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The Humans: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Matt Haig (Author), Mark Meadows (Narrator), Simon & Schuster Audio (Publisher)
4.4 out of 5 stars 28,607 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee

The critically acclaimed author of The Radleys shares a clever, heartwarming, and darkly insightful novel about an alien who comes to Earth to save humans from themselves.

When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. Taking the form of Professor Andrew Martin, a leading mathematician at Cambridge University, the visitor wants to complete his task and go back home, to the planet he comes from, and a utopian society of immortality and infinite knowledge.

He is disgusted by the way humans look, what they eat, the wars they witness on the news, and totally baffled by such concepts of love and family. But as time goes on, he starts to realize there may be more to this weird species than he has been led to believe. He drinks wine, reads Emily Dickinson, listens to Talking Heads, and begins to bond with the family he lives with, in disguise. In picking up the pieces of the professor's shattered personal life, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans' imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there. A mission that involves not only thwarting human progress... but murder.

Praised by The New York Times as "a novelist of great seriousness and talent" author Matt Haig delivers an unlikely story about human nature and the joy found in the very messiness of life on Earth. The Humans is a funny, compulsively readable tale that playfully and movingly explores the ultimate subject - ourselves.

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  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 11 minutes
  2. Author
    Matt Haig
  3. Narrator
    Mark Meadows
  4. Audible release date
    July 2, 2013
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster Audio
  7. ASIN
    B00D66Q6NK
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 11 minutes
Author Matt Haig
Narrator Mark Meadows
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date July 02, 2013
Publisher Simon & Schuster Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B00D66Q6NK
Best Sellers Rank

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
28,607 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a sensational and well-written read, with an engaging and thought-provoking story that provides excellent insight into human nature. Moreover, the novel features a funny and satirical take on our modern world, with a thoughtful protagonist and likable characters. Additionally, customers appreciate the pacing, with one noting it's a fast-moving read, and the emotional impact, mentioning unexpected crying moments.

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ReadabilityStory qualityThought provokingHumorWriting qualityCharacter developmentPacingSadness
417 customers mention "Readability"417 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and enjoyable, describing it as a favorite book of all time and very well written.

"...Very delightful read, simply wonderful, and I would recommend to anyone." Read more

"...But it’s a fun read, and it’s clear it comes from the author’s heart...." Read more

"...Otherwise, this book is GREAT!! The premise is fun, the story line and climax are creative, and it closes in an uplifting and surprising way...." Read more

"...His mission is to murder. But once the story is set, it is a compelling read, and one I will revisit...." Read more

372 customers mention "Story quality"332 positive40 negative

Customers find the book's story engaging and thought-provoking, describing it as an unusual tale that stole their hearts.

"...The book is his first-person account of the experience, written after the fact, intended for his employers back on his home planet...." Read more

"...Human nature being deconstructed like this was so interesting to read about and process. I hope Vonnadorians aren’t actually surveilling us haha...." Read more

"...A very interesting plot, and there are a lot of fascinating discoveries for anyone who sits down to read this 279 page book...." Read more

"...Otherwise, this book is GREAT!! The premise is fun, the story line and climax are creative, and it closes in an uplifting and surprising way...." Read more

292 customers mention "Thought provoking"284 positive8 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, praising its insightful exploration of human nature and philosophical approach.

"...A very interesting plot, and there are a lot of fascinating discoveries for anyone who sits down to read this 279 page book...." Read more

"...line and climax are creative, and it closes in an uplifting and surprising way...." Read more

"...This was one of the most different and interesting books I have read in along time, and maybe we all need to appreciate the joys of being human a..." Read more

"...It is an easy read, but interesting and thought-provoking, at times touching, at times profound...." Read more

234 customers mention "Humor"229 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly its constant laugh-out-loud observations and satirical take on our modern world.

"...It’s a funny, often goofy, invitation to poke fun at ourselves – and explore along the way the meaning of life, what’s important, and what is..." Read more

"...I was very moved by his writing style. Human nature being deconstructed like this was so interesting to read about and process...." Read more

"...The TV show was hilarious; this book is less so, but it has its moments. It is basically the story of an alien coming to earth on a serious mission...." Read more

"...A treatise on what it is to be human. Sweet, but not melodramatic or corny. With some science fiction." Read more

148 customers mention "Writing quality"133 positive15 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, noting its first-person narrative and readability, with one customer describing it as a quick read packed with a gut punch.

