# Okay, so who does audiobooks?



## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

I admit, I'm hooked.   My friend turned me on to Audible a couple years ago, and I have listened to over 200 titles since then! I just had another one come out a few weeks ago, and am in the process of narrating my next one myself. 

Has anyone else discovered the wonder of audiobooks? If you commute more than 10 minutes, you definitely should!

Claire Gem
Strong Women, Starting Over ~ Redefining Romance


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

To date I have zero interest in listening to books. For all I know, if I tried it, I might like it -- but I _love_ reading myself, at my pace, re-reading sentences or paragraphs that I particularly love or didn't understand, pausing to think about what the author just said...or skipping over boring exposition. 

But ultimately, I think it's a different medium, in essence. Just like watching a movie is different than reading a book, I think listening to someone else read is a different experience than reading it yourself (though likely much less different than the movie/book comparison). Is one better than the other? That's purely subjective and situational. I wouldn't even be surprised if neuro-scientists doing MRI's would find out that your brain processes the story/information differently based on whether you read or listen to a book. Maybe the ultimate reading experience would be to read along while listening?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Nog Dog explained my position exactly.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Nog Dog explained my position exactly.


I always knew we were soul mates.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

NogDog said:


> I always knew we were soul mates.


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## silenceiseverything (Oct 8, 2010)

I so wish I could do audiobooks since I have an extremely long commute and sometimes I get sick of listening to music.  But it just takes so long for me to get into them and to not let my mind wander that I tend not to bother.  I've listened to a few all the way through, but it's rare.


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## TriciaJ82 (Jan 18, 2011)

I love audiobooks! I am an avid knitter and reader and they solve the problem of how to knit and change pages at the same time The big thing for me is that I am able to speed them up 2x. I think it has to do with how I grew up, my father is completely blind (since birth) and he would play them without headphones all the time. It hardwired me a little different I cannot listen to them at any other speed, my mind starts to wander. My audiobook genres are different from my kindle choices though. I tend to listen to cozy mysteries, general fiction etc via audio and everything else kindle.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

NogDog said:


> Maybe the ultimate reading experience would be to read along while listening?


I do that with immersion reading. I started using immersion reading because it turns the pages for me and I came to enjoy it because it slows down my reading speed.

Audio books used to put me to sleep but someone suggested I try them again to relieve the boredom of walking the dog. It worked and now I listen when I'm walking for exercise, too. I still read books, but I don't really have a lot of time to just sit and read. Audio books are the solution for me.

Just about finished listening to the entire Potter series.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I got into listening to audio books a few years ago, because although I liked to read in bed, I could never find a comfortable position to do so.

I don't like to read lying down and sitting in bed always makes my back hurt. So audio books are a great alternative - I can lie down, close my eyes and immerse myself in the story - no sleep problems caused by staring at a screen and if I think I might fall asleep I can put it on timer. Once I got used to the idea of audio books, I started listening at other times of the day too, like when doing boring stuff, like the housework.  

But I do still prefer the actual reading process, as NogDog describes it, though listening is an enjoyable - if different - experience, but only with the right narrator. I'm constantly frustrated by finding an audio book I'd like to listen to, only to try the sample and realise I couldn't listen to that voice for five minutes, never mind ten hours or whatever.    That's the one advantage of reading, especially on a Kindle where you can change the font and print size and generally tailor things to your preferences.


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

TriciaJ82 said:


> I love audiobooks! I am an avid knitter and reader and they solve the problem of how to knit and change pages at the same time The big thing for me is that I am able to speed them up 2x. I think it has to do with how I grew up, my father is completely blind (since birth) and he would play them without headphones all the time. It hardwired me a little different I cannot listen to them at any other speed, my mind starts to wander. My audiobook genres are different from my kindle choices though. I tend to listen to cozy mysteries, general fiction etc via audio and everything else kindle.


I'd never thought of returning to my long-ignored knitting hobby while listening! What a great idea! I can't WRITE while I'm listening, but I could certainly knit.

