Audiobooks discussion

I'm starting this month alternating between a Librivox recording of Korea and Her Neighbours: A Narrative of Travel, with an Account of the Recent Vicissitudes and Present Position of the Country by Isabella Lucy Bird, and the first in a series: The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow.

Bird ha several good recordings at Librivox!

I'm finishing up The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley. The narrator's careful reading has grown on me and I'm enjoying the story. It's a bit of a detective type story with the main character attempting to certify the legitimacy of a claimed marriage that was done in secret, when the witnesses already died. Takes place in Scotland in 1707 looking back to the late 1600's.

Chrissie wrote: "Bird ha several good recordings at Librivox!"

I'm not liking the Austrian narrator a lot though, as she often mis-pronounces words, as though guessing at ones that are new to her.

I'm in the middle of Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, read by Kate Reading and Wil Wheaton. The story is a nice steampunk/zombie adventure in an alternate America in which the Civil War has lasted a long time.

I know Reading is a popular narrator, but something about her pacing is a bit irritating to me.

The Kaiju Preservation Society was amusing as I expected. It starts out in March 2020 when our hero loses his corporate job and is reduced to delivering food during the pandemic. But it turns out there is a scarier place than NYC. I really liked the afterword where Scalzi writes about how he came to produce this book.

I'm almost done with Amy Poehler's Yes Please, which I am listening to as an audiobook, and I have just started Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians.

Also on my TBR for April is Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, It's in His Kiss, and the seventh Bridgerton book by Julia Quinn, The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix.

i started april still listening to Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty - if you want the gory details about the opiod epidemic and the comapny behind it this is the book for you - i'd previously read dopesick which was more about the people suffering addiction - this is solely about the sackler's

i'm also listening to Heart of Stone which i dug out of my audible archives - paranormal romacne with a gargoyle

John wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Bird ha several good recordings at Librivox!"



I'm not liking the Austrian narrator a lot though, as she often mis-pronounces words, as though guessing at ones that are new to her."

Thanks for the warning. What a shame!

Recapitulation by Wallace Stegner - 4* - My Review

In this book, Wallace Stegner returns to one of his characters from The Big Rock Candy Mountain. The audio book is very nicely read by Mark Bramhall.

The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly - 3* - My Review

The audio book is nicely read by Dick Hill. His gravelly baritone fits this type of novel, and his characters’ voices are very well done.

The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness would be a great read for someone who is suffering from a mysterious chronic disease. I have a friend who suffered from Lime Disease and had to do early retirement. I'll recommend her to read this book. However, it became a bit repetitive and she could have used more editing.

I just finished Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler. It was very interesting and kind of weird. I enjoyed it immensely though.

Now I am starting Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I liked his previous books Artemis and The Martian and it won the Goodreads Sci-Fi Award for last year, so I expect it to be decent.

I finished up Empire of Pain - it’s getting one of my rate 5 stars

Waiting on The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois to pop in the library tonight/tomorrow (‘be been delaying the borrow because I had empire of pain out)

Doug wrote: "I just finished Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler. It was very interesting and kind of weird. I enjoyed it immensely though.

Now I am starting [book:Project Hail Mary|544934..."

I don't think you will be disappointed in Project Hail Mary. It starts out a bit slow, but there is a great shift in the middle, which takes it to a whole new level.

Starting the month off with What Happened To The Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline narrated by, Edoardo Ballerini

Incredibly detailed cradle-to-grave biography of George Washington which gives the reader a good idea of what he was like as a person:
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow - 5* - My Review

The 42+ hour audio book is nicely read by Scott Brick.

It seems Stendhal isn't for me. I am glad The Charterhouse of Parma is over. Court intrigues, swooning romances and such are not my cp of tea.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I am reading Carry the Wind by Terry C. Johnston. I have never heard if this before, but it has a high rating. I am looking for something different from the last. It is free for Audible-UK-Plus members.

The Things Our Fathers Saw: The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation from Hometown, USA-Voices of the Pacific Theater by Matthew A. Rozell - 4* - My Review

In the 1980s-1990s, high school history teacher Matthew A. Rozell assigned a project to his students to interview WWII veterans. The accounts are from people who lived in the area surrounding Glen Falls, New York, which he calls “Hometown USA.” The results from this assignment, along with the author’s additional research, have been compiled into a book. This volume highlights “voices from the Pacific” and contains veterans’ stories from Pearl Harbor, Bataan, Midway, Corregidor, Guadalcanal, Burma, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, Peleliu, Okinawa, and prisoners of war in various locations. I am glad these personal narratives have been documented and preserved for history.

