All About Books discussion

A place to discuss our favorite audio books

My favorite audiobook is Doug Bradley's Spinechillers, Vol. 6. It's a pretty good one to listen to if you like classic horror short stories and a friend gave it to me as a Christmas gift one year so I love to listen to it in my CD player.

Here's one that really impressed me deeply this year, first because it is a great novel (actually a trilogy) and secondly because the narrator - the actor Anthony Heald - does a wonderful job: Shadow Country: A New Rendering of the Watson Legend

I always think the narrator is crucial to audiobooks. Some authors actually choose to narrate their own books.
Simon Brett is one, Michael Palin is another.

Off-hand though, I would say my favourite narrators are Timothy West for his marvellous narration of many Anthony Trollope novels, and Martin Jarvis for his multi-voiced renderings of Charles Dickens' characters - and also Richmal Crompton's "William" books.

Great idea, Katy!

I use audiobooks a lot. Out of ny 245 books this year, 40 are audiobooks.
I have to say that in Italy they're not so used, and libraries have only few titles. I generally use www.librivox.org, but as Jean was saying, the narrator is fundamental. Mill Nichols for istance is great

Over the past 18 months or so, I have become a real fan of audiobooks. I agree with Jean and Laura that the narrator is very important, but I also think that some styles of books work better in audio than others.

I find books can't be too complex in audio unless I have the book also either in print or as an ebook - I retain what I read much more than what I listen to. I have found it a great way for me to revisit books I read years ago though - I would never have reread Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights (both of which were group reads for me this past fall) but I enjoyed listening to them as audiobooks.

I have started using audible about six months ago and I love it. I love using it at night especially in my university flat, when I am too tired to do anything but I don't have a television to watch before I go to sleep.

I wholeheartedly agree with the narrator observation. I also think - like Leslie pointed out - that there are types of books that are more suitable for audio-adaptations, but I haven't yet really figured out a logic for myself, because it isn't so much about whether they are complex or not for me.

@Judy, I've just very recently listened to 'The Guernsey Literary and....' audiobook as well, but in my case it was the German version, which also had multiple narrators. I am not always a fan of that, but in this case it really suited the book. Really entertaining I thought.

I agree that different narrators can enhance the enjoyment of an audio book. Letters are often read in this way, which is probably why it was thought to be a good idea for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

In fact I think this is why I like actors to narrate a book, as they can use all their "voices" in a book and really bring it to life. When you feel as if you are hearing a character speak, rather than the actor reading their dialogue, then the actor has done their job well. The author themselves, or a "celebrity" may not necessarily have those talents :)

I think it is actually quite interesting how writers are often the worst narrators of their own books!

Jean - I do love narrators who are good at doing voices for the various characters! I am finding that quite helpful right now listening to War and Peace, as sometimes I don't recognize the name of the character but do recognize the voice!

Leslie wrote: ". I have found it a great way for me to revisit books I read years ago though"

Definitly one of my best way of rereading books I've loved. I listen to Anne of Green Gables books every other spring!

Leslie - that is a good point! It can actually help clarify a book too. You have to slow the pace down compared with the speed you normally read at, and as you say the voices will identify a character.

Actually I am very naughty as with my DAISY player (a wonderful device which means I can insert "bookmarks" and navigate around the audiobook too) there is a speed control. There is one reader of RNIB books who sounds....er...rather the worse for the Christmas season, shall we say, or maybe he is just sleepy! Anyway sometimes his voice gets so slow and drones on so much that I speed him up. Then he sounds just fine.

I wonder if whoever he lives with would like to be able to do that too!!

Jenny - Aren't they just? Unless they happen also to be actors!

I like audio books, my commute isn't really long enough to have one in the car though. I do find them quite expensive, unless obviously at the library. Where does everyone buy theirs?

Gemma wrote: "I like audio books, my commute isn't really long enough to have one in the car though. I do find them quite expensive, unless obviously at the library. Where does everyone buy theirs?"

I agree that they can be pretty expensive. I had an Audible membership for a while but couldn't keep up with it. WhisperSync deals where you "buy" the free Kindle book can give you greatly discounted prices on the audiobook (such as $0.99 instead of $15) and you don't need a membership to get these. Here is the link for the US:
http://www.amazon.com/www.amazon.com/...

I am big on the free offers though, and have picked up about 40 audiobooks that way! I can post here when I find these if you want (although some of the offers will be restricted to the US I am afraid).

I also use Librivox quite a bit for classics in the public domain.

Thank you to everyone for participating in this topic. I am an audio book newbie. I was always put off by the price. However, my brother has loaned me many audiobooks and now have an audible membership. I mainly listen in the car or when I workout. I often listen to non fiction books and think Edward Hermann is the best narrator. I recently finished Roots read by Avery Brooks which was one of my top 5 books of all time.

I just finished With The Old Breed. It was a memoir written by a combat veteran from WWII. Tom Hanks based his The Pacific mini-series on this book. It was written in a very clear style and made it easy to listening.

Listening to Barnaby Rudge by Dickens read by Mil Nicholson. Great reader!!!!

