Comments on: Audiobooks, plus Miniscule http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:31:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Emerson http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215587 John Emerson Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:54:55 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215587 My loaner 3-year-old likes these two P.Z. Meyers-approved videos: <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8074729019999784146&q=octopus&total=5838&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=5" rel="nofollow">Octopus catches shark</a> <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4007016107763801953&q=octopus&total=6062&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1" rel="nofollow">Octopus squeezes through 1" hole.</a> My loaner 3-year-old likes these two P.Z. Meyers-approved videos:

Octopus catches shark

Octopus squeezes through 1” hole.

]]> By: shtove http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215559 shtove Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:48:16 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215559 #19 – Novakant, that’s pretty good, but is this better? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1dPtEph2U #19 – Novakant, that’s pretty good, but is this better?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1dPtEph2U

]]> By: Nabakov http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215552 Nabakov Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:47:30 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215552 Oh damnation! Here's the working link. http://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-Anniversary-C-Lewis/dp/1574532618 Oh damnation! Here’s the working link.
http://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-Anniversary-C-Lewis/dp/1574532618

]]> By: Nabakov http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215551 Nabakov Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:46:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215551 <a>John Cleese reading The Screwtape Letters</a>. Regardless of what you think of Lewis's underlying message, Cleese is brilliant at rendering the tone of infernal bureacrats. John Cleese reading The Screwtape Letters.

Regardless of what you think of Lewis’s underlying message, Cleese is brilliant at rendering the tone of infernal bureacrats.

]]> By: astrongmaybe http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215525 astrongmaybe Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:35:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215525 Not quite audiobooks, but check out Pete Seeger's "Radio Ballads", from the mid-1950s, available on the BBC Radio 2 website. They're among the most interesting and affecting radio documentaries I've heard - mixing interview footage taken among various subcultures (miners, fishermen, polio victims, etc.) with specially-written music and songs. (There are some contemporary versions commissioned for the 50th anniversary on the site, but they can't hold a candle to the originals.) http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/original/orig_history.shtml And Glenn Gould's Solitude Trilogy of radio pieces is enduringly impressive: http://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Goulds-Solitude-Trilogy-Documentaries/dp/B000028803/ref=sr_1_2/103-3719409-0942218?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193545820&sr=8-2 (forgive the messy linking) Not quite audiobooks, but check out Pete Seeger’s “Radio Ballads”, from the mid-1950s, available on the BBC Radio 2 website. They’re among the most interesting and affecting radio documentaries I’ve heard – mixing interview footage taken among various subcultures (miners, fishermen, polio victims, etc.) with specially-written music and songs. (There are some contemporary versions commissioned for the 50th anniversary on the site, but they can’t hold a candle to the originals.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/original/orig_history.shtml

And Glenn Gould’s Solitude Trilogy of radio pieces is enduringly impressive:
http://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Goulds-Solitude-Trilogy-Documentaries/dp/B000028803/ref=sr_1_2/103-3719409-0942218?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193545820&sr=8-2

(forgive the messy linking)

]]> By: Warren Terra http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215522 Warren Terra Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:16:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215522 It's not readily downloadable (although there are workarounds, albeit of questionable legality), and so it's not great for commuters and the like, but if you are staying close to your internet access you might try BBC Radio 4 or BBC 7; they do a lot of radio drama, and everything they broadcast is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/artsdrama_promo.shtml" rel="nofollow">streamed for seven days afterwards</a>. For example, if you like Dickens, they did a four hour full-cast adaptation of <i>Hard Times</i> last week (Parts <a href="//rmv8.bbc.net.uk:554/bbc7/1100_mon.ra" rel="nofollow">1</a>, <a href="//rmv8.bbc.net.uk:554/bbc7/1100_tue.ra" rel="nofollow">2</a>, <a href="//rmv8.bbc.net.uk:554/bbc7/1100_wed.ra" rel="nofollow">3</a>, and <a href="//rmv8.bbc.net.uk:554/bbc7/1100_thu.ra" rel="nofollow">4</a>) and are doing a five-hour adaptation of <i>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</i> next week. It’s not readily downloadable (although there are workarounds, albeit of questionable legality), and so it’s not great for commuters and the like, but if you are staying close to your internet access you might try BBC Radio 4 or BBC 7; they do a lot of radio drama, and everything they broadcast is streamed for seven days afterwards.

For example, if you like Dickens, they did a four hour full-cast adaptation of Hard Times last week (Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4) and are doing a five-hour adaptation of The Mystery of Edwin Drood next week.

]]> By: John Holbo http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215520 John Holbo Sun, 28 Oct 2007 03:19:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215520 Hey Adam R., I guess I missed that one. Don't know what my excuse is, but I'm sure I had one at the time. Hey Adam R., I guess I missed that one. Don’t know what my excuse is, but I’m sure I had one at the time.

