All Ears Audiobooks discussion
General Discussion
>
Which one did you just finish?
I'm so excited...I came up on the wait list for book #2 today (guess I did sign up for it), but I am going to finish the other 2 audio books I've already started before I listen to it...also, thought it might be good to process the 1st book a little before starting this one...Thanks for the input Lars and Dana!! It's making me want to rethink waiting to listen to it. Dana - my roommate told me the other day that she was watching the news and they mentioned that possible manuscripts for 2 more books have been found. I hope so if they are anything like this first one. Keepin' my fingers crossed.
Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea BarrettThe Voyage of the Narwhal has been on my TBR list for years, after first enjoying Barrett's "Ship Fever". "Narwhal" is based around a fictional arctic voyage that looks for the remains of the real explorer Sir John Franklin and "competes" with the real explorer Elisha Kane.
The Narwhal's crew is populated with exactly the kind of people that make the story typical of a high adventure story - the manacial leader of the expidition, the good-hearted kid who saves the day, the non-leader who finds the strength to lead... and at first i was wondering what this had to offer (other than some interesting historical insights) that I hadn't already read before.
Far beyond a book about arctic exploration, Barrett has created a fable about the cost of reputation and fame and the follies of wanting to claim scientific advancement as one's own. While the actual voyage is interesting, it is after the voyage that the story begins to really shine. It is after the voyage that Barrett begins to explore the larger issues of the "age of discovery" that occured in the late 1800's. And her already likeable main characters really shine with their fortitude and reslove to not become intangled in the intellectual and moral traps of the day.
George Guindall does his typically great job narrating. I throughly enjoyed this book - Barrett left me wanting to hear more - always the sign of a good book!
Storm Prey by John SandfordMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A master of the mystery genre. Sanford's pacing of the plot is impeccable and the way his recurring protagonist, Lucas Davenport, solves the crime is very believable. It has been many years since I read the first Prey book and so I may not be remembering correctly but it seems to me that Sanford may be mellowing. In my mind his early novels were almost horror novels, more like Silence of the Lamb; while these latest Prey novels seem to me to have less gore and thrills and more detailed detective work.
The way Lucas Davenport solves the crimes in this book seems like the way a real police detective would solve a crime. Lots of searching down blind alleys and less intuitive leaps. There were times I wanted to call out to Davenport, "you don't need to look down that avenue of inquiry". In the end though all those hours of detective work come together to make the solving of the crime very realistic. I really believed that Davenport worked hard to solve the crime and stop the killers.
I am sure I am not making sense but I am saying it is a very good mystery. I listened to this one and the narrator was great.
View all my reviews
The Overton Window by Glenn BeckMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very scary book. The writing wasn't great but not bad for Mr. Beck's first foray into the world of fiction. I listened to the book and the narration was great. I really enjoyed hearing from Glen in the beginning and again after the completion of the book. I am a Glen Beck fan, so take my review with that in mind.
Some of my favorite parts were when Beck quotes the founding fathers through his protagonists. It was great for me to hear our founders words in many cases for the first time. I was inspired by these words and I came to a realization that I have not been the best citizen of the USA. I have let my own feelings of frustration and maybe fear of being ostracized by my liberal friends keep me mostly silent as our country has moved further and further from the ideals of our Founders.
I am resolved to no longer sit silent when I hear my friends and relatives promote their progressive ideas. I must be willing to sacrifice popularity and friendship for freedom.
I liked the fact Beck doesn't blame the democrats for all the problems nor are the bad guys given some party designation. In fact Beck goes after Bush's policies with more venom than Obama's policies. The bad guys are all the politicians who have sold their souls for power and reelection. One stunning statistic quoted in the book is that congress has a 15% approval rating, yet a 90% of congress are reelected. This points directly to us the voters who think some other state's senator is doing a terrible job but ours is really serving us well by getting us all that federal money. It is this short sighted thinking by the electorate that has given us politicians who have no honor.
In the end I have come to the conclusion that it is mine and each of us that have lost our honor. We no longer take the long view of what is best for the future we are selling our souls for the quick fix. We are not willing to sacrifice our own comforts to help insure the comforts of our children and generations to come.
Loved the book.
View all my reviews
Wayne wrote: "The Overton Window by Glenn BeckMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very scary book. The writing wasn't great but not bad for Mr. Beck's first foray into the world of fiction. I listened to the book and the..."
Wayne -
loved this review!! I don't know who Glen Beck is (I don't watch TV or listen to the radio) but I totally loved that you feel inspired to tack action about how you feel the country is moving. I may not agree with your (or his) politics, but I firmly believe that everyone has the responsibility to put in their thoughts on the political system.
Frankly if your more liberal friends can't handle that then 1.) they aren't really friends (I love my friends regardless or in spite of their politics) and 2.) they're missing the whole point of liberalism which is to be willing to go against the flow :) And what is considered conservative now, may have been liberal thinking a century ago...
Anyway thanks for sharing that review. I hope you do get out there and make things happen!
donna
Julie - You have such great reviews for books to listen to as families. How old were your kids when you started to listen to audiobooks together? My oldest will be 4 when we drive 17 hours to Florida this winter, and I'm considering trying one with her. (My husband and I love audiobooks.)