_sorry -- no promotion in the Book Corner.  -- Ann_


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

NogDog said:


> To date I have zero interest in listening to books. For all I know, if I tried it, I might like it -- but I _love_ reading myself, at my pace, re-reading sentences or paragraphs that I particularly love or didn't understand, pausing to think about what the author just said...or skipping over boring exposition.
> 
> But ultimately, I think it's a different medium, in essence. Just like watching a movie is different than reading a book, I think listening to someone else read is a different experience than reading it yourself (though likely much less different than the movie/book comparison). Is one better than the other? That's purely subjective and situational. I wouldn't even be surprised if neuro-scientists doing MRI's would find out that your brain processes the story/information differently based on whether you read or listen to a book. Maybe the ultimate reading experience would be to read along while listening?


I was exactly like you, NogDog. I had NO interest in listening at all. Then my coworker, who is quite persistent, gave me a free month's trial to Audible. That was over 200 books ago...
And yes, you are right, it is definitely a different experience than reading, or watching film. I utilize that difference to help improve my writing, though. I wrote a blog post about that recently if you're interested. https://smpauthors.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/to-improving-our-craft-hear-hear/

Thanks for chiming in!


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

Linjeakel said:


> I got into listening to audio books a few years ago, because although I liked to read in bed, I could never find a comfortable position to do so.
> 
> I don't like to read lying down and sitting in bed always makes my back hurt. So audio books are a great alternative - I can lie down, close my eyes and immerse myself in the story - no sleep problems caused by staring at a screen and if I think I might fall asleep I can put it on timer. Once I got used to the idea of audio books, I started listening at other times of the day too, like when doing boring stuff, like the housework.
> 
> But I do still prefer the actual reading process, as NogDog describes it, though listening is an enjoyable - if different - experience, but only with the right narrator. I'm constantly frustrated by finding an audio book I'd like to listen to, only to try the sample and realise I couldn't listen to that voice for five minutes, never mind ten hours or whatever.  That's the one advantage of reading, especially on a Kindle where you can change the font and print size and generally tailor things to your preferences.


I don't know HOW you do that, listening in bed.  If I'm not driving or doing something else with my hands, I'm asleep, no matter HOW good the book is!

And you're right, the narrator can make or break a book. After listening to Nora Roberts' Boonesboro Trilogy, I'm convinced that the books wouldn't have been nearly as appealing without MacLeod Andrews doing the narration. I always do a listen to the sample to see if I could listen to that voice for 8 hours or more.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I've discovered that I enjoy having my Echo read my audiobooks to me.  But it does take a lot longer for me to "read" a book this way.  I read much faster on my own.  There is no way I could follow along with a print book as someone else reads - I'd go crazy.
The narrator makes a BIG difference.  I own almost all of Terry Pratchett's books in audible form - except for a few of my favorite witch books because I can't stand the narrator.  Thank goodness Audible has the sample feature so you can check ahead of time.
I will also listen in the car from time to time since I have a long commute, but that works best with books I already know:  Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pratchett, etc.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Andra said:


> I've discovered that I enjoy having my Echo read my audiobooks to me. But it does take a lot longer for me to "read" a book this way. I read much faster on my own. There is no way I could follow along with a print book as someone else reads - I'd go crazy.
> The narrator makes a BIG difference. I own almost all of Terry Pratchett's books in audible form - except for a few of my favorite witch books because I can't stand the narrator. Thank goodness Audible has the sample feature so you can check ahead of time.
> I will also listen in the car from time to time since I have a long commute, but that works best with books I already know: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pratchett, etc.


I hadn't thought about listening to Lord of the Rings. Do you have the Rob Inglis narration or the dramatization?


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 7, 2010)

Audiobooks supplement my ability to 'read'. I can listen to them while driving and doing mundane work around the house.

My family does listen when we drive places, which is a neat experience.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

I love audiobooks. I listen while I'm running, on my bicycle commute, driving, while I'm cooking or washing dishes, basically anything that doesn't require me to do a lot of thinking, including data entry on the computer.


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## Shanna Moncuse (Jan 26, 2016)

I can't do audiobooks. When I hear something read to me, I don't process it as well as when I'm reading on my own.


