What are we listening to? (audiobooks) - Page 88

Catlady · 07-30-2015, 10:27 AM

I was happy to find that Shirley Jackson's two hilarious books about her family--Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons--have recently been released as audiobooks. Both are narrated by Lesa Lockford.

I listened to the first and am partway through the second volume, and I'm enjoying them immensely, even to the point of laughing out loud. Lockford's narration is OK, but there's a bit of a disconnect with the voice in my head from previous readings of these books. I think she does especially well with the children's dialog.

It looks like there's been a push over the last few years to get all of Shirley Jackson's books rereleased (there's even a new posthumous collection due out soon), so I'm hopeful more audiobooks will follow.

CRussel · 07-30-2015, 03:13 PM

Good to know, thanks Catlady.

issybird · 08-01-2015, 09:43 AM

Last summer, I rather binge listened to the Aubrey/Maturin books while I was swimming. I always made myself listen to something else in between books, but it was frequently a very short something. Since I didn't want to blow through them all that quickly, I decided I needed to go on hiatus for a while at summer's end.

This week, I finally let myself listen to book seven, The Surgeon's Mate and as always it was sheer joy. Now I'm fighting the fight not to cue up the next book right away. I'm nearly through a short P.G. Wodehouse, but I think I should stretch out the interval a little more. But I've got The Ionian Mission on my player and I may crack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I was happy to find that Shirley Jackson's two hilarious books about her family--Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons--have recently been released as audiobooks. Both are narrated by Lesa Lockford.

I listened to the first and am partway through the second volume, and I'm enjoying them immensely, even to the point of laughing out loud. Lockford's narration is OK, but there's a bit of a disconnect with the voice in my head from previous readings of these books. I think she does especially well with the children's dialog.

It looks like there's been a push over the last few years to get all of Shirley Jackson's books rereleased (there's even a new posthumous collection due out soon), so I'm hopeful more audiobooks will follow.

I'm glad to hear of the Jackson books, which I have in print versions and are delightful. I really liked the Bernadette Dunne reading of Hill House and Castle and it seems a shame they didn't stick with her voice.

Marrella · 08-01-2015, 10:27 AM

I am halfway through Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman, read by the author. This is one of Gaiman's short story collections, and while the stories in collections can be hit or miss, Gaiman's performance makes them all very enjoyable to listen to.

Since I am in the mood for urban fantasy, I have also started Moonheart by Charles de Lint. I am merely two hours in at the moment, but so far, I am enjoying it.

CRussel · 08-01-2015, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Last summer, I rather binge listened to the Aubrey/Maturin books while I was swimming. I always made myself listen to something else in between books, but it was frequently a very short something. Since I didn't want to blow through them all that quickly, I decided I needed to go on hiatus for a while at summer's end.

This week, I finally let myself listen to book seven, The Surgeon's Mate and as always it was sheer joy. Now I'm fighting the fight not to cue up the next book right away. I'm nearly through a short P.G. Wodehouse, but I think I should stretch out the interval a little more. But I've got The Ionian Mission on my player and I may crack.

You do know that these books do quite well on a re-read, of course. No need to parse them out too thinly. But only on The Ionian Mission? How lovely to know you have 13 books to read in the series! And definitely including some of the most memorable scenes still to come.

issybird · 08-01-2015, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

You do know that these books do quite well on a re-read, of course. No need to parse them out too thinly. But only on The Ionian Mission? How lovely to know you have 13 books to read in the series! And definitely including some of the most memorable scenes still to come.

I do know they're very re-readable; in fact, after having read the first book only last year, I went back and listened to the Patrick Tull audio. And I wouldn't have let myself be pushed by an unnamed person into buying all the audiobooks, even the ones I'd already listened to, if I didn't contemplate re-listening!

(No buyer's remorse on that.) But nothing beats the first time and I want to spin it out.

And the books are so very, very good in the summer! You have no idea how long they keep me in the water.

Catlady · 08-01-2015, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm glad to hear of the Jackson books, which I have in print versions and are delightful. I really liked the Bernadette Dunne reading of Hill House and Castle and it seems a shame they didn't stick with her voice.

Two more Shirley Jackson audiobooks: The Lottery and Other Stories (multiple narrators) and The Witchcraft of Salem Village (Gabrielle de Cuir).

I listened to two nonfiction books--Sybil Exposed, by Debbie Nathan (narrated by Marguerite Gavin), and Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, by Stephen Rebello (narrated by Paul Michael Garcia).

Sybil Exposed offered the real story of Shirley Mason, the woman who purportedly exhibited 16 different personalities, who was the subject of the book and movie Sybil.

As a fan of Hitchcock, I enjoyed Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. The book started with more graphic detail than I needed to know about Norman Bates's real-life counterpart, but then focused on the writing of the book and then its transformation into a movie. It helped that I had recently reread the book and know the movie so well.

issybird · 08-01-2015, 06:08 PM

I'm listening to One Summer, written and read by Bill Bryson. I liked the early Bryson but had gone off him as a tad full of himself and prone to invention. But the subject matter of this one appealed to me and I figured there wouldn't be much of the personal element. However, the narration is dreadful. Bryson's voice is light and affected with a weird hybrid accent and his intonations are all wrong.

This is the second book I've listened to read by the author (Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein was the first) and never again. I may abandon this for the ebook, or at least switch between the two, so I can limit the time spent enduring Bryson's voice.

pwalker8 · 08-05-2015, 01:39 PM

Finished up the Quest for Saint Camber, by Katherine Kurtz. For me, it was the least satisfying of her books. It wasn't bad, per se, but it was kind of milk toast. Just started Methuselah's Children by Heinlein.

CRussel · 08-05-2015, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Finished up the Quest for Saint Camber, by Katherine Kurtz. For me, it was the least satisfying of her books. It wasn't bad, per se, but it was kind of milk toast. Just started Methuselah's Children by Heinlein.

I've got several of her books in my TBR, but haven't managed to get to any of them in a while. I need to move at least one of them up the list and see if I still enjoy her. Thanks for the reminder.

CRussel · 08-05-2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm listening to One Summer, written and read by Bill Bryson. I liked the early Bryson but had gone off him as a tad full of himself and prone to invention. But the subject matter of this one appealed to me and I figured there wouldn't be much of the personal element. However, the narration is dreadful. Bryson's voice is light and affected with a weird hybrid accent and his intonations are all wrong.

This is the second book I've listened to read by the author (Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein was the first) and never again. I may abandon this for the ebook, or at least switch between the two, so I can limit the time spent enduring Bryson's voice.

Bryson seems to read a lot of his own books, but fortunately there are usually alternate versions. I agree, authors should stick to authoring, and leave narration to the professionals.

pwalker8 · 08-05-2015, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I've got several of her books in my TBR, but haven't managed to get to any of them in a while. I need to move at least one of them up the list and see if I still enjoy her. Thanks for the reminder.

Her first series(Deryni Rising, Deryni Checkmate and High Deryni) is probably the best. Absolute classics.

pwalker8 · 08-05-2015, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Bryson seems to read a lot of his own books, but fortunately there are usually alternate versions. I agree, authors should stick to authoring, and leave narration to the professionals.

The best author/reader that I've run across is Simon Winchester. Great books and the author has a very good reading voice. Of course his books are non fiction and don't require multiple voices.

CRussel · 08-06-2015, 01:03 PM

I've heard some other authors, though none are springing to mind right now, but mostly it's a mistake and they should stick to what they do best. (And you're right, it's much easier to read non-fiction where you don't have to deal with multiple characters.)

Marrella · 08-06-2015, 01:54 PM

I usually don't care for author readings either, but I have just finished listening to Neil Gaiman reading his collection Fragile Things and found his voice quite addictive. Another author reading his own books is Stephen Fry, and he is absolutely wonderful.

Thanks for recommending Simon Winchester. I have looked at his books over at Downpour and was a bit hesitating because he is reading them himself. I really like his writing but haven't listened to one of his audiobooks yet.

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07-30-2015, 10:27 AM	#1306
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,419 Karma: 52613881 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I was happy to find that Shirley Jackson's two hilarious books about her family--Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons--have recently been released as audiobooks. Both are narrated by Lesa Lockford. I listened to the first and am partway through the second volume, and I'm enjoying them immensely, even to the point of laughing out loud. Lockford's narration is OK, but there's a bit of a disconnect with the voice in my head from previous readings of these books. I think she does especially well with the children's dialog. It looks like there's been a push over the last few years to get all of Shirley Jackson's books rereleased (there's even a new posthumous collection due out soon), so I'm hopeful more audiobooks will follow.

07-30-2015, 03:13 PM	#1307
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Good to know, thanks Catlady.

08-01-2015, 10:27 AM	#1309
Marrella Cambrian crab Posts: 2,918 Karma: 3229927 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Germany Device: Kindle, Pocket Book, Kobo, Sony	I am halfway through Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman, read by the author. This is one of Gaiman's short story collections, and while the stories in collections can be hit or miss, Gaiman's performance makes them all very enjoyable to listen to. Since I am in the mood for urban fantasy, I have also started Moonheart by Charles de Lint. I am merely two hours in at the moment, but so far, I am enjoying it.

08-01-2015, 06:08 PM	#1313
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,335 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I'm listening to One Summer, written and read by Bill Bryson. I liked the early Bryson but had gone off him as a tad full of himself and prone to invention. But the subject matter of this one appealed to me and I figured there wouldn't be much of the personal element. However, the narration is dreadful. Bryson's voice is light and affected with a weird hybrid accent and his intonations are all wrong. This is the second book I've listened to read by the author (Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein was the first) and never again. I may abandon this for the ebook, or at least switch between the two, so I can limit the time spent enduring Bryson's voice.

08-05-2015, 01:39 PM	#1314
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	Finished up the Quest for Saint Camber, by Katherine Kurtz. For me, it was the least satisfying of her books. It wasn't bad, per se, but it was kind of milk toast. Just started Methuselah's Children by Heinlein.

08-06-2015, 01:03 PM	#1319
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	I've heard some other authors, though none are springing to mind right now, but mostly it's a mistake and they should stick to what they do best. (And you're right, it's much easier to read non-fiction where you don't have to deal with multiple characters.)

08-06-2015, 01:54 PM	#1320
Marrella Cambrian crab Posts: 2,918 Karma: 3229927 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Germany Device: Kindle, Pocket Book, Kobo, Sony	I usually don't care for author readings either, but I have just finished listening to Neil Gaiman reading his collection Fragile Things and found his voice quite addictive. Another author reading his own books is Stephen Fry, and he is absolutely wonderful. Thanks for recommending Simon Winchester. I have looked at his books over at Downpour and was a bit hesitating because he is reading them himself. I really like his writing but haven't listened to one of his audiobooks yet.