"...I was very moved by his writing style. Human nature being deconstructed like this was so interesting to read about and process...." Read more

"...Five stars for great writing and excellent creativity. I loved it!" Read more

"...It is an easy read, but interesting and thought-provoking, at times touching, at times profound...." Read more

"I absolutely loved this book. This was such a different read from anything I've read before. Deep meaning, beautiful language. Just really devine." Read more

78 customers mention "Character development"73 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding the protagonist thoughtful and likable, with one customer noting the deep understanding of human nature.

"...I liked the main character best." Read more

"...The humor, the novel perspectives, and the appreciation for our humanity that it reignites is the same with every read through...." Read more

"...job of showing us the bad, the ugly, the good, and the great about humanity." Read more

"...gives you a newer perspective on life in addition to the main character befriending a dog...." Read more

69 customers mention "Pacing"55 positive14 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, describing it as moving and enjoyable to read, with one customer noting how it makes their heart beat faster.

"...This is deep and passionate and really moving. Especially the second half...." Read more

"...I loved this story. It will stay on your mind long after you finish it!" Read more

"Beautiful and surprisingly philosophical and moving. Humorous too. It’s a sweet story about humanity from an aliens’ perspective...." Read more

"...The book MOVED ME, and in more ways than I’ve likely realized so soon upon completing it...." Read more

40 customers mention "Sadness"34 positive6 negative

Customers describe the book as heartbreaking, noting that it unexpectedly makes them cry at times.

"...of the arts, dogs, familial relationships, and the complexities of emotion...." Read more

"...The Humans" has it all, including comedy, love, sadness, and extraterrestrials! What more could you ask for?..." Read more

"I absolutely LOVED this quirky, poignant, sad, and funny book! What a gem!..." Read more

"...It's funny. It's sad. And it reminded me that it's okay to feel pain. It's also okay to stop and watch a sunset every now and then...." Read more

This book touches my heart
5 out of 5 stars
This book touches my heart
I love books about Matt. He is an incredible writer. I love how creative his is. The way he can touch our existence with his stories. Please read this book if you are reading my review.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Ami
    5.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    There are similarities here that can’t be ignored, while still being distinctly Matt Haig’s work. Very delightful read, simply wonderful, and I would recommend to anyone.
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  • DJ
    4.0 out of 5 stars A novel in the spirit of the TV show “Resident Alien”
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    “I wondered if this was how people always talked to each other or if it was just unique to spouses.” (loc 863)

    This clever book is the literary equivalent of the TV show “Resident Alien” -- a creature from another galaxy arrives on planet Earth with a mission to kill, but he finds himself both baffled and intrigued by earthlings as he lives an undercover existence among us. The book is his first-person account of the experience, written after the fact, intended for his employers back on his home planet. It’s a funny, often goofy, invitation to poke fun at ourselves – and explore along the way the meaning of life, what’s important, and what is not.

    The story sags a little as it approaches the halfway point. The humor starts to feel tired, Haig tries a little too hard to be deep, and the ending is both predictable and a little clunky. But it’s a fun read, and it’s clear it comes from the author’s heart.

    There are a few too many (unnecessary) f-bombs to bring this book into a high school classroom. That’s a pity – the story, I suspect, would resonate with young people.
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  • Sydney Burns
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and Profound At the Same Time
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is the first book I’ve read by Matt Haig and it was a recommendation. I was very moved by his writing style. Human nature being deconstructed like this was so interesting to read about and process. I hope Vonnadorians aren’t actually surveilling us haha. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more Matt Haig in the future!
    One person found this helpful
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  • sara schindel
    5.0 out of 5 stars what she said
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    great
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  • Kenneth C. Mahieu
    3.0 out of 5 stars RUNS OUT OF GAS
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I was very intigued by the descriptions of this book because I had found it on the Edgar nominees list (Mystery Crime Writers of America) for best book. A human math professor at a major UK university proves the Riemann hypothesis without realizing the dire consequences it will have for humanity. However the inhabitants of a planet much further away do grasp this since they are far beyond us in their intellectual development, and they send one of their own to Earth to undo the discovery. A very interesting plot, and there are a lot of fascinating discoveries for anyone who sits down to read this 279 page book. A few examples - the Riemann hypothesis is real, it deals with prime numbers as stated in the book, and it is unsolved. Another tidbit - the visitor cleverly describes where he comes from by placing a grapefruit (sun) on the kitchen table, as well as a grape(earth). He then holds up the orange representing his planet and informs all that it would have to be placed somewhere in New Zealand, to get all the proportionate distances right. And what subsequently happens to earth in that scene is very funny. But at some point I felt the story started to take itself too seriously. It became a bit preachy, the observations of human behavior started to wear, as did the 97 bits of advice the visitor wanted to pass on to a sixteen year old. And the author didn't really address why the hosts would drop the whole thing at the end. Would I recommend this? I guess my answer would be a hesitant "yes" but with the caveats above. And there is one other thing -

