Julie at All Ears's comments (member since Jan 04, 2009)

Julie at All Ears's comments from the All Ears Audiobooks group.

Happy New Year, Alisha!

Thanks so much for the recommendation! It seems that only one of her books - Cleopatra's Daughter is available in audio. I've ordered it and it should be in by the end of the week. I love historical fiction and it is a popular genre. Have you tried any of Phillippa Gregory's books (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool, etc.). She has written several that cover the Tudor period and has recently written one about the War of the Roses. And the best part is that Davina Porter narrates some of them. I thought her narration in the Outlander series was exceptional.

Anyone else have some historical fiction recommendations?

Don wrote: "Listened to but not written in 2009.

1. The Origins of Totalitarianism
2. Foreskin's Lament A Memoir
3. Cry, the Beloved Country
4. [b:The God Delusion..."

Thanks, Don, for sharing - the title of your 2nd book has definitely picqued my curiosity - I'll have to look for that one... And thanks also for the clarification. Your favorite books that you listened to in 2009. Here's my list (but it keeps on growing...).

Audiobooks:
Paper Towns- John Green - Young Adult
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas - Classics
City of Thieves - David Benioff - Fiction
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer - Fiction
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins - Young Adult
The Reader - Bernhard Schlink - Fiction
Rings, Swords, and Monsters Exploring Fantasy Literature (eAudiobook) - Michael Drout - Lecture Series
The Hobbit Or There and Back Again - J.R.R. Tolkien - Fantasy
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Mildred Taylor - Children's
Skeletons at the Feast - Chris Bohjalian - Fiction
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro - Fiction
Dark Fire - C.J. Sansom - Mystery
Religious Literacy What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't - Stephen Prothero - Non-Fiction
The Help - Kathryn Stockett - Fiction
Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby - Fiction
Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri - Short Stories
Poppy and Ereth - Avi - Childrens

And I thought I would throw in my favorite print books that I read in 2009...

Every Soul A Star - Wendy Mass - Childrens
The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro - Fiction
Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie - Fiction
The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood - Fiction
Blue Planet Run The Race to Provide Safe Drinking Water to the World - Jennifer Erwitt - Non-Fiction

Happy New Year! What were your favorite audiobooks of 2009?

Happy New Year, everyone!

I've really gotten behind on posting reviews, so here's a quick run down on some very entertaining audiobooks...

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

This book was a perfect selection for me since my family spent the holidays in Belize, which was colonized by British pirates. The manuscript for this book was found after Crichton's death and published posthumously. Although it is not as good as his best, this is definitely an entertaining swashbuckler story filled with pirates, treasure and even sea monsters. John Bedford Lloyd was a strong narrator, putting together some very good accents (but I kept on wishing that this one was narrated by Scott Brick - it could have used some of his 'attitude'). Very entertaining!

Saturday by Ian McEwan

This story covers a single Saturday in the life of Henry Perowne, a London neurosurgeon. Most of the book covers pretty mundane activities as Perowne goes through his normal weekend routine and planning for a dinner party with his family. At first, I kept on thinking that this was a male version of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway - a single day, planning for a dinner party, and lots of wandering thoughts. But the book has a definite twist when Perowne gets into a minor traffic accident with a punk which later leads to a serious confrontation. Although the first 2/3 of the book is a bit introspective and meandering, it definitely picks up and becomes more of a story about what we value in life. If you liked McEwan's Atonement, you'll enjoy this one.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

If you feel like picking up a classic, this is a great one. Set at the beginning of the 19th century, the book paints a vivid portrait of life in high society New York - the strict rules of how to behave, who to mingle with, and even who to marry. The hero, Nuland Archer, is all set to marry beautiful May Welland when he meets her cousin, Ellen Olenska who has scandalized New York society by leaving her disastrous marriage to a European count. What a great tragic love story! I had two different audio versions of this book, one narrated by Dick Hill and the other narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan. Although I loved Dick Hill's narration of Huckleberry Finn, after listening to the first cd, I switched over to Alyssa Bresnahan's version. Her portrayal of the high society New York women was perfect!


The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

After finishing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I couldn't wait to listen to the sequel The Girl who Played with Fire. I saved it for vacation and was not disappointed. The first book leaves you wondering about Lisbeth Salander's life and wanting more of this intriguing character. This sequel focuses more on Lisbeth's life and past history. I love Larsson's gritty dialog and clever plot twists - a mystery author who goes way beyond plot, he has created another literary suspense novel. Although I didn't like it as much as 'Tattoo', it was a wonderful listen. Can't wait until the final book comes out this year... and narrated by Simon Vance!

