Audio books and the like

[brikis98]

My gf and I both have fairly long commutes to and from work every day and were trying to figure out a way to make them more productive.

I was wondering if any of you guys had experience with audio books - that is, a book that is narrated onto a tape or CD.

* Do certain types of books lend themselves better to audio than others?
* Are there certain storytellers who are better than others?
* Would the story become too fractured hearing it 40-60 min at a time?
* Also, does anyone have experience with audio tapes that help you learn a language (we were thinking German, just for fun)? Is it at all effective? Any recommendations?


UPDATE: I got some "learn german" audio cassettes and i have to say, i'm hooked already

the commute just flies by and i get to do something genuinely productive instead of wasting my time listening to radio. i'm not expecting to become particularly good at german, but it's nice to be able to pick up some words and phrases (gf and i are planning on a trip to germany in the summer)...

i think i'll be spending more time at the library picking out every audio book (and interesting casette/cd) I can find... more recommendations are appreciated

 

[yankeesfan]

Point one: Make sure that the reader of the story doesn't have a wet mouth. I hate the clucking of tongues and the sloshing of mouth fluids that are often heard in audio-book readings. It just kills the story for me.

 

[eits]

- harry potter series (make sure it's the uk version... the one narrated by stephen frey.... NOT the one narrated by jim dale)
- 'nothing sacred' by lewis black
- 'the davinci code' by dan brown

 

[benliong]

"The Devil Wears Prada" is a pretty good listen.

Also, second DaVinci Code.
Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy series are really good audiobooks read by the author himself, British accent.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Audiobook): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

 

[preslove]

Long Dark Teatime of the Soul & Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams books about a paranormal detective. I found them funnier than Hitchhiker's)
Anansi Boys--Neil Gaiman story told by this famous british comedic actor who does vrey good voices. Very funny.

 

[SlitheryDee]

The only audio book that I remember liking was "Cell" by Stephen King. Just a thought...

 

[brikis98]

bump for more opinions

 

[chr6]

thumbs up for harry potter series by stephen fry

 

[pontifex]

i've never listened to an audio book. i tend to prefer reading myself, but maybe i should give it a try, especially when i'm driving.

do they actually just read straight from the book or what?

 

[pnad]

I have a 50min commute and love the audio book.

It doesn't get any more hard to follow/fractured than reading a book.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: pontifex
i've never listened to an audio book. i tend to prefer reading myself, but maybe i should give it a try, especially when i'm driving.

do they actually just read straight from the book or what?

Yep. The really good ones tell the story though through the use of voice acting and the like.

The Harry Potter audio books have been the best I've heard at doing this.

 

[Looney]

Great idea! I'll be flying soon, and i think this will just be what i need!

 

[DrVos]

I'm on book 4 of George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire." Up through book 3, the narrator was excellent and did a great job of bringing characters to life. They have a new guy narrating book 4 and he isn't nearly as good. :-(

 

[MasonLuke]

Da Vinci Code was excellent as well as Seabiscuit.

 

[brikis98]

updated the first post... more recommendations are appreciated