Our library has lots of audible books available, so I don’t feel any need to get more. I forget to listen to it when I am doing mindless work, so it takes forever to read anything. An advantage of podcasts!
I recommend The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, if you haven’t read it already. It’s nonfiction, narrated beautifully by the late Edward Herrmann.
@Colorado_mom I briefly had an Audible subscription several years ago but ended up canceling it after a couple of months. I realized I could check out audiobooks on my iphone from my local library using the Libby app. My library has a huge selection and since it’s free, I don’t have to worry if I end up not liking a book. I’ve had some real duds, both in content and narration. The only downside is that sometimes I have to wait for a book, but fortunately there are so many others to choose from, it’s not a big deal if I can’t get a book I want right away.
The Boys in the Boat, one of my very favorite books! Good choice if you haven’t already read it
Thanks for the suggestion. Per Amazon The Boys in the Boat is often bought along with Unbroken which my husband and I both enjoyed.
I went ahead and signed up for Audible. I meant to do the trial (one month free) but in the end I’m not sure I did it correctly.
My first book (premium) for June book club is now downloaded…When the Stars Go Dark
I will be looking interesting Included/free titles and will report back on them after the trip.
I love John Lee for accents, he has done some of the old Clavell books.
I got Boys in the Boat audiobook from my library, it does not mention Edward Hermann. Hmmm
This may have been mentioned already but this is one tip I have for audiobook listeners. When you listen to a book that has an excellent narrator, look up the narrator to see what other books he/she has narrated and whether any of them might be of interest. A narrator can make or break an audiobook, so when I really enjoy a narrator, I do this. Sometimes there is nothing else of interest to me with the same narrator, but in some cases.I’ve found books whose plots looked interesting but that I probably would not have read/heard of otherwise, but enjoyed them nonetheless.
I agree! I’ve read the entire Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley because I love Jayne Entwhistle’s narration! I’ve tried a few others as well, but she does mostly children’s literature otherwise.
I also heartily recommend Joshilyn Jackson. She narrates her own novels so compellingly. I’d start with A Grown Up Kind of Pretty, one of my early favorites.
I get all my audiobooks via our library’s on-line site. They’ve got a wonderful collection, I’ve also downloaded Hoopla (I think another library site) which allows a number of free check-outs per month of video, music and older audiobooks.
The Winter Witch trilogy consisting of; The Bear and The Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower and, The Winter of the Witch. Narration is superb and if you like magical realism, landscapes set in medieval Russia, and strong female protagonists then you’ll love this one. Here are a few others I’ve enjoyed:
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Mother Night by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani with evocative narration by Shohreh Aghdashloo
The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel
Amy Snow by Tracy Rees
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby (laugh out loud funny!)
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
What to Remember When Waking by David Whyte
A Blue Fire by James Hillman
Slight detour if ok: What do you use to listen? Phone? Tablet? I’d love to listen while walking the pets, or gardening, but not sure how that would work for yard work.
Bluetooth earbuds with phone.
Phone with regular earbuds. Tried the bluetooth ones hoping for a cordless experience, plus they were a lovely matte rose, but they kept falling out
I’ve been listening for ages–starting with audiotapes, then CD players (wired earbuds), then wired earbuds on the phone, now bluetooth. I mostly missed the MP3 player era.
Once in a while, if I’m on a long waiting list for the eaudio at the library, I try for the CD version if available. Cuts wait time in half, but I have to remember to take the walkman with me, or else the wires will pull it to the floor.
@kjofkw I use my phone:
In car - bluetooth if alone, earphones if not
Taking a walk - wired earphones; like others I’ve tried wireless and either they fall out or were not operator friendly (I hate Airpods, but everyone in my family has them)
Home doing mindless tasks - earphones if not alone; bluetooth speaker if alone and staying in one room (i.e., cooking, folding laundry, etc)
I have listened to MANY podcasts while running over the past 4 years. I use my iphone (podcasts app) and download freebies. Usually I use wired earbuds, but sometimes when gardening or walking I just listen with iphone in my pocket.
Now that we’ve signed up wtih Audible, I downloaded the Audible app to my iphone. The intention is to pair it to the bluetooth in car so that my husband and I can both listen over the car speakers.
I enjoyed having Audible for a road trip last month. My book choice was “When the Stars go Dark” (Paula McClain, 11 hours). I also really enjoyed some shorter/free titles including “Breakshot” (James Taylor’s memoir of first 21 years) and “Beginner’s Mind” (Yo-Yo Ma memoir).
I will cancel in a few days but have one more credit for premium download. Will I be able to keep it for a future road trip? Or will all disappear at Cancel date?
Answer based on Google search:
You can still listen to Audible books you’ve purchased after cancelling your membership. If you have remaining credits left when you cancel your membership, however, you would lose those upon cancellation.May 4, 2020
Now I just need to pick a book. Lots of good recommencations in prior posts - THANKS!
Tom Hanks narrates his own short stories in a collection called Uncommon Type. It is a delightful collection, and no one else could narrate them so well.