I am all about audio books.
I have had a subscription to Audible for six years now. I listen to them all the time. While I am getting ready in the morning,
while I am cleaning my house, while I am walking around Beijing. I am on a bus for at least an hour a day and
this is what I listen to. It makes me
feel as if I am getting something accomplished. Here are my top picks.
Anything by Dick Francis read by Tony Blair or Simon
Prebble
I first remember listening to these books as a kid on epic
road trip with the family. I know that I
listened to Decided when I was twelve because one of the characters is that
age. I remember listening and thinking
that the UK of the 1960’s- 1990 that they represent was The. Most. Exotic.
Thing. Ever. I still love them love them.
I will love them forever. I don’t care what anyone says, I will never
stop listening to these. I actually like these better as audiobooks.
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| Goodreads | Audible |
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon read by Davina Porter
Le Epicness. Come for
her dreamy voice. Stay for the 36 hours
of Scottish adventures.
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| Goodreads | Audible |
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman read by Neil Gaiman
Read by the author and it is perfection. I am not generally a huge fan of an author
reading their own work but I make an exception for Neil Gaiman. I saw as I was linking to Audible just now that there is a full cast version. I might just have to spring for it.
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This book is amazing enough on its own but read in Lauren
Molina’s perfectly old fashioned voice it is brought up a notch. This is a shining example of the ability of
the best audiobooks having the potential to improve and influence the story
experience.
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Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley read by Avery Brooks
This is a book that is integral to my childhood so I was a
little hesitant to get the audiobook.
But Avery Brooks (or as I like to think of him Captain Sisco) has a
smooth emotional delivery that was
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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthonly Doerr read by Zach
Appelman
It was like listening to a painful lullaby and I loved it.
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Proof of the importance of voice casting. The book is narrated by death. Also there are some illustrations in the book
that are very cleverly portrayed in audio form.
Harry Potter Series the British version read by Stephan Fry
I am sorry but it is just better. Hermione particularly needed
improvement. She was pretty screechy and
shrill in the Jim Dale version.
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Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein read by Morven Christie
and Lucy Gaskell
Kudos for spot on duel casting. All things yes.
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkin ensemble cast
This is another one from my childhood but it is one of my
favorite full cast performances of a book ever.
I searched around on Audible until I was sure that it was this version. It is abridged, which I didn’t realize at age
9 but I am willing to overlook it in this case.
I get very loyal to certain narrators and sometimes download
a listen to things that I wouldn’t normally even look at if the right person is
narrating it. Does anyone else do that?
I've not listened to a single audio book - awful for a book nerd, I know. But I know lots of people love Outlander as a story. I did watch the pilot episode and while I get how it'd draw people in, I also don't like what comes (spoiler reader here :D) so I've not gone back to watch it. :)
ReplyDeleteI just got the Outlander series. I haven't watched it yet. We will probably start this weekend and I hope that I like it. It is always a little bit worrisome.
DeleteI remember reading A Certain Slant of Light amd really enjoying it. I'll defintely need check it out on audiobook. :)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
A Certain Slant of Light is criminally underrated!
DeleteI listened to several of the Harry Potter books, Code Name Verity, and All the Light We Cannot See. Loved them all. Audiobooks rock!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT Audiobook Hopefuls
I think it's interesting when an author narrates the audio! Lovely list. :-)
ReplyDeleteI really like it because they know exactly how they meant each character to sound, the timing of the jokes, and things like that.
DeleteI have listened to audio books (partly) because of the narrator. I was looking for Joan Didion's audio books and one of her books was narrated by Diane Keaton. I chose that one over the others. The narrator makes all the difference, doesn't it? (My top 10 List)
ReplyDeleteIt does! I have to listen to the book samples before I order audiobooks even if I know I like the book because I am that particular about the reader. It is an art.
DeleteAll the Light We Cannot See was my favorite book last year. I am not really a fan of audio books, but I definitely could give that one a chance at some point because the prose in that book is just so damn beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe prose in that book really is really beautiful and is really well done. I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteI don't do audiobooks, though I have listened to the Harry Potter audiobooks. I do agree about the Stephen Fry versions being better! But really, what wouldn't be better than Stephen Fry reading to you? :)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
I love The Book Thief! And Code Name Verity is such a great book.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/top-ten-tuesday-75/