Audiobooks?

[Michelle]

Does any one like listening to audio books? I have to admit that I have a tendency to skim over some descriptive bits in some books, whereas with an audio version, you have to listen to it all.

Mind you, I did once have a tape of old horror stories, which were really good.

[Louise]

Never tried any to be honest, never in the car long enough to get past the first page

[Michelle]

I used to listen to my horror stories in bad, on my walkman, when I was having troule sleeping.

Bit silly, when you think about it! :lol:

[Louise]

That would be such a bad idea for me, id never sleep.

[Debbie]

My husband is dyslexic. He loves books but finds reading tedious, so we often have audio books. I must admit I prefer to read it for myself, but they can be enjoyable if the reader is on the same wavelength as me!

Debbie

[bimbobaggins]

I've got a son who finds it really difficult to read books due to his dyslexia. He wanted to read Harry Potter and my sister in law bought it for him on tape. He has thoroughly enjoyed it. We have even been know to sit in the car listening to the end of a chapter - sad lot. It also keeps kids from fighting on a long journey.

I also think it does depend on the person that reads it as to how enjoyable they are. Stephen Fry is brilliant.

At the moment we're going through Lord of the Rings read by Rob Inglis. It might take us several weeks!

[lilmissmolly]

I don't really like them, they go to slow for me and they leave less room for imagination imo

[Stuart]

I've never actually used an audio book. I have used audio stuff for learning foreign languages, "Hola mi amigos, como estas?", but thats all.

[Fatty]

I love Audiobooks!

I find them very useful at night when I want to rest my eyes but not sleep and also in the car when I am travelling long distances!

I have a HUGE collection as well including all the Harry Potters, all the Terry Pratchetts, loads of Tolkien and Star Wars novels and stacks of misc other bits.

The only problem with audiobooks is that they tend to come on about 10CDs so thank god for the MP3 format that can shrink hours of book down onto a single disc for the car or portable MP3 player.

[Andibody]

Audiobooks have been great. Have a condition that makes it hard to see properly sometimes, and I love books so much. My library has a great number of them, as they link up with all the local Librarys in the area...no cost to me. I find the audio helps settle my mind. :zzz:

The other discovery I made, was that I was more willing to try out previously avoided books/authors. You simply have less in this medium to choose from, so you start to go through them all (well nearly all). :spin:
Love 'em

[Maureen]

Have never tried one.....so cannot honesly say one way or the other.....quite strange as well - reading is something I usually do alone....with an Audio book everyone can "join' in.

[sf1818]

So far the only time I have tried an audiobook was while I was driving. It's hard to concentrate on the book while you are going up and down the highway screaming at all of the terrible drivers. :D

[Kell]

I've listened to a few, but I mainly have radio plays, such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or The Lord of the Rings. Dale & I listen to them last thing at night when we're dropping off. The other thing we often listen to is the Blackadder series' which are available on CD & audio cassette. Trouble is, we fall asleep, so we end up having to listen to the same side over & over again unless we know them backwards...

Nah, I like opening a good book & devoting my time to turning the pages - it's very satisfying.

[Maureen]

The thing is, if you can do the real thing, i.e. read, that's the 5* treatment. But I would imagine that if for some reason I could not read, or am in a position where reading is difficult or impossible, Audio books would be my penecillin.

[Michelle]

This might be a good one to bump up, for our newer members to take a look, and comment on. :)

[rosegarden]

Thanks Michelle, I hadn't seen this thread before.

I love audio books as well. I'm on and off a computer all day so I like to listen to an audiobook last thing at night before I go to bed to rest my eyes.

They also make washing up, ironing, and all those other jobs that I hate doing around the house less boring.

I usually borrow mine from the local library, buy them at car boots, charity shops etc., or record them on Sky+ from One Word Radio.

Carole


:jump:

[Michelle]

I'd never thought about giving my eyes a reast, and listening before bed. I might see what the library have next time I'm there. :)

[wiccibat]

The OM went through a phase of audiobooks and I always used to fall asleep so didn't like the idea much.
However, while ironing or other boring work seems like a good time to try them.

[Icecream]

I gave audiobooks to my (at the time) boyfriends two Grandmothers. I thought it a good idea as one could not go out of the house and one is going blind.

Audiobooks are something I have often thought would be a good idea, but then I have always gone for the real thing whe I buy books and skipped over audio ones. I would obviously rather read. It would have to be well read for me to listen to it if I got one.