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## Joseph J Bailey (Jun 28, 2013)

I have a 10-minute commute to work each day and come home for lunch.

I welcome knocking out several audiobooks each month on my drive.

The best part?

I listen to most of these books for free through my library!

I log in to the Hoopla app with my library card (just as I do with the Overdrive app for ebooks) and listen away.

The selection is not perfect but I am always surprised by the number of interesting titles I am able to unearth.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I have tried so many times to make audiobooks work for me, but its just not going to happen. I read much faster than the audio book drones on. I also drift. I thought I could listen while folding clothes, doing chores, but every time my mind drifts and I can't remember a darn thing what was said. Nothing. I would never be able to listen in the car. I have to concentrate on driving, I don't even remember the songs on the radio if I do listen to it while I drive.

Its like I cannot get into the story when its read. I also don't like having a book acted to me. Not sure how to explain it, but someone said its like watching a movie, its a different experience. It takes away my own imagination. I feel disconnected to the characters and the tone of the story. I am not picking up any emotions when its read to me. Those happen within me, while I quietly read. I cannot process them when I listen. Although I can get emotions for movies and TV, so I am not sure what it is. I would have to sit in one spot, close my eyes and try to listen. That defeats the purpose for me, I might as well read and that won't take that long. 

Yeah I tried, again and again and again. My brain I guess isn't wired to enjoy books that way. 

Maybe it would be different for non fiction, but I have no interest in reading that at all.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

I use both Hoopla and Overdrive for audiobooks. Hoopla limits me to 6 per month, and that's not enough. 

And like others, I listen on 1.5x or 2.0x speed.


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

Joseph J Bailey said:


> I have a 10-minute commute to work each day and come home for lunch.
> 
> I welcome knocking out several audiobooks each month on my drive.
> 
> ...


Wow, it would take me MONTHS to finish even ONE audiobook with a 10 minute commute! Most of the ones I listen to are 12+ hours long. It's great you utilize even those could-be-wasted minutes, though. Thanks for chiming in


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Claire_Gem said:


> Wow, it would take me MONTHS to finish even ONE audiobook with a 10 minute commute! Most of the ones I listen to are 12+ hours long. It's great you utilize even those could-be-wasted minutes, though. Thanks for chiming in


One thing . . . there are a lot of books from Amazon that have audio versions as well and if you buy them both, you can sync between them. So that would let you 'eye read' when you can and 'ear read' the same book when you can't.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I hadn't thought about listening to Lord of the Rings. Do you have the Rob Inglis narration or the dramatization?


I have the Rob Inglis narration - he's the only reason I managed to finally get all the way through _The Two Towers_


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Andra said:


> I have the Rob Inglis narration - he's the only reason I managed to finally get all the way through _The Two Towers_


Thanks. I'll have to see about getting those. I've got two credits outstanding right now.


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

Ann in Arlington said:


> One thing . . . there are a lot of books from Amazon that have audio versions as well and if you buy them both, you can sync between them. So that would let you 'eye read' when you can and 'ear read' the same book when you can't.


Great suggestion! That's one option I have explored yet (i.e., learned how to use!)


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## PMKeith (Nov 15, 2016)

I commute 3 hours a day . . . so I do a lot of audiobooks.  I've been listening to books on tape/cd . . . etc. for many years.


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## Claire_Gem (Aug 26, 2016)

PMKeith said:


> I commute 3 hours a day . . . so I do a lot of audiobooks. I've been listening to books on tape/cd . . . etc. for many years.


Thanks for chiming in. I think it's a medium not many people embrace, but would love it if they did. Glad to see Audible is starting to do more advertising. I was surprised to see a couple billboards on the Massachusetts Turnpike advertising them.


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

NogDog said:


> To date I have zero interest in listening to books. For all I know, if I tried it, I might like it -- but I _love_ reading myself, at my pace, re-reading sentences or paragraphs that I particularly love or didn't understand, pausing to think about what the author just said...or skipping over boring exposition.
> 
> But ultimately, I think it's a different medium, in essence. Just like watching a movie is different than reading a book, I think listening to someone else read is a different experience than reading it yourself (though likely much less different than the movie/book comparison). Is one better than the other? That's purely subjective and situational. I wouldn't even be surprised if neuro-scientists doing MRI's would find out that your brain processes the story/information differently based on whether you read or listen to a book. Maybe the ultimate reading experience would be to read along while listening?


