Anyone else addicted to

[straightshooter1]

Audio Books?

I used to read a lot, a real lot. But then, as I got a bit older, it got harder to do it without reading glasses. In the car I listened to Country, 60s & 70s oldies, and, sometimes, whatever was the Top 40 for that era.

But, how any times can you listen to the same, same, same, same? Then I tried Talk Radio. Lasted a couple of years, was there about the time Rush started becoming a household word.

But, that began to bore me, too.

Then one day a friend showed me an audio book, a Louis L'Amour novel. I told him that was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard of, someone reading a book to me like my Grandmother did when I was a little child.

But, I took it and found it very interesting. So, for the last 20 years or so, I've been addicted to audio books. Thousands of them. I "read" one, reach over and grab a new one to start it.

I've gone through all the WEB Griffin books, the Bernard Cornwell books, the Jack Higgins books and bazillions more. Currently, I'm working through the Jack Reacher Books-up to #6 and am interrupting the series to "read" a Reacher book that takes place before the current series begins.

I like the readers and am amazed at how well they can imitate different characters. And then there's Graphic Audio-A Movie in Your Mind and it is-sound effects, different readers playing different parts, just like a movie or maybe an old radio drama.

On trips I take several books for the drive and several movies with a portable player for the motels. My wife has an Ipad I could use, but I get to pick the exact movies I want when I do it this way.

I buy them, generally used, off Ebay and Amazon. Cheaper than most paperbacks most of the time and less than a hardcover if I have to buy new.

Am I the only one?

Other than the Bible, law books and a few other law/Christian texts, I haven't read a book in years.

Bob

 

[AMS417]

I listen to them from time to time while on long boring road trips. I have an app on my iphone for free audio book, and I plug it in and run it through the truck audio. I enjoy it, though I can read a book about 10x faster, you catch a lot more detail with the audio.

 

[GKC]

I read books on my Kindle. When we travel, though, we always take movies we have seen many times and know very well, and play them as we go down the road. We also take series like "Friends", "Frasier", etc. We can't see the screen from the front seats, but we can "visualize" the movies by listening to them.

Even if we have seen them a number of times, some movies don't do well in this situation...like "Castaway" for example, or movies with subtitles, like "Apocalypto." Also, action movies like "Saving Private Ryan" don't do as well either, unless you just like to listen to long periods of gunfire.

I would like to try some audio books, but so far I've spent my money on movies and Kindle books.

 

[rwsmith]

I may have to try it

One of my favorite things was listening to 'Radio Reader' on Public Radio. It turned me onto some really good books. One of the first I heard him read was Chuck Yeager's biography. I was in heaven hearing somebody write/talk about "The Golden Age of Flying".

 

[ColbyBruce]

My wife. I dislike them, doesn't stop her from turning one on when we hop into the car. She had one about orchid hunting, it was truly painful to listen to, and I pleaded with her to turn it off. Eighty miles into our trip she did turn it off, and asked me what I would like to hear.

We were doing 55 m.p.h. near Tallulah Gorge, GA. Without thinking, I replied "the sound of your door opening'.

Apparently, that was the wrong answer...but the next three days were pretty quiet.

 

[Class III]

^^^^^^^^^^ I feel your pain

An XGF was a pharma rep. The company she worked for sent out cd versions of tech manuals. Need I say more?

Class III

 

[Alpo]

That is interesting.

I'm driving down the road and the radio is on, and I'm not really LISTENING to it. It's more "background". Just keeping me company. I've heard these songs lots of times. Don't really need to pay close attention.

But if there is a book being read, I'm going to be listening carefully. Because, unlike a song on the radio that I've heard dozens of times (and they are going to play it again in 20 minutes anyway), if I miss something in the story, I might not understand WHY they did something two chapters later.

So I'm going to be paying close attention to the story. Probably paying more attention to the story than I am to driving.

That does not seem like a good plan.

Y'all get all upset with someone talking on their cell phone, while driving, but don't see anything wrong with listening to a book being read.

 

[azsun3]

Audio books are great! I listen to one everyday at work. I can have one earbud in, talk on the phone and type all at the same time. I prefer action and mysteries. My husband thought they were stupid until we took a long car ride. We put in a cd and he didn't have to talk to me for a few hours! The best place to get them is from the library. You can check out CDs or they have electronic download. I can load them right on to my phone. You can also download kindle versions that you can read from your library website. Best part is they are free.

 

[DeadAye]

My wife's ride to work is 1 hour each way and she LOVES *Books On Tape* (which are actually on CDs - go figure)
Fortunately, our public library has a couple of sections full of audio books and she gets a couple of new ones every 2 weeks.

 

[Dominus_Lex]

My first job out of law school took me all over the state, spending hours in the car was much more enjoyable with audio books. That said, our public library has (in addition to the commercial CD's read by actors) unabridged books read by the author. Margaret Atwood reading The Handmaid's Tale, opened me up to a author I would never have just picked up and read.

That said Charlotte's Web, read by E.B. White is a must for anyone. Listen with your kids or grandkids if you need cover, but he delivers the story in a way only the author of such a book could.

 

[daveyc]

I love to read and have tried audio books but find that my mind tends to wander. So I have to do a lot ofrewinding and it gets tiresome to me

 

[Zippo Guy]

My last job before I retired was an hour drive each way. I discovered audio books but soon had heard all that our library had to offer. I then found "Books Free". The books aren't free, it is like Netflix. I downloaded them to my iPod and still use them. It seems when I put them on with my wife in the car, it is the only time she wants to talk. Give them a try, they also have real books using the same method of borrowing and returning.

 

[M29since14]

Audio Books?

I used to read a lot, a real lot. But then, as I got a bit older, it got harder to do it...

Thanks for reminding me. In the last 10 years my ability to actually see well enough for long periods of reading has really gone downhill. I have been thinking about audio books but have been hesitant to go that route. I guess the time has finally come to admit it is better than not reading books at all. I believe I will get started and give it a try.

 

[GKC]

It seems when I put them on with my wife in the car, it is the only time she wants to talk.

Yours too?

My wife can watch TV for hours without saying a word, if it's not something I'm interested in (I read a lot while she watches TV since I don't care about most of what is on TV) but if there is something I want to hear, suddenly she becomes Chatty Cathy, usually right at the critical moment. There is also something about the cover of a book that engages her need to converse...that's all I can figure, because when I am holding one (as in reading it) and the cover is facing her, she suddenly starts talking.

God love her...and I do too.

 

[Aticus]

Audio books make my time at the gym go very quickly. Will finish the Aubrey-Maturin series by the end of summer or so.

 

[mtgianni]

I read 500-800 pages a week. I don't watch much TV. I get audio books from the library or buy them occasionally but find them secondary to a good book.