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Audio Books, Podcasts and YouTube ~ 2022
I wasn't a fan of the book. I think it's just not a genre I enjoy. Maybe the audio rather than the book would have been a better choice.~~ AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR
Project Hail Mary
Written by Andy Weir
Narrated by Ray Porter
Published by Audible Studios
Alias Reader wrote: "I wasn't a fan of the book. I think it's just not a genre I enjoy. Maybe the audio rather than the book would have been a better choice.~~ AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR
Project Hail Mary
Written by Andy..."
My first thought when i read about this one was the fact you weren't a fan of it. ;-)
I stopped reading Stephen King after The Stand when it first came out. It shows how long ago
Rachel wrote: "I stopped reading Stephen King after The Stand when it first came out. It shows how long ago"The Stand is excellent. I haven't read King in many years. However, I was waiting for a book from the library and the two I read were relatively short and quick reads. One of my friends is a big King fan and had recommended them to me.
From memory The Stand made me nauseous. He would not be one of the most successful, prolific authors if people did not enjoy his books. I am in the minority. Anything that gets and keeps people reading is a good thing.
I agree, Rachel. I haven't read any books by Stephen King but liked the few stories i've read. But the enthusiasm in other readers from reading King is a pleasure to behold.
Does this group consider the audiobook experience to be "reading"?love listening to audiobooks while walking and it is a great experience but am not sure I consider it reading. What do you think?
Rachel wrote: "Does this group consider the audiobook experience to be "reading"?love listening to audiobooks while walking and it is a great experience but am not sure I consider it reading. What do you think?"
Would you tell a blind person: "You can't really claim to have read that book!"?
Good question, Rachel. Good reply, John. Over the years, i've listed fewer than 10 audio books and those were mostly ones read while driving or with my husband. Listening to a book, it appears, is too different for me to say i've "read" it. It's an experience i just can't enjoy. (And, as a point of reference, i have tried listening as recently as earlier this year. In the end, i turned to the printed version of those books to finish.)
On a different note but still about audiobooks...
Earlier in my online life, back when books i didn't consider "worthy" of reading were popular, folks would say about fans of those, "Well, at least they are reading." (The series which comes to mind were the "Grey (E.L. James) novels". Do we still say that about audiobooks? Was the "point" exposure to books or the actual A B Cs of reading or the imagining? I'm not sure.
Regardless, there is no going back. My daughter, a lifelong avid reader, has had no problem transitioning to audiobooks. However, she's always retained what she reads better than i do, which may be my problem.
Just a couple of thoughts from me.
deb
I will add that it's often a very different experience, so I would be open to the idea of them not being the "same" thing.
Rachel wrote: "Does this group consider the audiobook experience to be "reading"?love listening to audiobooks while walking and it is a great experience but am not sure I consider it reading. What do you think?"
Good question, Rachel. I do consider it reading.
What works for a person depends on their learning style.
Are they a visual or auditory learning? Most people are probably a combination.
I can't do other tasks while listening to an audio book. I can only listen on a treadmill or an exercise walk. If I am doing, for example, household chores I find I can't stay focused.
For me, I do find only certain types of books work for me on audio. Generally with fiction it has to be a simple plot, linear story line and with few characters. Anything more complex, I find it difficult to follow.
For non fiction, it has to be relatively straight forward discussion. Usually, a biography or memoir seems to work well for me.
If it's a book I think I will want to take notes on, then obviously audio is not going to work.
I also tend to like maps, timelines, glossaries, photos, etc. So that also will factor into my choice.
I do enjoy reading the text while simultaneously listening to the audio. That solves a lot of problems for me that arise with audio alone. Since audio is also at a slower pace, when I follow along with text, if forces me to slow down. I think the combo makes me take in more. Also a good narrator enhances the total experience.
I know I've listened to some audio books that were absolutely enhanced by the audio experience. A good narrator can do that.
Speaking of audio books and how the narrator is key, I am currently listening to A Carnival of Snackery: Diaries 2003-2020 by David Sedaris
He narrates some of the stories and has Tracy Ullman narrating other parts. He said he did this as he thought the British accent was integral to the humor of the stories.
