Currently listening (31-May-2014)

So it's been about half a month since my last update, and I'm still listening to the same two books. Oops. Well, actually that's not anything too bad, it's about the same rate I usually go through (which is around 20-25 audiobooks per year, I believe), plus I had exams, which didn't allow me to listen as much as I would've liked. The thing is, though, I'm trying to listen to more audiobooks than I typically would (maybe up it to around 30 books?). We'll see.

I've been concentrating mainly on Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. It's great so far, but a little less action-packed than I would've hoped. The games start only around halfway through the book. That said, I wouldn't say the book really suffers from 'middle book syndrome', because the story's been listenable enough so far. Just around 3 hours more to go with this one. 8 hrs 2 mins completed out of 11 hrs and 41 mins.

Opening the Door of your Heart by Ajahn Brahm has been sitting on the backburner for a while - the book is so peaceful and right now I'm in the mood for some suspense. That said, I hope to finish this really soon, as it's quite a short audiobook. It's still 3 hrs 38 mins completed out of 5 hrs and 41 mins.

Also, since I've been traveling a lot, I've also been using my Kindle. Airplanes don't really make for pleasant listening atmospheres, but the Kindle is just perfect. I've been reading - and will be reading - a cute book called The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler. I find children's books perfect for long trips because they aren't too taxing or tedious. This particular book seems like a wonderful mix of the atmospheres of Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and Alice in Wonderland. Plus it's got some great illustrations! I believe I'm in around Chapter 9 in this one.

Audiobooks on my mind (18-May-2014)

First up is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I love this author, and I've only 'read' one book of hers previously (her short story collection The Thing Around Your Neck). Her writing is so elegant and the stories were so beautifully intricate. It seems like this audiobook has everything I would love: race/culture issues, romance and heartbreak, travel, and a really meaningful story. Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh. Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins.

Next is Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I think I got this like yesterday, which is why it's on my mind lol (Audible sales are just too tempting). This will be a trip down memory lane for me, I read this as a young girl too. I remember feeling so engrossed by the story, and really feeling for Anne who had the same fantasies and wishes and dreams as me. So experiencing the book again, this time through audio, will be quite nostalgic. Narrated by: Helena Bonham Carter. Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins.

The last audiobook is On the Rocks by Erin Duffy. I read the synopsis and I felt it was perfect was me. Just a lovely and light summer read, that's all. I mean, look at the cover! The two main characters are going to "escape sweltering Boston and its reminders of Ben and head to Newport for the summer. In a quaint rented cottage by the sea, the girls will enjoy cool breezes, cocktails, and crowds of gorgeous men". I would love this book. Narrated by: Cyndi Shope. Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins.

Jesse Eisenberg loves audiobooks

I found a little video clip of Jesse Eisenberg talking about how much he loves audiobooks. This was filmed for Audiobook Month two years ago, and was interviewed by Audie-winning audiobook narrator Robert Fass. The audiobook he was listening at that time was The Social Animal by David Brooks, and he talks about how he wishes the narrator speeds up his reading sometimes. I think that's how every listener feels like from time to time, although I don't dare try to speed up my books as they sound so distorted and unnatural and just horrible. I'd rather take things slow and easy.

Here's a selection of the audiobooks Jesse Eisenberg has narrated. I'm eyeing the Curseworkers series, I had no idea he narrated that and I've heard so many good things about the books themselves.

1. Colin Fischer by Ashley E. Miller and Zack Stentz 

2. White Cat by Holly Black
3. Red Glove by Holly Black
4. Black Heart by Holly Black

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Written by: Patrick Ness
Narrated by: Jason Isaacs
Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's synopsis: The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming.... This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

My thoughts: I got this from a two-for-one sale at Audible. I thought it would be a nice book because it's one of my favourite genres (dark fantasy with children as the main characters). The musical piece played at the beginning really set the scene! It's a short and sweet audiobook, but it's also quite dark. The main character, a young boy called Conor, is going through a lot: bullying in school, an absent father, a cruel grandmother, but most of all, his mother's illness is getting worse. The mystery of the monster and ultimately Conor's secret is unveiled through four tales - a nice way to add some suspense. The 'story within the story' tactic also works well with the audiobook medium, because we've got the main character himself listening to the stories of the monster as we listen along as well! The actual book has wonderful illustrations, and I wish they came with the audiobook, but the story was still strong by itself. The fantastical elements in this story were very enjoyable, and the climax scene was tear-jerking. This was my first Patrick Ness book, and I highly recommend it. 4/5.

