Ok, LoveMachine got me thinking about this idea...

Know of any good audiobooks?

Whether it's an actual audiobook you've heard or whether it's a book that you think would make a good audiobook (who knows, maybe it's out there), lemme know your recommendations.

I know my library has lots of titles to choose from, lots of which are even downloadable.

I'm looking for new ways to stay mentally engaged at the gym, and it's impossible for me to read while I'm doing cardio stuff (too much bouncing around). I'm thinking that listening to a book might be a good idea.

Anx said:

I definitely like lighter fare when I'm listening. My favorite so far was Tourist Season, by Carl Hiaasen. The narrator is very low on personality, which doesn't sound great at first, but after 10-12 hours of listening to their voice, it becomes a real asset. The book was excellent, stylish (if bestseller) type stuff.

I listened to Skinny Dip by the same author, it was pretty good as well. I've listened to various Steven King, which generally flows really well on audio.

On the other hand, I'm listening to A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore right now. The book is pretty good, but the reader (Fisher Stevens) is acting way too much. Every time he reads quotes he shouts. It's like the audiobook equivalent of Smells Like Teen Spirit--soft LOUD soft LOUD and it's very annoying.

I've found the reader is as important as the book itself.

If you can find a place that rents them (or get them at the library) it will save you a fortune. I rent them for $5 for three days, them put them on my ipod.

NDRU said:

that's what i wanna do.

i kinda wanna listen to 'remembrance of days past' but i'm sure they'll have some boring shakespearean drone reading it. i'd love it if woody allen did audiobooks.

"i used to go to bed early....which...which...well, it was just nuts, frankly. it was CRAZY."

Anx said:

"Cuhrazy!"

But like I said I prefer a less animated reader in the end. Though some have been able to do characters, which can be effective. But for the more book-like experience, I think a plain, unornamented voice does nicely. David Sedaris is a notable exception.

I think Amazon reviews them, too. You might try there.
[Edited 2/14/07 12:25pm]

oof, i can't listen to david sedaris's voice, even though i like his writing. his voice grates on me...which is a shame, because i know amy is on a lot of the recordings.

like i said on the other thread, laurie anderson is a GREAT audiobook reader. check out don delillo's "the body artist" that she reads. her voice is very serene and gentle, but also matter of fact.

Anx said:

so that's good you understand about the annoying voices (though I like D. S.). Nobody wants to spend hours listening to an annoying voice. My favorite readers haven't been very famous, however. I found Willem Defoe annoying, though I like him as an actor.

Interesting, I'd like to hear that delillo, I'll look for it.

Molly's voice and inflection is just perfect.

IrresistibleB1tch said:

i'll have to see if my library carries any of her stuff on audiobook.

they don't seem to have much that's contemporary or cool, other than trade paperback-y type stuff. i was looking for stuff like "everything is illuminated" or even something like "the orchid thief", but the best i could find was "the fountainhead" and some interesting looking non-fiction. i'm certainly not looking to shell out the big bucks for an audiobook at borders...the search continues...!

I drive so much, I just listened to all 12 CD's of the Godfather in about 3-4 days. It was a great rea....errr...."listen"

Anx said:

FUCK, that would be GRAND.

It's not a work of fiction per se, but I like going through university research archives and social anthropology sites, most notably this one:

Virtual Oral/Aural History Archive - CSULB
http://salticid.nmc.csulb...ion?pt=109

There's a lot of great interviews from ordinary people about their lives. I find non-celebrities (i.e. just regular people) lives very fascinating and rich. There's great history and sociology here. For instance, I listened to an interview by a man named Stan Weir, a socialist in the 1940s who worked in a restaurant in the Village alongside "some guy named James Baldwin," who was then a waiter, and how he got funding to write some book called "Go Tell It On The Mountain." In the search engine you can type in almost anything and someone has a story to share on it -- women's movement, strikes, suburbia, etc.

...
[Edited 2/14/07 19:56pm]

Great thread Anx!

My commute is about an hour each way. It bores me to tears.

I had planned to check out the library selection this weekend.

Anx said:

i don't believe in all that high-tech nonsense. imo you should stick with the tried and true: here is a nice cookbook for you.

Nothinbutjoy said:

i've been carrying a book of NYTimes crosswords in my bag lately - it makes commuting go WAY faster...though of course if you drive, this may be a problem.

Mara said:

huh...this sounds really interesting, thanks. and yeah, i'm not looking specifically for fiction or literature per se - just something that'll hold my attention while i'm doing gym crap.

How to have better sex, as read by Harvey Fierstein

I'm gonna bet Miss Amy Sedaris' "I Like You" would be a fun listen.

eleven said:

indeed it is.

BlackAdder7 said:

crikey!

Here's what's in my collection. i love audiobooks too.

1)Rich Dad,Poor Dad-Stephen Hoye
2)Cash Flow Quadrant-Jim Ward
3)The Red Shoes-Clarissa Pinkola Estes
4)Casino Royale-Simon Vance
5)Star Trek-Insurrection-Boyd Gaines
6)Myths,Lies And Downright Stupidity-John Stossel
7)War On The Middle Class-Lou Dobbs
8)The Awakening-Shelly Frasier
9)Bait And Switch:The (Futile) Pursuit Of The American Dream-Anne Twomey

Frances McDormand's reading of "The Bell Jar" is wonderful.

jillybean said:

even though i've read that book a couple of times, i'd TOTALLY listen to frances reading it. i love her!

Anx said:

I drive....


What's a 6 letter word for "Son of a king?"

CAAAAARRRRRAAAAASH



Think I'll use audio books

Nothinbutjoy said:

I like to memorize a crossword or Soduko and work it out in my mind while I drive.

I'd like Thomas Harris' newest "Hannibal Rising" as an audiobook, is it available?

Teacher said:

heck, you can probably find it on sale...though why not wait for the movie?


oh wait, never mind

Anx said:

they are great for long journeys but (imo) what makes or breaks an audio book would totally depend on the reader/narrator. bad charisma and delivery in spoken word books can really depreciate even a good story.