Wonderful book. Unfortunately the only edition my library had was abridged, I will have to try to get my hands on the unabridged sometime. The reader for the abridged version, Edward Herrmann, was absolutely fantastic. Did anyone read the unabridged, with Scott Brick? How was he as a narrarator?
Kelly wrote: "Wonderful book. Unfortunately the only edition my library had was abridged, I will have to try to get my hands on the unabridged sometime. The reader for the abridged version, Edward Herrmann..."
Kelly -
I agree that Edward Herrmann is a wonderful narrator!
Scott Brick is a very talented, award-winning narrator who is able to narrate everything from sci-fi to non-fiction.
Comparing the two Herrmann has a very distinctive voice and does accents incredibly well (his narration of Walter Isaacson's "Einstein" is fantastic). Brick's voice is more "urban", and his voice isn't as easily recognizable - I can recognize Herrmann within the reading of a sentence, but can't do that with Brick's. But Brick is pleasant to listen to and he does characterizations well. There is nothing boring about a Scott Brick narration, even if he's narrating non-fiction.
I've heard good things about Cronin but haven't read/listened to any yet. Have you listened to others and how are they?
Thank you very much for the feedback Donna! My husband also listened to The Passage and we've been talking about it so much we decided we need to listen to the unabridged, so we're getting it through Audible. We were hoping we'd like it with this new narrator, so having your description really helps!This is the first time I've read Cronin. I don't know what/how he usually writes, but this was very good. Parts of it reminded me of Crichton and other parts reminded me a little of Stephen King.
I probably would've given this book 3.5 stars if I could've, though I'm wondering if I'm being fair since a lot about how I feel about this book has to do with the fact that it popped the bubble on my happy place. Fiji and it's surrounding islands have always been the pictures in my head when I imagined myself escaping and laying out on the beach doing absolutely nothing and having absolutely nothing to do. No pressure. I would imagine living out my days with a perma-smile that would go with me to my grave and beyond.
Mr. Troost wanted an escape too and found one first on Vanuatu and then Fiji. His recollections of his time on the islands before his life took a left turn into parenthood were actually quite interesting and often times hilarious. I loved his style of writing, though I'm sure that it was enhanced a little by the fact that Simon Vance was the reader. (I'm a little biased when it comes to Mr. Vance though. I love his voice.) Mr. Troost introduces you to the people, the culture, the food, the drink, the weather, the wildlife, etc., etc. It took me awhile to get through this book. It wasn't because I didn't like it or found it hard to get into. I just seem to have gone book crazy lately and keep starting one before I have finished the fabulous one I've been reading.
So if you ever wonder what island life is like or are wanting a vicarious escape from your everyday life, check out this book to read about one man's adventure away from the daily grind.
American Gods by Neil GaimanAfter conducting an informal poll with the All Ears group members about which Neil Gaiman book to listen to, I decided to listen to both "American Gods" and "Good Omens". As I mentioned before, I have read three other Gaiman books, "Neverwhere", "Stardust", and "Graveyard Book".
I just completed "American Gods" today and will listen to "Good Omens" after a short visit to Crozet, VA to hear about Harry Haristeen's latest adventures ("Santa Clawed", Rita Mae Brown).
So, what did I think of "American Gods"? I had a tough time getting into it. Part of that was the narrator... George Guindall did a beautiful job as usual, but I had just listened to him narrate something totally different - "The Voyage of the Narwhal" and it was hard to switch gears. But even more than that I spent probably the first 1.5 hours waiting for Gaiman to get to new ground. If you're a Douglas Adams fan and know The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul you know that Adams played with the idea of what happens to gods when no one believes in them any longer - exactly the same territory that Gaiman is dealing with. I'm willing to bet there are others out there who have done the same thing, so I kept wondering why the excitement over this story. When he finally diverges it's worth the wait - I'm glad i stuck with it.
This is a very fun book if you have some knowledge of the pantheons of ancient gods (which I do). It isn't required to follow the story, but I found myself running ahead of Gaiman, knowing exactly which god he's talking about before he revealed it's name.
One of the literary tricks Gaiman uses is to pull you out of the main story to tell you a little side story. And you'd better remember the details of the side story because some piece of it will be important back in the main story later. Stories about how the gods got to this country, how the gods came to being and life and death struggles for both ancient and modern gods all get told as side stories.
Also, Gaiman gives you everything needed to see where he's going with the story. If you pay close attention to the side stories and are adept at solving mysteries, there are very few surprises in the story line. This doesn't mean that the story is boring, it just means that Gaiman is good at laying everything out - personally i hate it when authors withhold an important tidbit of info just to hide the story's climax.
Overall I enjoyed this book very much. Not as much as "Graveyard Book" but more than "Neverwhere" and "Stardust".
Major Pedigrew's Last Stand was great. Wonderful narrator, story to fall in love with. Hated for it to end. Took me the 1st 2 CD's to really get the hang of. Thought at first I wasn't going to like it and then began to just enjoy the beauty of it and there were several laugh out loud parts--if you like the dry British type humor. Would recommend it to all.
