My first audiobook
I have just downloaded Ian MacEwan's 'Solar' free from Audible.I think this may be a solution to my problem of how to make exercise more interesting. Walking fast is supposed to be excellent weight-bearing exercise and, I hope, great to add a little variety to my exercise regime (which has recently been reduced to - at most - a couple of spinning sessions a week). And this way I get to imbibe more books too.
posted by Clare Dudman at 12:11 pm
6 Comments:
I listened to my first audiobooks last summer. When I had a bad back and found book holding a little uncomfortable. I was surprised at how I got different things from the listening experience. It made the prose itself, the choice of words, rhythm of language much more apparent. I think it's a new way of 'reading' that more people should try from time to time. I'll look forward to hearing how it works for you.
I'm finding that too, jem. I'm also finding I keep thinking 'I'll have to read that on the page - and then keep feeling a bit disappointed when I realsie I haven't got the actual printed book. I hope I'll get used to this. It is good to hear though.
I've been listening to audio books for years (often while I'm exercising)and love it. I will say, though, that my audio book choices are sometimes different than books that I would read on the page. Mostly, I need books with a strong sense of plot when I listen--beautifully written novels that skip around in time and place are less good. I tend to listen to mysteries and lighter fiction, in general, but I also listened to all 20 of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels (which I'm not sure I ever would have gotten through as books, though I loved them) and, more recently, all 32 hours of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (which I also loved).
If you're just starting to listen, you might need to experiment a bit with what works for you. Occasionally, with a book I've listened to, I'll get the physical book so I can go back to it. But I've been doing it long enough that I can pretty much guess what will work. I can't imagine not listening to books--I listen while I'm chopping onions or doing boring yard work or in the car, and it makes everything infinitely more tolerable, not to mention pleasurable, to have a story told to me while I'm doing it.
Thank you Sue - very good advice. Even though I have only been listening a short while I can see that a linear sort of plot would work better. I suppose it's because you can't refer back so easily on an audiobook.
I haven't heard or read the Susannah Clarke one yet, so I think I might put that on my wish-list. I have to say the McEwan one is working well though. It is not quite linear but it is easy to follow. The only slight trouble is it is so funny. I think people must think I'm very strange walking around grinning to myself.
I keep wanting to get back to it - and since I'm only listening when I exercise I think this might be a good way to improve fitness.
I do understand the grinning, as years ago, I nearly fell off the elliptical trainer while listening to Cold Comfort Farm because I kept cracking up. Still, it's a risk I'll take. (Interesting about the McEwan being so funny--I don't think of him as being particularly funny, but then again, I think I've only read Atonement.)
I definitely recommend the Clarke--with that, I did have the physical book on hand (having bought it when it came out), but I only consulted it a few times, and then I made myself put it away so I wouldn't read ahead. If you're interested, I wrote a blog post about it here.
Heh, heh - I can imagine that about Cold Comfort Farm. And I agree about thinking that Ian McEwan was not being a particularly funny writer. He hass never made me laugh until now - but Solar is dryly funny, at least to me. It is a surprise to know he can do this too. I haven't read but I am loving this book so far.
And that blogpost about the Clarke book you did is excellent - thanks for the recommendation.
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