Laura - S/he will need to be! I must admit to falling asleep more than once during an unabridged reading of Barnaby Rudge ! Reading it on the page I found much better, however :)

LauraT wrote: "Listening to Barnaby Rudge by Dickens read by Mil Nicholson. Great reader!!!!"

I love her narrations! I'll keep that in mind when I get to reading Barnaby Rudge (which won't be anytime soon!).

For those unfamiliar with her, Mil Nicholson has several marvelous recordings of Dickens novels on Librivox (free recordings of books in the public domain) - I absolutely adored her Dombey and Son :)

Gemma wrote: "I like audio books, my commute isn't really long enough to have one in the car though. I do find them quite expensive, unless obviously at the library. Where does everyone buy theirs?"

I don't know if this is restricted to the US or not, but until 31 Jan. you can get the audiobook of Crime and Punishment for free - the offer details are here.

And the joint Amazon/Audible freebie this month is Arnold Bennett's How to Live on 24 Hours a Day. You "buy" the free Kindle book from Amazon, and then you can add the audiobook from Audible also for free.

I totally am an audiobook fan, I listen to them quite a lot at work when I do tedious repetitive stuff. Which I am doing often at the moment, so I am actually out of new titles.
Since many of you are London/UK-based, do you happen to have any suggestion about the best library to go to for audiobooks? Thanx!

Leslie wrote: "I don't know if this is restricted to the US or not, but until 31 Jan. you can get the audiobook of Crime and Punishment for free - the offer details are here."

AWESOME!!! Do you know if Downpour library is like Audible in that you can go back and download it anytime after you've been through the checkout? If so, they just totally stole a customer. Audible vexes me with their AA files and Dowpour is allowing me to download it MP3 or M4B which are particulary awesome for my iPod Shuffle--WOOT! WOOT! WOOT! THANKS A LOT!

Chuck wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I don't know if this is restricted to the US or not, but until 31 Jan. you can get the audiobook of Crime and Punishment for free - the offer details are here."

AWESOME!!! Do you kn..."

I think so, but you should check on the site itself...

Leslie wrote: "Chuck wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I don't know if this is restricted to the US or not, but until 31 Jan. you can get the audiobook of Crime and Punishment for free - the offer details are here."

AWESOM..."

Yeah, I found out you can.

The CRIME AND PUNISHMENT audiobook from Downpour is from Blackstone Audio, too. They do such a great job with the classics.

Leslie wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Listening to Barnaby Rudge by Dickens read by Mil Nicholson. Great reader!!!!"

I love her narrations! I'll keep that in mind when I get to reading Barnaby Rudge (which..."

Dombey and Son read by her is really great!

I have been a little addicted to audible lately, I normally use it for background noise while I'm working on my university essays.

Sandy, are you sure that the app is actually by Librivox? From what I understand they only have a website, but as their name isn't trademarked anyone can use it for an app and set charges as they see fit.

Sandy wrote: "It appears that Librivox is no longer entirely free. I downloaded A Doll's House to the iPad app. I could hear Act I free of charge, but Acts II and III have a $ on the line where the arrow should ..."

I've downloaded some books a month ago and they were totally free as usual.

It is true to get the Ipod app I had to pay a teeny bit, but that is so it goes on Itunes. Not a fee to Librivox, but instead to Itunes. You do not have to use an app, but it is easier.

Leslie and Greg know the most about this. They helped me, Sandy. I am still a beginner and had huge problems afterwards, but those problems could have multiple causes.

Sandy, I think Chrissie is right that Leslie or Greg will be able to help you more with this. I don't use LibriVox this way, so can't offer any advice, though I'd be interested to learn how to do it myself :)

Sandy, look under songs. I know, it is not easy to use Itunes with Librivox.......

Sandy wrote: "Thanks to everybody who is helping with my Librivox questions. I downloaded a file to iTunes and imported it to my iPad but now I can't find it on my iPad. Ho hum. Well anyway, I discovered that I ..."

Yay Sandy! Sorry I didn't respond on this thread earlier - somehow I missed it!

Sandy wrote: "It's okay, Greg. Still friends! :-)"

Definitely!! :)

Sandy, you can delete one!

Chrissie wrote: "Leslie and Greg know the most about this. They helped me, Sandy. I am still a beginner and had huge problems afterwards, but those problems could have multiple causes."

Sandy, sounds like you have figured out what you needed but feel free to message me if you want more help with Librivox and iTunes.

While we're on this subject, am I unable to get librivox to work because

a) I'm in the UK
b) I'm trying to use it from an iPad
c) because I'm technologically stunted
or
d) all of the above?????

Any help at all greatly appreciated! Apologies if I've already asked this somewhere else, my memory & concentration powers are at an all time low at the moment!

Hi Jakki, I think Leslie's way of doing it is actually the best, but the way I do it is fairly easy.

1. I went into iTunes on my iPod and purchased the Librivox Pro app for 99 cents (should be same for iPad). The free version had issues downloading for me; so I'd recommend spending the dollar - quite cheap! Doesn't cost money for books just a one time cost for the app.