I read 'Homecoming' several years ago. It really stuck with me because it's such a powerful book, and it was wonderful to re-visit it in audio form. Barbara Caruso's narration is just outstanding. Categorized as YA, 'Homecoming' is really for both children and adults. One of my all-time favorites.
Mod
Hi Kelly,
Thanks so much for the kind words! My daughter started listening when she was 2 years old. We had one of those old Fisher Price cassette players and these Disney audiobooks. We would bicycle with her pulled along in a trailer. I still remember climbing hills hearing the end of Snow White with the "Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho. It's off to work we go..." song. I still ache whenever I hear that tune!
You mentioned that your oldest will be 4 when you drive 17 hours this winter?? So that means you will have more than 1 child under 5 on that car trip... wow - you and your husband deserve medals... or at least ear plugs! The audiobooks will really help - let me know if you need any recommendations. So many good ones available for the little ones these days.
You've sparked my interest on The Passage. Stephen King mentioned it last year as one of his top 10 books of 2009, even though it didn't officially release until this year. There's been so much anticipation and from what I've heard, it's been worth the wait. I hope you enjoy Scott Brick - he's one of my favorite narrators!
Mod
Cutting for Stone by Abraham VergheseMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Although it's only September, I know that this book will make my top 10 list of 2010. Already selected as Fiction Book of 2010 by the Northern California Independent Booksellers, this is one of my favorite novels, and I will be recommending it to EVERYONE.
The story is about Marion and Shiva Stone, twin boys born of an Indian nun and a British doctor in Ethiopia. They are orphaned when their mother dies in childbirth and their father, unable to handle the shock of fathering twins and the death of his love, flees. The boys are raised by two Indian doctors who have dedicated their lives to helping the poor in Addis Ababa. The story follows the twins from birth to adulthood as Ethiopia struggles under the unstable government of Emperor Hailie Selassie. As Verghese introduces each major character, he takes a plot detour and describes their background and who they are. This makes the book an epic - almost 24 hours long in audio - but as I finished the last track, I was sad to see it end. This beautiful book is a story of love, forgiveness, courage and "owning who you are". 5 Amazing Stars.
Olive's Ocean by Kevin HenkesMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Kevin Henkes has always been one of my favorite picture book authors. His books (Chrysanthemum, Lilly's Plastic Purple Purse, Wemberly Worried and more) were books that I read frequently with my children. He seemed to be able to capture friendship, bravery and so many of the traumas associated with growing up in an heart warming style and illustrated with adorable pictures of his many mice characters. When I saw that Henkes had a chapter book that was also a Newbery Honor Winner, I couldn't wait.
Olive's Ocean is the story of Martha, a 12-year old girl who learns that Olive, a classmate, has died in a car accident. Although she has never been close to this girl, she is given a page from Olive's journal that describes Martha as the nicest girl in the class. Over the summer Martha and her family take their annual vacation to Cape Cod, where Martha contemplates Olive's death and the mortality of her aging grandmother, as well as has her first summer romance.
The writing in this book is good - great descriptions, good realistic dialog. I just kept on expecting the plot to reach an "ah ha" type of climax, but instead it seemed to fall flat. The book was a short enjoyable listen, but not that memorable. One thing interesting about this book is that it was banned for language and sexual content. If there was foul language in this book, it did not make an impression on me. And there was NO sexual content other than Martha's brother making an offhand remark about her parents' morning kisses as examples of After Sex Behavior. Seems a bit harsh to ban a book for that!
City of Bones by Cassandra ClareMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
City of Bones is the first book in a series about the Shadowhunters, a group of warriors who are dedicated to wiping out demons on earth. The main character in this story is Clary, a seemingly ordinary teenager, who sees the Shadowhunters kill a demon at a nightclub. After her mother mysteriously disappears, Clary tracks down the Shadowhunters to find her mother and discover her true past.
I wish I could give this book 2 ratings. For plot, I would give this book 5 stars. The action is fast paced and Clare has created an exciting world - an edgy New York City filled with vampires, werewolves and other paranormal beings. Lots of unforeseen and clever plot twists. But the writing seemed flat, especially the conversations between the teenage characters. Although there were some very clever snappy lines, it sounded too much like the dialog you would find on a Saturday morning cartoon. The book leaves you hanging, but I'm still not sure if I want to pick up the sequel, although the whole series has great ratings.
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon MullMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the 4th in the Fablehaven series and continues with the battle between the Knights of the Dawn (aka good guys) and the Society of the Evening Star (bad guys). This series is perfect for the middle grade crowd - lots of action and adventure and each book always has some plot twist that takes me completely by surprise. The audio narration is really exceptional. Although the voices used for the human characters are good, narrator E.B. Stevens does a fantastic job with his voices for magical creatures. His troll demon has a resonant boom that makes me wonder if is electronically enhanced. I love all the new magical creatures. Mull goes beyond the usual trolls, dwarves, fairies, etc. and creates some unusual creatures, each with its own special power. Very fun series - highly recommended.
