: Rainbow Rowell
-
Call Me by Your Name
- A Novel
- By: André Aciman
- Narrated by: Armie Hammer
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Call Me by Your Name first swept across the world in 2007. It is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. During the restless summer weeks, unrelenting but buried currents of obsession, fascination, and desire intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them and verge toward the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.
-
-
Stunning and deep dive into infatuation
- By D.K. on 11-20-17
By: André Aciman
-
Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty-four-year-old Russel Middebrook and his boyfriend have moved to Los Angeles so Russel can try to make it as a screenwriter. Almost right away, in a forgotten old house off of Sunset Boulevard, Russel meets Isaac Brander - a once-famous film producer who is convinced he can turn Russel's screenplay into a movie.
-
-
Couldn’t finish it
- By emily on 11-18-20
By: Brent Hartinger
-
The Elephant of Surprise
- The Russel Middlebrook Series
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People aren't always what they seem to be. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves. So discovers seventeen-year-old Russel Middlebrook in The Elephant of Surprise, a stand-alone sequel to Brent Hartinger's landmark 2003 gay young adult novel Geography Club (which has now been adapted as a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky). In this latest audiobook, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise - the tendency for life to never turn out as expected.
-
-
Please write about their senior year one day!
- By Huge Golfer on 01-12-15
By: Brent Hartinger
-
The Otto Digmore Difference
- By: Brent Hartinger
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Otto Digmore is a 26-year-old gay guy with dreams of being a successful actor, and he's finally getting some attention as a result of his supporting role on a struggling sitcom. But he's also a burn survivor with scars on half his face, and all indications are that he's just too different to ever find real Hollywood success.
-
-
I wanted to like it....
- By Jillian MacLeod on 02-20-20
By: Brent Hartinger
-
Boyfriend Material
- By: Alexis Hall
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Luc O'Donnell is tangentially - and reluctantly - famous. His rock-star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next 20 years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything. To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and someone who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. He’s perfect boyfriend material.
-
-
The right material!
- By Cranky Reader on 07-08-20
By: Alexis Hall
-
Carry On
- By: Rainbow Rowell
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face.
-
-
So glad I stumbled into this
- By JM on 10-11-15
By: Rainbow Rowell
-
Call Me by Your Name
- A Novel
- By: André Aciman
- Narrated by: Armie Hammer
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Call Me by Your Name first swept across the world in 2007. It is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. During the restless summer weeks, unrelenting but buried currents of obsession, fascination, and desire intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them and verge toward the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.
-
-
Stunning and deep dive into infatuation
- By D.K. on 11-20-17
By: André Aciman
-
The Sky Blues
- By: Robbie Couch
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sky Baker may be openly gay, but in his small, insular town, making sure he was invisible has always been easier than being himself. Determined not to let anything ruin his senior year, Sky decides to make a splash at his high school’s annual beach bum party by asking his crush, Ali, to prom - and he has thirty days to do it.
-
-
Beautiful. Authentic. Important.
- By Kimberly on 04-09-21
By: Robbie Couch
-
The Gravity of Us
- By: Phil Stamper
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Jonathan Davis, Gabra Zackman, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, 17-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus. Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another "Astrokid", and finds himself falling head over heels - fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection.
-
-
A weak story
- By Anonymous User on 04-23-20
By: Phil Stamper
-
Jay's Gay Agenda
- By: Jason June
- Narrated by: Mark Sanderlin
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure - he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience - his Gay Agenda. Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle, and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs.
-
-
Jay is toxic AF lol
- By Semaj journee on 06-22-21
By: Jason June
-
Boys of Summer
- By: Cooper Davis
- Narrated by: Brian Pallino
- Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I thought I knew what love was… My name is Hunter Willis and I’ve found love. The problem? I’m not sure I’m ready for the rest of the world to know I’ve fallen for my best friend. Everyone knows Max is gay. Me? They think I’m straight as an arrow. So did I, until Max and I shared a kiss three months ago that blew that theory right out of the water. Now, by the ocean in Florida, thousands of miles away from prying eyes, I’m finally ready to admit to myself that Max and I have something special.
-
-
Hard to like
- By Juan Carrillo on 03-30-15
By: Cooper Davis
-
The Eye of the World
- Book One of The Wheel of Time
- By: Robert Jordan
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 29 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When their village is attacked by trollocs, monsters thought to be only legends, three young men, Rand, Matt, and Perrin, flee in the company of the Lady Moiraine, a sinister visitor of unsuspected powers. Thus begins an epic adventure set in a world of wonders and horror, where what was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
-
-
Mixed feelings
- By macyok9s on 09-04-19
By: Robert Jordan
-
Roommate
- By: Sarina Bowen, Heart Eyes Press LGBTQ
- Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Stephen Dexter
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.
-
-
✫✫ 4.5 Stars ✫✫
- By ❤️Cyndi Marie❤️🎧Audiobook Addicts🎧 on 01-13-21
By: Sarina Bowen, and others
-
These Violent Delights
- A Novel
- By: Micah Nemerever
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Paul enters university in early 1970s Pittsburgh, it’s with the hope of moving past the recent death of his father. Sensitive, insecure, and incomprehensible to his grieving family, Paul feels isolated and alone. When he meets the worldly Julian in his freshman ethics class, Paul is immediately drawn to his classmate’s effortless charm. Paul sees Julian as his sole intellectual equal — an ally against the conventional world he finds so suffocating.
