All About Books discussion

In 2012 I was diagnosed with a vision problem. My personal challenge is to adjust to using a mixture of audio books, large print books, my kindle where I can adjust the font, and some hardback books with decent contrast and to still have a good reading experience.

That's a big challenge indeed Gill! And audiobook will be a great comfort to you. I love them!!!

Great personal challenge for yourself. I always want to try audio books, but never get around to it!

I started listening to audiobooks about a year ago & find that I love them for some books but not so much for others. For example, Ringworld had a bit too much science in the sci-fi to listen to - I like sciencey sci-fi but need to see it in print so I can take my time thinking about it.

Good challenge! I started with the audio books a few months ago, and found that I like some and not others -a lot depends on the narrator. Sometimes they really bring a book to life, and sometimes they are a great sleep aid.

Cheers for the good wishes

I'm getting more used to audio books, though they do have the disadvantage that, if you fall asleep, you don't find the book is still at the same page when you wake up!

There's a UK company called Calibre Audio that I've joined. Their books are only available to you if you can't use ordinary books, either due to vision problems or dyslexia. They are on my list of Good Things about having Macular Degeneration. (Yes I do have such a list, however unlikely it sounds!) Most of their books can now be streamed, a new bit of technology for me to learn about.

I also bit the bullet and paid upfront for a 24 credit subscription to Audible. I'm now enjoying choosing very chunky books for my money.

That's sounds wonderful! Listening to a book can very rewarding. Although, I do agree with you regarding falling asleep! I've often wondered if I dreamt part of the story! So great you are not letting anything prevent you from enjoying books! :)

This is a great personal challenge. Good luck Gill.

Well, it's nearly the end of the year, so I thought I'd have a look at how my personal challenge is going.

Things that are good are:

I'm now much more used to using my kindle to read books. It goes against the grain to pay to buy books for it, that I am not able to pass on to anyone else after I have finished them, but needs must. (It also means I am reading many more classics, because I like the fact that they are free!)

I feel perfectly OK about reading large print books now and now I don't mind people knowing that that's what I have to do. The selection of LP books in my local library is poor. Rumour has it that there is a reserve section with some in, so I need to investigate this.

There are also some ebooks I can borrow from the library.The system for searching the ebook catalogue is quirky, so I need to spend more time working out how to do it!

I seem to have access to so many different sources of audio books now - the library, Audible, Calibre audio. In fact the main thing I need to do is buy the extra books on my Audible subscription. (I still have 17 credits to use before May)

I can still manage some hardbacks, but it's tiring and slow.

Having said all this, I still come across books that I really want to read that I can't find in any of these forms eg The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, That upsets me a lot, but, hey, life's too short to brood on it, and I don't think I'm going to run out of other books that I want to read.

People in All About Books have been amazingly supportive this year, and I am grateful to you all for that.

Happy reading in 2014!

Gill - I am glad to hear that you are adjusting to the different media! And feeling more comfortable with people knowing your vision problems.

If you are enjoying the classics you can get free, you should look into the corresponding audiobook versions at Librivox -- despite the fact that the recordings are all done by volunteers, some of them are excellent (as good as any I have paid for). I have a list of narrators to look for if you are interested in trying Librivox...

And don't forget to keep asking your consultant if he is willing to register you. Then you'll have access to all their 10,000 (from memory) talking books with your subscription paid by your Local Authority.

The DAISY player they provide also plays MP3 disks. Plus you can buy some at around £3.50 each. All their recordings are complete books.

Awesome Gill! Hey Gill if your library uses the overdrive software to check out ebooks with it, you can borrow ebooks and audiobooks through it. My library does and you can keep them from a week to two weeks then it automatically returns them to the site when you finish and you can read them online. It's pretty cool. Good luck and happy reading! ^_^

Gill despite your reading difficulties with access to large print or ebooks, it sounds like you've had an enjoyable reading year. I'm glad that you're more comfortable with asking for large print and hope your access to these will continue to improve in 2014. I'm also really pleased to have gotten to know you over the past few months on this group :)

I'm so pleased you have managed to settle into your reading with different mediums. It seems to have opened a new world of literature. I understand it must be so frustrating when works aren't available but that will happen less and there are so many books in the world I'm sure you'll find something else.

Look forward to reading with you in 2014!

Thanks for all the comments.

It's only now that I realize that you can get Librivox in the uk, Lesley. So I'm having a look at that. Could you message me with your recommendations for readers? Thanks

Yes, Amber, my library does use overdrive, so I'm having a go with that.

I take your point, Jean. But I doubt if my eyes yet mean I can be registered. And even if I'm eligible, I'm not ready for it emotionally. One day!

Awesome! I love using that too. :)

Oh OK :)

Gill wrote: "Thanks for all the comments.

It's only now that I realize that you can get Librivox in the uk, Lesley. So I'm having a look at that. Could you message me with your recommendations for readers? Tha..."

No problem -- I'll send it today or tomorrow.