]]> By: Norman David Gerre http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215515 Norman David Gerre Sun, 28 Oct 2007 01:42:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215515 N+1thing the Patrick O'Brian books, but most of those rollicking historical adventure novels (<i>Sharpe</i> etc.) work well in audio too. Hard to make recommendations without knowing what kind of books you're after, though. For dysfunctional-family comedy, all of David Sedaris's books are fantastic to listen to -- not a surprise, since he got famous reading them aloud before they were ever in book form. For historical mystery, I can recommend the Elizabeth Peters <i>Amelia Peabody</i> books, read by Barbara Rosensomething. Delightfully snooty. Alternate history/fantasy: the Naomi Novik <i>Temeraire</i> books, read by Simon Vance. (Napoleonic Wars + dragons.) James Marsters (Spike from <i>Buffy</i>) does a good job reading the <i>Dresden Files</i> urban fantasy series, but it's not until the third or fourth book that they get really good. Anything by Neil Gaiman. Lenny Henry's Anansi Boys was particularly good, but Gaiman is great when he reads his own stuff too. N+1thing the Patrick O’Brian books, but most of those rollicking historical adventure novels (Sharpe etc.) work well in audio too.

Hard to make recommendations without knowing what kind of books you’re after, though.

For dysfunctional-family comedy, all of David Sedaris’s books are fantastic to listen to—not a surprise, since he got famous reading them aloud before they were ever in book form.

For historical mystery, I can recommend the Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody books, read by Barbara Rosensomething. Delightfully snooty.

Alternate history/fantasy: the Naomi Novik Temeraire books, read by Simon Vance. (Napoleonic Wars + dragons.)

James Marsters (Spike from Buffy) does a good job reading the Dresden Files urban fantasy series, but it’s not until the third or fourth book that they get really good.

Anything by Neil Gaiman. Lenny Henry’s Anansi Boys was particularly good, but Gaiman is great when he reads his own stuff too.

]]> By: avagee http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215501 avagee Sat, 27 Oct 2007 23:34:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215501 <a href="http://www.booksinmyphone.com" rel="nofollow">www.booksinmyphone.com</a> has quite a few PD texts (including dickens and other 'edifying' classics)in a format that can be read on any java enabled cell phone. Very good for commutes. http://www.booksinmyphone.com has quite a few PD texts (including dickens and other ‘edifying’ classics)in a format that can be read on any java enabled cell phone. Very good for commutes.

]]> By: robert the red http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215496 robert the red Sat, 27 Oct 2007 22:47:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215496 Librivox also has the Forsyte saga, which I'm listening to with fascination right now. Librivox also has the Forsyte saga, which I’m listening to with fascination right now.

]]> By: novakant http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215481 novakant Sat, 27 Oct 2007 21:14:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215481 That is very cute and well done, but I still think the funniest video is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eim5jLlEPYI" rel="nofollow">this one</a>. That is very cute and well done, but I still think the funniest video is this one.

]]> By: Adam Roberts http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215478 Adam Roberts Sat, 27 Oct 2007 21:06:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215478 I wrote a brief post on LibriVox a little while ago on a website called ... (not sure if you know of this site, John, worth checking out if you don't) ... <a href="http://www.thevalve.org/go" title="The Valve" rel="nofollow">The Valve</a>. As I say <a href="http://www.thevalve.org/go/valve/article/on_lord_jim/" title="there" rel="nofollow">there</a>, the range of Conrad titles is pretty good, and <i>Lord Jim</i> exceptionally so. <i>The Secret Agent</i> was curate's egg, but worth a go. I'm halfway through <i>Typhoon</i>, another excellent one, so far at any rate. I wrote a brief post on LibriVox a little while ago on a website called … (not sure if you know of this site, John, worth checking out if you don’t) … The Valve. As I say there, the range of Conrad titles is pretty good, and Lord Jim exceptionally so. The Secret Agent was curate’s egg, but worth a go. I’m halfway through Typhoon, another excellent one, so far at any rate.

]]> By: Mark http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215466 Mark Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:35:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215466 I once saw <i>The Bible</i> on audio book. Not so surprising, I know. The fun part was that it was read by James Earl Jones. I didn't have the chance to listen to it, but I'm sure the Hebraic law would be simply riveting read by Darth Vader. I once saw The Bible on audio book. Not so surprising, I know. The fun part was that it was read by James Earl Jones.

I didn’t have the chance to listen to it, but I’m sure the Hebraic law would be simply riveting read by Darth Vader.

]]> By: Kate Nepveu http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215464 Kate Nepveu Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:24:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215464 Second the Discworld recommendation, but only the ones narrated by Stephen Briggs. Nth the Patrick Tull recommendations. Douglas Adams reading his own work is very good. Second the Discworld recommendation, but only the ones narrated by Stephen Briggs.

Nth the Patrick Tull recommendations.

Douglas Adams reading his own work is very good.

]]> By: fardels bear http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/comment-page-1/#comment-215453 fardels bear Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:48:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/27/audiobooks-plus-miniscule/#comment-215453 Librivox is wonderful indeed. Check out the Father Brown stories there. Martin Clifton does a very nice job. I also get things from audible.com and have been enjoying the "literary detective" Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde. finally, I've been intrigued by: www.audiobooksforfree.com The title is a bit of misnomer. Tho works are all public domain, and the sound quality for the free version is not good. Pay a little however, and you can download high quality sound files. They are all read by professionals so you avoid the hit-and-miss quality you find on librivox. Librivox is wonderful indeed. Check out the Father Brown stories there. Martin Clifton does a very nice job.

I also get things from audible.com and have been enjoying the “literary detective” Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde.

finally, I’ve been intrigued by:

http://www.audiobooksforfree.com

The title is a bit of misnomer. Tho works are all public domain, and the sound quality for the free version is not good. Pay a little however, and you can download high quality sound files. They are all read by professionals so you avoid the hit-and-miss quality you find on librivox.

]]>