For me, it's not working. I prefer Sedaris as the narrator. Switching to someone else for parts of the book is also taking me out of the story. I find it jarring. Sedaris's delivery is key to what makes him funny, imo.
I'm not sure if I will stick with the book. Right now it's my treadmill book. So I am listening to some podcasts and then some of the book depending on my mood.
Good discussion about audiobooks. Interesting point about more than one narrator, Alias. His choice to add another voice seems strange, to me. I've long thought that if i listened to an audio autobiography, i would want the person who wrote it to read it. Adding another voice seems off center.
I just listened to a little of A Carnival of Snackery: Diaries 2003-2020 by David Sedarisand I decided it's just not for me.
I am finding the very short diary snippets just not that engaging. I also I don't like that Sedaris doesn't narrate the whole audiobook. Some entries are narrated by Tracey Ullman
I'm disappointed as I usually enjoy his books. Onward to the next.
Moving right along! If you aren't happy with it, i'm with moving toward the next one. Here's hoping the next one will awe you.
madrano wrote: "Moving right along! If you aren't happy with it, i'm with moving toward the next one. Here's hoping the next one will awe you."I spent awhile tonight looking for another audio book that was available for download. As I noted upthread in post #62, I have a lot of requirements when it comes to audio books.
Anyway, I decided to give Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill a shot. I like Sinatra and I also enjoy Pete Hamill. The book is also around 200 pages. I don't like long books on audio, so that fits one of my requirements. :)
I hope you enjoy it, Alias. It'll be interesting to see if he provides pieces of the singer's works.
If I recall correctly, you are not a Sinatra fan, deb. I have to say I do enjoy his music and saw him perform live twice in his later years. So far I am enjoying the audiobook. I just listened to the section where Hamill talks about the anti-Italian sentiment that immigrants faced and the 1891 New Orleans lynching. It is the largest lynching in U.S. history. Which the mainstream press supported.
When I googled, I found the Smithsonian article that said New Orleans finally apologized in 2019.
https://www.history.com/news/the-gris...
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-...
True, re. me & Sinatra, Alias. Lucky you, to be a fan and have seen him live!I was unaware of New Orleans history. We've been there several times with history the intent and never ran across this info. Thank you for the links.
I mostly listen to fiction on audio. Some of the narrators are amazing. John Lee is super. Generally I like when actors do the audio because it is like having a play done just for me!
Rachel, this makes sense to me. I also like the idea of actors reading their own memoirs or autobiographies, for the same reason. It's like gossiping, perhaps.Last month i listened to the play The Mountaintop (Katori Hall), where two actors read the parts. I felt i was there but using my own images. Neat.
My husband and I have been watching a lot of the Pro Home Cooks YouTube channel with Mike Greenfield. I love how he makes so many things from scratch. I have not tried any of his recipes yet but I’d like to try :)We are in the process of some home repairs so our condo is a mess. Hopefully once we are done and get our place sold we will have a new place that is better equipped for recipe making lol!
Anticipation, Stephanie, sounds like your game presently. Over the years i've watched a number of programs from the kitchen of Ina Garten but have only attempted a few. However, those few have become regulars for us. Good luck in your (re-)housing project.
Thanks, madrano! Cooking can be fun, especially when you find a great recipe that the family enjoys :)
Good luck with the home renovation. For me, recipes are a jumping off point. I cook everyday and so my cooking mojo is pretty good. Let us know how the recipes turn out.
Rachel, do you use any youtube or podcasts with your cooking? I've liked seeing the ones shared here but haven't pursued any recipes. Sometimes, for me, just learning about recipes and "ethnic" dishes is enough.
Thanks, Rachel! I will for sure. He made some pancakes on one of his episodes that I’m eager to try!
I just started listening to How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. I’ve only gotten through the intro but so far am really enjoying it! Has anyone else listened to this one?
Stephanie wrote: "I just started listening to How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. I’ve only gotten through the intro but so far am really enjoying..."I follow Michael Greger. I follow him on FB and YouTube. His YouTube videos are terrific.
https://nutritionfacts.org/
That’s awesome! Thank you for link, Alias. I will check it out.
