stoneangel, I haven't had much success listening to books, but I figure it's because my mind isn't geared for it. I get distracted by the readers' voices, the way they pronounce the words, etc. and I wind up losing track of what they are actually reading. I do all right if I'm listening to a reader while reading the text along with him/her, but I haven't found much purpose in doing that (hearing unfamiliar dialects in dialogue is about the only reason, for me). I'd rather just read the book myself because I can do it so much faster than listening.

I know that I cannot listen to someone read aloud and do other things at the same time -- not even while running on a treadmill. I wish I could. I can't listen to a book and do something else, but I can crochet and read at the same time. I guess that's strange.

I've been listening to books for several years. At first I only listened to books I didn't want to read but found that my concentration was so good that I didn't really miss anything by listening and I could "read" so many more books while multi-tasking. I listen while walking my dog, gardening, working around the house, and especially while knitting. I also listen in the car if taking a long trip.

If something happens to distract me I just go backwards on the iPod and listen again -- not a problem at all. These days I listen to many more books than I read because it is difficult for me to do just one thing at a time. The one caveat I have is that the book must be somewhat riveting to keep my attention. While I enjoy non-fiction very much, I seldom listen to a non-fiction book.

I have discovered the joys of audiobooks only recently but am an enthusiastic convert. For me, it took the right book to learn to enjoy this format. I suggest something really plot-driven that moves along quickly, perhaps a thriller. Like Frances, I don't really enjoy listening to non-fiction, although I'm sure the right book could be an exception. For me, non-fiction is too 'dense,' requiring too much concentration rather than letting the story unwind. I can listen to it in small doses, though.

I will probably be listening to more books as I plan to tackle some knitting projects that just never seem to get finished. I think three years is long enough for a scarf, don't you?

We had a brief discussion of audiobooks last year-I pulled it up for you to see. There were others, but they didn't come up-they must have gotten pushed to the end of page 10 and over into the abyss.

I'm with Frieda, here. I get distracted by the various accents of the readers and lose the plot. I have managed to listen to some poetry via audio, but the poems were short. I am such a music lover that I prefer to spend my time listening to music while driving or doing mindless tasks.

Non-fiction usually makes me think. Go ahead, laugh. Anyhow, I'll find myself thinking and realize the book has gone ahead a page or two and I've missed what was said. Such a drag to rewind when it happens all the time. Only non-fiction that reads like a novel - The Hot Zone and Isaac's Storm for example - works for me when listening.

Also I've found that while short stories are a form I dearly love, I don't dearly love to listen to an entire book of them. When reading I'll read one story and then dip into something else and come back later for another story. Listening to one story at a time is not convenient on my system. While not impossible, it is not easy to find where the next story begins when I want to go back to them.

Arnold Bennett, novelist, once said that reading a novel should be like jumping into a boat on a fast moving river and being pulled along quickly with no need to think. Although he, naturally, phrased it elegantly. Those are the books I've found to work best when listening. A.S. Byatt is the exception. I listened to every excruciating line of that Victorian style poetry she wrote for Possession.

I think listening to Mitchell's Cloud Atlas was a superior experience to reading. I remember a number of people had a hard time with the patois of the island segment and liked it the least. Not having to interpret it, I was immediately charmed and found it to be my favorite segment. Just my take.

I am a big fan of listening to books; I almost always have one going. I listen while I do housework (except for vacuuming, too noisy), garden, go for a walk and yes, drive, especially on long trips. The narrator has to be good though, or I can't listen to it.

Listening to books does not affect my reading books. I still read as much as ever; the audio books are an added enjoyment, since I can continue to have my stories even while I'm doing tasks that don't need my full attention.

I enjoy audiobooks a great deal. The quality of the narrator makes a huge difference and can make or break the experience. There are actually books I like better as an audio experience -- Tolkien's novels, for one example, and Cormac McCarthy's for another.

Right now I am listening to Queen's Play by Dorothy Dunnett. The reader is from the British Isle. He makes the Scottish and Irish accents vivd for me, enhancing the experience past what mere reading would do, since I do not know these accents well.

Rosefolly

I don't listen to audio books but I do follow many 'readings' on the BBC. This week for eg we will be treated each day to Halfway to Hollywood by Michael Palin, Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. Also Agatha Christie's Life in Her Words newly-found tapes of the author and lots about Dr Johnson from Boswell's Life of Johnson. All in celebration of his birth in 1709.
Anything similar on US/Canadian/Aus radio?

Nor do accents bother people in the UK. I prefer to hear a book set, for eg, in Scotland to be read by someone speaking with a Scottish accent (although thick Glaswegian can be a bit tricky) and some of the more Ruritanian ones might be over-the-top.
Is it maybe because people in America are less likely to hear 'non-American' accents in their day-to-day lives that they have difficulty understanding what is being said?

Veer, I used to listen to books read on the radio in Sydney many years ago. They were done in 15 minute segments every weekday morning. I recall Anne Haddy reading 'Sara Dane' which helped take my mind off cleaning the baby's clothes!
I have listened to CD and tape recordings of books that I have not been able to get in print. I find that I take them in best when I am eating dinner, washing up dishes or lying in bed. Otherwise my concentration lapses. The problem for me with audio books is that boring descriptions or 'bedroom' bits cannot be skipped easily as one can do in a printed book.

Thank you, all your responses are most interesting and, ccrdmrbks - thank you for bringing up the other thread!

Veer, it is possible that we have something similar on the here in Canada, most likely on CBC; I go to the BBC radio website to listen to Terry Wogan's morning program (I replay it as we are 5 hours behind) and sometimes I listen along live to some of the BBC 1, etc. channels. Could you tell me which BBC channel the stories are played on and the approximate time? Thanks!!

I will see if I can find a "light" story and see how I do. I never thought about the impact a narrator may have on the story, so that's food for thought. For some reason, I was imagining someone doing a straight reading of the book, rather than real characterization and different voices like the radio plays I used to hear. My library offers downloads of books from their website (both in word and audio) and most can be transferred to my iPod.

stoneangel, the best 'readings' and 'plays' are on Radio 4, although Radio 3 has a few. That station mostly plays classical music, with talks on various composers; this week it is Villa-Lobos.
This week R 4 is broadcasting Halfway to Hollywood at 9.45am. in the 'Book of the Week' slot, another 'reading/drama' on Woman's Hour at 10.45am, and 'Book at Bedtime' Ordinary Thunderstorms by Wm Boyd at 10.45pm. They are all Mon-Fri 15 mins.

I understand Terry Wogan is finishing/has finished on Radio 2, after many years. His easy style will be missed by many of the 'older' generation . . .which should included me but we can't pick up the signal for that station.

I have put the link to the website where you will find lots more information . . .otherwise send me an email.

Here is a link that might be useful: BBC Radio Four

I would estimate that 99.9% of the books I've "read" in the last 25 years have been recorded books--through the Talking Books program that the US Library of Congress makes available.

I don't own any of the recorded books. They're on loan from a regional branch of that library (the National Library Service).

Some recording services other than the Talking Books program make books available as well but the quality of the recordings can be very uneven.

I also receive several magazine subscriptions in recorded form.

Recorded versions omit cartoons and illustrations of course (but may include captions to illustrations) and omit reference footnotes but not content footnotes.

I've never had a complaint about any of the NLS narrators. Most are really excellent readers.

Veer, thank you very much, I will check that out and let you know if I'm successful!

I can't believe Terry Wogan is retiring! I first listened to him in England before I came to Canada as a young child. He was one of the things I missed when I felt homesick (along with milk in bottles and proper lemonade!)

I have picked up an unabridged audio of Lisa Scottoline's "Lady Killer" (thought I would start with a light mystery!). Just have to get it onto my ipod - always a chore.

I get recorded books from my public library. The only ones I actually own are the Tolkien novels.

Older ones are on cassette tape and newer ones are on CD. It is getting harder and harder to find cassette tape players, but I saw one today at Target that takes standard sized cassettes for $19.99. I'm sure it is not music listening quality. No doubt it is meant for recording lectures. I thought they were no longer manufactured at all, so this is a real find for fans of audio books. Other than this, I have to play them in my car, something I don't like to do in traffic.

Rosefolly

Hey jwttrans!

haven't seen you around for a while - good to see you back on the 'puter..

I never just listen to audio books - I am always doing something else as well. At work I proofread part of our monthly publication and since it's only a matter of comparing what's on the magazine page to the original and not of actual reading to find errors, I find I can easily listen to an audio book or the radio while I work. A few other tasks, like filing, can also be accomplished while listening. At home, I sometimes put on an audio book while I clean or tidy up, or I sit and do my crafts while I listen. I also like to listen when I go out walking. For example, The Lord of the Rings has been my constant companion on my walks for the last several weeks.

I find that I tend to get distracted listening to an audio book while driving, so I rarely do that.

Netla, I agree strongly that listening to an audio book while driving can be very distracting. I have done it, but I prefer not to, and I think it is a bad idea. If I am in traffic a radio is fine because I can tune it out easily. Not so with a book. However, when going on long drives in rural areas where highways are nearly empty and radio reception is poor, listening to an audiobook actually keeps me more alert. Then I think it is fine.

Rosefolly

We just drove to Colorado for a trip (12-hour drive) and we tried listening to books, but apart from the David Sedaris one (which was hilarious), the others just sent me to sleep.... Shame as they were supposed to be good. We had one by Francis Mayes about her travels around the world, but her voice was so irritating that we had to turn it off. Some authors should definitely be banned from reading their own work.

Listening while driving.... I remember stopping at a toll booth during the last hundred "pages" of Lonesome Dove just sobbing my eyes out. I remember stopping at a toll booth listening to a scene in a book I hadn't realized was going to be porn. I was so pleased when electronic passes became available.

I listen to them mainly in the car on long journeys. I can definitely recommend either Bill Bryson or P G Wodehouse - they always seem funnier when you're listening to them rather than just reading them.

I mainly get annoyed if I heard an abridged version of a book I know quite well - I'm listening out for a favourite sentence, only to find that it's been "abridged" out.

Personally, I think actors almost always do a better job of reading than the authors. (Now, there's a controversial statement!) For one thing, they are generally hired specifically because of the quality of their voice/performance. I suppose one might be so taken with a certain author that one wants to have his/her voice wash over you for hours and hours, but really, that would be pretty unusual.

On the other hand, I am now listening to a collection of short stories by Elizabeth Berg, and the author's voice is, IMHO, very well-suited to the medium. She thankfully does not try to imitate other people's voices, something that needs to be done with great skill; rather she adds short pauses to indicate dialogue. If she were, for example, trying to sound like a man's voice when an old boyfriend or a husband is speaking, I probably would have thrown the CD across the room.

I just finished listening to a book read by a male author - if the story hadn't been compelling, I would never have finished it. As it was, I skipped vast segments with no loss to the story line. I simply couldn't take that author's voice for long periods of time.

Siobhan, does that Berg collection of short stories start with the delightful "The Day I Ate Everything I Wanted"? That was the collection I was listening to when I decided I didn't like listening to short stories. Taken individually, over a period of time, I might have found them all wonderful. Listening to them one after another I found them too much of a kind and a tad depressing. I finally stopped listening entirely.

Indeed it is, and you are right. They are humorous but depressing with an unfortunate inevitability about them. But one every day or two is good. I especially liked the story about the woman whose old flame from college phoned her over-50 dating agency. It has that bittersweet but pleasant feeling to it.

My husband who is sight impaired would totally lost without his listening book. He was always an avid reader until the sight problem set in. He is sent a wonderful selection of books from Vision Australia, they have his profile, they also supplied him with a wonderful little CD player she is called a 'Daisy'.
I have used the listening book myself many times, when I set out on long morning walks I would load my walkman and go.
I would never drive and listen, not wise, I think I could get lost.
I have a 6hour bus trip coming up so I shall see what my library has to offer, it is easier than trying to read on a bouncing bus.