Donna wrote: "finished listening to Through the Looking Glass this morning. I decided i was very dissapointed in the narrator - Harlan Ellison. While narrating a throughly British book it seems a bit out of pl..."

I really like Harlan Ellison's narration of Ursula Leguin's Wizard of Earthsea. He was so energetic - practically shouting during the battles and exciting parts. But, I don't quite see him reading British poetry - especially when there are so many fantastic British narrators.

Donna wrote: "Julie -

how was the violence level in All the Pretty Horses? I've been wanting to ask someone who has read it because i was subjected to Blood Meridian and it was one of the most violent and blo..."

Hi, Donna.

I didn't think it was that violent - or at least not gratuitously violent. And the violent scenes weren't graphic. Other people have loved this book, so I'm not sure why it didn't resonate for me. I think it was the overall lack of emotional reaction to everything that was happening.

Glad you mentioned Kent Haruf. Now that's a good western writer. I loved Eventide!

atla wrote: "Donna wrote: "Atla - So... just for the heck of it I listened to Frankenstein. Very wonderful. I couldn't locate a Simon Vance edition..."

Donna, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. May I suggest [book..."


Great suggestion, Atla! I agree - a great book (especially in audio) - disturbing and haunting.

With the holidays almost here I have been way too busy to clean the house, do laundry, sleep or check on goodreads! Of course, there's always time to listen and read books... So here's a quick run down of some of the books I've finished this past month.

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy - Not my favorite book, partly because the main character, cowboy John Grady Cole was so stoic, taciturn, and ... well cowboy-like, that I didn't feel any of the emotions that should have accompanied such a tragic story. The one thing I loved was the narrator, Frank Mueller - what a voice!


Paper Towns by John Green

I just love this author. His books are always about high school kids who are facing typical high school challenges - friendship, finding love, teenage angst, nothing earth shatteringly new. But his characters are so authentic - lots of flaws and the situations they face seem so realistic. The books are funny and poignant. Although it has been years, even decades since I was in highschool, I just love these stories. 5 big stars.

- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn't by Stephen Prothero

This book is a must read for everyone. Prothero, a religion professor at Boston University, presents a compelling argument on how the US is one of the most religious countries and at the same time one of the most ignorant nations when it comes to knowing anything about religion. He is a big proponent of mandatory religion education in the US. I was all prepared to disagree with this book. Living in liberal Northern California, I could not believe that the US is at all religious. But the author brought up so many examples of how we do not separate church and state (why do people swear on the Bible when taking an oath? And the least likely minority to get elected to the presidency are atheists!) that he convinced me that knowing and understanding religions is not the same as believing. And in our current environment, having a background knowledge of relgion is an essential part of understanding ourselves and other world cultures. He even offers a quiz about major religions with common answers. My favorite question - 'Who was Joan of Arc? - Noah's wife was a common answer...' My only disagreement is that he has a tendency to be Christian centric. Rather than requiring a literary course on the Bible, a general course on all religions should be mandatory. But, the tough question is what course should be thrown out. Personally, my vote is Physics...

City of Thieves by David Benioff

One of my favorite audiobooks of the year! I enjoyed this book so much, I am picking it for my bookclub selection. Set in St. Petersburg during World War II, this is a combination of historical fiction and a coming-of-age story for the main character, Lev Beniov. Caught looting a dead German soldier's body, Lev and a Russian soldier are sent on the impossible task of finding a dozen eggs in a starving city during a killing Russian winter. Witty and so heart warming, this story is a winner.

Donna wrote: ""..."A classic is a book that everyone praises and nobody reads." Mark Twain
" What a great quote! It is interesting how some books survive the test of time. Out of the thousands of books written in 2009, imagine that only a handful will be remembered in 100 years. And with such a huge attrition rate, how did some of the books we HAD to read survive? I don't know if I have a least favorite classic, but I would probably include Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Anyone have a classic that they hated?

Don wrote: "I just finished the very long [21h:] The Forgotten Garden. I could only give the book 2 stars. Rather than recapitulate my review here, I wanted to criticize its musical interludes. ..."

Hi, Don. The plot summary of The Forgotten Garden reads like a book I would love - too bad it wasn't that good.