The audio is competently read by Sean Runnette and Hillary Huber.

I finished Nine Perfect Strangers a while back and realized I never updated here! Too busy (not a good thing). I enjoyed the book but actually think this might be one better seen (TV show) than read??? Liked it but didn't love it - strange that the epilogue was my favorite part.

Now I'm on The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I see it has mixed reviews but so far I'm pretty engaged.

Finished this follow-up to Olive Kitteridge:
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout - 3 stars - My Review

The audio book is nicely narrated by Kimberly Farr.

This book is not a detailed biography of King or Kennedy, nor is it a complete history of Civil Rights; however, it touches on many important issues that are still relevant today. I think this book provides a good starting point for those who have not read extensively about Kennedy, King, or Civil Rights. It is also beneficial for understanding the history of race relations in the United States.

Kennedy and King: The President, the Pastor, and the Battle over Civil Rights by Steven Levingston - 4* - My Review

The audio book is read nicely by Dan Woren. He employs various accents, some of which are more effective than others, but overall, I think it adds to the experience.

Almost done with Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega narrated by, Cyrina Fiallo it's really cute!

Finished this book with spiritual leanings:
The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom - 3* - My Review

Mitch Albom is one of those few authors who can do a good job of reading his own work.

Finished What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia and yes I had a wrong perception about Appalachia because of the portrayal by the media etc.. I haven't read Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis but the author was very critical about Vance's generalization of Appalachian people based on "his" experience. The author says now there are more blacks and latinos in Appalachian areas but Vance made it sounds like there are only White "ScottsIrish" in Appalachian areas.

It's a short book so I recommend to check it out.

Now I'm listening to Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, which is my book club choice. It's a nonfiction book but the storytelling is very good so far.

I am enjoying Murder at Queen's Landing, 4th in the Wrexford & Sloane series. I think that is one of several that John turned me onto. There are many great continuing characters. The stories often include science of the time, such as alchemy, or in this case, the attempt to create a calculating machine.

Kaoru wrote: "Finished What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia and yes I had a wrong perception about Appalachia because of the portrayal by the media etc.. I haven't read [book:Hillbilly Ele..."

Say Nothing, also by Keefe, is excellent. If you have not read it, I do recommend it.

Narrative non-fiction about the wealthy Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and the sale of OxyContin, that directly contributed to opioid crisis. This book provides a classic example of what can happen when a private company goes unchecked. The checks and balances that were supposed to prevent this type of abuse failed due to corruption and greed. It would make great material for a class in business ethics on what not to do.

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe - 4* - My Review

The author reads the audio book, and does a very nice job!

Chrissie wrote: "Bird ha several good recordings at Librivox!"

Love that Librivox on Youtube. Wish I had found it sooner.

So finished John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley loved it.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Working on Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I very much dislike the treadmill, so I rejoice whenever I find an audiobook that takes my mind off what my feet are doing. The following are generally not great books, but, in the last few months, listening to them definitely helped me not notice the time while walking on the beast:

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
The Wild Silence
I also recommend listening to the first book, The Salt Path
State of Terror
The Lincoln Highway
The Four Winds

Chrissie wrote: "Say Nothing, also by Keefe, is excellent. If you have not read it, I do recommend it"

Aww I have the book in my TBR! I don't know where I saw it, probably here :)

Joy D wrote: "Narrative non-fiction about the wealthy Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and the sale of OxyContin, that directly contributed to opioid crisis. This book provides a classic example of what can happen..."

I'm listening it now. I agree, the author's doing a great job narrating it. I enjoy the storytelling aspect of the book but not the way Sackler family manipulated the marketing/advertising to push addictive medicines.

I'm wrapping up the audiobook of Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball this morning, before a 2:10pm start for game 4 of the 2022 season. Still giddy about yesterday's game, Cleveland's bats came to life and knocked the stuffing out of Kansas City's pitching. This book has also been illuminating; I'm slowly getting into more baseball history books, and Satchel Paige is my new baseball hero.

