Stumble upons

I love audiobook surprises; you know what I mean - a random title that ends up being much more than expected. For example, I just listened to The Lincoln Lawyer, my first Michael Connelly audio (I know, I know, he's been around forever, always going to the best sellers list - but I hadn't tried him before). The big find was the narrator - Adam Grupper - he's wonderful! The story was good too but Mr. Grupper's reading was perfect. I have little patience for male narrators who use an affected throaty or high pitched or dumb blonde voice for women but Mr. Grupper was spot on! I will watch for more Connelly/Grupper titles in the future.

Another "hmmm, what's this?" find was Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. Wow, what an ending! (I think I may actually have said that out loud as I finished the audio.) I never saw it coming.

American Wife and Me

I would never have expected to be able to listen to 19 CDs about Laura Bush -- not so much because of what I assumed would be our political differences, but more because I never thought her worth thinking about. (That is, for 19 CDs.) What makes American Wife remarkable is that it is a compelling portrait of a maybe-not-so-compelling person. Well, wait that's not fair -- Alice Blackwell isn't "plain" as much as the opposite of charismatic. Is that it? Has anyone else read or listened to this who can figure out why it worked? (Or didn't?)

(Also, for those who do know about Laura Bush's real life: did you find it rang true? I'm curious to know which parts were more fictionalized than others.)

Series heaven

I'm always excited when I find a new series to obsess over. If I'm new to it and
it's been around a long time I'll have months of great listening. If it's a new series I'm biting my nails until the next installment is released. But a frequent question for both long running and newer series is...what is the chronological order of the titles?

Some series will show up on the library's computer catalog using an author, single title or series title search; look to the right of the screen and click on "series." Once located, you can reserve your title directly from this screen. If your series doesn't show, or is not complete, go to www.fantasticfiction.com for a complete list of series titles in order.

A few of my favorite series, in no particular order, are:
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Wee Free Men/A Hat Full of Sky/Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Adelia Aguilar (Mistress of the Art of Death) series by Ariana Franklin
Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman
Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward
Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Berrybender Narratives by Larry McMurtry
Jane Rizzoli series by Tess Gerritsen
Spellman family series by Lisa Lutz

What series do you recommend?

Perfect Marriage of Narrator and Story

There are narrators who are intrinsically linked to specific stories or are so closely associated with a series that it would cause a laying down of earphones if they were replaced. They are THE voice of the protagonist and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace them. The following is a list of iconic readers to enjoy:

Jim Dale - Harry Potter series (by J.K. Rowling)
Simon Vance - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (by Stieg Larsson)
Johanna Parker - Sookie Stackhouse series (by Charlaine Harris)
Will Patton - Dave Robicheaux series (by James Lee Burke)
Kate Reading - Can You Keep a Secret? (by Sophie Kinsella)
Anna Fields - Chicago Stars series (by Susan Elizabeth Phillips)
Stephen Briggs - Wee Free Men (by Terry Pratchett)
Barbara Rosenblat - The Indiscretion (by Judith Ivory)
Simon Jones - The Bartimaeus Trilogy (by Jonathan Stroud)
Davina Porter - Outlander (by Diana Gabaldon)

Who are your favorite narrators?

Non-fiction That Reads Like Fiction

For the most part I think of myself as a fiction reader - but what I really am is a "good" story reader. Any good story! Give me a riveting, what-happens-next plot and I'm hooked. The following are non-fiction titles that 'read' like fiction. The kind you can't put down. Give these a try:

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
A Trip to the Beach by Melinda Blanchard
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Drinking a Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Horatio's Drive by Dayton Duncan
Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury
Ice Bound by Jerri Nielsen
Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan
Lucky by Alice Sebold
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

Do you have favorite non-fiction titles? Please share with us!

Listened to a Good Book Lately?

The first audio book I took a chance on and listened to was Marley and Me by Josh Grogan. Before this I hadn’t really seen the point in listening to a book. I thought I would miss out on the experience of turning the pages and reading the book. I thought I would zone out from the book as I tend to do with the radio sometimes. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed listening to Marley’s mischievous tales on my 30 minute commute to work.

Over the years I’ve now listened to many audio books. One set that stands out are the Harry Potter series. The narrator on these, Jim Dale, does an amazing job of animating the characters in the series. I had been curious about the HP series for sometime but hadn’t gotten around to reading them. Listening to the first few got me into the series.

Often I find with audio books that the narrator can make or break the listening experience. Maybe I just have high expectations since listening to Jim Dale who was so amazing that he had me hooked on audio books. How do you feel about audio books? Do you prefer books on tape or books on CD? What was the last book you listened to? If you haven’t listened to a book, give it a try, share your experience.

Current read: Snog a Puppy’s Guide to Love by Rachael Hale.

[Image by Jeff Daly; some rights reserved]

Become a lover of audiobooks

Ah, audiobooks!
The answer to so many of life's difficulties. They are a multi-tasker's dream:
Want to read more but you're stuck an hour a day commuting? Escape to the islands via audiobooks.
Avoiding painting the living room because it's so boring? Lose yourself in a mystery while you slap on the color.
Dread the 8 hour drive to your vacation destination? Share a classic that everyone loves and arrive relaxed.

A good audiobook does everything your bound book of choice will do and more: there's the added dimension of the voice, the perfect narrator to properly pronounce, to take you to the brink, to withhold or add or flavor, simply with an inflection or a pause. And you're caught, you're right on the edge with them. Or you're holding back tears while you walk. Or you stop in mid-stride, you gasp "oh my" or "oh no".

And those of us who are really hooked want to share, we have to share. We call or email or recommend to strangers. Because it's too good to keep to ourselves. Because when you find other devotees, someone who's obsessed with your author, your narrator, you know you've found a kindred spirit. And you have to make sure they've also listened to ...(well, you fill in the blank).

Do you have this affliction? Then share with me. Recommend authors, titles, narrators. You won't like everything I suggest and vice versa but what fun expanding the possibilities! Feed your addiction while on the move. Remember: life doesn't have to come to a halt in order to enjoy a book.

By the way, the Columbus Metropolitan Library system owns thousands of audiobooks. Visit the library and you'll feel like a kid in a candy store!