[Sarahrob]

I tried to listen to an audio book in the car, but ended up concentrating on the book and not on my driving :shock:

I have listened to books on the radio, but prefer to read as I can then dictate my own pace.

[Inanna]

I have listened to books on the radio, but prefer to read as I can then dictate my own pace.

Ditto for me as well :wink:

[Purple Poppy]

Its a long time since I listened to an audio book, but I've been meaning to do it again as I love being read to. Of course it depends on who the reader is. As someone else said, the reader has to be on the same wavelength for maximum enjoyment. I also agree that listening to something is a good way of introducing you to new stuff. I am much more likely to persevere with a radio 4 book reading for instance, than a book that looks a bit iffy when I pick it up off the shop shelf, or start to read and get bored.

[jake]

I've never listened to an audiobook. We have a special edition case of Lord of the Rings in tape form (never been opened) and P has them all on CD too (never opened either). Eve has all the HP's on CD and loves listening to them in bed.

[Kell]

I really need to get some new audio books & radio plays - our tapes are all starting to go a bit squiffy form over-use & we know them all backwards. I can quote any given episode of Blackadder from seasons 2, 3 or 4, verbatum, as well as the entirety of the Primary & Secondary phases of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm a little hazier on the Sherlock Holmes ones, but both The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings radio plays are wearing out now too & we could pretty much perform them, songs included, from start to finish - LOL!

[Angel]

Ive only listened to Macbeth on audio - it was a great way to revise for an exam. Not listened to any since though

[Louiseog]

I love audio books and the llisten again to plays on BBC radios 4 and 7. All the time, but don't really do music

[Sarahrob]

both The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings radio plays are wearing out now

Somewhere I have got a box set of records for The Hobbit. I used to love them and listen to them non-stop. Sadly, I no longer have a record player, but one day I'll get someone to put them onto CDs for me.

[Kell]

Yuo could most likely download them from somewhere, Sarah - then you can listen to them while you're on the computer. :)

[Janet]

This might be a good one to bump up, for our newer members to take a look, and comment on. :)
Thanks. :D

It's funny you should bump that thread now, as I was recently thinking about trying some audio books.

I haven't ever listened to any, but I am toying with the idea of starting walking to keep fit (I'm doing the Race for Life the weekend after next, and will just about manage to walk the 5k as I'm very unfit) and I thought a good audiobook might be just the thing to keep me company.

My husband listens to them in the car, as he has a long journey to and from work each day in the car.

[wiccibat]

I never thought of downloading them Kell, I checked out my library, they only have them on tape and I only have a very old and delicate walkman. No other tape player at home.

[Kell]

If you go to Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/) they have many of their downloads available as audio books & the best bit is, it'a free, because they'er all books that are out of copyright - hurrah!

[Kell]

I've noticed a few members mentioning audio books on their reading logs and I wondered, since I'm pretty new to audio books (I've mostly listened to radio plays instead), which ones people have heard, which they would recommend, and if anyone downloads them from the internet at all - if so, which sites do you recommend? Do you prefer short stories, novellas or novels? Classics or contemporaries? Tell me all - I want to know so I can fill my ipod up with good reading!

[madcow]

At this rate I'm going to have to invest i an ipod, well at least it would stop hubby from moaning about all the books I have and want :mrgreen:

[Liz]

My sister has to travel for 2 hours for work each day and she has been thinking about getting a few audio books. I know she was thinking about getting Labyrinth.

[KW]

Do the libraries rent them out there like they do in the US? audio books?

[Kell]

Yes, there are some audio books in our libraries, but we seem to have a pitifully small selection & many of them are on tape instead of CD, which is no use when you no longer have a tape deck (haven't had one of those for years - LOL!). I was thinking more of downloadable ones from the internet - I figured this might be the opportunity to get cracking on some of the classics as they're all out of copyright & therefore usually available to download as e-books, so I thought I'd try getting some of them as audio books if I could download for free. ;)

Are there any particular download sites or audio books that people would specifically recommend? And if so, which ones have you used yourselves...?

[Sugar]

I can't really help with recommendations, Kell, as I only ever "re-read" on audio. I didn't like Gabrielle Kruger doing Jasper Fforde for ISIS, but I much prefer her to Emily Gray on the Clipper versions.

