are you into audio books?

[saliotthomas]

Three quarter of my reading is through audio books.Most of the days i listen to them while working,far more interresting than the radio.
So each of my paintings are related to a book or two,and when i look at them the story come back to me.
Some book gain a lot by the reading,usualy the simplest,the better.
There is also a wide choice of lecture by the teaching company that are truly excelent.It nice to alternate lecture and books.
It's also easier to go through some books you can't get to read.It was for me the case with Proust,i hade tried for years but gave up each time.Then i listen to"a la recherche du temps perdu" got hooked and love it.I could then go back to paper.
so any audi addicted around here?

 

[silverseason]

Three quarter of my reading is through audio books.Most of the days i listen to them while working,far more interresting than the radio.

I used to drive hundreds of miles to assignments, much of it on the New Jersey Turnpike and recorded books were my reward. Some I got from the local library and some I rented from a company called Books on Tape. (This was before MP3 players and downloaded books.)

I learned to avoid abridged books, which always made me suspicious they were leaving out what I would have wanted to hear. I also learned to avoid overly-dramatic readings. A clear, well-paced reader who could subtly suggest the different voices in a novel added a lot to the experience. Books on Tape had a reader who did all the John LeCarre books wonderfully.

I don't think recorded books would work as well for very complex literary stuff or philosophy, the kind of content where you need to keep flipping back to something you may or may not have previously understood.

 

[nickb]

I've never been able to get into audiobooks. I just have trouble following along with a voice outside of my head. I can kind of start to picture the novel in my mind if I lay back and listen with my eyes closed, but if I'm in that position I might as well just be reading. Oh well.

 

[BooknaMug]

I've only recently discovered the world of audiobooks and I've had good and bad opinions. For me it depends on the voice - I loved The Golden Compass with all the different voices for the characters. But I tried Empire by Orson Scott Card and didn't enjoy it as much. I'll continue to listen to them when I find ones I think I'll enjoy because I find it makes things like laundry and dishes just fly right by.

 

[blurricus]

For me it depends on the voice - I loved The Golden Compass with all the different voices for the characters.

I do a lot of driving. The audiobook versions of His Dark Materials are amazing. Read by the author...always the way to go (unless it's somebody you know can read it even better). I just finished listening to the second book, The Subtle Knife, after 10+ hours of driving.

I love audiobooks in all forms: philosophy type books, recorded lectures from mathmeticians and scientists, etc. I do a lot of running, skiing, roller blading, and other such activities that listening to these are perfect. You can split body and mind with it and concentrate a lot on what you're learning.

Generally when lifting weights, I just stick to short stories and such, but occassionally I break out certain sutras or lectures.

Sooooo, yes. I support audiobooks. They don't allow you to make the notes that some books require, but it is useful for times when you can't read it yourself.

 

[peyt]

Actually, I like the idea of audiobooks.
Dut the main problem is in my country there really POOR choice, that's why it's really difficult something interesting especially for you.

 

[PsychZero]

I, too, drive a lot and audiobooks are great! Sometimes when I just can't seem to get the book down by reading myself, an audiobook helps to pave the way.

I just recently used one to finish The Pillars of The Earth.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

Listening to the audiobook was actually the only way that I managed to finish Lolita. But it was narrated by Jeremy Irons so I will listen to anything he reads.

I haven't listened to them much lately though.

 

[sparkchaser]

On long drives, I love audiobooks.

 

[ewomack]

I really haven't given them a fair trial. When reading I like to pause or reread passages or just take some time to think about a paragraph. Though audio players now have pause buttons and other features it doesn't seem as flexible as text for intensely dynamic reading. I have listened to audio lectures, however, and really enjoyed them. I imagine it's mostly the same category of experience as an audio book.

 

[kathyNC]

I got into audio books after Christmas when I got a new IPod. Audible.com has a very large selection and the prices are good. Pillars of the Earth was my first, a huge undertaking. I'm listening to Main Street by Sinclair Lewis now and it's very good. I try to listen to books that I don't think I would ever actually read, but I prefer to read James Patterson and other "lighter" books.

 

[angerball]

No, but I've never really tried them. I have listened to university lectures on tape, and I find my mind just wanders. I think it would be the same with audio books. I need to be physically reading and turning the pages for it to sink in, I think.

 

[Gilgamesh]

While commuting, audiobooks make the traffic much easier to handle. And for my kids, I borrow audiobooks from a library and pop'em in the cd player, kids stay quiet. Don't need no games or t.v. in the car - t.v. invading into our cars

 

[HeraSee]

I think that audio books can be very useful when read by the author.

I listened to William S. Burroughs read Naked Lunch on tape, and the author's own voice gave me a new perspective on the book.

Sylvia Plath reading her own poems can be bone-chilling.

I usually prefer to read the book rather than listen to it, however audio books can be great for long driving trips, or through headphones on a bike. Audio books definately have their place.

 

[saliotthomas]

I think that audio books can be very useful when read by the author.

Sometimes but not always
-A star called henry by Roddy Doyle was excellent,
but The stranger read by Camus was not very good.!It was interesting but not very lively.
Hearts in Atlantis the first part read by william Hurt is thrilling,the segond part by king becomes flat and boring