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Stephen King, Holter Graham, Mare Winningham, Denis O'Hare, Ron McLarty, Jill Eikenberry, Ben Shenkman
Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's synopsis: King's brand new fiction title: a captivating collection of tales with dark - and light - twists from the master of this wonderful form. What would you do if your everyday world were turned upside down in an instant? Here are 12 riveting stories about relationships with unexpected twists. Be very careful what you wish for.

My thoughts: This makes it onto one of my top listens ever. The multiple narrators (including King!) make each story so engaging and the quality is top-notch. Because King's horror is situational in nature, listening to his short stories on audio is kind of like slipping into virtual reality. You're there. With the characters, facing their deepest fears.

The short story collection had been compiled from King’s previous publications in various magazines, with the exception of N. Not all of them are pure horror though, some are more action-y, and a few are quite though-provoking. I enjoyed each one of them, so I decided to give my thoughts on some of them.

Willa - David is at the train station when he discovers that his fiancée, Willa, has disappeared. This is a story that is full of atmosphere and very character-driven, predictable yet chilling. I felt so much for the characters in the end.

The Gingerbread Girl – After losing her only child, Em picks up the habit of running, which leads her to be imprisoned in the house of a psychopath. This is one of my favorites. The action and suspense never stops!

Rest Stop – John is about to bring out his inner hero when he witnesses a man abusing a woman at a rest stop. A compelling story about bravery.

Stationary Bike – Richard embarks on a frightening journey when he starts playing a pretend game to help him lose weight. This one was one hell of a ride, and I enjoyed every second of it! How many of us are living in our own delusional little world without even realizing it?!

N – A psychiatrist is disturbed by the troubles of his patient, whom he refers to as N. What a fascinating story about obsessive compulsive disorder! Stephen King delves into the thought processes of insanity, and just how easy it is to slip into psychosis.

A Very Tight Place – A delightful little tale of survival about a man who has to escape from, as the title aptly says, ‘a very tight place’. Although the premise is terrifying (and this is not a story to be read if easily grossed out), I found it to be incredibly humorous! Grunwald is such a comical character and there are some very funny phrases in the story. Definitely another one of my faves.

Overall, thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended. 5/5.

Currently listening (12-May-2014)

I am listening to two wonderful audiobooks on my iPad at the moment.

The first is Ajahn Brahm's Opening the Door of Your Heart, which is a collection of short stories covering a wide range of topics, things like coping with guilt, letting go of pain, love and wisdom, perfectionism, and so on. I'm loving Ajahn's humour, each story is short and sweet, and the audiobook is narrated with enthusiasm by Francis Greenslade. 3 hrs 38 mins completed out of 5 hrs and 41 mins.

The second is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, read by Carolyn McCormick. I am so late in reading this series, but then again, I always find myself way behind with any of my listens. The pace is a bit slow so far, but the story is riveting enough. Loving Carolyn's narration, she really puts in the right kind of energy for Katniss and makes you feel for her. 2 hrs 42 mins completed out of 11 hrs and 41 mins.  

   

827 Centuries of Audiobooks!

Don Katz from Audible Inc.

Don Katz,  founder and CEO of Audible, used to listen to audiobooks on his Walkman while jogging! I think it's amazing how we've come a long way in the way we listen to audiobooks, from gramophones to cassette tapes to CDs, to having a gigantic audio library in our itty bitty phones. We should really be grateful for the wide variety of choices available, as well as simply the ease of listening. I definitely take this for granted sometimes. Imagine having to load and unload cassette tapes, carrying around bulky contraptions, or having to flip CDs in and out mid-story. How annoying would that have to be!

On the other hand however, I think audiobooks have lost their physical identity. There's nothing to touch or hold in your hands, or showcase on your bookshelves, or collect. Sometimes I think of just printing out audiobook covers and putting them on empty CD cases, just so I can build my own 'fake' collection of audiobooks to look at! This might sound so silly, but it's true. But here's what scares me. The audiobook concept has become so tied up with technology, that as technology changes, so will inevitably the 'audiobook'. Videl Bar-Kar, audio publisher at Penguin Random House, said this in the article: "I’m not sure ‘audiobook’ is even the right word for it anymore. What is a book in the digital realm? I prefer ‘stories’." Audiobook listeners definitely need to brace themselves for changes coming in the future.  

And here's a little fun factoid they reveal in the article: in 2013, Audible subscribers all over the world collectively listened to 725 million hours of books. In other words, they say, imagine a device running audio for 827 centuries straight. Just think about that! More and more people are becoming audiobook converts, and that's wonderful news.

Read the article 'Sound and the story: The rise of the audiobook' from The Independent here.