What a great question about special 'sound effects.' For many books you need some kind of indicator when there is a visual break in the book, but I don't know if a musical theme is the right thing. For the audio version of The Inheritance of Loss, the narrator gave loooong pauses. At first I kept on checking to see if my earbuds had come loose! The pauses were important though because it indicated a different point of view for the story. I'm currently listening to David Benioff's The City of Thieves. The book is excellent and will probably be one of my favorite audiobooks of the year. But, it also uses these musical themes that I find annoying. At first I thought it just played music towards the end of the cd, but I noticed it plays this melancholy violin theme whenever something sad happens. It is extremely annoying - almost like a laugh track that is cueing the audience that there is something funny going on. I don't think I would mind it if it didn't happen in some of the most poignant and sad parts. Still a fantastic book, even with this small flaw.

Has anyone run across any books that do clever audio cues?

Donna wrote: "Lars wrote: "Julie at All Ears wrote: "Lars and Donna (and everyone else who likes to read children's books) -
There is a new book in the '1001 to before you die' series ... it's 1001 Children's ..."

Hi, Donna.

Welcome back - glad you are over your bronchitis!

Julie

Diana wrote: "Julie at All Ears wrote: "
For months, I have been hearing rave reviews of Kathryn Stockett's The Help. My bookclub was discussing it this month and I got a chance to l..."

Hi, Diana. Yes, the book uses 3 different voices for Minnie, Abilene and Skeeter. I loved the way the Southern accents were done - I kept on hearing the voices in my head even when I wasn't listening. Very engaging and such a good read!

Julie

Lars and Donna (and everyone else who likes to read children's books) -
There is a new book in the '1001 <blank> to <blank> before you die' series ... it's

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow up. Someone has posted an Excel spreadsheet of all the titles here. http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0...

I did a quick scan - many of the books are not in English, but definitely interesting to see what made the cut! Some of my favorites are on there, but I was surprised by some. Do you really think everyone needs to read Thomas the Tank Engine before growing up??

For months, I have been hearing rave reviews of Kathryn Stockett's The Help. My bookclub was discussing it this month and I got a chance to listen to it in audio. Fantastic book! The story takes place in Jackson, Mississippi, during the Civil Rights movement and is told from the point of view of 3 women, Minnie and Abilene - two black women who are maids and Skeeter, a recent white college graduate. It was eye opening to hear the different stories from both sides of the race issue. I still can't believe that this is part of our history, and not that long ago. The stories are well told, dealing with a tough subject but keeping a light overall tone. The audio version is spectactular. The Southern accents and dialect of the maids gives you the feeling of being in the heart of the Deep South. Great book for a bookclub. We had some interesting discussions on what society values and the whole issue of racial equality then and now.


I also finished the classic, A Passage to India, by E.M. Forster. I enjoyed 2 of his other books - A Room with a View and Howard's End. Both of those other books seem to poke fun at English Edwardian society in a light and humorous way. This book had a much more serious tone. It takes place in India where an young Indian man, Dr. Aziz, is accused of molesting a young English woman. Forster's criticism of British colonialism is much harsher than the other novels. Excellent story! It was interesting to listen and compare this book with The Help - two different time periods and places with the same underlying issue of racism. This book is narrated by Frederick Davidson, who for some reason I dislike. He is definitely talented at accents and voices, but I find his normal voice to be very 'British' and stuffy. But, for this book, where many of the characters were British and stuffy, it ended up being a good match. Definitely a classic worth listening to!

Susan wrote: "Donna wrote: "for those of you who have read Atwood's Oryx and Crake...
Growing meat without animals - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34042394/ns/...

I've heard this is..."

Hi, Donna -
I loved Oryx and Crake - but I definitely didn't think anything like that could happen in my lifetime. Interesting article! I thought the comment "If every package of naturally grown meat by law should have the text, 'Beware, animals have been killed for this product,' I can imagine a gradual cultural shift..." was interesting. I have to say when I buy meat at the store, I don't stop and think about where it comes from. I have Jonathan Safran Foer's latest, Eating Animals, on my shelf. I have to admit that I am a little worried that once I read the book, I will be too aware of everything that happens in the meat industry that I will no longer be able to ignore where my groceries come from.

Thanks, Susan, for mentioning The Year of the Flood. I love Margaret Atwood - add another to that never ending book shelf!

