Looking for an audio book suggestion

[redsquirrel]

I have an unexpected car trip this week and need an audio book.  I will be in the back seat, traveling with my mother and her husband. He prefers right wing talk radio...so, in order to keep my sanity, I am bringing along an audio book and a knitting project.

 

It seems to be a 7-8 hour drive each way. 

 

I just happened to borrow Sarah Vowel's "Assassination Vacation" from the library. I rarely listen to audio books, but this looked ideal for me. I love Sarah Vowel, I love humorous, I love fun but educational. Plus each chapter is read by a different person, so I will stay engaged.  I feel like I sometimes have trouble focusing on audio books and miss important things.  I am a better reader of books than listener, I guess?  I feel like my attention can wander a bit at times. Not good with a complicated plot....but sometimes I am totally hooked and I can get really into them. So obviously, it depends on the book.

 

So, I have one way there covered. The book I have is just over 7 hours.

 

All the other books I am looking at are so much longer, like 32 hours, lol.  Well, it was a Dickens books, so what was I expecting? 

 

Anyone know of a less than 10 hour audio books that they really enjoyed? I like history, biography, lit, essays, short stories, fiction, non-fiction, science fiction and fantasy, classics. It can be young adult if you think it is engaging and worth checking out.

 

I am not a fan of 'chick lit' but can be convinced to change my mind if the writing is engaging. I am also not a fan of the current 'romance novel' type book, but I don't mind romance or a love story, if that makes sense.

 

I am getting it out of the library, so it might take some searching before I find something that isn't checked out, but the selection is HUGE.  I am a member of the NY city public library and their audio book game is strong.

[Plink]

I don't know the exact length, but The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiller was fairly short but fun as an audio book.  ETA, I just realized that YOU are in the back seat.  Doh!  

 

Maybe one of the books from The Cat Who series?

Edited January 16, 2016 by Plink

[Seeking Squirrels]

How about 10 hrs 53 min.? I'm listening to The Martian by Andy Weir right now and it's excellent. The reader is very engaging. I also have a hard time paying attention to audiobooks most of the time. My mind wanders too much. I haven't had any trouble staying tuned in to this one.

[Word Nerd]

I've been listening to Neil Gaiman's Trigger Warning, a collection of short stories. He's a great storyteller and a wonderful narrator as well.

[Kareni]

A second vote for The Martian.

 

Another audio book that my husband and I both enjoyed was Johannes Cabal The Necromancer;  it appears to be just under 11 hours long.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kim in Appalachia]

I think Neil Gaiman is a great suggestion.  I loved listening to A Tale for Time Beings, by Ruth Ozeki, but I think it's longer than 8 hrs.  A collection of short stories would be good. I liked Trigger Warnings, but also good was Vampires in the Lemon Grove, by Karen Russell.  Maybe Neil Gaiman's (and Terry Pratchett) Good Omens.  I think it was on the shorter side.  His Graveyard book is shorter as well since it's for kids, but it's still a great book to listen to.

 

Hope you find something fun! Enjoy.

[Word Nerd]

Maybe Neil Gaiman's (and Terry Pratchett) Good Omens.  I think it was on the shorter side.  His Graveyard book is shorter as well since it's for kids, but it's still a great book to listen to.

 

Hope you find something fun! Enjoy.

 

I liked both of those audiobooks too. I decided I will never read a Neil Gaiman book again if it's possible for him to read it to me instead. 

[redsquirrel]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions.

 

I've...I've read almost all of them though  :blushing:

 

I do agree that Gaiman is the BEST reader around.  I haven't read Trigger Warnings yet, I might get lucky and will try to find that one.  I think I can recite The Graveyard book, lol.  If you like him be sure to check out his Odd and the Frost Giants, also a great audio book. That is a family favorite.

 

And The Martian is SUCH a good book! I loved it. DH read it to ds2, with an appropriate amount of on the fly editing of course, and it was a huge hit.  If I hadn't just read it last month I would be all over it as an audio book.

 

I will see if they have the Cat Who series and Vampires in the Lemon Grove.

 

This is going to be a looong trip.

 

A long drive to Michigan for a Funeral for my mom's brother, who is not someone I liked at all. He was a bit too aggressive with his faith, very judgmental, and it was easier to just not deal with him. But, I am going for my mom. So, many hours while her husband drives and listens to talk radio and then lots of family I don't know well and I am sure regards me as a freak.  But, we're Irish, so there will be booze.

 

[Kim in Appalachia]

The Dog Stars  or The Painter  by Peter Heller.  Both very different, but really good. Anything by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl)  or Jo Walton.

[Mom22ns]

If you like fantasy, I've enjoyed Jim Butcher audio books. His Fury series is my favorite. The Furies of Calderon is the first book in the series. I love Robin Hobb audiobooks as well, but I think they are quite a bit longer than your limit. Her assassin series (Assassin's Apprentice is the first) is the best starting place. I keep an audiobook going at all times and I get them all through the library. I listen to YA and adult books, but mostly fantasy. If you are interested in those, let me know and I can look back through my listening history and give more recommendations. I rarely notice length though.

 

One YA suggestion, dd and I both just listened to 13 Reasons. It was fairly short and we both liked it. It is not a happy book though.

[itsheresomewhere]

I Must Say by Martin Short. It is funny and it draws you in. It does have some bad language in it if that bothers you. His life is fascinating.

[Guest]

I'm listening to All The Light We Cannot See. It's longer than ten hours, though.

 

It's funny what you said about finding it harder to listen to books than read them; that is true for me, too. My DS would rather listen to a book, hands down, but I miss details more easily in audiobook than if I'm reading visually.

 

I also have Career of Evil on audible, but I haven't listened to it yet. I like the Corman Strike novels so far, but this is my first on audio.

[Debbi in Texas]

What about Bill Bryson's books. He reads them aloud himself. I cannot remember how long any of them are though.

 

 

[Debbi in Texas]

I have enjoyed:

 

Room by Emma Donaghue

 

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

 

The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald

 

Greek Tragedies by The Great Courses.

 

anything by John Grisham

[Cinder]

I enjoyed Carl Hiaasen's YA book Chomp on audio; it's only 6 hours, though. But then you could follow up with Neil Gaiman's Fortunately, the Milk. It's only an hour but so much fun.

[redsquirrel]

I love fortunately the milk! We listen to it on every road trip. 

 

So, I started searching using the suggestions here, and I ended up with a book that I wanted to read, but had forgotten about. So, I will be listening to Caitlin Moran's book "How To Build a Girl".  It's written by Louise Brealy...Molly Hooper from Sherlock, which is delightful!

 

I read her earlier book "How to be a woman" a couple years ago. I was in a tent with my family, and I am a night owl. I was lying there in the dark, reading and having to bite down on my knuckle to stop from bursting out laughing. I really loved it. Hopefully this book will keep me occupied on this long trip.

 

My mom is already starting to drive me nuts. I swear there are not enough carbs in the world for the upcoming week.

[Starr]

You could download a few podcasts for back up. My current favorite is A Way With Words. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

I recently finished "Amy Snow" by Tracy Rees and enjoyed it. It's more like 15 hours though :)