Excellent analysis. But the way, prior to printing press, when the availability of books was extremely limited (to say the least), the way most people experienced books was by hearing them read. Most people in those days were illiterate.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

PaulLev said:


> . . . Most people in those days were illiterate.


And at least in most of Europe, they probably only had one book read to them.


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

NogDog said:


> And at least in most of Europe, they probably only had one book read to them.


Exactly - a "Good" book.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

I love audiobooks too!  I've been a member of audible for as long as I can remember.  I mostly listen to them after I go to bed.  No difficulty falling asleep and I can't tell you how many times I've finished the same book.    I rewind it every night but I eventually finish.


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## dakila (Nov 20, 2016)

I do listen to audiobooks when I am about to sleep.  The narration tends to make me sleepy. I prefer Drama Cds over audiobooks. Drama Cds (specially the Japanese ones) are movies in my ears. Whatever genre, be it thriller, mystery, or romance, they never fail to leave listeners under eargasm.


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## aliceblossom (Dec 5, 2016)

I think audiobooks are pretty great personally, I can just load it up and listen on the subway or on my commute. It's pretty convenient for me at least.


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## moosebegab (Mar 15, 2010)

I never thought I'd enjoy audiobooks but now they're my first choice.

When I first started listening, my ebook reading dropped significantly. 
But it's coming back up slowly.

My preferred reading time has always been at bed time so I can relax. 
My neurotic tendencies can't tolerate daytime interruptions.

Now I'm mostly audio at night (sometimes both audio and ebook, different books) 
and ebook during wait times.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I don't get in a lot of audio time, but it does surpass my ebook time some days. It depends if I get in a second walk during the day. My reading/listening time has been greatly reduced for the last few years. That's why I set aside specific times to read/listen each day.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Audiobooks can be hit or miss for me (it is TOTALLY narrator driven), but I have become a HUGE fan of radio plays. Cabin Pressure? Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully: Series 1? LOVE!! I also discovered that Echo will stream BBC Radio 4, which is rich with radio plays. ADORE!


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

P.S.  There is a MASSIVE sale going on Audible right now.  I'm snatching up audiobooks left and right for cheaper than credits!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

KateDanley said:


> Audiobooks can be hit or miss for me (it is TOTALLY narrator driven), but I have become a HUGE fan of radio plays. Cabin Pressure? Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully: Series 1? LOVE!! I also discovered that Echo will stream BBC Radio 4, which is rich with radio plays. ADORE!


Alexa doesn't seem to understand. What command do you use to get the radio plays?



KateDanley said:


> P.S. There is a MASSIVE sale going on Audible right now. I'm snatching up audiobooks left and right for cheaper than credits!


I know. I'm afraid to look. My backlist keeps getting longer.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

I love audiobooks. I love reading on my kindle as well, but some days it just doesn't happen much. I can listen to audiobooks while getting ready in the morning or while doing boring tasks around the house. I especially like to listen to them if I am knitting, as others have mentioned. I feel that I am getting so much done if I can knit and "read" a book at the same time!   Sometimes I am just too tired to read, so the audiobooks are great for that. For the most part I feel like the audio version can really bring the book to life if it has good narrator(s). 

I like to get the kindle book from the library and then buy the audible version (usually for a very cheap price) and switch between the versions, depending on what I am doing that day. i can get through the book much faster that way.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Alexa doesn't seem to understand. What command do you use to get the radio plays?
> 
> I know. I'm afraid to look. My backlist keeps getting longer.


I've just said, "Play BBC Radio 4" and she does it. And then for the audiobooks, I say, "Play Cabin Pressure on Audible." She sometimes is a little finicky, though, and I find I have to go to the app on my phone and play from there.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

KateDanley said:


> I've just said, "Play BBC Radio 4" and she does it. And then for the audiobooks, I say, "Play Cabin Pressure on Audible." She sometimes is a little finicky, though, and I find I have to go to the app on my phone and play from there.