2. Click on the app to open it

3. Click on the search box and type the name of the book you're looking for.

4. Click on the Download button (might have to click on the Download button next to each chapter).

After that the book is downloaded to your iPad so you can access it even when you don't have internet access.

The wifi is broken on my iPod now but that how I was doing it until then. Let me know if you have trouble!

Oops, cross posted with Leslie - it sounds like the app version she mentions is better! I often have to click a button next to each chapter to download it which is a little irritating. It works though. Sounds like the one Leslie mentions allows one click downloading which would certainly be nicer!

Double oops, yes Sandy it was you not Leslie! I seem to be a little out of it today :)

I will have to try the Himalaya Soft app! I haven't tried bookmarks with mine (might very well not have one) and the download by chapter can be cumbersome.

Greg wrote: "Double oops, yes Sandy it was you not Leslie! I seem to be a little out of it today :)

I will have to try the Himalaya Soft app! I haven't tried bookmarks with mine (might very well not have one) ..."

Yes, it was Sandy! I am not much of an Apple person. But on a sidenote, Greg, have you double checked whether your iPod hasn't accidentally had its wifi turned off (this happened to me once!)?

I did Leslie. Unfortunately it started happening after I dropped it. I tried checking the settings, reaquiring connection from scratch, and updating the OS. I suspect that the antenna was jarred loose internally by the impact. Probably easy to fix if the iPod were open, but iPods are glued shut so I need to go through a whole procedure to heat the glue enough to open it. Haven't decided yet whether I'm going to try to fix it myself or just replace it.

Hi guys,

I am new to audiobooks and would love a piece of advice from the ones who use to listen to them.

I've never really liked them but starting from September I'm going to have 5 hours commute (roundtrip) twice a week and my stomach doesn't really like it if I read when I'm on the bus. So I decided to try audiobooks, and I want to thank LauraT for letting me know Librivox through this thread. I also found this very nice website in case someone's interested: http://www.openculture.com/freeaudiob... There are only 630 audiobooks but it's nice because some of them are read from the authors themselves.

Anyway, what I wanted to ask is this: could you recommend a good but not very expensive device to listen to audiobooks? Which is the best one in your opinion? I have a very old iPod but I don't seem able to put audiobooks in the audiobooks folder, just in the music one, which means I won't be able to bookmark. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated!

Marina wrote: "what I wanted to ask is this: could you recommend a good but not very expensive device to listen to audiobooks? Which is the best one in your opinion? I have a very old iPod but I don't seem able to put audiobooks in the audiobooks folder, just in the music one, which means I won't be able to bookmark. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated! ..."

How old is your iPod? Mine is a 2nd generation iPod Touch -- dealing with iTunes is a pain but I am used to it now. Once the audiobook is imported into the music folder, you can switch it into the audiobooks folder. Go to "get info", select the "options" tab and you should be able to change the type from Music to Audiobook. I find it is also good to select the "spoken word" equalizer while I am at the Options tab...

I also listen on my android smartphone which is much easier to download onto (no more having to import everything into iTunes!).

I hope you end up enjoying your audiobooks once you get the technical aspects sorted out. It can be hard to concentrate at first so I would suggest choosing something that is not too demanding to start with.

Thanks for the info, Leslie! Mine is a 2nd generation iPod nano, and your instructions worked perfectly! Now I just have to wait until my next bus journey and see if it works, but it should anyway.

You're right to suggest I shouldn't start with anything too demanding, but there were so many books on LibriVox I couldn't decide which one I wanted to try... I have decided to try with The Marquise of O (in German) because it's quite short, less than 2 hours, and I've always liked Kleist. But I don't know that it's so undemanding... I will let you know how it goes!

Glad that my instructions worked out Marina. I am never sure how much detail to include. I'll be looking to see how it works out for you!

Marina wrote: "Anyway, what I wanted to ask is this: could you recommend a good but not very expensive device to listen to audiobooks? Which is the best one in your opinion? I have a very old iPod but I don't seem able to put audiobooks in the audiobooks folder, just in the music one, which means I won't be able to bookmark. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated! "

I recommend getting an iPod Shuffle. You can buy one at any Walmart for around $50. I've bought many of them over the years for various reasons (usually because they are SO SMALL-about the size of a matchbox--I end up losing them). Of course, you can buy mp3 players a lot cheaper than that--I've seen them in the dollar stores for as little as $10, but iPod Shuffles work flawlessly with iTunes, which you are going to want to use, and if you need technical help it will be a lot easier getting it if you have some sort of iPod. I really recommend the Shuffle, though. They only do audio and they're only 2 gigabytes, but it really is all you need for audiobooks. It's not unusual for me to have 5-10 novels or more on it at any one time.

Thanks, Chuck! I live in Italy so we don't have Walmart here, but I can buy it online or in another store. Also, 50 $ seems all right to me.

First I'm going to try with the audiobook I've downloaded, then if I like this way of reading I might certainly consider an iPod Shuffle.