Donna - It sounds like you might really enjoy English Passengers by Matthew Kneale - one of my all-time favorite listens. There are many different storylines going including a ship's captain caught smuggling and forced to carry a group of Englishmen to Australia, where they believe they will find the Garden of Eden, and an indigenous boy in Australia who sees his entire way of life destroyed by the new arrivals. Several different people narrate and each one is absolutely superb. Chris
Chris wrote: "Donna - It sounds like you might really enjoy English Passengers by Matthew Kneale - one of my all-time favorite listens. There are many different storylines going including a ship's captain caught..."Chris - sounds interesting! I hadn't heard of it before. Love hearing about books i haven't heard of! Thanks!
A Crown of Swords by Robert JordanMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Man was this a long book. I listened to the book while driving and it would put me to sleep. This Wheel of Time series is really starting to bog down. Somehow I was able to power through it and picked up some details that I had forgotten from my initial read many years ago. I guess I am like an addict, the initial high I got from reading the first 3 books in this series forces me to keep coming back for more but the reads are not nearly as satisfying.
My goal in rereading this series is to finally catch up to the last books of the series that have been written by someone else since Jordan died before he could finish this series. My hope is the new writer will finish the series so I can get past this addiction.
View all my reviews
The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van LustbaderMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
A fun read, not too challenging. It was just what I wanted and expected. I listened to the book and the narrator was fine. There were so many holes in the logic of the story that I sometimes had a difficult time suspending belief.
I hadn't read the previous Bourne book in the series and so the references to past lovers and their deaths were a little hard to follow but I think you could read this book on its own and you can still follow the plot.
This amnesia of Bourne's is way over used as a device by the author to keep his protagonist in the dark and confused. All in all if you like the Van Lustbader twist on Jason Bourne than you will like this book.
View all my reviews
Hi, this is my first post. I'm glad to see a site devoted to us audio addicts. My kids say I have a problem. I don't get in my car without an audio book. I never thought I would like this format but now I'm hooked.At the moment I'm listening to Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" WOW. This is my favorite series of books and the audio absolutely lives up to the books. It is unabridged so the book is 28 CDs long. I know -I have a problem. This is a fantastic audio. I would highly recommend it.
Hard to classify - historical fiction, a little sci-fi, romantic and a lot more.
This begins a string of 7 books so far, all 800 pages or more. Claire is a woman who inadvertently falls through time from Scotland just after the second world war into 1743 in the Scottish highlands. Culture shock. An intricate story with many twists and turns. Hard to put down. Exceptionally well researched and beautifully written but be careful - you might get hooked.
Just finished the Millennium Trilogy, very much enjoyed it(Simon Vance rules the school). I read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo half on audio, half in print, and I must say that after hearing Vance pronounce places and street names and such, it makes it easier to read, less likely to stumble over the Swedish. Larrsen has a unique writing style, he places emphasis on small details(following every tiny step in his characters' day) and yet somehow it adds charm and life to the story and rounds out the characters, makes them seem more real, instead of bogging down the story in extraneous expositions. Almost halfway through the Honor Harrington series, and unfortunately, the last in the series that all ears carries. Allyson Johnson has added her name to my top narrators with her performances in the series. She really pulls the subtleties and inflections of the characters out with her portrayals. When Weber describes a voice like frozen iron, Johnson delivers that impression. My absolute favorite Sci-Fi that isn't Dune, and a series that just keeps getting better and better. Get the rest of the series ALL EARS! In the meantime, I have the next two books awaiting me in paperback form.
If you are looking for some good sci-fi, look no further than Weber. Can't recommend it highly enough!
Santa Clawed by Rita Mae BrownRita Mae Brown is fantastic at setting up a locale, populating it with realistic people and then spinning a yarn. I would read her Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries if all that happened was the characters sat around and talked. I eagerly await the arrival of each new book - and am sad when my visit is over.
These stories are great for those who want a little mystery with their soap opera. The plot is usually more character driven than based around the mystery. However, as any good mystery author should, Brown does drop hints and her mysteries are solvable before the end of the book.
As with any series it's good to start near the beginning, but Brown also does a good job of catching readers up on the characters. Considering this is book 17 in this venerable series, I'm sure she's expecting people to not start at the beginning.
Of course, for animal lovers, this series is fun. Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, the cats, and Tee Tucker, the Corgi are wonderful characters. ( I wanna corgi!!!)
This was the first time I had listened to one of this series. I've listened to a couple from the Sister Jane Fox Hunting series (which Brown narrates herself) but thankfully she doesn't narrate these. She's not bad, but the production of the other series leaves something to be desired. Kate Forbes (who also narrated Friday Night Knitting Club) does a fine job with inflections, voices and even critter chatter.
Now i have to wait another year for the next installment!
Good Omens byTerry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
It's the end of the world! Oh my! And only Terry Pratchett would dream up the array of characters who are involved in Armageddon.
The tempo of this tale of good vs. evil (or maybe kinda fussy good vs. heart of gold evil) is pure Pratchett. I've read Witches Abroad, Maskerade, and the Wyrd Sisters so i've poked around Discworld a bit. While not part of Discworld, the characters in this tale would fit right in. I would love to know how the two worked together on the book because I have my own theories as to what Gaiman wrote and what Pratchett wrote.... but I guess I'll never know...