Okay, that's what I said but I was using Alexa from my tablet. It's my tablet, I think, that's finicky. I'll try it again. I still have to set up my second Dot.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

I just tried "Alexa Play BBC Radio 4" on my Echo and sure enough, it played it from Tune-In. When I first got my Echo I opened an account with Tune-In to listen to radio stations. It can play most radio stations from just about anywhere. I haven't used that much but now and then I'll try something like this and it works because I have the Tune-in account. It's a free account, by the way. It was just a matter of signing up and not opting for the premium account.

Anyway it worked.

For anyone who isn't familiar with BBC Radio 4, it's probably the single best source in the history of the world for high quality drama. Okay, I'm being conservative. It's way better than that. 

People in England, which used to be the only place you could hear it, used to love to record their broadcasts and distribute them for free around the internet. This began in the days before "piracy" became a thing. I think it was even legal then. Anyway I was curious and I downloaded a few things and listened and I was amazed. I've been listening ever since. Now I can get it legitimately and I do.

The quality of their dramatizations is superb. You see they have a special trick: they care. And they spend money and they make sure it's among their highest art forms. It's a wonder. Of course when they dramatize something American it can get funny. While some Brits do American accents well they don't do regional accents nearly as well.

I began listening to plays and poetry from the library on LP from Caedmon when I was in my teens. I couldn't afford to buy it then but the Houston library had a good collection. Then when I was working and had to do a lot of driving a couple decades later getting into audiobooks was a natural. I read all the time when I wasn't driving and listened when I was. It's one of the few times I've ever had more than one book going at a time, one in print and one to listen to.

When I began to get cataracts they didn't want to do surgery due to an eye injury I'd had as a child so as my eyes got worse and I had to reserve what reading time I could do for work related stuff, I listened more and more to audiobooks. Frankly I never minded that.

After I got my surgery I went back to reading but only part time. I listened as much, maybe more, than I read. Then I got a Kindle and I kind of forgot about listening to books.

I still listen a lot to audiodrama and to readings of short stories. Also to a lot of OTR. I listened to Gunsmoke, the radio version with William Conrad (Canon) as Matt Dillon yesterday.

Sorry folks but all this nonsense about listening is inferior to reading is just, well, nonsense. They're different but not so very different. It's not the medium that matters. It's the content. When we listen we're getting it filtered through a narrator and that can be either a good or a bad thing, depending on the narrator. Sometimes a narrator can really ruin a book. Sometimes they make it magic. Most often they're pretty neutral.

If you want to try listening to something magic try listening to Jenna Lamia's reading of Tracy Chevalier's "The Girl with the Pearl Earring". It's a very nice book with a narrator who makes it breathe. I can't give a link to that because now Audible only sells a different version unless you want it abridged.

Or listen to Kristofer Tabori read Jeffery Eugenides "Middlesex". A magnificent novel and an amazing reading. I feel sorry for those who only read this book with their eyes.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Middlesex-Audiobook/B002UUFUSU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1481501738&sr=1-1

If you want to try for magic in audiodrama look for Galbraith's "The Forsyte Saga" from BBC Radio 4. It ain't gonna get no better'n that!

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/The-Forsyte-Saga-Dramatised-Audiobook/B0045VT4RA/ref=a_search_c4_1_6_srTtl?qid=1481501653&sr=1-6

Barry


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Barryem, I loved the Forsyte Saga. I'll have to try that. Tune-In here I come ... as soon as I get my Dot set up. I don't think it will work on my tablet.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

I just tried using my Fire for BBC Radio 4 and it worked just fine.  It still used Tune-in.  Do you have a Tune-In account?

Barry


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

barryem said:


> I just tried using my Fire for BBC Radio 4 and it worked just fine. It still used Tune-in. Do you have a Tune-In account?
> 
> Barry


No, but since it's free and you say I can use it on my tablet, I'll go for it.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

This morning in some tech blog I saw a reference to a new book on the history of Audiobooks. Here's a link to the book:
https://www.amazon.com/Untold-Story-Talking-Book/dp/0674545443/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481556323&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Untold+Story+of+the+Talking+Book

It's "The Untold Story of the Talking Book" by Matthew Rubery. I don't want to read hardbacks so I bought the Audible version. I'm hoping it'll be interesting.

