I average about one audio book a month. Sometimes I manage two, but not often. The only time I listen is when I’m driving to and from work (about 20 minutes each way), or when I’m outside walking on the weekends. So it takes me awhile to get through a book, even though I generally try to choose books that are around 7 or 8 hours in length. Any longer and I tend to forget what’s going on by the time I get to the end.
I’m also a lousy auditory learner, unless I’m taking notes. And since I just mentioned I listen mostly while driving, that’s so not happening.
So here’s brief summary of what I’ve listened to in the last few months:
My Ántonia: Willa Cather’s classic praire novel. I was underwhelmed. Mostly because it wasn’t so much my Ántonia as it was my Tiny Soderball and my Lena Lingard and my grandparents and my college life. Oh sure, Tony was there in the beginning and end, but she was distinctly lacking in the middle. Also…the narrator was meh.
Medium Raw: Narrated by Anthony Bourdain himself. I don’t know what he was like as a chef, but dude can write. And narrate. And curse. I loved it. Better yet, I fuckin’ loved it.
Grant’s Final Victory: Not as good as Destiny of the Republic, although to be fair, I read that one. This is the story of General Grant’s Last Stand. Against cancer. But there’s also a lot of military stuff, and I’m not a fan of the military stuff. Also, like Destiny, there is lots of pus. What’s up with pus-filled history?? It seems to be a disturbing new trend in biographies.
The King’s Speech: I think I should’ve watched the movie. I loved the first part, which focused on King George (the 6th, father of Elizabeth (the 2nd)) learning to overcome his stutter with the help of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. The second half was just speech after speech after speech. Interspersed with WWII details. Bor-ing. Also, while Simon Vance rocks as a narrator, I’ve also listened to part of Paul is Undead (the Beatles go zombie), which he also narrates, and sometimes I found myself imagining King George as a zombie. Not cool.
I think it’s about time that pus came out into the open…
After the horrid time I had with the narrator of Model Home, I am somewhat disenchanted with audiobooks right now. That is not stopping me from listening to another one, but I am a lot less excited about them this month. If you haven’t already listened to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on audio, I would totally recommend it. Rockin narrator, and a story that verged on science fiction. Great book.
My Antonia was underwhelming in print, too. The only good parts involved wolves and woodchoppers. Unfortunately, I managed to read both of those right as I went to eat lunch. Both times. How’s that for odds?
DUDE(tte)! I so want to read Medium Raw and I keep forgetting to bite the bullet and download it. I’ve read a couple of Bourdain’s books: Kitchen Confidential and A Cook’s Tour. He can most definitely write, and I love his snark.
I need to get my ears into some Bourdain. You can’t argue with fucking loving things. As far as Simon Vance, yeah baby. Although I know exactly what you are talking about. After listening to all the Harry Potters on audio, as much as I loved the narrator, I can’t listen to him narrate anything else. It just comes across as Harry Potter.
I actually watched The King’s Speech a couple weeks ago and I was bored… I know it won lots of awards, but I had to stop it and finish it later. I actually totally forgot I had even seen it until I saw your thoughts on the audio book.
I haven’t listened to an audiobook in a while and I do miss them. I just haven’t found the time. I’ll have to check out Bourdain’s book though!
Medium Raw was great wasn’t it? It was such a fun listen and fuck yeah he can curse!
I bet Carl would love Medium Raw too. I really liked the movie version of The King’s Speech, but don’t think I’d appreciate all those speeches in the book.
I was bored to death when i read My Antonia so I can only imagine that audio would have put me to sleep! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these titles!
King George IS a zombie. I think that was the second half of the movie.
Yes! So glad to hear Medium Raw is fucking awesome. I loved Kitchen Confidential (it was actually one of the first audiobooks I ever listened to!), and have been meaning to get to this one for a while now. Also, once my husband got to talk to Anthony Bourdain on the phone, while we were eating at Bourdain’s restaurant in New York. It was epic. Betweem that and Bourdain’s exceedingly overwhelming awesomeness, we are fans for life
Audio books and I just don’t get along. My life is not conducive to listening I guess. I must read Bourdain now. Did he ever use the term “unfuck”? Like, hey I’ll totally unfuck that situation for you. My husband busted it out this weekend, and it has become a new favorite for me.
I enjoyed Medium Raw as well too… what a narrator!
It’s good to hear (?) that My Antonia is underwhelming. I remember reading it in one of my college lit courses and couldn’t understand why everyone was in awe. It’s on my shelf to read again but maybe I’ll believe my 20-something self and skip it. I mean, since all of you guys are backing the meh.
I like audiobooks a lot (can’t say love yet) but I suck at really comprehending them and then blogging about them. You’ve got my attention with Medium Raw!
Ahahahaha! I died reading your thoughts on The King’s Speech. The movie is a completely different animal from the book, but the idea of zombies and recent British monarchs made me pee myself. You’re the best.
I listen to a zillion audiobooks a year (my record is over 100). You get used to narrators reading different books, just as you get used to actors playing different roles. Audiobooks are my salvation.
I need to finish My Antonia by the end of the year to finish up a challenge and we started the sudio on our way home for Christmas. Jason is not likeing it at all so I may have to switch to the paper to finish.