Favourite audio books for yourself?

[Hannah]

I've started listening to audiobooks while doing chores and really enjoy them. What are your favourites?

[WTMindy]

What kinds of books do you like? I love listening to audio-books while doing chores! It really makes the time pass. Our library has a subscription to an audio-book library so I can download books onto my MP3 player. It is so nice!! Some of the ones I have really enjoyed lately....

 

Gilead by Robinson (a Pulitzer prize winner on my 888 list)

 

I also loved the Twilight series on audiobook. They are actually teen fiction, I think, but they are very fun! (I normally hate any book that has a vampire it in, but I ordered this because people said they liked it before I knew that it was a vampire story and I ended up enjoying them).

 

I try to always have an audio-book going from my 888 reading list. It makes me feel very productive to be accomplishing two tasks at the same time.

[Hannah]

What kinds of books do you like? QUOTE]

 

Our library does not have any audiobooks. I enjoyed the novels and non-fiction books I borrowed from a friend:

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (although I'd read this before, I enjoyed listening to the author read it)

Blink - The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

[Claire]

My all-time favorite is the Bartimeous Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud, read by Simon Jones. I prefer fiction, though, and especially science fiction or fantasy.

[3lilreds in NC]

And, since my inlaws will be arriving any moment, I haven't showered and the house is not ready, I will tell you all about them right now!

 

If you are a Harry Potter fan, the audiobooks are FABulous. The best I've heard, no question. Jim Dale, the narrator, is outstanding. If I could think of another word to communicate how wonderful he is, I would use it. I am waiting with bated breath for iTunes to get Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows on audio. (I don't want to have to store the CDs and we've gotten the other 6 from iTunes.) His website is here, and you can see a list of what he's narrated. He did a version of Peter Pan that I can't wait to hear. I would grab anything he's done just because he's so good, whether I thought I would like the book particularly or not. You can only get these online from iTunes, BTW.

 

I love getting books from audible.com. That way I can download them and not have to store the CDs. I do have a few hard copies, but not many.

 

I also really like Steven Lawhead's books, and have enjoyed listening to his Song of Albion trilogy very much.

 

Cornelia Funke's Inkheart series is great, too, and I've enjoyed those on audio. Lynne Redgrave narrated Inkheart, and Brendan Frasier narrated Inkspell. I was pleasantly surprised by Brendan Frasier! He is an excellent narrator. I have Thief Lord and Dragon Rider, too, and liked them as well. Brendan Frasier also narrated Dragon Rider.

 

Some of James Herriot's books are available on audio and they are so good! I laughed all the way through them.

 

I LOVED The Witches by Roald Dahl, and I've linked the version I heard for you. The narrator was really good, and I've listened to clips of other versions and they were not as good.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster too. It's a wonderful book to read, but the audio is a hoot - you really get the feel for the plays on words.

 

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is excellent on audio, too. I cannot manage to read these books; Tolkien used way too many words and I just can't do it. The audio, however, is outstanding. Rob Inglis is the narrator, and he even sings the little songs and everything. Dh gave me these on audio for my birthday, along with The Hobbit, and I love them.

 

I have lots of other children's books, too, and have enjoyed them tremendously. Pippi Longstocking was great. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is fun. A Bear Called Paddington is a hoot. The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, Winnie-the-Pooh, A Little Princess, A Secret Garden, several by E. Nesbit - I've enjoyed them all. I think the key is a good narrator.

 

Eek - inlaws are here, dh is not - I must run and pretend that I was not dinking on the internet again, LOL!

[Jenny in Atl]

My all-time favorite is the Bartimeous Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud, read by Simon Jones. I prefer fiction, though, and especially science fiction or fantasy.

 

Those are really fun as well as any one read by Tim Curry (Keys to the Kingdom, Abhorsen Trilogy, and Peter Pan in Scarlet). I also have enjoyed. The Book Thief (loved it so much we both read and listen... cried like you would not believe). The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

[Pink Fairy]

I am totally an audio book lover too--great for car rides, when doing dishes, folding laundry... Some of my favorites:

 

Jane Austen--to me they sound so beautiful when narrated with a posh British accent.

 

Lord of the Rings--If you like the books, you'll LOVE the books on tape.

 

Any of the Harry Potter books

 

Some other kids books: Because of Winn Dixie, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the Winnie the Pooh books (I love Eyeore's sarcasm), the Little House books (Cherry Jones is an awesome narrator!).

 

I also enjoy any of the Focus on the Family Radio Theater presentations: Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, the Narnia books, and especially The Hiding Place.

 

Almost every author that I enjoy reading I will try to get some of their books on cd from the library. I load it on my Zune, and just delete it when I'm finished listening.

[Vida Winter]

because the readers are so perfect for the book.

 

The Thirteenth Tale - the all-time favorite of mine on audio.

Middlesex - curious subject matter but highly entertaining, fabulous reader

Water for Elephants - fun book to hear on audio.

Lonesome Dove - extremely long but I really got into it.

[Guest Lil' TX Schoolhouse]

my husband gave me a media player for my birthday this year. It came with a free book from audible.com. I didnt think I would really like it but I figured it was free. I LOVED it. I am now addicted. I bought several mysteries when they had a sale. Christianaudio gives away a free book once a month. I also found a place to download the One Year Bible readings for each day. Sermonaudio.com has great stuff too. I enjoy the other stuff but love listening to a good book as I dose off at night. It clears my mind of all the day's stresses and the never ending to do list running through my mind.

[Rhonda in TX]

My all-time favorite is the Bartimeous Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud, read by Simon Jones. I prefer fiction, though, and especially science fiction or fantasy.

 

Lots and lots of fun.

[MotherMayI]

Angela's Ashes. Frank McCourt narrates his own book and it is a great "listen".:D

[Beth in OH]

For great books, I really love Dickens on audio. I've listened to A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, and A Christmas Carol. A good reader/actor really brings out the personalities of the characters, and for me, listening to the book allows Dickens's dry wit to pop out at me.