Those interested in discussing this topic might want to read it. From the little bit I've heard so far it seems there's a lot more to the history of audiobooks than I would have guessed, going back even into ancient history.

It seems the topic of whether books were as good as audiobooks became a serious discussion when the first one was made by Thomas Edison recording his recitation of "Mary Had a Little Lamb". I bet you didn't know that. I sure didn't. 

Barry


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## Kal241 (Jan 11, 2017)

I used to listen to audio versions of the _Harry Potter_ series, back when I was into magic and such (that part of my life is SO over lol).

To take the conversation in a slightly different direction, I can't be the only one who has thought about turning my projects into audiobooks, right? How would one go about doing this the indie way? If anyone has any experience doing this, I'd be very interested.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Kal241 said:


> I used to listen to audio versions of the _Harry Potter_ series, back when I was into magic and such (that part of my life is SO over lol).


Not for me! 



> To take the conversation in a slightly different direction, I can't be the only one who has thought about turning my projects into audiobooks, right? How would one go about doing this the indie way? If anyone has any experience doing this, I'd be very interested.


Check for threads on ACX in the Writer's Cafe. Especially look for thread by Mark Cooper. He knows whereof he speaks.


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## ASDeMatteis (Jan 29, 2017)

I'd like to try audio books, but I feel like I wouldn't retain the information as well as if I was actually reading.


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

ASDeMatteis said:


> I'd like to try audio books, but I feel like I wouldn't retain the information as well as if I was actually reading.


That was my concern, too, because I mostly listen to nonfiction. There are tricks you can use if you're worried about retaining information (ask the Oracle). I use the easiest of all: I listen to audiobooks I want to remember a second time a few weeks after the first reading. It's amazing how much you retain after the second hearing.

By the way, you won't have a problem listening again. I thought I would, but the experience is different the second time around. You're struck by what you forgot, and you listen for the details you want to remember.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

ASDeMatteis said:


> I'd like to try audio books, but I feel like I wouldn't retain the information as well as if I was actually reading.


I don't listen to non-fiction for just this reason. But I listen to a WHOLE LOT of fiction that doesn't have to be retained. And if it's not retained too much, then it's a great listen the second, third, fourth, ... go round.


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## TammyC (Nov 17, 2009)

I've just started listening to audio books in the past year or so.  I really enjoy them, although I'm extremely picky about the narrator. I've passed on a few books that sound great, but I can't listed to the narrator. That being said I only listed to them in the car or sometimes while I'm cleaning around the house. If I am sitting down to read it will be a real/kindle book. Audio books have made drives much more enjoyable though. I hate listening to the same music the radio stations play over and over and over.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

ASDeMatteis said:


> I'd like to try audio books, but I feel like I wouldn't retain the information as well as if I was actually reading.


How do you know that? Of course the answer is you can't possibly know it. You probably worry that it might be true but until you try you just won't know.

Personally I prefer reading with my eyes but I've listened to a LOT of audiobooks during the several years when my cataracts were thought inoperable and I found that even though it's true that it's different than visual reading, it's neither better nor worse. Just different.

I'm currently listening to a book of short stories at night after I turn out the lights. The Audible player can be set to stop at the end of the chapter, which in this case is the end of the story, and I let the story put me to sleep. It generally takes 2 or 3 or more nights to get through a whole 30 minute story but that's okay. The purpose is to put me to sleep and it does and I enjoy the stories too.

This is a book of short stories I read on my Kindle a couple of years ago, a story now and then between books so I read it over about a year's time. I'm finding that so far I don't remember most of the stories and the few I do I don't remember the endings so they're fresh and new to me. I picked this book to do this with because they gave a big discount since I own the Kindle book.

