Audiobooks discussion
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December

A favorite of mine, and of course, Ms. Porter narrates it perfectly. I'm trying to stretch out the series as long as I can.


Eight interrelated short stories featuring protagonist Brigadier Etiennne Gerard, an officer in the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He narrates tales of his escapades looking back on them many years later. Gerard is quite the hero – just ask him! The Brigadier is a great character. He is vain and a little pompous. He knows the emperor and has several tales that feature Napoleon himself. His more serious escapades are interspersed with comic interludes. It is full of delightful adventures, and I quite enjoyed it.
The audio book is nicely read by Rupert Degas. He does a great job with the voices of the Brigadier and I loved his Napoleon.




I love that series, too, and it was John who alerted me to it... thanks, John!



I listened to the sample on Libby and I feel like I might be better off reading this one in print. I like Carey's voice but she might be *too* soothing for me.




I loved that book Doug! It was my first by Heller and I have been trying to figure out if I want to try another.


The Sentence by Louise Erdrich - 4 stars - My Review
The audio book is read by the author. I am not sure why an author of the stature of Louise Erdrich would not hire a professional. She does an adequate job.

Started up Appleseed by Matt Bell for something completely different. Not far in and was getting very confused, so I stopped and read a few reviews. I understand there are three vastly different timelines, that helped! Now I'll continue on, but my desire to bail on it is tempting.

This is the last prompt for my 52 Book Club (Alternate History), so after this, I can read anything until 2022 starts LOL.
BTW I'm running a full marathon on Sunday and usually I listen to an audiobook while running, I don't think I will during the race, I may be distracted and my pace gets really slow (I'm slow to begin with). But all these days of training, I listened to many books and I'm very grateful for the companion (especially early in the morning in the dark).

You are not alone Kandice, I gave it 3 stars. I didn't get the rave about this book after listening to it.


The premise of the story is that the IRA has gone underground but is still active despite the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. It explores how far we will go to protect family and whom to protect when we cannot protect everyone. As a story of family, difficult decisions, and suspenseful situations, it is effective. However, I do not think the author sets up the historical context very well. She immensely oversimplifies the issues involved in The Troubles. It would have made more sense to set the story in the 1970s - 1990s. It reads like an alternate history, which is, perhaps, the author’s intent, but it should be made clear to the reader.
DISCLAIMER: I can find no evidence of this type of terrorism currently active in Northern Ireland - anyone living there please chime in, but I've checked the news. There are some border concerns related to Brexit but nothing like the level of activity described in this book. The author is American.
I listen to the audiobook, which is competently read by Katharine Lee McEwan. She reads in a low-key manner without much voice modulation.



I didn’t think that WWII bombing would interest me, but Gladwell tells a unique historical story which brings up the ethics of killing thousands of hapless city dwellers who just happen to be the enemy. There are racist elements to the excessive bombing of Japanese cities and villages, by General LeMay, that Gladwell does not acknowledge.
Now we are listening to a few episodes in the Tides of History podcast, which is free in the Audible Plus catalog.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Available free on Audible Plus.

I'm now listening to the best-selling novel The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides and narrated (partially) by Jack Hawkins. PLEASE, will someone tell me it's going to get more interesting soon? I'm close to giving up. It's not living up to the blurb: "a shocking psychological thriller."




It's funny but I introduced my nephew to the movie Field of Dreams just last week and the players all agreed not to let Ty Cobb play at the field because, paraphrasing, he wasn't a particularly nice person. Now I'm wondering if Hornsby was also second to Cobb in bad personality or if he finally beat him out in something. ;P


I think it might be difficult to argue that both Cobb and Hornsby were "difficult," that's for sure.

Thanks! I'm going to take your advice, Kathleen. ;-)

While it's not truly important, this story can't actually fall within the chronology of the main series, even though it tried to indicate that it does. No matter, it's always nice to get a good Christmas-themed story.

Now reading The Good Sister because it was only available immediately. Of course as soon as I started to read, other books I really wanted to read became available. Never fails.



The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - 3 stars - My Review
The audiobook is nicely read by Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland, and Dion Graham. It makes sense to have three narrators for three very different characters.

I just read it in print because my local book club picked it and I thought it was terrible, of course it's a thriller, which isn't a genre I like.


I'm sorry to say that it did NOT get more interesting for me.

I read this but I listed to the other 2 in the series - I loved them!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is thoughtful, well-written (not a surprise), sometimes humorous, and absolutely essential to understanding what has become a topic many now shy away from. He speaks with authority and reasoned logic about a topic that many of us today find it increasingly difficult to discuss. His arguments clarified much of what I have found irrational about modern discourse about race and he even has two final chapters that actually give some alternative action plans for addressing the problems outlined.
This book actually dovetails in a strange way with the book I read a week or two ago, Where Do We Go From Here? by Dr. David Jeremiah. While complimentary, they approach some common concerns from vastly different viewpoints. McWhorter comes from a secular point of view and, by describing Woke Antiracism as a religion, often presents other religions in a harsh clinical light--admittedly not always undeserved. He also has a clear political view that not all will agree with, but much of what he has to say is aimed at those who would share his politics, which makes his arguments all the more effective.
It isn't often that I read about a topic like this where the author speaks to me in such a profound way, clarifying what had previously seemed baffling and even irrational. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought about race in America. McWhorter at the very least provides food for thought even if you don't agree with his conclusions.

I knew he was black, and not what might be considered" progressive" but glad he's expressing his point of view.

I think McWhorter would describe himself as Liberal or Left of Center rather than Progressive, but he never actually says.

Agree with you. I get annoyed when a narrator changes too.

Now reading The Reckoning book two in this series and warming up to the series.
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On a lighter note, am going through M. C. Beaton's "Poor Relation" series, read by Davina Porter.