    As I began "The Humans" I was puzzled as to how it was going to evolve into a crime fiction story; by the time I finished it, I was still puzzled. Because if this book belongs anywhere other than general fiction it might be categorized as scifi. I would like to hear the Edgar people's response. I don't think that it is a spoiler for me to comment that that are at least 4 killings in the story, and if you think about it, what really differentiates a book as crime fiction is the investigation of a crime, and there is no criminal investigation in this story. This is particularly true when one of the killings is only reported as "he's dead", i.e., the act of his killing is not central to the story. I have not read a lot of scifi, but I would imagine that there is a significant number of stories where characters are murdered, yet the book is still obviously scifi and not crime fiction. So why is this nominated for an Edgar?
    10 people found this helpful
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  • AmazonCustomer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The author let his feelings be known in terms of theological opinions, viewpoints, etc. That was TMI and had absolutely nothing to do with the plot. Otherwise, this book is GREAT!! The premise is fun, the story line and climax are creative, and it closes in an uplifting and surprising way. Other than the interjections I referenced in my first point, this is one of the best books I've ever read.
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  • LynnS77
    5.0 out of 5 stars Only Human
    Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    He was Andrew Martin famous Cambridge mathematician who was taken away by the “hosts” and replaced by an alien version of Andrew Martin. The aliens were brilliant but had no idea how to make the exchange without drawing attention, as in clothes for the alien imposter would have made his transition far less complicated. Andrew’s wife Isobel simply said, “It’s all right,” and cared for him at home. Meanwhile the alien Martin was supposed to dispose of research and kill anyone who had knowledge of it including Martin”s wife and son.

    So many complications the Vonndarians (or some name very similar) hadn’t considered, one being that human life was interesting enough to want to watch, and in some ways very compelling. The new Andrew Martin liked his new family and did not wish to end them.

    Did you ever notice that people come to a different country and discover wonderful things that the people who live there take for granted? There’s a lot of discoveries of human life that we take for granted that a new human might find richly rewarding and it’s both poignant and sometimes funny.

    This was one of the most different and interesting books I have read in along time, and maybe we all need to appreciate the joys of being human a little more. Five stars for great writing and excellent creativity. I loved it!
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • José Ochoa
    5.0 out of 5 stars It’ll remind you to enjoy even the worst times
    Reviewed in Spain on November 24, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Anything he writes has the power to bring back hope and faith in humanity. Just excellent
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  • karlou
    5.0 out of 5 stars Should be compulsory reading for all humans!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    In August 2012 my brother committed suicide. In the dark days and weeks immediately after his death I read almost incessantly. I couldn't sleep because when I closed my eyes all I could see was his body (I had to go to the mortuary with my father to formally identify his body.) When I was awake I read so I could bear the raw grief ripping at my heart. I believe that it's thanks to books I survived those days, I'm not sure how I'd have coped without books giving me a respite from my at times overwhelming reality.