Libraries are getting more on CD now - in fact some of the publishers no longer produce them on cassette. Although, interestingly, one Visually Impaired Reader told me recently that he only wanted cassettes as on CD he found it really hard to find his place. With the advances in technology, CD players now remembering where you stopped it, I'm sure that's not going to be an on-going problem but many of our older members can't keep up with the equipment!

[rosegarden]

I downloaded The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett from www.librivox.org. I haven't listened to it yet so can't recommend it or otherwise. All the books, poems and short stories on there are read by volunteers and are in the public domain so they are mostly the classic books.

Carole

:jump:

[Purple Poppy]

I had a peep at Carol's recommendation after chatting on the other thread. It looks good. Loads of titles to choose from. I might even volunteer to read some time.
PP

[Polka Dot Rock]

I've been listening to the Doctor Who: Feast of the Drowned audiobook that came free with the Christmas/New Year Radio Times, lol.
It's actually really good, David Tennant reads it so that's a simultaneously authentic and bizarre experience!

[Kell]

We only have the 1st part, PDR, but you're right, he does a pretty good impression of Rose too!

[Maureen]

What if anything, would you think/feel about the readers voice? As i have no experience of Audio books, I have no idea of what to expect.

[Purple Poppy]

I've just come back from my first visit to Aberdeen Library. No, I didn't come back empty handed. I picked up four teenage books, (research) and four audio books which I am quite excited about. There wasn't a bad selection, I thought, enough to keep me going for a while. The ones I brought home are:
The Cat who Smelled a Rat - Lillian Jackson Braun
The Cat who Turned on and Off - Lillian Jackson Braun
Heavenly Date - Alexander McCall Smith
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Anne Bronte.

I had just put The cat Who books on my 'wanting to read list' so I am really pleased with them, and I thought I'd get the Anne Bronte as it's a possible read for next month's Posh club, our local book group.

Maureen said;

What if anything, would you think/feel about the readers voice? As i have no experience of Audio books, I have no idea of what to expect.


I've had a few audio books before, and listened to alot of Radio 4 readings. Its like everything else, its pot luck. Some voices grate. Some are enchanting. Some readers don't read in the way you would...almost like a different interpretation, with inflections etc that put you off, and others leave you spellbound and seem to develop a rapport with their listeners. It's a personal thing. I don't think I've ever turned off the radio because I didn't like the reader, but I have lost interest before and wandered off to do something else. It'll be interesting to see how I get on with this latest batch.

PP

[Kell]

What if anything, would you think/feel about the readers voice? As i have no experience of Audio books, I have no idea of what to expect.If you're unlucky and don't like the narrator's voice, it can be really off-putting. one of the short stories I downloaded from BMW (the Karin Slaughter one), wasn't a brilliant story enyway, but it would have helped if the reader had actually had any life in her voice - it was completely flat & drawling, so I felt bored throughout. Whereas, the one that was narrated by the guy who plays Owen in Torchwood, and the one read by one of the guys who was in The High Life, were both great to listen to - very expressive - & I got a lot more out of them. It helped that the stories were better too though... ;)

[Polka Dot Rock]

For anyone who's interested, the Radio Times are giving away another free Doctor Who audiobook with this weeks' issue - it's Part One of The Stone Rose (terrible pun, but the blurb sounds quite good).
Part Two will be given away with next week's RT.

(I'm cross-posting this to the Doctor Who thread in Music/Film/TV room)

[Polka Dot Rock]

The one that was narrated by the guy who plays Owen in Torchwood...

What audio book was that, Kell? I'd love to hear him read a Dickens - he was so good in Bleak House, I can really imagine it. Oliver Twist, perhaps - I'd like to hear Burn Gorman's interpretations of Fagin and Nancy, lol.

[Maureen]

, but we seem to have a pitifully small selection & many of them are on tape instead of CD,.?

Here too.

[Purple Poppy]

Maureen quoted Kell

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kell http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=56178#post56178)
, but we seem to have a pitifully small selection & many of them are on tape instead of CD,.?

and then said
Here too.

See. if you'd hung onto your tape cassette players you'd have more choice...like moi!:lol:

[Kell]

What audio book was that, Kell? I'd love to hear him read a Dickens - he was so good in Bleak House, I can really imagine it. Oliver Twist, perhaps - I'd like to hear Burn Gorman's interpretations of Fagin and Nancy, lol.It was The Debt by Simon Kernick, which I downloaded free from BMW (http://www.bmw-audiobooks.com/book.aspx?id=7). I personally thought it was the best of the four on there, even if it was the shortest one!