Anyway did I say the world was ending? Well toss out Revelations, move over Daniel and make room for Agnes Nutter the most amazing and accurate prophetess ever. Toss in an anti-christ who is absolutely nothing like you'd expect along with Witch hunters, the 4 horsemen (okay so they ride motorcycles and one of them is actually a woman), various demons, angels, and a hell hound (who is smarter than most of the angels and demons) and you have the chaotic craziness that makes up this story.
I loved it. I'm stopping here. If i say any more I'll give part of it away. And I predict that you would be unhappy with me - something i think Agnes would agree with.
Sole Survivor by Dean KoontzMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. The book involves a plane crash and loved ones dying. The emotions that Koontz writes about came across as very accurate from my own experience. For the first 1/2 of the book I found myself wiping tears away as Koontz's writing poignantly tells the story of loss and grief.
I listened to this book and the narration was sub par. I eventually made it past the reader's voice but he is not one of my favorites.
The plot is riveting and in the end I am uplifted emotionally and spiritually with the hope of life eternal. If you have never read a Koontz book before, this would be a great one to start with. For those of us who love Koontz this is not his best work and in some respects he relies a little on his magical formula of other dimensions to magically solve problems which he seems to use over and over in most of his books since "Fear Nothing".
I love that Koontz believes so strongly in God and that life is eternal. His prose on the subject is like balm to my soul. The bad guys are really bad and his good guys are flawed yet heroic. With this book Koontz moves back up to the top of the list of my favorite authors.
View all my reviews
Mod
Good Omens byTerry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
It's the end of the world! Oh my! And only Terry Pratchett would dream up th..."
Great review, Donna! You had me laughing out loud.
Donna wrote: "Good Omens byTerry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
It's the end of the world! Oh my! And only Terry Pratchett would dream up th..."
Fabulous review! This has been on my TBR list for a long time and I never quite get around to it. Now maybe I have to add it to my To Be Listened To list.
After revisiting Cynthia Voigt's 'Homecoming' in audio
I listened to the next two in her Tillerman Cycle (which I've also read previously). It looks like just these three are audio books and I'm not sure how available they are (I got them at the library), but they are great, great, great!However, 'A Solitary Blue' has a different narrator who is not as good as Barbara Caruso on the first two. He made me think about how narrators voice children. Unlike Caruso, Jeff Woodman raised the pitch and got a simpering vulnerability into the main character's voice, who moves from a small child to a teenager without a change in tone. It reminded me of David Sedaris's complaint about narrators who don't sound like women, but like drag queens. What's odd is that Woodman's voice for the mother of the main character was just right.
The story is so good, though, that the listener can forgive Woodman.
Mod
The Wisdom of History by J. Rufus FearsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Wisdom of History is a series of lectures performed by Professor Rufus Fears and is part of The Great Courses series. In these lectures, he describes patterns in human history and the lessons that we can learn from them today. His course covers a huge time period, touching on leaders who have made a huge impact on history, such as King David, Gandhi, Chuchill and Hitler. There have been some controversial comments about this course. Professor Fears has very strong opinions and voices them in the lectures. But as he mentions in the course bibliography, "I have followed Lord Acton's dictum that it is the mark of an uneducated person to read books he or she agrees with. The educated person reads books he or she disagrees with. Thus I have frequently recommended books that disagree with me because these are the ones we find most stimulating." And these lectures are very stimulating! Not only are his stories of the past lively and captivating, but he also raises some interesting theories. Alhtough I don't agree with all of them, I value how they really made me pause and consider not only how we view certain events in history, but our practices in our current society.
Although the lectures are very entertaining, the course is long - 36 lectures of 30 minutes each. I found it was a fun treat to listen to 1 or 2 lectures a day and intersperse these with my other audiobooks. Highly recommended!
A great accompaniment to The Wisdom of History lectures, was to read War and Peace.
I've always felt like this was a book that I should have read. Everyone has heard of this book and it has a enormous reputation to go along with it's enormous length. I was apprehensive about starting it. At 64 hours, I didn't want to rush through it, so my plan was to listen and read in print the book. This works out well for me. The listening makes the book come to life, which helps with some of the Victorian classics. The reading helps me stay focused, especially when the descriptions become long and detailed. After 4 weeks (1200 pages and 64 hours of narration), I finished the book... and I loved it.
The book is really two parallel stories. The first is about 4 different Russian aristocratic families, the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Kuragins and the Bezukhovs. The book opens in 1805, when many of the main characters are on the brink of adulthood. Spanning 8 years, the characters grow from idealistic young aristocrats to mature adults who have experienced sacrifice and loss. The second story is about the Napoleonic War in Russia and features not only the main fictional characters, but also many historical figures of the time, such as Napoleon and Alexander I. Covering the complicated relationship between these 2 emperors, the epic story unfolds, from the initial war between France and Russia, to an uneasy alliance between the 2 countries, and finishes with the Napoleon's invasion that leads to his ultimate defeat.
Although the book is LONG, I found the writing descriptive and not overly wordy. I loved the descriptions of Tsarist Russia and the social strata between the aristocracy and the serfs. Even simple events, like a wolf hunt, were captivating and beautifully written. Although many people criticize Tolstoy for his preachy style when he discusses his views on history and the war, I found these diversions from the story very interesting. His philosophy on whether major events are caused by people (like Napoleon), the environment at that time in history, or society was fascinating. I alternated between listening and reading. The audio version I had was narrated by Neville Jason, and it was superb. Overall, a great experience.
