The History Book Club discussion

This is the thread to discuss some of your favorite audiobooks and why.

Tell us a little about what made this such a special listen.

Michael Chabon

This audiobook was absolutely fabulous. Peter Riegert narrated the audiobook of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union, which was nominated for a 2008 Audie Award in literary fiction. He also read the stories of Raymond Carver. I thought that he became the man of a thousand voices by the end of it. Chabon masterfully wove quite a tale. I believe that I had a better experience listening to this book narrated by Peter Riegert than I would have had on my own.

A-

by Melvyn Bragg

I found this an excellent as an audiobook as it's easier to hear differences in accents and languages rather than read them. A must read for those interested in the birth and development of our language.

I have never listened to that book. Is that on audible?

Hi Bentley here is a link to it :)

http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?...

That actually sounds great. Thank you for the link.

I find I like the audio book more when the reader can give a distinct personality to each character beyond the story in the book.

Also, I recently listened to by Joe Hill

I understand that he did the narration as well. It is nice when the author, who knows how it should sound, can communicate that to the reader as well.

I agree Erick...what I like about audiobooks aside from the convenience of them in turns of sports, driving, commuting and the like is that they really are almost a separate art form (the old oral interpretation type programs some of us were exposed to).

It is like listening to a play. I also love it when the narrator can give a distinct sound and personality to each character. I imagine that is why our grandparents used to listen to the Lone Ranger and other programs glued to their radios. It has the same feel I imagine.

Hi Michael, I have to agree with Bentley, that does look like an interesting title.

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Erick, that is indeed something that I find to be rare when dealing with author read fiction. Nonfiction isn't such an issue as most nonfiction is just "straight read" - However, comedy lends itself to author read narration quite well too.

Jason, I just finished Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union (audiobook) narrated by Peter Riegert and loved Riegert's style and how he handled the various characters (both male and female). Did you happen to get to listen to that book. Great.

Michael Chabon

Bently - I actually have it in my Audible queue after you mentioned it the other day, however I haven't listened to it yet.

Be interested to hear how you liked it.

Composed: A Memoir Rosanne Cash

This one is read by the author and as it is a memoir/biography the author's own voice adds a lot to the experience. I really enjoyed this. It was recommended to me; I would never have picked it up on my own.

John Adams David McCullough

I decided to pick this one up because I saw the miniseries starring Paul Giamatti. (The first installment or 2 of the series is great, then it loses some steam.)



It is well read, but quite long. I am about 75% done and am enjoying it. I have learned a lot. I discovered that the miniseries took quite a few liberties with his story and introduced some inaccuracies.

Listening to by Jon Lee Anderson at the moment. I am really enjoyiing it, a very well researched book and well read.

The Saturdays Elizabeth Enright

This is a very well read children's book with a fun story line.

The Borrowers Afloat Mary Norton

The Borrowers series is a British children's fantasy collection that is brilliantly read by Rowena Cooper Rowena Cooper

I love audio books but I'm careful about the non-fiction I read that way because I want the graphics and footnotes and appendices, etc.

Sometimes I do it anyway. I've read
by

and
by

I'm currently listening to
by

A fiction which is almost (I mean so close) to non-fiction and is incredibly good is
by truly superb

Oh and another one -

That second Alexander Hamilton book should have been Washington: A Life
by

sorry,
bekah

Garret wrote: "The Borrowers AfloatMary Norton

The Borrowers series is a British children's fantasy collection that is brilliantly read by Row..."


I would be interested in what you think of
by Melvyn Bragg

I thought it worked extremley well in audio format.

Has anyone listened to the following:

by Bill Bryson

http://www.npr.org/books/titles/13798...

It is narrated by Bryson and is supposed to be hilarious.

No I have it on my list though either Audio or paper or e-ink

Here is some more news:

Go to It! ‘Read’ While You Run

By Vicki Tomao

http://www.booksforbetterliving.com/2...

Source: Books for Better Living

Folks, what are your favorite audiobooks for 2017 and 2018?

Make sure to add book cover, by, author's photo and author's link.

Sample:

My most recent audio book was Devils's Bargain by Joshua Green.

by Joshua Green (no photo)

Let us know what you favorite audio books have been for this year or what you are listening to?

The Hunting Party (This audio has received good reviews)
Genre: Mystery, Fiction

by Lucy Foley

Synopsis:

Everyone's invited...everyone's a suspect...

For fans of Ruth Ware and Tana French, a shivery, atmospheric, page-turning novel of psychological suspense in the tradition of Agatha Christie, in which a group of old college friends are snowed in at a hunting lodge . . . and murder and mayhem ensue.

All of them are friends. One of them is a killer.

During the languid days of the Christmas break, a group of thirtysomething friends from Oxford meet to welcome in the New Year together, a tradition they began as students ten years ago. For this vacation, they’ve chosen an idyllic and isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands—the perfect place to get away and unwind by themselves.

They arrive on December 30th, just before a historic blizzard seals the lodge off from the outside world.

Two days later, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead.

The trip began innocently enough: admiring the stunning if foreboding scenery, champagne in front of a crackling fire, and reminiscences about the past. But after a decade, the weight of secret resentments has grown too heavy for the group’s tenuous nostalgia to bear. Amid the boisterous revelry of New Year’s Eve, the cord holding them together snaps.

Now one of them is dead . . . and another of them did it.

Keep your friends close, the old adage goes. But just how close is too close?

About the Audio version from Wired:

A modern murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, The Hunting Party sees a group of friends – Londoners, Oxford graduates, just the worst people – heading up to a remote lodge in Scotland for their annual New Year’s Eve get-together. But things quickly take a dark turn, and with the lodge cut off from the outside world, it’s up to the lodge’s only two staff to piece together what happened, while battling dark secrets of their own. It’s a fun, slightly ridiculous story – and you will probably hate some of the characters, but it works well for audiobook because the story switches between different characters, and each has their own voice actor. Just don’t listen to it if you’re somewhere remote.

Source: Wired