Barry


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## D.P. Prior (Jun 15, 2017)

I listen to the audiobooks of my own books to review the material while I'm writing the next in the series. Helps keep my eyes away from the screen so I can save them for writing rather than reviewing the earlier books in the series.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

So THIS is kind of a nifty new development. The X-Files is getting a brand new season... on audiobooks. I KNOW! It comes out next week and features the original cast. I LOVE that we can get more stories from series long past (and actors who perhaps are not immortal). I hope this is a trend!

https://www.amazon.com/The-X-Files-Cold-Cases/dp/B06Y4BYM61


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 7, 2010)

KateDanley said:


> So THIS is kind of a nifty new development. The X-Files is getting a brand new season... on audiobooks. I KNOW! It comes out next week and features the original cast. I LOVE that we can get more stories from series long past (and actors who perhaps are not immortal). I hope this is a trend!
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/The-X-Files-Cold-Cases/dp/B06Y4BYM61


My wife is a big fan of the series, so I pre-ordered it a while back. I think having the actors narrate will prove to be a major plus.


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## CrissyM (Mar 14, 2012)

I have discovered that I love whispersync very much. It makes it so easy to flip from listening while driving, or on my morning walk, to reading in bed. I have a love affair with my kindles, and phone apps.


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## Galaxy Dog (Aug 2, 2017)

I listen to audiobooks when I'm learning a new language. It trains your brain to work at the speed necessary to understand the language when people speak to you. Movies are good too, but there are a lot of visual clues to help. With audiobooks it's just you and the words, coming at you very quickly. I've used them in learning German and Italian. I'm not perfect at speaking the languages - both languages have mind-boggling grammar - but I can understand what's being said to me, usually.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Lorri Moulton said:


> It all depends on the narrator. I listened to an excerpt of a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast and was completely drawn in. I only wish I could figure out the name of the book. It wasn't listed, just that it was a fairytale...but the narrator did a phenomenal reading!


The right narrator for the right book can do that. I don't know if I mentioned it upthread, but Anthony Heald did an outstanding job with The Good Earth. I've always been drawn in to that book and I was a little nervous about listening to it, but his narration gave me that same feeling.

Audible sent me something the other day (they send me something or two somethings every day), and he was one of the picks for outstanding narrator. The book was Crime and Punishment. I have never cared about reading that book, but with Heald narrating it, I think it will be my credit pick next month.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

So, I just spent a week at the Arvon in the UK learning how to write radio dramas from the head of BBC Radio North (It was amazing.  A week in the English countryside, living in an old manor house, sitting around writing and learning and long walks through gardens and woods and farmland.)  It is such an art form!  It's akin to poetry.  The economy of the words on the page is astounding.  And I was struck with the national tragedy that the US does not support radio drama the way that the UK does.  Almost all of our radio dramas come through podcasts where artists have to scrimp together funding from advertisers or 99-cent-a-month subscribers, while there, the writers are paid a standard guild wage and actors are some of the best of the best because it is such an honor to be on radio.  Anyways, it just made me think about how glad I am audio is growing and I hope that it continues to boom.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Lorri Moulton said:


> I am so jealous! LOL But you're right, it would be nice to see more radio programs in the US. Maybe audio books will create more of a demand for it.


It was absolutely one of the best things I've ever done. If you ever have a chance, go. The Arvon is amazing. And from what I heard, it sounds like Audible is really jumping into the fray to try its hand at creating high quality radio dramas and could be a real game changer. Crossing fingers!


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

My mom loves audiobooks and we listened to a lot of books on tape when I was a child. I prefer to read fiction "in my own head" but I like nonfiction audiobooks--it's a good way to multitask when I'm driving.


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## Libby13 (Jul 31, 2011)

I LOVE audiobooks. They're my best friends on drives, while doing yard/house work and while I cook. They really get me through boring moments in life.


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## William Peter Grasso (May 1, 2011)

ASDeMatteis said:


> I'd like to try audio books, but I feel like I wouldn't retain the information as well as if I was actually reading.


Actually, I find memorable lines and passages in an audiobook stick in my head just as well as reading text, if not better.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

I listen to audible books on my commute for work, about 1 hour a day and when I clean the house I listen with headphones.  The time seems to pass quickly and I don’t feel like I’m wasting time cleaning   .


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