The final book I finished was not history lectures, or another classic. Instead it was pure urban fantasy...and I loved it.
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene FrostMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
After Catherine Crawford learns that her father was a vampire who raped her human mother, her life has new meaning. She is on a mission to destroy all vampires with the hopes of someday catching the vampire that ruined her mother's life. All this changes when she meets Bones, a vampire who kills other vampires for money, and they form an uneasy partnership.
My expectations for this audiobook were not that high. I thought it would be a quick distraction and an easy read. Instead, I found myself glued to my ear buds. The plot is gripping and fast paced from the start to the finish. The characters were multi-dimensional and the added romance made this a perfect audio experience. Narrator Tavia Gilbert was spectacular and did some wonderful foreign accents (since vampires are pretty much a global species).
One caution though - the book has some pretty explicit sex scenes - not at all recommended for young adult.
Julie at All Ears wrote: "I've recently finished 3 audiobooks and they were all excellent!The Wisdom of History by J. Rufus Fears
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Wisdom of History is a series of lectures performed by Profess..."
War and Peace. Your description is very enticing. I too have always wanted to read this but have not had the courage to tackle it. I applaud you for finishing and especially enjoying it. I just may give it a try. Thanks for the great review
As far as history books go, the best one I've listened to and read was From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present. Jacques Barzun puts us in context, weaving together our dependence on the five great philosophical/artistic/political/theological changes over the past 500 years. He makes a convincing argument that all such ideas wax and wane over centuries (not decades nor years). I don't recall all five exactly but they include individualism & nationalism.Another which I listened to more than once and explains nationalism is the great The Origins of Totalitarianism. A rather sobering explanation which reinforces that nazi germany was not an aberration but human nature outgrowth of rampant nationalism. Jacques Barzan's characterization of nationalism helps to really understand this.
Mod
Thanks for the suggestions, Don. I looked up From Dawn to Decadence - great reviews! Sounds like one that I would enjoy!
Mod
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
I've watched all of his reviews - they are funny, satirical, and informative. And he is on goodreads so you can stalk ... I mean friend him to see what else he is reading.
Mod
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth PetersMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This audiobook was perfect for a fun and light distraction. This first book in the series, introduces Amelia Peabody, a Victorian spinster who embarks on a journey to Egypt armed with an excellent classics education, a keen wit and a sturdy parasol. She and her companion, Evelyn, quickly get into trouble when they encounter a mystery involving an archeological dig, fortune hunters, and mummies. Barbara Rosenblat is excellent as the narrator. I will definitely be listening to more in this series!
Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? by Peter WalshMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I needed motivation to clean up some of the clutter in my kitchen and this book was perfect! Peter Walsh gives good practical advice in a funny no-nonsense way. End result - I spent a day cleaning out the kitchen pantry and shelves, filled the recycle bin and garbage can, have another box to donate and have a much cleaner kitchen.
Not quite a diet book, but good motivation for cleaning up physical (or mental) clutter. And no comment on whether my butt is any better with all that clutter gone.
The World Without Us by Alan WeismanWeisman's interesting exposition is not on the end of the world, but rather what would happen if the human race was swept off the earth at once. No horseman of the Apocalypse here but rather speculation on how our human structures would fare and what effects our industrial pollution would have on the creatures that remain behind.
The book begins with the almost joyous description of how our individual homes and then cities would crumble. This is fun stuff - almost everyone enjoys the fun of deconstruction as much as construction! He goes on to speculate about whether the mega-fauna that inhabited North America would return after we depart - again fun and interesting stuff!
But then things get serious, and Weisman's investigations on plastics and the petro-chemical industry bring a sobering view of how our species has created havoc that we don't understand at all.
This is not a light, gee-wiz read, but, much like other end of times tales, a book that needs to be digested and mulled over. Weisman brings in a lot of material that is not common knowledge and it is fascinating and sobering at the same time. Well worth your time.
Julie at All Ears wrote: "If you're looking for something funny to watch and want to learn about some up and coming fiction titles, check out Ron Charles' (fiction book editor of the Washington Post) video book reviews."Thanks, Julie! He's great!
Mod
Lars, I really liked his Lady Gaga-like bacon wig - very clever. A video book review would be a great class project for kids, especially if the kids were inspired by these reviews.
Julie at All Ears wrote: "A video book review would be a great class project for kids, especially if the kids were inspired by these reviews."Yes!!!
The Passage by Justin CroninMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fantastic Vampire book. A bunch of very scary vampires created by scientists looking to create the fountain of youth. The virals as they are sometimes called were created initially as human guinea pigs who were prisoners about to be executed. These prisoners were given a choice to die or to become lab rats. They chose to be lab rats and so when the virus took over and turned them into vampires they were some bad vampires who wanted to kill everyone. There were 13 of these human guinea pigs 12 were the prisoners and the 13th was a little orphan girl. The 12 bad guys turned into something hideous and a changed appearance while the little girl who got the last sort of refined dosage looks human like but she hardly ages.
