What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

That said, it was always obvious to me that while you could "overlook" issues with Huckleberry Finn because it's great literature (which it is), Tom Sawyer is 19th century kidlit by a great author, which is a critical distinction.

I would agree. Even the character of Huck in Tom Sawyer is a bit of a caricature compared to the same character in Huckleberry Finn. The latter dealt with much darker themes (for much longer stretches) than the former. Which made all of the comments about "sappy women" and "n****rs" in Tom Sawyer seem way more cavalier to me. However... I freely admit that hearing Offerman (a favorite of mine) say these things could have a lot to do with my cringing at times.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Listening to All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot and read by Christopher Timothy. Read the books, saw the series, now for the audiobook. Good so far - chapter 10. One of my favorite books.

A good book. I've got the Nicholas Ralph narration, but the Timothy version is quite good as well.

[Catlady]

I am reading nothing. August was the second (nonconsecutive) month of no reading this year. Library books on hold become available, and I keep postponing them or, in some cases, reconsidering and removing the hold.

[Sweetpea]

Just finished Mythos, Heroes and Troy by Stephen Fry, read by him. Can't wait till he does the Odyssey (not even sure if he's working on it, I just hope so!).

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I'm listening to the Kimberly Farr's EXCELLENT reading of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge.

I finished this, and really enjoyed it. I'm now listening to the newer translation of Death in Venice, read by the lovely Simon Callow, to see if I like it better now. I had a good experience with Mann's Magic Mountain in the spring, so I'm giving this one another shot.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

I hear you.

My summer pool listens also have been a lot of drek. It’s been virtually all mysteries for me this summer and the Mrs. Pollifax and Ellery Queen books were terrible; the Nero Wolfe books were fine, overall, but it was a low bar.

I forgot to mention another pool mystery listen, the Rabbi Small books, which were also terrible as they wound down. Just one observation: it’s the mid-90s and it’s as if second wave feminism hadn’t happened. Ugh.

I’m also listening to The Way We Live Now, Trollope’s longest novel. Unfortunately, it’s yet another in a dud summer. I’d been keeping it in reserve; once I’d finished his two six-novel sequences, I’ve found Trollope’s novels to be more hit or miss, but many think The Way We Live Now is his masterwork. Alas! It’s certainly good enough, but where’s the wit? And too many plot dead ends. No wonder it’s his longest….. Don’t get me wrong; I still love him. But this is a letdown.

I’m glad to say that this has gotten much, much better. If the early dead ends had been edited down or out, this would be a five-star listen; it’s still going to get four stars.

[JSWolf]

I'm listening to Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyb Muir. I'm 37% done so far.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ApK

I'm been listening to the Spenser novels by Robert B. Parker. They have both been keeping my interest during car rides, and putting me to sleep at bedtime. As long as those two effects don't get mixed up, I'll keep listening.
They are comfortably short, and while I've certainly liked some stories (and some narrators) better than others, the neo-noir tone has been consistently enjoyable.

One thing I really like with the Spencer books is that I know most of the the places he goes in Massachusetts.

[issybird]

“Spenser like the poet.”

[DiapDealer]

I picked up Nick Jones' "And Then She Vanished" (a freebie from Audible Plus to hold me over between credits). I knew absolutely nothing about it. Turned out to be a fun time travel adventure. Nothing mind blowing, but relatively engaging (especially if you're a sucker for all the paradoxes, snake-eating-its-own-tail, brain-hurting nonsense that time travelling tales bring to the table). It's apparently the first book in his Joseph Bridgeman series. I think the books and the series had different names in the UK.

I liked it well enough, but maybe not enough to jump right into the next book--especially now that my shiny new credit has arrived! I mention it in case someone is ever looking for some 'tweener material.

[issybird]

I started listening to Why We Love Baseball by Joe Posnanski last night. I'm not going to like it as much as his Baseball 100; it's a little too quirky, but I expect it'll get more interesting as he starts to hit the major moments. And it's perfect for something to listen to in bed.

I recently finished Balzac's Eugénie Grandet from the Plus catalogue. I was underwhelmed; Balzac's not the master of subtlety and the narrator, Jonathan Fried, is one of those who over-emotes. At least is was short, unlike some of the 19th century doorstops I've listened to lately.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

I started listening to Why We Love Baseball by Joe Posnanski last night. I'm not going to like it as much as his Baseball 100; it's a little too quirky, but I expect it'll get more interesting as he starts to hit the major moments. And it's perfect for something to listen to in bed.

I'm going to abandon this. I think it would be a better read, especially if I owned it and could skip around and pick it up at odd moments. As it is, going straight through by listening, I'm having to wade through too many events of very limited interest. I may FF to the top ten. Or top five.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm going to abandon this. I think it would be a better read, especially if I owned it and could skip around and pick it up at odd moments. As it is, going straight through by listening, I'm having to wade through too many events of very limited interest. I may FF to the top ten. Or top five.

Yeah, some books just don't lend themselves to audio books. Mostly like this one where you want to dip in and out. Perhaps get the eBook version??

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yeah, some books just don't lend themselves to audio books. Mostly like this one where you want to dip in and out. Perhaps get the eBook version??

I'm too cheap -- alternatively, I don't want to read it enough. One of my OverDrive libraries had the audiobook; none had the ebook. Which is not to say that one of them might not acquire it. In any case, it's obvious to me that at best I won't like it nearly as much as his earlier book.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yeah, some books just don't lend themselves to audio books. Mostly like this one where you want to dip in and out. Perhaps get the eBook version??

Hah! Thanks. This post made me check my libraries again and now I'm on the waitlist and have let the audiobook go to the next in line.