Lars wrote: "Donna (and Julie)-

Books like 'House of the Scorpion' are definitely for older kids. I've actually used it as an avenue to an understanding of politics, history and geography with sixth and sev..."

Lars and Donna - Because of your enthusiasm, I've ordered House of the Scorpion and I'm going to add it to my list of books to read with my son (6th grade). Can't wait to read it!

I love this discussion about 'age appropriate' books for children. What I find interesting is that many parents are ok with violence - I've seen 1st graders listen to the entire Harry Potter series. But, I do get complaints about profanity and sex. Lars, do you check with parents before recommending books to middle school kids? I've had parents ask us to add a rating system for content as well as reading level. Wow - that would be opening a can of worms!! Have either of you read any of John Green's titles? They are great Young Adult books that touch on many issues about growing up, friendship, etc. They do have explicit language and some of the high school aged characters are sexually active. They were recently banned (I think in Florida?) - just makes me want to read more of them! So, at what age would these books be 'appropriate?'

Donna wrote: "Julie -

not to correct, but to clarify - I'm a very big fan of Douglas Adam's work...

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy includes:
Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy 1/3
The restaurant at the end of ..."

Donna - thanks so much for the clarification! Wow, you are such a great resource - if you ever decide to move to the Bay Area and want to work in a bookstore, let us know!

Lars and Donna - you guys are amazing! Now I know who to ask when I need a young adult recommendation. I love you discussion!

A few comments - yes, I've read some of the Hitchhiker's Guide, including the Dirk Gently one. I love listening (and these are great in audio) to Douglas Adams, especially when I need a good laugh. Did you know that Eoin Colfer (the Artemis Fowl series author) just came out with a new Hitchhiker's Guide book, titled, And Another Thing. I haven't read it yet, but on the cover it says, "book 6 out of 3" - just love that sense of humor.

And I've read the first of Nancy Farmer's trilogy - Sea of Trolls. I definitely want to listen to the other 2 books, especially since the last one Island of the Blessed just released.

I've been keeping little notes of all the books people have been recommending - love all of your suggestions. I'm going to have to get bigger post it notes or move to a spreadsheet.

Ahhh... too many books, not enough time.

Donna wrote: "Julie -

oooooh! Slaughterhouse 5! Wonderful book. I read it first in college and then re-read it a couple years ago for a book group discussion. Loved it. When i was in college i was on a Von..."

Donna - so glad that you liked this book. The one thing I've been wondering since finishing this book is why Vonnegut chose to interweave the whole time travel, living in a zoo on Tralfamador, with the Dresden firebombing. From the intro, it sounds like he had been wanting to write a book about Dresden for years. Although the whole time travel part makes the book funny (as well as hard to figure out sometimes), it seemed to lessen some of horror and impact about Dresden. Was that his intent? Or maybe the time travel part was important because people never really die so we don't have to mourn all the unnecessary deaths. I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this!

I've recently finished 3 quick listens.

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The first was Laurie King's A Monstrous Regiment of Women. I really like this series. It doesn't have a plot that will make you stay up all night listening or sinister villains that will creep you out, but it is a good strong mystery with characters that I really enjoy. This book especially had some good background information about the women's rights movement in England. Mary Russell gets involved with a women's religous organization whose wealthy members are mysteriously dying. The plot combines a bit of romance making this a very fun and relaxing book (especially after The Shining...).


A few months ago I had listened to Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. A side story in this book is about a character who survives the Dresden firebombing. The book gave just enough information that I wanted to learn more about that period of history. I have to say, that I was sadly ignorant about the huge loss of life and total destruction of a European cultural center. Was I asleep in history that day?? To learn more about Dresden, I picked up Slaughterhouse Five. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that Kurt Vonnegut is brilliant, but bizarre. An interesting anti-war book. What I enjoyed the most was his introduction. Vonnegut was a POW during WWII and was sent to Dresden to do menial labor in a factory. He always intended to write a book about Dresden. When he told the wife of a friend who also survived the firebombing, she was angry because she thought Vonnegut would write yet another book that glorified war. Vonnegut dedicated this book to her, and wrote a clasic that instead depicts the horrors of war. At some points this book is poignantly funny, but overall, very sad. And so it goes.

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The last book is a fun, light, and very short listen, Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants Perfectly narrated by Neil Gaiman (definitely an author who should narrate his own work!), this book features a few of the heroes from Norse mythology, and is a great audiobook for the entire family.