Of course the bad virals escape and we fast forward about 100 years to a time when the few humans left are systematically being killed by the virals. Some humans are kept in settlements and controlled by the original vampires as they are sort of like cattle for these original 12. The little girl has aged to young adolescence and we find her wandering into one of the last human strongholds. The power that keeps the lights on at night and protects these humans is running out of time. The good humans know they have to find a way to connect with other survivors and when this little girl wanders in they decide to take her to Colorado where a signal is being sent to bring the little girl to them.
So begins the trek to save humanity and bring this little girl back to Colorado where she was initially turned. It is a compelling quest and the characters are well developed as we get to know and root for the humans against these terrible monsters.
It covers all my ideas of what I like in a book. Apocalyptic, adventure, fantasy, and horror. It seems like there is a sequel in the making for this book. There were still plenty of Vampires left to kill and several other plot specific cliff hangers. I hope there is a sequel.
I just love it when an original book comes out and this is definitely an original book. I listened to the book and the narration was great.
View all my reviews
I decided to read this book because I had seen it on so many reading lists and heard so many good reviews about the entire series.
Katniss Everdeen is a teenager fighting to survive in a future time where one must once again hunt to put food on the table, where there is once a again a strict class system, and where, of course, there is a government sick with power. This government has overthrown a rebellion by its people and to remind them who is in charge, each year the government holds a "Hunger Games" in which 2 representatives between the ages of 12 - 18 are chosen from each of the 12 districts that now make up the land. These representatives are placed in an arena far from their homes and to win this challenge, they must fight to the death, as only 1 sole survivor may return to their district when all is said and done. Katniss is chosen and her world is forever changed. I don't want to spoil it any further, but I was totally captivated by all the characters, the events, the craziness. Fabulous book!! I can't wait to listen to the next one. I hope my name comes up on the wait list soon. Please! Please! Please! Just kidding...I can wait.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper FfordeI read this one, but since All-Ears carries the Thursday Next series and since I listened to the third one (The Well of Lost Plots) first, I thought I'd review "The Eyre Affair" here.
If you like Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins, or Christopher Moore, you will probably enjoy Jasper Fforde's books. The Thursday Next series documents the adventures (complete with fictitious quotes at the beginning of each chapter) of SpecOps Agent Thursday Next. Thursday is smart, venerable, and a likable character. The people (a term used loosely here as you will discover) she deals with are often like nothing you've encountered in other stories or are, well, from other stories. Characters slide in and out of books, poems and stories until the line between fiction and reality becomes a blur. The result is a sort of semi-controlled mayhem that is sometimes outlandish and often funny.
One of the side effects of reading this book is that I want to revisit Jane Eyre - which I haven't read since high school. If I were attempting to convince a group of reluctant teens to read Jane Eyre I think I'd have them read this as encouragement.
"The Well of lost Plots" is one of my favorites ever and it was nice to start at the beginning of the series and see where things started. I very much enjoyed it and am looking forward being "Lost in A Good Book".
I just finished listening to Sebastian, I thought it was great, NOT as great as her Black Jewels series which I absolutely adored, but this duology started off really good. The world building was amazing. I loved the magic of the world of Ephemera, where crossing a bridge could take you to your intended destination, or you could end up in a place that reflects the person you truly are. My favorite landscape in the book was The Den of Iniquity, where men, women, demons, incubus, and creatures of all sort live together, not always in harmony, but all share the common thread of having a soul that leans towards the darker aspects of life....but maybe ONLY just leans toward it. I'm looking forward to starting her next in this duology Belladonna
Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey KlugerSide note: I can't believe it took me this long to get through this audiobook. The beginning of this month I had to memorize some choral music for a performance with a local Chorale and so I played a CD of it over and over in the car - one of my prime audiobook listening venues. I learned the music, the performance was a huge success and at last i can get back to listening in the car again!
Chances are if you are 50 something or older you know someone who had polio. One of my co-workers, a 60 something who looks healthy said that he had the mild form of the disease when he was a baby and went through many corrective measures as a young child. I've known others who have had much worse cases, including a few in my extended family.
The good news about polio is that it is pretty much now eradicated from the US. The bad news is that people don't remember what an impact polio had on our country during the first half of the 20th century - it even touched the presidency.
Kluger's story of the role of Jonas Salk in the polio vaccine epic is a precise telling without a lot of emotion. By the end of the book, even though I learned a great deal about Salk and the others involved in the polio story, I felt no real attachment to any of the men except Oliver, President Franklin Roosevelt's friend who ended up creating the financial juggernaut that funded polio research.
What I did get though was an interesting insight into the world of scientific research during that era and the men involved in it. Kluger also sprinkled into the story the tales of some of the children who had polio and who participated in the early stages of polio research, lending their infected blood to be studied and tested. These stories were touching - a couple of them particularly so.
I enjoyed Michael Prichard's narration of the story. Prichard's voice sounds much like many of the announcers of the 1950's and it fits in well with the feel of the story.
This is probably not a book for the masses - no vampires, though lots of blood gets drawn. No detectives, though lots of clinical mysteries get solved. There are no women of steel, though Donna Salk ends like a single mom of three with Jonas *always* at the lab. The only biting sarcasm occurs during meetings of scientists who have years of research and much ego at stake in their work.
