Assassination Vacation (audio book)
written by Sarah Vowell, and narrated by her, too
2005
somewhere around 5 hours, and it was abridged, unfortunately
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FTC: Purchased through my Audible account, which I have since closed.
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My interest in audiobooks is starting to wane. I used to listen to about one a month, which isn’t much. But compared to 2 years ago when I didn’t listen to them at all, that was a lot. However, I don’t retain crap when I listen. Of course, I’m not much better when it comes to reading the actual book, but at least I have the book nearby to refer back to. With the audio, there is no dog-earing (I know, I know…blasphemy!) and no noting of anything, since the only time I listen to them is in the car.
All this to say I listened to Sarah Vowell read Assassination Vacation earlier this month. It made me laugh. I enjoyed it. Her voice is quirky and takes some getting used to, but after awhile I decided it was perfect for her book. Which had something to do with the presidential assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield and someone else (and for god’s sake I was a history major, I should know this! Oh yes, it was McKinley. Thanks, Google.). Vowell hunts down little known historical places that have some slight connection to either the assassins or the assassinations. Really, it was interesting.
Too bad I can’t remember more.
I have just one audio tape which was a win from Bibliofreak and I loved it. In this part of the world books are difficult to come by so audio books would be very very rare. Count yourself lucky that you have options!!!!
My interest in audiobooks has faded sinificantly. I am not sure why I got sick of them so quickly, but I haven’t listened to one in months.
I just got so mad at Amazon (but it wasn’t totally their fault) – I ordered the audio Little Bee and it arrived in a format that I can’t listen to in my car. DRAT! I can’t tell you how upset I am and how frustrated that I didn’t realize such could be an issue. So I just may swear off audios. I don’t mind spending money on books for some reason but on a disc and case – it just isn’t the same. Probably because I can’t skim through the pages in my hands to find *that* quote when I write the review, etc.
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It does sound interesting and funny. Vowell must have a quirky sense of humor, which I like.
I’m very into audiobooks at the moment, but I’ve had days where I couldn’t get into one or FOCUS to save my life. I usually do better when it’s a book I’ve read before and want to revisit (I know, I know, you don’t reread!), I can usually focus really well on those. I have to have a really compelling narrator to get into anything I haven’t read before.
As for Sarah Vowell, she does have a really…different…voice. I’ve heard this one was good, but I’m not sure I could listen to her read a whole book! It’s one I might have to just “read”.
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I’m still kind of meh about audiobooks, but I’m sure I’d like this one. I read the book earlier this year and it was a lot of fun.
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LOL!!! I don’t have a retention problem with audio in particular but with all books. I’ve been wanting to read Vowell and this looks like a good place to start.
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I like this book when I listened to it last summer. It wasn’t my favorite, but it kept me amused throughout which is about everything I look for in an audiobook while I’m driving.
.-= Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)´s last blog ..Summer of Tim O’Brien =-.
I can’t do audiobooks for the same reason … plus it they just take too long. I can read 4 books in the time it takes to listen to one.
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Week In Review – 5/2/10 =-.
I saw her on Jon Stewart and I think also Letterman when she was promoting her last book. I think it was about Pilgrims?? She definitely has a very unique voice. She was very entertaining during the interviews and also seemed extremely intelligent.
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I didn’t love this one so much, but I absolutely cackled when I read The Partly Cloudy Patriot. Would be willing to give this one a go on audio.
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