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Our book club recently read a great non-fiction book entitled “Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee” by Casey Cep. I highly recommend it! However, it became apparent during our discussion that those of us who actually read a physical copy of the book enjoyed it much more than those who listened to the audiobook. Hmmm ... There could be myriad reasons for this: People concentrate more when reading as opposed to listening; the structure of the book is more obvious when reading; the narrator may not be an appropriate fit for the book. Maybe some books just aren’t right for being read aloud.
But some books are perfect for being read aloud! This month I’m going to share a few books that I believe should only be experienced as audiobooks.
First is “Born a Crime,” the autobiographical account of comedian and host of “The Late Show,” Trevor Noah. Trevor Noah is funny and insightful, and that comes through as he narrates his story of growing up in South Africa during the later years of Apartheid, when a biracial relationship (his mother is black South African; his father is Swiss-German) was considered a criminal act. Trevor was seldom allowed to play outside for fear that his light skin would be noticed by authorities. When walking down the street as a child, he and his mother couldn’t walk together. His story is poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. Noah’s narration and his use of all the South African dialects make this a must as an audiobook.
If you had asked me if I read a lot of celebrity autobiographies, I would have said no. But apparently I will listen to them, because here is another celebrity autobiography that should only be experienced as an audiobook: Matthew McConaughey’s “Greenlights” is part poetry, part prose, part pep-talk - this audiobook is completely entertaining read in McConaughey’s distinctive drawl.
The novel “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles may be just as lovely to read as it is to listen to, but I can’t imagine it. Set in Moscow during the Stalin era, the fictional Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov finds himself a “permanent resident” of the Hotel Metropol in Moscow for the crime of being a “social parasite,” also-known-as an aristocrat. Nicholas Guy Smith’s narration brings the count, and the hotel, to life, and the entire book is simply lyrical.
Now that you have this list - just in time for your summer road trips - give one, or all, of these audiobooks a try, and be sure to share any great audio selections you find.
For those who might be interested, here are some other audiobooks that I have listened to recently:
• “The Dutch House” by Ann Padgett
• “Dear Edward” by Ann Napolitano
• “The Push” by Ashley Audrain
• “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte
• “Win” by Harlan Coben (I recommend this book for those who are already fans/familiar with the Myron Bolitar series.)
But some books are perfect for being read aloud! This month I’m going to share a few books that I believe should only be experienced as audiobooks.
First is “Born a Crime,” the autobiographical account of comedian and host of “The Late Show,” Trevor Noah. Trevor Noah is funny and insightful, and that comes through as he narrates his story of growing up in South Africa during the later years of Apartheid, when a biracial relationship (his mother is black South African; his father is Swiss-German) was considered a criminal act. Trevor was seldom allowed to play outside for fear that his light skin would be noticed by authorities. When walking down the street as a child, he and his mother couldn’t walk together. His story is poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. Noah’s narration and his use of all the South African dialects make this a must as an audiobook.
If you had asked me if I read a lot of celebrity autobiographies, I would have said no. But apparently I will listen to them, because here is another celebrity autobiography that should only be experienced as an audiobook: Matthew McConaughey’s “Greenlights” is part poetry, part prose, part pep-talk - this audiobook is completely entertaining read in McConaughey’s distinctive drawl.
The novel “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles may be just as lovely to read as it is to listen to, but I can’t imagine it. Set in Moscow during the Stalin era, the fictional Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov finds himself a “permanent resident” of the Hotel Metropol in Moscow for the crime of being a “social parasite,” also-known-as an aristocrat. Nicholas Guy Smith’s narration brings the count, and the hotel, to life, and the entire book is simply lyrical.
Now that you have this list - just in time for your summer road trips - give one, or all, of these audiobooks a try, and be sure to share any great audio selections you find.
For those who might be interested, here are some other audiobooks that I have listened to recently:
• “The Dutch House” by Ann Padgett
• “Dear Edward” by Ann Napolitano
• “The Push” by Ashley Audrain
• “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte
• “Win” by Harlan Coben (I recommend this book for those who are already fans/familiar with the Myron Bolitar series.)
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