[Purple Poppy]

I've just downloaded The Debt Kell. Will try and have a listen sometime in the next few days.

PP

[Kell]

I hope you enjoy it, PP. It's only about 1/2 an hour long that one, but it's punchy & Burn reads it well.

[Purple Poppy]

I'll manage half an hour, I'm sure. Thanks Kell. I'll let you know what I think of it.

PP

[Gyre]

I have a couple of Stephen King books to download onto my zen, so I will let you know how they are.

My dad is a big fan of audio books, he loves Dick Francis books.

:mrgreen:

[kitty]

I am thinking of getting Bitten, as I would like to start with a book I have read. They seem to have a good selection on Amazon. Im now going to check out some of the sites.

[Purple Poppy]

Kell said...

I hope you enjoy it, PP. It's only about 1/2 an hour long that one, but it's punchy & Burn reads it well.


I listened to The Debt today and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was good and mostly well written, although they were one or two parts where I felt the author had rushed it abit, as the language was too simple. It was as if he hadn't tried to think of interesting words. But these were very small instances, and hardly noticable as the reading itself was so good...brilliant in fact. I really enjoyed Burns reading which was very professional and created just the right atmoshere.
Looking forward to downloading the others

PP

[Sugar]

I started trying to listen to Northern Lights by Philip Pullman yesterday. I had high expectations as it said on the front it was read by Pullman himself. What it didn't advertise was that each character had a narrator of it's own for dialogue. I only got as far as hearing Lyra and Pantalaimon and realised there was no way I could sit through 11 hours of it....
I'm really disappointed! :weeping:

[Purple Poppy]

That answers the question higher up about what happens if you don't like the reader(s).
That's a real shame. Hopefully there might be another recording, if not now, in the future.

[rosegarden]

I started trying to listen to Northern Lights by Philip Pullman yesterday. I had high expectations as it said on the front it was read by Pullman himself. What it didn't advertise was that each character had a narrator of it's own for dialogue. I only got as far as hearing Lyra and Pantalaimon and realised there was no way I could sit through 11 hours of it....
I'm really disappointed! :weeping:

Oh that is a shame........I hope that won't put you off listening to other books though. Nearly all the audio books I've had have only the one narrator.

Carole
:jump:

[Sugar]

Hi Carole - I'm sure it won't! I regularly read audio in the car - I love my Jasper Ffordes, and am working my way through the Harry Potter series - Stephen Fry is wonderful!

I'm just annoyed that I'm going to have to re-read His Dark Materials in book format now before the film comes out in December!

[Kell]

I listened to The Debt today and thoroughly enjoyed it. ... I really enjoyed Burns reading which was very professional and created just the right atmoshere.
PP Glad you enjoyed it. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of the other 3 on offer there too. :)

[Polka Dot Rock]

That answers the question higher up about what happens if you don't like the reader(s).
That's a real shame. Hopefully there might be another recording, if not now, in the future.

In Saturday's Guardian, Sue Arnold reviewed Claire Tomalin's Thomas Hardy biography. She also had a problem with inappropiate readers:

David Shaw-Parker reads the poetic extracts, though they're so short I'm not sure why they bothered. Whenever he chipped in it reminded me of queuing at the post office when that disembodied voice says, "cashier number seven please".

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Purple Poppy]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Oh well another one to avoid!

[kitty]

Well im going to have a jog to the Library on Saturday, to check out the selection. Not sure what they will have because its not the town centre one. Carnt buy any at the moment, as I am on a buget of £10 a week to save for my holiday. Its so hard.:irked: Let you know what I manage to pick up.

[Ronny]

I listen to a lot of audio books, I usually check them out from the library and listen while I work around the house. I have to like the reader, a monotone reader will put me asleep, the whole story just blurs and becomes background noise.

itunes has audio books, I've not ordered any yet but I like to listen to the preview to see if I like the reader or not before I check it out at the library.

I remember liking the Life of Pi, A Short History of Nearly Everything & Memoirs of a Geisha but these were also books I'd already read and liked.

[kernow_reader]

I'm not an audio book fan. I like the visual and tactile acts of holding a book and reading it in my head. I get easily lost when someone reads to me. I just cannot process all that verbal information. Then I shut down and nod off. :lol:

Once I was ill and bed bound. My daughter very thoughtfully tried to keep my spirits up by reading aloud from my current book. I was asleep by paragraph two! Poor child.

