Yes, I am doing two this year. Stealing this one from A.J. Sterkel. Writing the posts as I go, so we'll see how far I get before flaming out.
A is for Audio.
I've always looked down on audio books, because they're not really books. People don't read audio books, they listen to them. But a certain blogger is into audio books, and after she enthused about them for the umpteenth time, I broke down and decided to give them a chance. My experiences are as follows:
To the Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman): Boring book. Kidman's voice is easy to listen to and her narration solid, though she does go a bit too fast at times.
Thirteen Hours - Meghan O'Brien (Alicyn Aimes): Lesbian erotica involving a stripper and an office drone. There were chapters missing. I reported it to the publisher and they sent me a replacement, which also had chapters missing. So it's a DNF. Aimes is a horrible narrator at times, but sometimes good. I don't think her voice quite suited the genre though. The writing is kind of corny, with some hot moments and some humor as well. But I didn't finish it, so i can't really give it a fair review.
The Sheltering Sky - Paul Bowles (Jennifer Connelly): Another one with chapters missing. So I didn't even bother with it.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (Scarlett Johansson): Read this for English class in high school, along with the sequel. This doesn't include the sequel, so it's a bit on the short side. But Scar Jo is an excellent narrator. She does a different voice for each character, which is quite entertaining.
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood (Claire Danes): Dystopian novel that's gotten a lot of buzz. It seems to have all the chapters, but I haven't gotten around to listening to it.
So I've had some bad experiences with audio books. They cost more than paperbacks, and then it's a crap shoot as to whether or not they even have all the chapters. There were a few others I had planned on ordering, but it's just not worth the risk.
That's awful about the missing chapters! I've had that happen a time or two, but once I re-downloaded it, the problem was solved. I agree, they are $$. They main reason I started and continue to listen to audiobooks is because of my 1.5-2 hour daily commute. It allows me to drive and use that time in a productive manner. I honestly believe that audiobooks saved my sanity, for the commute was really wearing on me. If I rode a train or bus, I might be less inclined to listen and would probably just read on my Kindle. I hate to hear about your less than pleasant audiobook experiences, E Man...
ReplyDeleteI know why you listen to them.
Delete(I mentioned people listening to them while driving, but the sentence got deleted by the editor.)
;)
DeleteYou would think the library would make sure no chapters are missing. You informed them and now it's up to them to make sure these books are complete. I can see where they are good for people who are legally blind or can't read but I prefer to read the books myself
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people who commute or go on long trips listen to them. Like if they don't want to lug around a book with a lot of other items or can't read because they're driving.
DeleteI prefer reading too. But I can see how a good narrator can make the audio version worth it.
I’ve never been able to get into audio books. My mind starts wandering, and then I lose track of the story. I’m impressed that you listened to all of To The Lighthouse. Every Virginia Woolf book I’ve read has been boring.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
It was boring. Not even Nicole Kidman could save it.
DeleteI prefer real books too, but audio books are great for commuting
ReplyDelete