I really enjoyed Carry the Wind by Terry C. Johnston. Now I understand why it's a proze-winner.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

There is an added bonus--it's free for Audible-UK-Plus members, as are the next two books in the series!

I have begun Rumpole of the Bailey by John Mortimer. Why? Because I enjoyed the author's Paradise Postponed. The humor is quite British. Some of the expressions and humor I don't understand.

Starting Dig Two Graves by Gretchen McNeil narrated by, Chelsea Stephens

Amy wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Bird ha several good recordings at Librivox!"

Love that Librivox on Youtube. Wish I had found it sooner."

Oh well, at least now you know--better late than never.

Joy D wrote: "Narrative non-fiction about the wealthy Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and the sale of OxyContin, that directly contributed to opioid crisis. This book provides a classic example of what can happen..."

we talked about the Sackler's in my Influence Warfare class - because as horrific as their behavior was - they used a lot of techniques that people would describe as successful

Dee wrote: "we talked about the Sackler's in my Influence Warfare class - because as horrific as their behavior was - they used a lot of techniques that people would describe as successful."
Yes, that's why I think it is an excellent resource and learning tool for business classes on what not to do. In this case, it did not help that they were offering positions to those who were supposed to be watchdogs.

I'm most the way through Sister Stardust by Jane Green. The narration is good but I'm not enjoying the story line overall. With less than three hours left, I'll finish it.

Also, listening to AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future by Kai-Fu Lee & Chen Qiufan. It's a mix of non-fiction and fiction. So far the fiction section isn't the best quality, forced plot with bad analogies. The non-fiction is repetitive, making this a longer book than needs be. I'll keep going for a bit longer, not sure about finishing it.

4 stars to Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball, read very nicely by Leon Nixon.

Joy D wrote: "Dee wrote: "we talked about the Sackler's in my Influence Warfare class - because as horrific as their behavior was - they used a lot of techniques that people would describe as successful."
Yes, t..."

we honestly see that - people getting positions of influence when they retire from the military - these 3/4 star general's/admirals retire and go work for high powered consulting firms that have DoD contracts - there is a bill before congress right now that would make these companies declare conflicts of interest - in part because Kinsey consulting role in purdue pharma

Kaoru wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Say Nothing, also by Keefe, is excellent. If you have not read it, I do recommend it"

Aww I have the book in my TBR! I don't know where I saw it, probably here :)"

Don't put it off; you'll kick yourself for having waited.

Amy wrote: "So finished John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley loved it.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Working on Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
https:/..."

You've got some really great books there!

Joy D wrote: "Narrative non-fiction about the wealthy Sackler family, Purdue Pharma, and the sale of OxyContin, that directly contributed to opioid crisis. This book {Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty] provides a classic example of what can happen..."

All of you have talked me into listening to this book next!

I'm finishing three audio books today, 1066: The Great Courses by Jennifer Paxton, The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn and A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley.

I recommend The Wild Silence, but you should listen to Winn's The Salt Path first.

Not your typical detective story and I enjoyed it more than expected:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - 4* - My Review

I listened to the audio book, very nicely performed by Caroline Lee.

Dee wrote: "we honestly see that - people getting positions of influence when they retire from the military - these 3/4 star general's/admirals retire and go work for high powered consulting firms that have DoD contracts - there is a bill before congress right now that would make these companies declare conflicts of interest - in part because Kinsey consulting role in purdue pharma."

I am glad to see that something being done about the issue.

Joy D wrote: "I am glad to see that something being done about the issue."

i wish i could believe it'll be successful but i highly doubt it will - you can see that in how the sackler's manipulated their one appearance before congress prior to oxy's release - its why the "war on drugs" will never end because they can demonize illeal drugs while getting kickbacks from legal ones that are more dangerous even though they are "legal"

I've started Villette by Charlotte Brontë, read by Nadia May.

A creative take on time travel, four characters are living hundreds of years apart. They experience a breach in the space-time continuum. Major themes are time, pandemics, and the nature of reality.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel - 4* - My Review

The audio book is nicely narrated by a cast:
- John Lee reads Remittance
- Dylan Moore reads Mirella and Vincent
- Arthur Mori reads Bad Chickens and Anomaly
- Kirsten Potter reads Last Book Tour on Earth