Having said this, I am sometimes rather partial to the reads on Radio 4.
Short bursts see.

[kitty_kitty]

Where do people get their audio books from?

I used to love them but i have not used them for years!!!!

Are people members of websites or do they download the naughhty way!!!

[Kell]

I get most of mine from Librivox (http://www.librivox.org/) as they're all in the public domain and, as they're read by regular punters, they're free. It's also a good way for me to up my classics intake.

There are "naughty" places to get them too, but it shouldn't really be said out loud on a public forum - I don't want to get Michelle into trouble... :blush:

[Michelle]

Yep, I think we need to keep that sort thing to PMs please. ;)

[Nici76]

I used to listen to a lot of audio books as a child, especially Enid Blyton and the also the Secret Garden. I remember that they seemed to magical! I think i might give them a try now!

[Kell]

You can often pick up audio books very cheaply in second hand or discount books shops - The Works often have a mixed selection - and, of course, libraries tend to have a pretty good selection too, if you're on a tight budget - I think some libraries might charge a small fee (or is that just for music CDs?), but I believe most of them are free.

[madcow]

The ones I have read have come from the library. They usually have a small charge I think I paid 50p for three weeks.

[happyanddandy]

My children have borrowed hundreds of audio books (and now CDs) from the library, they used them all the time especially in the evenings, in the car and on camping trips.
I have also borrowed adult tapes - especially good for ironing!:lol:

[Andibody]

Get mine from the Library, too. Only costs if you order something to be sent over from another Library (55c). :mrgreen:

Love these when you get a great reader. No matter how good a book, a poor reader can be a sure way to search for something else.

[DavePatron]

Is anyone into audiobooks at all? The reason I ask is that on a car ride up north my buddy was listening to 1984 on his Ipod. I decided it would be fun to read again and figured I could play it on my Ipod when I was laying down to go to sleep. What I found is that I fall asleep right away when I put it on but I certainly don't stop enjoying it. I end up having crazy dreams about the thought police and whatnot. My girlfriend has also told me that in the middle of the night Ive been known to say crazy things in my sleep. Its kind of like a choose your own adventure book.:tong: The book gets me started then I fall asleep and go from there. Just wondering if I was crazy of if anyone else had tried this with any of their favorite books. If not I recommend it.

DP

[Michelle]

There are quite a few discussions here about audiobooks.. I'm not sure if anyone has had weird dreams after though! lol

[DavePatron]

I'm not sure if anyone has had weird dreams after though! lol

So I AM crazy...:irked:

Ill try a search next time. Sorry for the duplicate thread.

[Icecream]

Maybe it should be retitled dreambooks, and we can all talk about dreams we have when reading certain books. Dreams seem to be related to what we are thinking, so you can't be the only one with that sort of story, especially as a lot of us seem to read in bed..

[madcow]

What I found is that I fall asleep right away
DP
I've listened to a couple of audio books and unless I am doing something at the same time i.e. ironing then i quite easily drift off to sleep. Beats sleeping pills :lol: .

[Nici76]

I've listened to a couple of audio books and unless I am doing something at the same time i.e. ironing then i quite easily drift off to sleep. Beats sleeping pills :lol: .

Perhaps I should try them then!!! :lol:

[angerball]

I can't get into audiobooks. I find my mind wanders; I have to physically read a book to be able to keep my concentration on it. :readingtwo:

[Kell]

I listen to them on my iPod all the time. In fact, coincidentally, I just finished listening to 1894 today on my way home from work. We sometimes listen to audio books in bed at night, but only ones we already know and love as we fall asleep. I use my iPod to listen to them whenever I'm walking about the place (I don't drive) and find it an excellent way to get in some extra reading when i can't have a book in my hands!

[rosegarden]

Is anyone into audiobooks at all? The reason I ask is that on a car ride up north my buddy was listening to 1984 on his Ipod. I decided it would be fun to read again and figured I could play it on my Ipod when I was laying down to go to sleep. What I found is that I fall asleep right away when I put it on but I certainly don't stop enjoying it. I end up having crazy dreams about the thought police and whatnot. My girlfriend has also told me that in the middle of the night Ive been known to say crazy things in my sleep. Its kind of like a choose your own adventure book.:tong: The book gets me started then I fall asleep and go from there. Just wondering if I was crazy of if anyone else had tried this with any of their favorite books. If not I recommend it.

