The Aussie Swap discussion

So as of late I have found myself always with an audio book in my car playing (no more radio for me lol) and another on my comp for when I am in my room.

Do you guys listen to Audio books? if so what are you into? and if not why?

I have NEVER listened to an audio book. I want to try one, but I'm scared I won't like it!!

Its actually kidna cool! Some narrators annoy me but i drive sooooo much that I usually get through a book a week and I just love it!

Sas, my suggestion is start off with books you have read before, its a good way to ease in

I believe the voice of the reader needs to be younger sounding tomatch that of Young Adult (e.g. Delirium audiobook - just heard a snippet of it and enjoyed it although I had read it). I don't like the old lady reading from Mockingjay etc. Because it just seems like Katniss is an old mind/soulin a young body.

Braiden do you listen to many??

I dunno sometimes I hate the voice and then I just kind of get used to it. I always think of it as someone just reading me a story. Like an old teacher or my parents LOL (from when I was a kid obviously lol)

No I don’t listen to many. Maybe once I get my license I will but no.

Ive juat finishee harry potter n the goblet of fire. Stephen fry is aweaome

I listen to a lot in the car. I prefer to listen to books rather than music, plus my trip to uni is an hour long, so I don't like wasting the time. Audio books I have read include -
Vampire Academy Series
Harry Potter Series
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

....and a few more that I can't think of atm. Some of the narrators are annoying and I hate the voices they use sometimes, other than that I think there are great!

Kylie I also think Stephen Fry is awesome! Such a great voice!

Ange, FINALLY SOMEONE WHO GETS MY AUDIO BOOK LOVE! hehe I drive at least 3 hours a day with uni and work and life so audio books are love and I fly though.

Stephen Fry is AMAZING! and I loved Saving Francesca in audio. I just finished 1 day by David Nicholls (so AMAZING!)

I definitely understand you love of audio books! I try to read whenever I can, and driving is no exception lol.

hehe! It is so calming too! I mean if I were on public transport id read, so this way I can read while driving

Very True! I get into the book while I'm driving and when I reach my destination I'm always disappointed that I have to stop listening.

haha Ange I am exactly the same :P Today I am starting the Time Traveller's wifa - via my car radio LOL

Cool =)... That's such a great book! But I wish I hadn't seen the movie before I read the book, still I enjoyed it.

I wasn't such a fan of TTW... maybe it's just me. I want to see the movie though...

where do you get audiobooks from?
i got the harry potter ones (I also think stephen fry is awesome), and the lord of the rings trilogy(that's coming with me on my trip on the weekend) they were a gift for my 30th birthday earlier this year from my grandparents, still not sure where they got them from.
I live in the western suburbs of melbourne and travel by bus and train every day to work. i'm only just starting to love audiobooks, but i'd love to be able to at least price them so i know if i'm paying too much or not. but i don't know anywhere....

Hi Adele, not sure what your closest library branch is, but I'm a member of the YPRL (Ivanhoe, Eltham, Watsonia, Lalor, Rosanna etc) and they have a decent range of audio books - I used to borrow the CDs and put them on my ipod. Also, YPRL has access to Overdrive, an online service which also has a lot of ebooks and audio books :)

Also, I noticed that at the closing down sales at a few Angus and Robertsons, they had quite a few Bolinda audio books which were going very cheap

All the angus and robertson's in my area are closed... even the borders store :o(
we have a dymocks and thats it for books stores in my area.
I 'll have to do my book shopping after work in the CBD, where there is more variety.

as much as i love big w to buy my books, i'm not going to be able to get Audio books from them!

I was surprised at how good the audiobooks are done. after all my only experience before the harry potter books, was the book and tape(i think i even have a book and vinyl record somewhere too). "when you hear this chime *ding* it's time to turn the page"
lol.

You can download them as well, from itunes and what not, and the bolinda website is also quite awesome but it can get pricey... i also found ebay AWESOME for audio books!

The Library! My local library has shelves of Audiobooks! We also have access to Overdrive and you can also check websites, i received an email few weeks back from a publicist saying they having YA Ausio Book month or soemthing!

Ooh, which pub if you don't mind me asking? I didn't think we got a lot of YA on audiobook here in Australia...

Ahhh I hang on lemme check my emails....*copy and pastes*

SYNC YA Literature into Your Earphones.

SYNC is back (hurrah) with 16 free YA & Classic Summer Reading audiobook downloads donated by the audiobook publishers.
http://audiobooksync.com/

First up? SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater and ROMEO & JULIET by William Shakespeare ready to download now at:
http://www.audiobookcommunity.com/pag...

There is a complete promo kit for brilliant bloggers here
(including option for text alerts on the program):
http://www.audiobooksync.com/info.html

And check out the full line-up...

SYNC Titles
Summer 2011

6/23/11 - 6/29/11
Shiver By Maggie Stiefvater
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

6/30/11-7/6/11
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
The Trial by Franz Kafka

7/7/11-7/13/11
Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster

7/14/11-7/20/11
The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Beowulf by Francis B. Gummere [Trans.]

7/21/11-7/27/11
Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

7/28/11-8/3/11
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
Rescue: Stories of Survival From Land and Sea by Dorcas S. Miller [Ed.]

8/4/11-8/10/11
Immortal by Gillian Shields
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

8/11/11-8/17/11
Storm Runners by Roland Smith
The Cay by Theodore Taylor

I used to try and listen to them on the train or bus but my attention would wander and I would miss part or lose track of what had happened. I find though when i am at the gym on the treadmill or bike that they are quite good to listen to. give me something else to focus my attention on other than the fact my legs are burning :P

i should go back to the gym..... but .. yeah

I should go to gym...but...yeah

Braiden, I second this!

whats a gym? what is this concept you speak of...lol ;o)
By the way.... my closest library was crap last time i went, but they have renovated, so things may have changed.
its very inconvienent to get to. so i really have to schedule time to not only get there but have a good browse as well. its on my list of things to do!!

I got two from the library and tried them out. Hoping they would be a success. But I couldn't stand it! There voices were flat, and boring. I don't think audio books are for me, either that or maybe it was just the author's voice, of the one's i chose.