What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ApK

If Jules Verne had written the The Three Musketeers, it probably would have been some awesome Steampunk. Maybe that last movie (2011) would have been better.

I suspect the original poster knows that Dumas wrote the Three Musketeers and was conflating an earlier thread about the best translation of Jules Verne books with this thread.

When I was a kid, I had no idea that my beloved Jules Verne books were originally written in French.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Finished up Weber's Worlds at War series with Insurrection in my commute listen. Steve White, David Weber's co-author in these books wrote some sequels to these books, but I never got around to reading those. Marc Vietor, the narrator does a good job.

Also just finishing up Raymond Feist's Magician, narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith. That's my work listen. Also very good.

As is my habit, I'm going with something lighter next for my commute listen. Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series, starting with Arrows of the Queen. As I mentioned in a different thread, I bought a version of this audio book some years ago, but they never released the other two. They just re-released the series with a new narrator, Christa Lewis. The reviews give this one a 4.8 out of 5.0, and say that they like the new narrator better than the previous one (Carole Edie Smith).

I'm about one hour into the Arrow of the Queen book. The narrator is much, much better, all though I would say that I never really would have connected an Irish accent with the Holder kin. But hey, it really works well.

[BenG]

I just finished Our Hearts Were Young and Gay: An Unforgettable Comic Chronicle of Innocents Abroad in the 1920s by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough.

This memoir was a best seller in 1942 and its easy to see why. Fresh out of college Cornelia and Emily embark on a tour of Europe in the early 1920s with many adventures and mishaps. Recommended.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memo...ook/B002VAGNH6

[issybird]

Originally Posted by BenG

I just finished Our Hearts Were Young and Gay: An Unforgettable Comic Chronicle of Innocents Abroad in the 1920s by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough.

This memoir was a best seller in 1942 and its easy to see why. Fresh out of college Cornelia and Emily embark on a tour of Europe in the early 1920s with many adventures and mishaps. Recommended.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memo...ook/B002VAGNH6

This is on my all-time list of funniest books I've ever read. I didn't know there was an audiobook; from time to time I check to see if there's an ebook, but no joy.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

This is on my all-time list of funniest books I've ever read. I didn't know there was an audiobook; from time to time I check to see if there's an ebook, but no joy.

You might want to check Open Library. They often have scanned OCR versions of physical books from public libraries. They're unedited, so you'll need to do cleanup. But you can get to 90% clean with just a few well chosen edits, if my experiences with the Modesty Blaise books are any indication. (REGEX edits in the Calibre book editor are your friend here!)

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

This is on my all-time list of funniest books I've ever read. I didn't know there was an audiobook; from time to time I check to see if there's an ebook, but no joy.

Originally Posted by CRussel

You might want to check Open Library. They often have scanned OCR versions of physical books from public libraries. They're unedited, so you'll need to do cleanup. But you can get to 90% clean with just a few well chosen edits, if my experiences with the Modesty Blaise books are any indication. (REGEX edits in the Calibre book editor are your friend here!)

I've added it to my Audible wishlist. Can't find an ebook version.

[BenG]

A bit of trivia.
This is Cornelia Otis Skinner (standing) with Gail Russell together in a scene from the 1944 movie The Uninvited.
Ms. Russell portrayed her co-star in the movie version of Our Hearts Were Young And Gay.

[BenG]

Originally Posted by CRussel

You might want to check Open Library. They often have scanned OCR versions of physical books from public libraries. They're unedited, so you'll need to do cleanup. But you can get to 90% clean with just a few well chosen edits, if my experiences with the Modesty Blaise books are any indication. (REGEX edits in the Calibre book editor are your friend here!)

Open Library only has the DAISY format which I think is audio.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by BenG

Open Library only has the DAISY format which I think is audio.

I believe that to not be correct. I'm on hold for at least one that looks like it's a scanned PDF & OCR'd ePub version. (It's always hard to tell with them, I admit.)

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by BenG

I just finished Our Hearts Were Young and Gay: An Unforgettable Comic Chronicle of Innocents Abroad in the 1920s by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough.

This memoir was a best seller in 1942 and its easy to see why. Fresh out of college Cornelia and Emily embark on a tour of Europe in the early 1920s with many adventures and mishaps. Recommended.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memo...ook/B002VAGNH6

I read this long ago; thanks for reminding me of it. I just checked out the audiobook through Overdrive.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

You might want to check Open Library. They often have scanned OCR versions of physical books from public libraries. They're unedited, so you'll need to do cleanup. But you can get to 90% clean with just a few well chosen edits, if my experiences with the Modesty Blaise books are any indication. (REGEX edits in the Calibre book editor are your friend here!)

Originally Posted by BenG

Open Library only has the DAISY format which I think is audio.

Originally Posted by CRussel

I believe that to not be correct. I'm on hold for at least one that looks like it's a scanned PDF & OCR'd ePub version. (It's always hard to tell with them, I admit.)

Having just gotten my loan from them, I can confirm that Open Library provides both scanned PDF and OCR'd ePub. The OCR is unedited and has the usual level of crud.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I was disappointed in The Lying Game, and Mrs. Westaway was so much better. I'm a fan of Imogen Church, and her narration is excellent.

Something in the Water is on my wish list at Audible, but I'm waiting to see if my library will get it. I'll be interested to know how you like it once you're done.

I finished both of these books. I agree The Lying Game was a disappointment and am happy that Mrs. Westaway was back on top form!

I have mixed feelings about Something in the Water. It was good for a debut, and I'll definitely read the next book that she publishes. The narration was excellent with the exception of an annoying tin-can sound effect every time there was a phone conversation. The storyline was in some ways unique and in other ways predictable. It was a slow-building suspense novel. What I didn't like was it's told from the perspective of one main character who could be irritating at times. The plot advancement was dependent on the character making decisions that I didn't think were always believable!

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I have mixed feelings about Something in the Water. It was good for a debut, and I'll definitely read the next book that she publishes. The narration was excellent with the exception of an annoying tin-can sound effect every time there was a phone conversation. The storyline was in some ways unique and in other ways predictable. It was a slow-building suspense novel. What I didn't like was it's told from the perspective of one main character who could be irritating at times. The plot advancement was dependent on the character making decisions that I didn't think were always believable!

Thanks--it sounds like a book I should borrow rather than buy.

[CRussel]

Currently listening to Provenance, by Ann Leckie. She's won every SF award out there in the last few years, and it's well deserved. Such a pleasure to listen to SF that isn't male-centric.

If you haven't ever read (or listened to) anything by her, start with Ancillary Justice.

[ApK]

<never mind....not funny enough to warrant the backlash from the humorless P.C. types.>