DP

I listen to audiobooks all the time, but only when I'm walking or travelling by public transport or doing boring jobs in the house like ironing, washing up etc. I have listened to them in bed occasionlly but I always fall asleep and then I have to go back and find my place again, which is so frustrating :motz:so I don't tend to do that too much. I can't remember if I've had any weird dreams afterwards though :lol:

Carole
:jump:

[Janet]

This question is aimed at Kell, because I know she uses the site, but if anyone else also uses it then feel free to jump right on in! :)

I downloaded 'Emma' from Librivox a few months ago because it was our summer 'bookworms' read (which we all gave up on, but that's another story...) and I thought it might be good to listen to it.

Aside from the fact that it was read by a woman with perhaps the most irritating voice in the world, when I tried to burn it to CD to listen to in the car, it wanted to put it onto about 20 CDs!

So, I was just wondering how you listen to yours? Do you burn them, or do you just listen to them on your computer?

[Kell]

Janet - I listen to mine on my iPod, but I agree, sometimes you get a dodgy reader - but you have to remember they're just regular punters like you and me, not professionals, and they volunteer, rather than get paid. There are some readers on there who are excellent - there's a guy called Chip who has an amazingly expressive voice.

[samgrosser]

I can't get into audiobooks. I find my mind wanders; I have to physically read a book to be able to keep my concentration on it. :readingtwo:

Me too.

[Adam]

I don't like audiobooks. I don't think I could ever get into them. There is something about holding a book and reading the words and having the images painted in my head. I love the smell of books, turning the pages. I just love reading. I love books and I would rather read :D

[Kell]

I just love reading. I love books and I would rather read :DMe too - but when I can't have a book in my hand, an audio book isn't as bad as I thought it would be. And it means I can walk down the street without crashing into people.

Well, without crashing into as many people. :lol:

[SteffieB]

Janet - I listen to mine on my iPod, but I agree, sometimes you get a dodgy reader - but you have to remember they're just regular punters like you and me, not professionals, and they volunteer, rather than get paid. There are some readers on there who are excellent - there's a guy called Chip who has an amazingly expressive voice.

I listen to a lot of audio books, since I have a commute to school (it makes the time go SO MUCH FASTER), and I think there are quite a few professional readers -- like George Guidall (not sure if that's how he spells it) who always reads for Tony Hillerman, and even Jim Dale of the Harry Potters. It's not uncommon to catch an actor reading, too, especially Broadway actors. There are definitely styles I like...and styles I don't like. And it's true if I lose my train of thought I have to find my spot again and start over:smile2: But I think I do that with books, too.

Is this a particular type of audio book that you're getting that has volunteers reading?

[Janet]

Is this a particular type of audio book that you're getting that has volunteers reading?
It is, and I do appreciate that they are volunteers, but there is something wrong about hearing 'Emma' read in an American accent. I don't mean to cause offence to anyone by that statement, but it's such a 'British' book that it just turned me off it straight away.

[scottishbookworm]

I bought an audio book it's "Exit music" by ian rankin

:readingtwo:

[The Green Fairy]

I've noticed a few members mentioning audio books on their reading logs and I wondered, since I'm pretty new to audio books (I've mostly listened to radio plays instead), which ones people have heard, which they would recommend, and if anyone downloads them from the internet at all - if so, which sites do you recommend? Do you prefer short stories, novellas or novels? Classics or contemporaries? Tell me all - I want to know so I can fill my ipod up with good reading!

Kell, I am a member of audible.co.uk. You pay a monthly fee and can download one or two 'books' a month for that. Any additional ones that you require (special offers etc) and you pay the cost of the book. They have a huge range and, if you sign up for a year you get a free i-pod!

[Icecream]

I have just read The Bookseller of Kabul, and it was OK, but the reader really was awful at times. Her accents were terrible, but the indian ones were not as bad as the american one. She just didn't read as the text would sound in real life. It sounded far too pretentious. The narration was OK mostly, but the speech was not.

[Purple Poppy]

I have membership of audible too, which means you can get modern titles, rather than the older ones that are in the public domain. I always look forward to downloading my audio books as there is lots of choice. However, I would agree that sometimes the narrators are not as could as they could be. Some are just right, but others seem to misunderstand the the text and don't use the right inflections etc. But overall, I like listening to books. It means I can draw or paint, or make my cards, or even do the ironing, at the same time.
Pp

[Fay]

My Mum bought Lauren the a collection of Roald Dahl books, which covers 27 CDs.

