I decided to try an audio book and i hate it

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by Gazella

If you don't mind my asking, who's the narrator for the Harry Potter books you're referring to?

Jim Dale in the US, and Stephen Fry in the UK version.

oops - this was answered already. I should finish reading the thread before I reply.

[citac]

Speaking of narrators, has anyone listened to Tom Hiddleston narrate The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner? I thought he did a great job, enough to make me look up some of his other work (he did several BBC plays, Shakespeare sonnets and The Kingdom of Earth by Tennessee Williams). If he ever does another audio book, I would definitely buy it.

[pagansoul]

I have some TOURCHWOOD audio books. I like them because the actual actors are the readers on the ones I have. I also have the entire collection of the BBC Theatre Sherlock Holmes which are very good. Something else that made for good audio is Ken Burns Jazz series read by LeVar Burton.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by meeera

The low bandwidth used to frustrate me, so I avoided audiobooks. I discovered their usefulness when I had an active toddler/preschooler who always wanted to be "Outside! Outside!", so we spent long hours at the park. I had to keep my eyes on him while I sat and he played - you gotta love the suicide years - but this way I could read a book at the same time.

I find them very useful for when I have to push a child on a swing. Children can swing for a very, very long time.

[ghostyjack]

I don't mind listening to audio books, but I sometimes just can't get into them. Audio drama's though are a different kettle of fish.

I've got both the unabridged Lord of the Rings audio book and the abridged BBC Radio audio dramatization of it. The radio drama is a lot more easier to follow and keeps me gripped for more! The unabridged audio book can sometimes bog me down.

So if I'm going to listen to a story, I'll see if there is an audio drama version available first.

That one good thing about the BBC, they do tend to do loads of very good audio dramas.

[Laine]

I love to listen to audio books when I'm knitting or sewing. If I'm just sitting still, like on a train journey, I prefer my ereader.

I second the recommendation of BBC dramatisations. They did some Simon Brett books starring Bill Nighy that my husband and I love.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ghostyjack

I don't mind listening to audio books, but I sometimes just can't get into them. Audio drama's though are a different kettle of fish.

I've got both the unabridged Lord of the Rings audio book and the abridged BBC Radio audio dramatization of it. The radio drama is a lot more easier to follow and keeps me gripped for more! The unabridged audio book can sometimes bog me down.

So if I'm going to listen to a story, I'll see if there is an audio drama version available first.

That one good thing about the BBC, they do tend to do loads of very good audio dramas.

My thoughts too. I'll take a dramatized version over a straight read any day.

I have both the BBC and NPR versions of TH/LOTR.

Love BBC Radio 4 & 4 extra

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Laine

I love to listen to audio books when I'm knitting or sewing. If I'm just sitting still, like on a train journey, I prefer my ereader.

I get horrible motion sickness if I try to read while on a train. Another plus for audiobooks for me.

[ApK]

I do enjoy good straight readings of unabridged novels, but speaking of dramatic performances:
The NPR Radio Play of Star Wars is my favorite piece of audio performance, period.
It's also possibly my favorite piece of Star Wars media, perhaps even taking the number one spot from the original movie.

The radio plays of the "Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" are entertaining enough, but worlds behind the awesomeness of the original.

ApK

[auntykatkat]

I agree that more than one book might be needed to try. The narrator is the most important thing as everyone has said, but I want to put this something new out as well.

I believe that the preference for audiobooks or books is based on what type of learner you are. There are audio or visual learners. This probably plays the most important role is a person's choice. But, like everything else you can train your brain to except the other as well. My son was dyslexic so I have had to so so of that training to help him through school. As someone else said, how about reading along with the book. I would try at least four books before giving up on them. IMO

[BearMountainBooks]

I don't really enjoy audio either. When I go on car trips, I'll take along an audio book or two, but I always find myself wanting to 'read faster.' They're okay for the car since I'm driving. But I usually end up buying the book to finish it because I'd just rather read!!!

I did enjoy Westlake's Put a Lid on It. There was another one that was good for the car...kind of a stand up comedy thing...Who's your Caddy? But be warned. There were some very vulgar parts. It's an interview piece done with various golfers and it's mostly hilarious, but one or two of the golfers was foul (John Daly, I'm talking about you.) in the extreme.

[caleb72]

I've been thinking of trying out audio books for a while. I did have one attempt but it just made me want to fall asleep for some reason and that was while driving (Ooops).

However, I do spend quite some time crocheting and it might be a good idea to try listening while working. Strangely enough I'm probably more focused while crocheting than when driving. Don't worry, I won't ask any of you to be a passenger in my car with me.

My main strategy with audio books is to try some of the bigger (as in size) classics and knock them off at a time when I'm not actually able to read. Books like Moby Dick, Great Expectations and Les Miserables. But I just hope I don't lose focus and fall on my crochet hook or anything.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by magicmonster

Try graphics audio they have great audio dramas. They advertise as movie for your mind.

I strongly agree about audiobooks from "GraphicAudio." I purchased the audiobook for the comic book series "Infinite Crisis" and found it an excellent listen. Although I have the story in comic book form and as a novel, I find the audiobook the best of all. This audiobook lives up to it being a "movie in your mind.

Although "Infinite Crisis" might seems a bit confusing as an audiobook due to the number of characters (and featuring two versions of the following characters: Superman, Wonder Woman, Superboy, and Lex Luthor), a combination of the large number of performers (more than 25) and the excellent performances by each makes for a very involving story.

I've been listening to audiobooks for years and have found them an excellent way to enjoy books, especially in circumstances where it's not practical to read the book. But a factor in how enjoyable they are is the person doing the narration.

As an example, I've been listening to the unabridged audiobook of "Atlas Shrugged" and the narrator (Scott Brick) does an excellent job of bringing the book to life. Despite it read by one person, he does a great job of giving each character in the book a distinctive voice.

Another excellent audiobook series is "Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events." Tim Curry does the narration on most of the audiobooks (Lemony Snicket does the narration on the other books) and he does an excellent job. Like with Scott Brick (see above), he does a great job of bringing the characters to life.

[amward]

Originally Posted by caleb72

However, I do spend quite some time crocheting and it might be a good idea to try listening while working. Strangely enough I'm probably more focused while crocheting than when driving. Don't worry, I won't ask any of you to be a passenger in my car with me.

A male crocheter? (At least I think you are) Way to go! I listen a lot while quilting, knitting, crocheting and even when I'm doing housework.

My experience with audio books is that it's better to err on the lighter side rather than something very literary, you do sometimes miss a bit with noise, people speaking to you before you can turn it off etc. It's not always so easy to go back and pick up, so for me I'd rather be listening to something that doesn't require too much concentration

[owly]

A tip when it comes to Librivox. When you search for books go to More Search Options https://catalog.librivox.org/visitor_advanced.php there you can choose if you just want books with a solo reader.