-
-
Rough and Beautiful. A metaphor for some that you won’t soon forget.
- By Casey on 10-18-20
By: Micah Nemerever
-
Straight Boy
- By: Jay Bell
- Narrated by: Kirt Graves
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I love him. And I’m pretty sure he loves me back...even though he’s straight. When I first met Carter King, I knew he was something special. I imagined us being together, and we are, but only as friends. Best friends! I’m trying to be cool with that, even though I know he has secrets, and there have definitely been mixed signals. I don’t want a crush to ruin what we already have. Then again, if there’s any chance that we can be together, it’s worth the risk, because Carter could be the love of my life. Or he might be the boy who breaks my heart.
-
-
✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫
- By ❤️Cyndi Marie❤️🎧Audiobook Addicts🎧 on 04-10-19
By: Jay Bell
-
Divergent
- By: Veronica Roth
- Narrated by: Emma Galvin
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
-
-
It's not for me. Loved it anyway.
- By Grant on 05-24-12
By: Veronica Roth
-
We Are the Ants
- By: Shaun David Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Gibson Frazier
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Henry Denton has spent years being periodically abducted by aliens. Then the aliens give him an ultimatum: The world will end in 144 days, and all Henry has to do to stop it is push a big red button. Only he isn't sure he wants to. After all, life hasn't been great for Henry. His mom is a struggling waitress held together by a thin layer of cigarette smoke. His brother is a jobless dropout who just knocked someone up. His grandmother is slowly losing herself to Alzheimer's.
-
-
Evocative and moving
- By S. Yates on 06-17-17
-
The Host
- A Novel
- By: Stephenie Meyer
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 23 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away.
-
-
Great story in a genre only touched upon before
- By Keith on 06-20-08
By: Stephenie Meyer
-
The Cycle of Arawn
- The Complete Trilogy
- By: Edward W. Robertson
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 65 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The White Tree (book one): In Mallon the dark magic of the nether has been banned for centuries. Its users have been driven out or killed. Its secrets lost. But the holy book of the nethermancers has just been found by a boy named Dante. As he works to unlock the book's power, he's attacked in the street. The nethermancers aren't gone—and they want their book back. Caught between death cultists and the law, Dante fights for his life, aided by his growing skills and a brash bodyguard named Blays.
-
-
In Response to the Criticism from Other Reviewers
- By Jonah on 06-11-17
Publisher's Summary
"I guess this was what they meant by a loss of innocence. Who knew?"
Russel Middlebrook is 23 years old, gay, and living in trendy Seattle, but life isn't keeping up with the hype. Most of his friends have a direction in life - either ruthlessly pursuing their careers or passionately embracing their own aimlessness. But Russel is stuck in place. All he knows is that crappy jobs, horrible dates, and pointless hook-ups just aren't cutting it anymore.
What's the secret? What does everyone else know that he doesn't?
Enter Kevin, Russel's perfect high school boyfriend. Could rekindling an old flame be the thing Russel needs to get his life back on track? Or maybe the answer lies in a new friend, an eccentric screenwriter named Vernie Rose, who seems plenty wise. Or what the hell? Maybe Russel will find some answers by joining his best friend Gunnar's crazy search for the legendary bigfoot!
One way or another, Russel is determined to learn the all-important secret to life, even if it's a thing he doesn't even know he doesn't know.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Keith G
- 01-16-18
Good, but sliding toward meh
Dear lord. Why do so many YA/NA authors sacrifice narrative punch for the chance to moralize?
There is a good narrative here with some cool writing - rounded characters and a strong sense of place. Unfortunately, several times in the flow of the story things come to a stop so the author can tell us what he thinks about the topic at hand (PrEP, monogamy, bisexuality, proper remorse after casual sex, etc.). It's as if one is watching a cool movie, but the interesting action stops so that a character can spout half a page of exposition.
Come on, Brent. If you are going to present lessons to gay young adults, use smaller bites incorporated within the action.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ben
- 08-14-15
Impressive
With as much expertise as Hartinger used in transitioning Russel's story from one for young adults to new adults, so too has Hurley brought Russel to life. The text is different. It's less vague, and there are explicit references to the world around the characters. No more guessing. You know exactly where the characters are. The text is more advanced insofar that it is written for adults, providing slightly coarser language and depiction of scenes, though never distaste fully. Russel continues to embody the same thoughts and feelings as all of us, and he struggles and acknowledged his flaws, just as we must. Never have I read a book (or listened to one) in which the character feels so human—so real. You can't help but find yourself in Russel. And he's oh so charming :)
Josh Hurley continues to narrate smoothly, capturing all of the raw emotion going through Russel's head. His voice lends itself perfectly to such a likable character. He has also managed to age with Russel out of Russel's teen years. His pacing is perfection.
The new characters are good, too. Especially Vernie. And the ending. Oh the ending. I was smiling broadly the entire last chapter!
Highly recommended, especially if you've read the YA series first. I love that I can keep listening, growing, and enjoying Russel without feeling like it isn't age appropriate.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- HaloLove
- 06-06-15
This was a fun listen!
Any additional comments?
What an interesting and somewhat fun journey to self discovery you get to go on with Russell. And his best friends weren't obnoxious or annoying. Their side stories added to the overall enjoyment of this entire story.
There were some preachy parts I became really bored with but once you get past those, the story really does make you laugh and leaves you feeling really good by the end.
I wasn't too keen on who Russell ended up with, only because you really do not get to have any quality time getting to know the person.
Had there been an adventure the two went on together without drama, that may have helped the perception and opened me up to liking them together. I felt they were kind of thrown together at the end because a HEA was needed and expected.
And that HEA was rushed and felt awkward, especially with how wonderful the rest of the story was. That's why this ended up being a 4 star instead of a 5 star for me.
💞 Josh Harley 💞 Amazing as usual! 😍
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 04-28-18
About finding yourself, very little romance
Any additional comments?
I didn't read any books from the previous Russel Middlebrook series - and didn't feel lost at all jumping in at Russel's post-college years, but maybe that would have warmed me up to like this book beforehand. That being said, although I like a good YA book, I can't say I feel compelled to go and read the previous books.
While "The Thing I Didn't Know ..." had a charming and memorable quality that kept me listening, it never fully sucked me in on an emotional level. I admit I was expecting more romance (since it's in the Romance package), but got a coming-of-age/friendship story instead - which is okay, but it still didn't capture my heart. It was an episodic, days/weeks/months-in-the-life style of storytelling with a unique flair that kept me curious to know what would unfold next and how it would all resolve. I was satisfied after finishing - enough to move on to the next book in the series (although I admit I'm not tearing my way through that one, either).
Having previously lived in the Seattle area, I did love the setting, local flavors/background, and references to the locations visited - but it's probably not a big deal for those unfamiliar with the area (notwithstanding the South Lake Union Trolley acronym faux pas!).
The narration is well done and the narrator's voice really matches the age and tone of the characters and story.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Norman
- 01-14-16
love this book
I love this book and the series. it is so romantic and can't wait until I read the others. I also hope that Kevin and Russel get married and have kids of their own.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 02-02-22
inane
this is a long drawn out mental musings of the main character. for a while it was interesting then it became pedantic. I kept thinking"grow up and do something with your life" which he did after hours and hours of unfruitful listening. no plot or action just meandering internal thought processes.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jojo5950
- 01-14-22
Not too impressed
Very heavy handed/on the nose. There was a pretty lengthy review by someone else that was very accurate. Not very well written, characters that you don’t know well enough to care about and the main character is just barely like-able. Mediocre, unfortunately. I was hoping for a love story with a deep connection… didn’t get that but I did get a whimsical Sasquatch hunt, which I enjoyed more than I did a lot of the rest of the story 🤣
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Luke
- 06-26-22
Silly spin of stereotypes
This book has its moments, but plays into several tired, shallow stereotypes and doesn’t even handle them originally or artfully. In one example, the bigoted dismissal of a gay character who doesn’t fall in line with the “gay political majority” turned tired into ugly. There’s too much of this unintelligent ugliness, playing to the basest in us, in the real world…. I don’t need a book that attempts to brainwash me into “correct” thinking, in the guise of “good gay dogma,” while actually discouraging true diversity of thought. I was hoping for an uplifting, intelligent story. Big disappointment.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MellowYellow
- 06-13-22
I give it an A-
The storyline was great. I almost stopped reading when it became a political attack. Please write more great stories, but leave the partisan politics out!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nate
- 06-07-22
You are going to be lectured
I enjoyed the narration but wow the author hit the nail on the head for gay stereotypes. The protagonist is quick to judge others on their beliefs without even trying to understand where the other character is coming from. The protagonist acts holier-than-thou.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Caz in Maspalomas
- 11-10-16
boring
It was a bit like a straight guy painting his nails then watching the paint dry over several days.
Realy found this boring and slow. Sorry author.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Wide Eyes, Big Ears!
- 04-22-22
You’ll enjoy spending time with Russel!
At 23, Russel Middlebrook feels clueless. His Seattle house(boat)mates have achieved things or at least have goals to achieve. He hates his two part time jobs, his one-night stands aren’t fulfilling, and he regrets past choices. Then a few things happen: he saves someone from drowning and he spots his ex-boyfriend in a crowd. Maybe his life is about to change … I thoroughly enjoyed this. It has that YA feel of someone figuring out their life with false starts, insecurities, and gentle humour. It’s gay fiction, rather than m/m romance although there is a romantic subplot. But don’t expect a neat red bow - Russel is on a LONG journey. Although this is the start of a new series, it’s actually the fifth Russel Middlebrook novel. Although I hadn’t read the earlier books, I didn’t feel at sea starting here but it does necessarily contain spoilers about the earlier books. That won’t stop me from going back and reading the original series - I liked Russel immensely as a character and I love the audio narrator, Josh Hurley, he’s absolutely fabulous.