I have to say I was a little dissapointed in the two we have listened to so far - The Twits and The BFG. It didnt hold Laurens attention for long. I think you have to have read and understood the stories before listening to them, we could have done with the books to read along at the same time. The illustrations may have helped Lauren along a little...well she is only six, so maybe I will keep them to one side until she is a little older.

[Icecream]

I miss audio books since The Bookseller. I love holding a book and turning each page, feeling the world in my hands as I immerse in it, but with me not having much time at the moment for reading it was great to grab some time with a book whilst getting ready in the morning.

[The Library Nook]

Me and OH have ordered each other MP3 Players for each other as our christmas present (waited for the Jan sales lol) so we can listen to music when we go running and to the gym. However I want to use mine for listening to audiobooks as well and was wondering whether anyone has any recommendations of the best sites and places to get them?
Thanks for reading!

[The Library Nook]

Thanks for digging this out for me:)

[rosegarden]

I can recommend http://librivox.org/ :D

They have lots of books that are in the public domain and they are all read by volunteers.

Carole
:jump:

[The Library Nook]

Thanks I explored that last night and bought some from audible. Oops I can feel lots of money being spent lol!

[lovesreading06]

my library is doing cd talking books. I just reseved the tape veriosn of it, first books of harry potter. ( i read the book but that was a few years ago)

[fireball]

Audio Books are pretty interesting things, it of course helps of course having a good reader who's good a doing voices.

But more importantly so, for those who are blind or dyslexic.

Sadly since the demise of oneword, I came across a new onewordish type radio station, which you can listen on either Real Player or Windows Media Player. It's called Audio Book Radio : http://www.audiobookradio.net/

I find that whether you've read the book the reader brings to it something to the book/story that one may have missed.

[fireball]

Listening to a powerful story at the moment.
Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, which I downloaded a few weeks back, by God! it's some powerful writing.

And it's true and as relevant now more then ever.

WILL we EVER learn?....sadly I think not, we've troops where they've no bleedin business being, and for what, supporting a lunatic president,
and we've got body-bags enough. Enough IS a enough I say.

Bring our lads home....while their alive. NOT in body-bags. :(

[The Library Nook]

I can't decide what to get as my download this month on audible:( Any recommendations? Was thinking of something non-fiction but it needs to be a good voice if you get what I mean lol!

[mattjg01]

I listen to a lot of audiobooks on my drive to and from work. I used to travel by train and read on the way so audiobooks make up for the lost reading time.

I always read when I go to bed to help my mind calm down and relax, and then have an audio book playing to help me drift off to sleep. I've been listening to them since I was a child, I often woke up during the night and I'd put on a tape (Worzel Gummidge or Superted:mrgreen:) to help me get back off to sleep.

When I first got together with my wife she was used to going to sleep in silence and took a while to get used to the sound of the audiobook. Now she can't get to sleep without it:lol:

[papillon]

I've started adding a lot of audio books to my list, as well as having sight problems I find them very relaxing, especially when listening to a good reader and, lovesreading, you can get them from your library, so no added expense. I've just finished the first four of Bernard Cornwall's Saxon Series read byTom Sellwood, his voice is so remarkably right for the character that reading book five "Sword Song" (this book not yet available in audio) just isn't the same.

If you love history with a bite, tales of vikings and saxons, heroes and legends, Bernard Cornwall is a master of this genre.

Another of my favourite readers is Lorelei King reading Patricia Cornwell Scarpetta books.

[The Library Nook]

I decided on the new Bill Bryson about Shakespeare:)

[fireball]

Thanks for that a. b i t l. Just a reminder ladies have any of you listened to the rather nice audio Radio station : http://www.audiobookradio.net/ a go.? And if you have, what do you think of it, no, it is not Oneword but it's a good substitute.
:mrgreen:

[Pilgrim]

I had trouble finding a good audio book to listen to at work when I'm doing repetitive things because sometimes the work would take me away from the book and I'd lose the story - very bad for Pratchett and Fforde where every word is critical, in my opinion. However, I discovered All Creatures Great and Small is perfect. Just a nice bunch of stories that knock around in your head and don't require a lot of thought. Interesting.

[Thistle Do]

Never really enjoyed Audio books, until i got my ipod :D now walking the dog etc is great, Not to mention quite times at work :blush:

I'm building up quite a library on it, plus its not costing much as i'm picking up audio book CDs from Charity shops and ebay, and adding to ipod *free* via itunes :smile2: