So far, I have planned to write up short reviews of the following books:
BILL BRYSON
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
In a Sunburned Country
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
The Lost Continent
Notes from a Small Island
Shakespeare: The World as Stage
A Short History of Nearly Everything
A Walk in the Woods
VINCE FLYNN
Mitch Rapp Series:
Transfer of Power
The Third Option
Separation of Power
Executive Power
Memorial Day
DEAN KOONTZ
Brother Odd
Cold Fire
The Door to December
The Face
Fear Nothing / Seize the Night
The Good Guy
Hideaway
The Husband
Icebound
Intensity
Sole Survivor
Ticktock
PHILIP PULLMAN
His Dark Materials:
The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Lyra's Oxford
Other:
The Scarecrow and His Servant
Note that these won't necessarily be in-depth reviews of the books, but are reviews of the whole audiobook production in addition to a cursory review of the book itself. I don't deem myself to be well-read or critical enough to write a real critique of the book, but I'll do what I can. And in case you are curious-- I'm not a huge fan of Dean Koontz or Vince Flynn, but often their books are easy to listen to and, more importantly, easy to obtain for free. I am a huge fan of Bill Bryson, however, and trying to critique his books will be tough.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Introductory Post
I dislike reading. I really do. This seems weirdly incongruous with my love for books, but because of the revolution of personal listening devices upon which one can playback recordings of anything audible I am able to indulge my bookwormish ways without ever having to crack open a book. Don't get me wrong--I'm by no means illiterate and it's not like I never read anything (I both read and contribute to a number of forums on this newfangled intertubes thing), but it's something I try to avoid doing.
Okay, that's not entirely true. I feel sometimes that reading is both taxing and time-consuming, and unlike some people who like to nestle down in a comfy chair with a hot drink and enjoy a riveting title off Oprah's recommended reading list, I nestle down into said chair and promptly fall asleep. Many people are able to read in cars. I end up getting violently motion sick. Some love a good book before bedtime. If I start reading in bed, then I will continue reading throughout the night and never get any sleep. Either that, or my mind wanders to all the stressful tasks that I must accomplish in the morning and I have to backtrack three chapters by the time I realize that I hadn't been paying any attention to the book. I am also quite a slow reader. This is to counteract the absent-mindedness, as the more engrossed I get into a book the less likely it is that I will stop paying attention.
I listened to a short interview with Neil Gaiman who said that audiobooks are great in that it forces the audience to hear every word written, as opposed to glossing over the tedious bits. I am totally guilty of this. If a description becomes too lenthy, my eyes glaze over and I will skip sentences-- sometimes paragraphs or even pages-- just to the point. I have not read a Dean Koontz book since I was 13, and I don't think I would be capable of doing so now just because of his mind-numbingly lengthy descriptions of inconsequential objects, settings, and murders. Thankfully, because of audio recordings, I am able to zone out and do something meaningful while the reader drones on about bougainvilleas and gimlet eyes.
So why blog about audiobooks? Well, why not? I listen to them every day as an alternative to music or television as I toil in the garden, the kitchen, or vacuum the carpets. I don't expect anyone else to read this other than me, but I figured that I might as well write down what I think about the books that I listen to and the readers that perform them. It's another thing to help me pass the time and to keep me writing, without having to take pictures or share anything profound or meaningful.
So, if you found this by accident, welcome, and please don't criticize me too harshly as, in the grand scheme of things, my opinion is more or less inconsequential.
Okay, that's not entirely true. I feel sometimes that reading is both taxing and time-consuming, and unlike some people who like to nestle down in a comfy chair with a hot drink and enjoy a riveting title off Oprah's recommended reading list, I nestle down into said chair and promptly fall asleep. Many people are able to read in cars. I end up getting violently motion sick. Some love a good book before bedtime. If I start reading in bed, then I will continue reading throughout the night and never get any sleep. Either that, or my mind wanders to all the stressful tasks that I must accomplish in the morning and I have to backtrack three chapters by the time I realize that I hadn't been paying any attention to the book. I am also quite a slow reader. This is to counteract the absent-mindedness, as the more engrossed I get into a book the less likely it is that I will stop paying attention.
I listened to a short interview with Neil Gaiman who said that audiobooks are great in that it forces the audience to hear every word written, as opposed to glossing over the tedious bits. I am totally guilty of this. If a description becomes too lenthy, my eyes glaze over and I will skip sentences-- sometimes paragraphs or even pages-- just to the point. I have not read a Dean Koontz book since I was 13, and I don't think I would be capable of doing so now just because of his mind-numbingly lengthy descriptions of inconsequential objects, settings, and murders. Thankfully, because of audio recordings, I am able to zone out and do something meaningful while the reader drones on about bougainvilleas and gimlet eyes.
So why blog about audiobooks? Well, why not? I listen to them every day as an alternative to music or television as I toil in the garden, the kitchen, or vacuum the carpets. I don't expect anyone else to read this other than me, but I figured that I might as well write down what I think about the books that I listen to and the readers that perform them. It's another thing to help me pass the time and to keep me writing, without having to take pictures or share anything profound or meaningful.
So, if you found this by accident, welcome, and please don't criticize me too harshly as, in the grand scheme of things, my opinion is more or less inconsequential.
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