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Today I'm going to reminisce about the past year (since Audiobook Week 2010) with regards to my audio life. Here are my highlights:
* I won the BBAW Best Audio Book Blog. Granted, I had no competition, and that took a little bit of the wind out of my sails, but I still proudly display my badge right at the top of my blog.
* After a year-long endeavor, my kids and I finished the entire Harry Potter series on audio. At the helm is one of the best narrators EVER, Jim Dale.
* After the Harry Potter audio "project", the kids and I decided we would try The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. We enjoyed "The Hobbit" but crashed and burned with LOTR. This is the perfect example of how a narrator can kill a good time.
Audios that tested my endurance (and in some cases my patience):
1. Under the Dome - Stephen King (30 discs)
2. The Passage - Justin Cronin (29 discs)
3. Last Night in Twisted River - John Irving (20 discs)
4. Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (18 discs)
5. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides (17 discs)
Audios that tested my listening skillz and brain cells:
1. The City and the City - China Mieville
2. The Third Rail - Michael Harvey (review coming next week)
3. A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Audios that won my heart:
1. Joshilyn Jackson:
* Gods in Alabama
* Backseat Saints
* Between, Georgia
* The Girl Who Stopped Swimming (review coming in two weeks)
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot
3. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
4. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter - Tom Franklin
5. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
6. Revolution - Jennifer Donnelly (review coming this Thursday)
7. A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
So there is my year in a nutshell! Stay tuned throughout the week for more engaging audiobook topics, and be sure to check out Jen at Devourer of Books who is hosting our week of fun!
19 comments:
And the think about audiobook narrators is that everyone has his or her own experience. I've listened to the LOTR on audio all the way through the gazillion discs twice. I thought the narrator was perfect; you hated him.
I think some books are so much better in audio and some test you, as you say. It's good to have someone like you to vet these for us!
You are the one who finally broke my resistance to audiobooks, and for that I thank you. I have had some hits and misses in the past few months with them, but am enjoying the experience nonetheless. By the way, I just finished A Visit From the Goon Squad yesterday, and I have to admit that Egan is brilliant. I can totally see why it won the prize.
My kids swear by Jim Dale as well -me I could listen to him for about five minutes....
Love LOTR though...
Narrators do make or break a book for me unfotunately....
:)
You have some of my favorites on your list. I love that THE CITY & THE CITY tested my brain and I emerged victorious!
I wish I could find more of Joshilyn Jackson's book on audio at my library. Loved Gods in Alabama but had to READ Between, Georgia. Loved it too...but really wanted to listen to it.
Great categories! Henrietta Lacks is one of my favorites, too. Can't wait to get to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Hope you're having a wonderful trip.
I agree that a narrator can make or break a book. There are a few who could read anything to me and have me under their spell.
I am a big fan of audio. A Visit from the Goon Squad was definitely an audio challenge, I think I should have read it because everyone is raving about it and I did not think it was that great. LOVE Jackson too and have Backseat Saints waiting for me to listen to as soon as I finish The Weird Sisters.
I loved Backseat Saints on audio. Does Jackson narrate all of them?
I just started listening to A Visit From the Goon Squad this morning. We'll see how it goes.
So I guess you like Joshilyn Jackson? ;)
I know, you're the audio queen! I've recently re-subscribed to Audible.com and hope to be getting back to audios very, very soon.
You deserve that award and would have won anyway. you are the reason I'm convered to audiobooks now!
Enjoy your time in Poland. I hope you're listening to something great.
I love how you classified your reads by length, etc... I love Scott Brick, I really do, but I DNFd The Passage. I hated the story. HATED!
Joshilyn Jackson is one of the few authors who should definitely read her own work!
I always love your audio book recommendations and make a big effort to listen to your favs each year. Joshilyn Jackson is next on my list so I am really looking forward to listening to it. It's just a shame that I have already read the paper versions of so many on your list. :-(
I struggled with The Passage on audio too. I ended up abandoning the audio and finishing it in print. I've loved some of the others you listed as your favorites though. I love Dale's version of the HP books!
You definitely couldn't miss out on this week. In my book you are the Queen of Audiobooks! Ha!
Your audio reviews are the best! I know I'm going to get a review of the book and the narrator, which is so important. You are my go to audio blog!
Love Jackson and I have Henrietta Lacks on hold at the library.
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