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August 03, 2007
Audio Books. Cheating? IS NOT!
The New York Times recently ran an article that implied listening to an audio book was cheating. Book Group members felt guilty about listening to rather than reading the books that were going to be discussed. Avid listeners, don't waste one moment on guilt because listening to a book is not cheating!
Audio books are an extention of a fine tradition of storytelling that will probably outlast the printed word. Who cares how you absorb Jane Austen or Khaled Hosseini. Audio books have a depth and character all their own. And if the author is the one reading, you get an even greater insight into the work.
Here's a list of recently added Books on CD.
Don't hesitate to reserve your copy today.
It's the full literary experience.
New England White by Stephen Carter
The Quickie by James Patterson
The Water's Lovely by Ruth Rendell
Paris 1919 Six Months that Changed the World by Margaret Olwen Macmillian
Dog Days by Jon Katz
Forever on the Mountain by James Tabor
Posted by MaryF at August 3, 2007 10:14 AM
Comments
I listen to audio books while I'm driving, and read when I'm at home. I notice that I get a lot more out of fiction while listening, since the narrator has me listening to parts that I would read right over. I find myself in-the-moment much more when I'm listening.
On the other hand, it's sometimes frustrating to listen to non-fiction, missing names and details -- and it's not as easy to go back and re-read a paragraph, though I am getting the knack of hitting the reverse seek button to re-listen.
But I had an experience recently listening to David McCullough read his book 1776, that I would have never have had if reading it. McCullough, near the end of the book, narrated an event, in one of the darkest days of American history, when George Washington, on his horse before Connecticut soldiers whose enlistment was ending, exhorted and pleaded with them to remain in his Army. After several tries, as they stared at him stony-eyed, he made one last appeal, and they stepped forward. Stirring speech, stirring moment, and driving down I-95, I found myself with tears in my eyes.
Posted by: Alan at August 4, 2007 06:35 PM