»

[Lonz]

Was watching Top Gear the other day, with Stephen Fry as the star in the reasonably priced car, and I picked up on him mentioning audiobooks as a great way to get into books, especially the older and much lauded books that always appear in top 100 lists etc. It's something i'd never even considered but something I think I will give a try.

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts were on audiobooks? Do you think they detract from the experience of reading a book or add to it?

Anyone currently use audiobooks on a regular basis have any recommendations?

[Alkaline]

The best audiobook i have ever heard was Christopher Lee reading The Exorcist. It definitely added to the atmosphere of the whole experience. I think it really depends on the voice of the reader as to how engaging it is.

[DJ Jo-D]

I have Julie Walters and Dawn French on audiobook, I started Dawn Frenchs while on holiday was well strange, but much easier than trying to sunbathe and hold a book!

I have a pink floyd audiobook also Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd by Nick Mason - thought it would be good hearing from one of the actual people and also think they can add in clips of songs, interviews etc...I haven't got round to listening to it yet as I want to put it on my ipod and my dvd is broked!

[Lucky Rathen]

Audiobooks are for blind people, lazy people, and people who like to leave something playing when they go out to keep their dog from shitting on the floor.

Joking aside, personally I would struggle to pay attention to it. I have a complete and total inability to listen to someone else's voice, which is why I struggled so much with college and Uni. As soon as I sat down in the lecture and the lecturer started talking I completely drifted off, often coming back to reality an hour later and realising I hadn't listened to a single word of the lecture. I do it in meetings as work as well, and when I'm watching movies, I drift off and miss big chunks of the storyline. The only thing that stops me doing that is if I put on the subtitles, for some reason I can concentrate and take things in if I read them, but not if I hear them.

[DJ Jo-D]

ADD perhaps? lol

For me I think it would depend who's speaking in the audio, and how much enthusiasm they have

Bring back those books where you ahd to choose the path that they story takes - but for adults

[jf9tp2wd40]

i have used them a fair bit in the past, i used to get really bad migranes when i read for long periods of time, but i get so engrosed in the book i had to keep reading, Audiobooks solved this problem!

Stephen Fry reading harry potter is actually pretty good, got the first few ones from the library a fair few years back now.

[Ross.]

Originally Posted by DJ Jo-D

Bring back those books where you ahd to choose the path that they story takes - but for adults

I had a Goosebumps book where you chose what path the story would take. It was fucking excellent.

I really want to read Goosebumps now.

[Lonz]

Originally Posted by Alkaline

The best audiobook i have ever heard was Christopher Lee reading The Exorcist. It definitely added to the atmosphere of the whole experience. I think it really depends on the voice of the reader as to how engaging it is.

That sounds brilliant, might be a good starting point.

Stephen Fry reading harry potter is actually pretty good, got the first few ones from the library a fair few years back now.

Harry Potter completely passed me by (books and movies) but tempted by the audiobooks, especially as Fry is reading them. I could imagine him being quite good.

[Alkaline]

Originally Posted by Lonz

That sounds brilliant, might be a good starting point.

As far as i know it's not been released on CD but you may be able to download it from somewhere.

[Woodsinho]

Douglas Adams reading The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is tremendous as is America (the book(the audiobook)) read by Jon Stewart. Funny stuff.