    The Humans wasn't published then but I wish it had been. It tells the story of an alien sent from the planet Vonnadoria to remove all evidence of the solving of the Riemann hypothesis (the key to prime numbers which guarantee a huge technological leap for mankind) by eminent Cambridge professor Andrew Martin. The Vonnadorians are horrified by this breakthrough as they see humans as a primitive, violent race not ready for the advancements the solving of the hypothesis will bring. An unnamed alien is therefore sent to Earth on a mission to ensure humankind remains unaware that this secret has been solved. He kills Martin then inhabits his body in order to infiltrate his life and erase all traces of his discovery, by removing all technological evidence and by killing anybody he may have told.
    The first part of the book has several comic moments, the alien arrives knowing nothing of human life and finds himself naked and without language on a motorway. Matt Haig has held a magnifying glass to humans here and through the eyes of the alien Andrew we see our often irrational absurdity.
    As the book progresses it becomes more poignant, Martin learns more about what it means to be human, thanks partly to a dog, peanut butter and Emily Dickinson. The 97 point list that features in the book is perhaps the book's shining moment, Matt's skillful blending of the emotional with the humorous means he avoids this list becoming saccharine and it is genuinely moving, my favourite point being "It's not the length of life that matters. It's the depth. But while burrowing, keep the sun above you."
    The Humans is a beautifully written insight into what it means to be a human and how pain, sorrow and fear are a necessary part of that. With my grief not being a linear process there are days when I am hit again with an almost unbearable sadness. I know that on those days I will turn once more to The Humans. I don't ever feel suicidal but there are times when I question what it means to live. When I read The Humans I am given an answer.
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  • Dassa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Humans?
    Reviewed in Brazil on February 10, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    O livro é espetacular com notas de humor incríveis. Recomendo a leitura.
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  • NE
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice sense of humors
    Reviewed in Japan on May 5, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I love this kind of humors that play with the human natures and the observation of the outsider
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  • Abby Normal
    5.0 out of 5 stars Was das Leben lebenswert macht
    Reviewed in Germany on May 23, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Menschen haben Fehler. Menschen sind unsicher. Menschen zweifeln. Doch Matt Haig zeigt in seinem Roman, dass diese Schwächen gleichzeitig auch Stärken hervorbringen. Stärken, die und menschlich machen und die große Gefühle überhaupt erst ermöglichen.

    Als Außerirdischer hat man es auch der Erde nicht leicht. Menschen verhalten sich oft irrational. Ein Wesen von einem fernen, perfekten Planeten stolpert unweigerlich über den ein oder anderen Fettnapf. Aber dieser Außerirdische hat eine Mission: Er soll eine Entdeckung, die die Menschheit entwicklungstechnisch einen großen Sprung nach vorne katapultieren würde, verhindern. Das ist in den Augen der Außerirdischen durchaus rational, verhindert es doch Gewalt und leid auf der Erde und auf lange Sicht im ganzen Universum.

    Doch bei der Ausführung seines Plans kommt des Wesen in Schwierigkeiten. Es lernt uns Menschen kennen. Es lernt unser Leben kennen. Und es begreift, was unser Leben, trotz aller Nachteile und Problemen, so aufregend macht. Und diese Entdeckungen sind auch für uns menschlichen Leser nicht nur amüsant, sondern gleichfalls interessant. Ganz nüchtern wird uns ein Spiegel vorgehalten, in dem wir Dinge erkennen, über die wir uns so gar nicht bewusst waren.

    Jedenfalls zeigt uns das Buch anhand einer tollen, unterhaltsamen Geschichte, was uns in unserem Leben wirklich wichtig sein sollte und wie man Krisen überstehen und darin vielleicht sogar etwas Positives sehen kann.

    Könnte ich bei der Bewertung 100 Punkte vergeben, dann würde ich - wie vermutlich jeder, der das Buch gelesen hat - natürlich 97 Punkte geben. Aber da das leider nicht möglich ist, nehme ich die Fünf, welche auch eine wunderschöne Primzahl ist. ;)

    --------------------

    The Humans würde ich heute vermutlich noch immer nicht kennen, hätte es nicht Stephen Fry empfohlen. Wem The Humans gefällt, dem könnte aber durchaus andersherum z.B. Stephen Frys Making History gefallen. Darin geht es um einen Geschichtsstudent, der eine Möglichkeit findet, die Geburt von Hitler in der Vergangenheit zu verhindern. Doch darf man die Vergangenheit ändern? Und wenn ja, wie würde die Welt dann heute aussehen? Ein sehr schönen Roman über Schuld, Gewissen und Hoffnung.
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