#SundayMorningBookChat this morning is a potential controversial subject: audiobooks. Do you listen to them/ like them? What audiobooks would you recommend? Here are four books where the narration has added to the enjoyment of the book complete with the narrators! - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

slatterymr.bsky.social • 20 days ago

#SundayMorningBookChat this morning is a potential controversial subject: audiobooks. Do you listen to them/ like them? What audiobooks would you recommend? Here are four books where the narration has added to the enjoyment of the book complete with the narrators!

Comments

anita-thakor1000.bsky.social•20 days ago

I love audiobooks. Listen to them a lot for adult fiction. Loved listening to When the Sky Falls which was narrated by Phil Earle himself. That was wonderful

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Oh awesome! I love listening to audiobooks narrated by the author. I always feel like you’re receiving it in the exact way the author intended. @mazevansauthor.bsky.social is amazing at it. (Although I’m not sure she enjoys it all that much 😂)

hfj0108.bsky.social•20 days ago

I don’t listen to them much now but every long journey when my children were younger was made tolerable by audiobooks. Our favourites were the How to Train Your Dragon series by @cressidacowell.bsky.social and read by David Tennant. Each tribe had a different British accent which was so clever.

hfj0108.bsky.social•20 days ago

On some trips, we even had to sit in the car for a while when we arrived to finish a chapter/book!

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

The accents and the voices really add to it. That’s what I love! ❤️

barrowmember.bsky.social•20 days ago

I ❤️ audiobooks. My EDS means holding books, esp hardbacks, can cause wrist pain/sublux, & fatigue/eye issues mean reading on screen/paper can hurt: have to pace it. Ear-reading generally manageable when I'm stuck in bed, if pain/fatigue not too high, though may mean many replays from falling asleep.

barrowmember.bsky.social•20 days ago

I loved Tyger (@whatsfsaid.bsky.social) True Biz (@novicsara.bsky.social), all @robinince.bsky.social's & @mserinkelly.bsky.social's books, The Centre (Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi) Yellowface (RF Kuang) 10 Steps to Nanette (Hannah Gadsby), Strong Female Character (Fern Brady) & this https://danielsloss.com/book/

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Oh awesome! I listened to Varjak Paw by @whatsfsaid.bsky.social on audio book too! I’ll have to check out the others

whatsfsaid.bsky.social•17 days ago

Thank you so much Tom and Emily! I love the Tyger audiobook - it's really beautifully read, much better than I can read it myself!

barrowmember.bsky.social•17 days ago

It's often easier to read other people's writing than your own, I think. When reading your own work, it's tempting to edit as you go even though you're Not Allowed as that stage is done (or is that just me?). Also, voice actors are professionals who can make writing shine: makes sense to let them 😉.

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

And that’s another important part. It adds a layer of accessibility for people.

louiestowell.bsky.social•20 days ago

I love love love audio. Obv tricky w illustrated books but as long as they're properly adapted they can work wellm

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Yes that’s the only drawback are the illustrations so books where the illustrations play such an important part - like Loki - I would always read the actual book

louiestowell.bsky.social•20 days ago

I find an actor and producer team bring something new and extra to the audio - loki on audio is not the same animal but it is an awesome animal. A warm noisy mammal to the print versions weird silent lizard.

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Oh really! Maybe that’s a silly assumption on my part then… I will endeavour to check it out!

louiestowell.bsky.social•20 days ago

I always listen to the various audios before writing a new book, perfect way to refresh my memory!

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•20 days ago

I talk about the value of audiobooks in this article on reading with dyslexia which some might find useful: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/articles/reading-with-dyslexia

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Ooo thanks for sharing!

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•20 days ago

As a dyslexic reader with ME/CFS audiobooks have been an absolute game changer for me. And there are some excellent ones out there. Maz Evans, Manjeet Mann, Stephanie Cannon, Gemma Whelan and Michael Sheen are some of my favourite narrators. Here’s some audiobooks I’ve loved and highly recommend.

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slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Wow! A great list! Thanks for the recommendations! I’ve listened to and read some of these

amysparkes.bsky.social•8 days ago

Thanks very much! Charlie Sanderson is fabulous. So lucky to have her narrating it :)

carrieprimary.bsky.social•20 days ago

I don’t but mostly because of time. I have about 40 minutes to read every day before falling asleep and I usually fall asleep holding my book. I’d be forever lost if it was an audio one!

hookablebooks.bsky.social•20 days ago

I mostly enjoy audiobooks. There have been a few adult ones I haven’t enjoyed as much. I have listened to some great audiobooks for children- including the Greenwild books! I think the narrator makes a big difference!

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Yes I listened to the Greenwild books on audiobook! Plus a big plus is when a book is out in hardback which can sometimes be expensive an audiobook is the same paperback price!

hookablebooks.bsky.social•20 days ago

Absolutely!

vonprice.bsky.social•20 days ago

Great question Tom! I love audiobooks, listen on my walk to work, when I’m doing housework, cooking or gardening. The narrator is crucial though!
I also think they are brilliant for dyslexic individuals 😊

maisiechanwrites.bsky.social•20 days ago

I don’t fare well with them. I can’t concentrate on what the narrator is saying. My mind wanders.

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

It happens to me occasionally and then I just press stop. It’s clearly not the right time!

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

@checkemoutbooks.bsky.social @jacquisydney.bsky.social @mariannedoherty.bsky.social @hookablebooks.bsky.social @hfj0108.bsky.social @karenwallee.bsky.social @kateheap.bsky.social @amysparkes.bsky.social @louiestowell.bsky.social @librarylady.bsky.social @vonprice.bsky.social

jacquisydney.bsky.social•20 days ago

I’m afraid I don’t listen to audiobooks - I can only concentrate for about 10 minutes at a time and I always end up not knowing what’s going on 😂 x

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

I thought that’s how I would be but I am surprisingly much better at it. I was gardening for three hours yesterday and listened to a book the whole time and took all of it in. Who knew I could multitask!

jacquisydney.bsky.social•20 days ago

I think for some people, audiobooks are a great way to read and they obviously work for you so I’m very envious. Even with podcasts, which are much shorter, I have to listen to them several times in short bursts so that I get the whole thing x

cazapr1.bsky.social•20 days ago

Bea can listen for ages & simply be still or fidget with things or do some craft & she'll know everything that happened. I zone out & lose the thread of a story really quickly but do enjoy listening to podcasts while doing laundry/cooking/processing books, it doesn't matter so much if you miss a bit

karenwallee.bsky.social•20 days ago

My son and I listened to a couple of Agatha Christie's whilst on road thrips when he was younger which we loved, but I haven't listened to any recently. Maybe I should try one when I'm on the treadmill to help pass the time instead of music!

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

To be honest it’s the only way I’d make it through so many books. Hour and a half of driving every day turns into half and a half of reading. Can easily get through a book in a week. Or sometimes even two depending on length.

checkemoutbooks.bsky.social•20 days ago

I don’t listen to any audiobooks so I don’t know I’m afraid.

alienwife99.bsky.social•20 days ago

I’ve never listened to an audiobook. Not out of book-snobbery or anything like that, I just know that I wouldn’t give it my full attention and then I’d miss something.

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

It’s funny because I listen to them on my commute to and from work which is about 40 minutes each day and I can easily pay attention to every detail and drive. Yet on occasion I can be driving for twenty minutes and not taken anything in! On those days I just switch it off.

alienwife99.bsky.social•20 days ago

My commute is 7 minutes max. A book would take a looooooong time 😂

slatterymr.bsky.social•20 days ago

Haha you’d be there all year