Saturday, June 30, 2007

Life List Day 103 - Get a Book on CD

As much of a bookworm as I am (and I am), I've never listened to a book on tape or CD.

I was at the library today and decided it was about time to give one a try.

I'll be honest - I'm skeptical. I've been to quite a few author's readings, and I have a hell of a time staying focused...guess I'm one of those visual people. I always hope they'll bring slides. Or maybe puppets.

Still, I'd love to be able to fill a roadtrip with a book rather than listening to the radio. Or how great would it be to want stretch my workout because I just can't stop before I hear the end of a chapter?

I chose Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen - I had The Great Gatsby in my hand (I've always meant to read it, and thought I could kill two life list birds with one stone) - but since I fear my short auditory attention span could be a problem, I thought I'd go for a page turner.

I loaded it onto my iPod & will try it out tomorrow in my workout.

Anybody out there a fan of books on tape or CD?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jill! I have to admit I've never tried a book on tape either. I"m a little hesitant to try. I really enjoy reading and creating my own version of the authors world. I'm afraid that I won't get the same effect listening to someone read it over reading it myself.
Let us know how it goes!!!
Becky

Unknown said...

Books on CD are GREAT! I have an hour commute to work one way, and it sure makes the drive shorter.

Alien Citizen said...

I don't always like books on tape but there are some genres of fiction that I just don't get into normally and listening to them on tape while I'm working at my computer, or on my house, really works. I've now "read" crime novels by Walter Moseley, autobiographical tomes like 'Tis, and science fiction like I Robot (this was a really awesome audio read by the way). I highly recommend it...though it wouldn't keep me going during a gym workout. For that you need some kind of face paced beat to move to.

Anyway, nice blog you have here. The fresh and honest blog on what I'm doing in my life and what interests me always works. It's what I do too. If you have a moment, please leave me a comment at AlienCitizen

Faith said...

I like books on CD. I tend to listen to music all day at work, so I'm sort of musicked-out by the time I'm in my car. Books on CD are great for the commute.

Also, my husband has a very logical, scientific mind, and finds it really difficult to read anything fictional, or, for that matter, at all, unless it's a engineering manual. So he's started listening to books on CD as a way to "read" the books that he doesn't have the patience to actually read. They're a good thing.

That being said, I infinitely prefer the uncut versions. I get too annoyed when they cut my favourite bits.

colorfulpen said...

I'd never listened to a book on CD until yesterday when we stopped by Wendy's to get lunch and, in the kid's meal, there was an audiobook of Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed. My youngest son likes the Junie B. Jones books, so we decided to put it in the CD player. It was cute. I might even consider buying myself a book on CD at some point.

Invite the Party said...

I've listened to a few books on tape. I must say I feel guilty like I haven't really read the book. It feels like I'm cheating somehow. Strange??

Elizabeth
http://invitetheparty.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I love books on tape/CD/iPod and have been listening to them for 10+ years. Audible.com is an inexpensive way to get them, although of course not as economical as the library :) Unabridged is always my choice; if I'm going to experience the book I want the whole thing. I find it a good way to "read" things that are a bit too dry to hold my attention otherwise. Thanks to audio I've "read" The Gulag Archipelago, several Jane Austen books, Jane Eyre, A Brief History of Time, and some science fiction classics.

Nancy R said...

I've been checking audio books out of the library for my husband for years now - he listens to them on his work commute.

His award for "Best Spoken Word" would go to Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter books. You can listen to excerpts at Amazon.

Graham Ettridge said...

I must admit that I am a keen fan of both the real book and the audio book. Sometimes when I have stuff to do at home or I need to go to the supermarket and do my grocery shopping, I hook up on a great audiobook and disappear into another world. I've also recently speculated on some of the "old time radio shows" from ebay and have been listening to them. Be warned against listening to anything humorous in public - several times whilst walkind down an isle in my local supermarket listening to an audiobook, I have burst out laughing and have suddenly realised that everybody is staring at me....ooops!

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