I thought this was an interesting article.AUDIOBOOKS AND ADHD
https://bookriot.com/audiobooks-and-a...
Rachel, this article Alias shared has some new-to-me thoughts about audiobooks and the question you asked upthread, do we count them as "reading". I didn't realize the connection with ADHD and audio books. Very interesting material there. One thing i find fascinating is that the author sometimes colors in adult coloring books while listening. This is the exact opposite of me, i read best without any other activity or sound with me in the room. Over the years i've tried but i end up concentrating on one or the other.
Thanks, Alias.
You're welcome, deb. I have a young family member who has ADHD. He has trouble staying still and concentrating in school/zoom. The teacher allowed him to color and draw while he was on Zoom. Apparently it helps him.
There are so many ways to learn. I feel sorry for students from my era and earlier, when teachers either didn't know about the numerous ways kids learned or couldn't afford the class time to direct toward those students. We are more fortunate nowadays.
Alias Reader wrote: "I thought this was an interesting article.AUDIOBOOKS AND ADHD
https://bookriot.com/audiobooks-and-a..."
Thanks for including this link. It is food for thought. The end, hopefully is result being able to have stories in their lives is what matters, not the format.
8 Tips for Reading More - How I Learn From AudiobooksHe talks crazy fast in this YouTube video. However, I thought some of his points might be helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seXu3...
LOL--talking about speed listening compliments his speed video.Fun to listen to, at least.
I'm listening to the audio of Of Mice and Men by John SteinbeckThe narrator is Gary Sinise. He is very good. Though the story is quite sad.
I recall seeing Sinise in a filmed version of the Steinbeck story. How neat that he is the reader.
That's such a good story, Alias. It's been years since I read it.I'm listening to Ready Player Two on my jogs. I really liked Ready Player One a few years back and am enjoying this continuation of the story.
The narration is well done and well paced by Will Wheaton.
Petra wrote: The narration is well done and well paced by Will Wheaton...."I know Wheaton from The Big Bang Theory. That's cool that he also does audio books.
madrano wrote: "I recall seeing Sinise in a filmed version of the Steinbeck story. How neat that he is the reader."I'm reading it for 2 of my challenges.
It's a book on my 2022 Determination list
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
and
For my 2022 100 Challenge
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
#4 a classic
# 37 Literature
Petra, I’ll be interested in your opinion of the sequel to Ready. The first was a delight. Wheaton first caught our eyes in Star Trek: The Next Generation, as the doctor’s son, “Wesley, the boy”, as one character called him. Its nice that his career is going well. Occasionally we still see him, often somehow working & talking about sci-fi.
Alias Reader wrote: "You're welcome, deb. I have a young family member who has ADHD. He has trouble staying still and concentrating in school/zoom. The teacher allowed him to color and draw while he was on Zoom. Appa..."
You are so right about different ways of learning. It seems now that it is encouraged rather than the teacher teaching and students absorbing. BORING.
Yes, thankfully today they are more aware of learning issues and try to work with students to overcome these issues.
madrano wrote: "Petra, I’ll be interested in your opinion of the sequel to Ready. The first was a delight. Wheaton first caught our eyes in Star Trek: The Next Generation, as the doctor’s son, “Wesley, the boy”, a..."Star Trek: The Next Generation was where I first saw Will Wheaton, too, Deb.
So far, I'm enjoying the sequel quite a bit. It started a bit slow in pacing, but still very interesting in plotline. The pacing has picked up and is now moving along very nicely. All in all, this is a good story. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the audio right now.
Petra wrote:So far, I'm enjoying the sequel quite a bit. It started a bit slow in pacing, but still very interesting in plotline. The pacing has picked up and is now moving along very nicely. All in all, this is a good story. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the audio right now."I'm glad the story has picked up it's pace. I often find many novels need a bit of time to get rolling.
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~~ MYSTERY
Later
Written by Stephen King
Narrated by Seth Numrich
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio