Much like the books discussed in last week’s post, audiobooks are sometimes maligned. Many think that audiobooks are only for the elderly, infirm or visually impaired because: why else would someone listen to a book when you can read the paper (or electronic) version? As adults, haven’t we moved beyond storytimes and someone reading to you?
Regular readers of this blog are already familiar with my positive opinion on adults reading children’s books, so I strongly believe that we never get too old to have a story of any type read to us. However, audiobooks are more than just listening to a story. They are an alternate way to engage with a book. Whenever someone reads a book (in any format) they impose something of themselves onto the story. Essentially, different people get different things out of the same book. When you listen to an audiobook, you are listening to the interpretation of an actor, reader or sometimes the author him/herself. This interaction with someone else’s ideas of what the book represents (passive though it may be) automatically introduces the listener to a different viewpoint, teasing things out that you may or may not have noticed reading the book without a narration.
Audiobooks are also a great way to multi-task. For anyone who has ever said, “I would love to read more but don’t have the time,” then it might be time to consider audiobooks. For the longest time, I got frustrated during my commute to work thinking it was 20 minutes each way that could be better spent. Namely, I wished I was reading. And then it dawned on me that there was a way I *could* read while I was driving and have been hooked on audiobooks ever since. I still read paper books and e-books, but listening to books has offered me an additional way to read. And they’re not just for commuters. We have several patrons here at the South Branch who enjoy listening to audiobooks while they’re doing housework or gardening.
There is another great feature to audiobooks that you simply cannot experience in print form. Some authors and publishers take the audiobook as a form of art and creative expression in and therefore throw in some “treats” for the listener. In some cases, it will be a performance reading with a full cast covering each different character. Sometimes the listener gets to see different sides of the author as he/she reads the work in different voices to tease out different characters and dialog. In other cases, it’s the opportunity for the insertion of an audio track that enhances the book and makes it a one-of-a-kind reading/listening experience.
As you can probably tell by now, I love audiobooks and all of the different dimensions they bring to my reading and I know plenty of others who do as well. But like everything else in the world of reading, audiobooks are a matter of taste and experimentation. I have a friend who listens to audiobooks of all types, but finds she prefers to listen to dialog-heavy books and loses patience with audiobooks that have extended monologues or descriptions because, if she was reading it in print, she would probably skim those parts. My mom enjoys some audiobooks, but found that she couldn’t listen to mystery or suspense books in the car because she would get too engrossed in the story! (You know it’s a great book when you miss your exit or stop on the train, but safety does come first.) I have another friend who enjoys audiobooks, but likes books that are well-read or have a format that lends itself particularly well to reading aloud. Everyone has their own personal preference and it’s all about finding what you enjoy the most.
If you’re new to audiobooks, or you’re just looking for your next great listening-read, here are some of my personal favorites that I think are a great introduction:
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Full disclosure: I will recommend Neil Gaiman books, in any format to just about anyone who will listen to me. However, Gaiman’s works lend themselves particularly well to audiobooks as they are fluid and engrossing. Neverwhere is a particular treat because it’s read by the author and he is almost unfairly brilliant at reading aloud. Gaiman’s readings are well-paced; his voice is like smooth, velvety British toffee and he unabashedly does different characters’ voices (and accents!) without being over-the-top or melodramatic. He doesn’t read all of his audiobooks (I’ve found that if the book involves American accents, it’s usually read by another well-qualified person), but all of his audiobooks are worth listening to. This is just a good place to start.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
This is another read-by-the-author gem, but Bossypants has some great nuggets in it that you would miss entirely reading the hard-copy. For example, when Fey describes her run as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live, the readers get to listen to the audio track of famous skit that she did with Amy Pohler, instead of having Fey describe it or reading a transcript of the skit. In reading her own audiobook, I think because of her improv background, she is particularly skilled at telling her story with wit, inflection and excellent timing. Fey also recognizes that the images she included in her book add to the story and hers is one of the few audiobooks that includes a pdf of the images, which she references when she’s reading. The book is brilliant, but I think listening to Fey tell her own story makes it that much more interesting.
Yes, Please by Amy Pohler
This book is similar in concept to Fey’s Bossypants, but this audiobook is a great example of how a good reading can elevate a book that might not be a shining example of it’s genre into something special. Pohler’s book is a bit disjointed and not as insightful as I was hoping it would be, but listening to this audiobook was great fun. She has “guest stars” she interacts with, including her parents and Seth Meyers, who reads the chapter he wrote for her book. There is also a terrific surprise in which she reads the last chapter to a live audience, so it feels more like stand-up comedy than an audiobook. Some of these qualities may have seemed gimmicky on other audiobooks, but they work very well in this instance.
Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
If you’ve never read anything by “The Bloggess” you are in for an irreverent, riotously funny (though not safe for work) treat. I listened to this audiobook in the car and got many, many strange looks from other drivers because I was laughing so hard. To me, this is the sign of a great audiobook and Lawson’s most certainly was. It’s read by the author and her charming, mild Texas accent only enhances the experience. While hers doesn’t include a pdf, Lawson takes a moment to describe the pictures she includes in her book so that her listeners don’t feel left out. Oh, and make sure you listen all the way to the end of the audiobook. After her final chapter and acknowledgments, there is a gag reel and it is priceless!
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This is a well-told modern take on a Gothic novel that is greatly enhanced by the melodic narrator. It’s moody and atmospheric and while you’re listening to the book, you can almost feel the fogs of northern England rolling in. One narrator covers all of the different characters, but she does so deftly. Without deepening her voice in the cartoonish way some women narrators use to represent male voices, the narrator easily defines the different characters in the story so the reader can simply become absorbed in the story without wondering who is speaking or thinking what at any given time.
I hope this post has opened your eyes to some possibilities of alternative-format reading. The library is a great place for experimentation with reading types and formats because there’s no cost if you don’t like something. Just bring it back and try something else! Plus, the library is staffed with all types of readers who can help match you to what you feel like reading (or listening to) at that time. Till next week, remember that even if you’re listening to a book you’re still a reader.