So who would i recommend this book to? If you watch Nova religiously you'd like it. If you have a background in any of the biological sciences or medicine you'd find it interesting. If you are old enough to remember the early 1950's and the excitement over polio research it's a good look back. And any history buff who is interested in a little slice of American History would find it refreshing.
Personally I'm glad I took the time to listen to a story that made a difference in my life - I was born in 1956 and by then the polio vaccination had become routine - I was safe from a disease that had crippled a cousin who was just a few years older. A truly amazing medical event.
Mod
The Eyre Affair by Jasper FfordeI read this one, but since All-Ears carries the Thursday Next series and since I listened to the third ..."
Nice review, Donna! I love the Thursday Next books. One of my favorite scenes from The Eyre Affair is the weekly audience participation performances of Richard III - sort of a combination of Rocky Horror and Shakespeare. The image of this always makes me smile, but wouldn't it be a great society if everyone was so literary minded that this type of event would appeal to people? Your review has made me want to pick up another one of these for a good laugh!
Mod
If you want to get into the Halloween spirit, then give Dracula
a try. Narrated by Simon Vance it is eerie and captivating.Feel like something heartwarming and upbeat? Then listen to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.
Love those young adult Dystopian series? I've finished The Hunger Games series and really enjoyed all 3 books.
Interested in young adult, but not too keen on the idea of children killing or being killed? Try Savvy - a Newbery Award winner!
And finally, my favorite. If you love to read and like books about reading, then listen to The Art of Reading - another excellent lecture series from The Teaching Company.
Here are my reviews - sorry for the length!
Dracula by Bram Stoker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Although not a big fan of horror, I decided to pick up this classic - it seemed perfect book to read before Halloween. I was pleasantly surprised at what a fun book this is! Being already familiar with this infamous story of the Transylvanian vampire count (who doesn't already know this story!), I was expecting a creepy tale that would involve blood sucking, poor helpless women victims and the final stake in the heart, but told in the detailed wordy Victorian style (vs. Stephenie Meyer style we are all accustomed to). The book is surprisingly readable. Told from various perspectives through personal journals and newspaper articles, the story first follows Jonathan Harker, a London solicitor who goes to Transylvania to help the count settle some land acquisitions in England. Being a rational and logical man, Harker at first dismisses all the warnings from the local peasants and the odd behavior of the count, but is finally forced to admit that Dracula is an evil creature when he witnesses some of his powers. The book immediately drew me in and I found myself feeling not only the growing terror and doom, but the fear of insanity when Harker is faced with the impossible. The story switches to other people's journals, including two of his female victims and the brilliant Dr. Van Helsing. Although the book has the flowery Victorian style, the descriptions and diaglog are so well done that you feel the same terror that you would have if you were seeing the story unfold in 3D at the local theater.
The audiobook is narrated by Simon Vance. As always, he is superb with his character narrations and it was pure pleasure to hear him perform the accents of that evil Transylvanian count! Very fun and perfect for Halloween.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen SimonsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be 'Charming'. This is the type of feel-good story that you recommend to a friend who is down or to anyone who wants to read a beautiful story with that romantic happy ending.
Major Pettigrew is an old retired widower, who still mourns his wife, when his younger brother unexpectedly dies. He develops an odd friendship with Mrs. Ali, a Pakistani widow who runs the village grocery store. Although Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali have such different backgrounds - upper middle class vs. working class, Christian vs. Muslim, English vs. Pakistani, they find through a love of books that they share a similar outlook on life. As their friendship grows, they encounter disapproval from everyone. Will they follow society's expectations or their hearts? A beautiful story of love, second time around.
Mockingjay by Suzanne CollinsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mockingjay is the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy. What started out as an exciting adventure series for teens and adults finished with its trademark nail-biting action, and so much more. In this final installment, the districts which have been under the heavy handed rule of the capitol finally band together and revolt. Their symbol and inspiration come from Katniss, the Mockingjay heroine of The Hunger Games. But unlike the other books in the series, the conflict is more than simply good (the districts) vs. evil (the capitol). Are the rebels justified in employing ANY technicque to achieve freedom? Is any action that shortens the duration of the war morally correct?
This series can be enjoyed for its action and adventure. But it's a wonderful starting point for some good discussions. Great series!
Savvy by Ingrid LawMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Beaumont family has a secret. For generations, on their 13th birthday every Beaumont is endowed with a special magical gift, or 'savvy'. Mibs Beaumont can't wait to discover what her gift will be. Her grandfather can move mountains. Her brothers can cause storms and create electricity. Mibs is sure that her gift will be something special. But, 2 days before her birthday, her father is critically injured in an accident and lies comatose in the hospital. Mibs is certain that her undiscovered gift will be able to wake Poppa up and cure him. She is so certain that she hijacks a bus from a Bible supply company and along with her brothers and the pastor's 2 children, she goes on a journey to save her father.
I loved this book. The story was heartwarming and funny and I felt that there were so many good lessons for both kids and adults. Although the Beaumont family is endowed with some dramatic and unusual gifts, everyone has gifts that they bring with them in life. And like Mibs and the rest of her family, everyone is challenged to discover their gifts and learn how to channel them productively. Excellent story!
The Art of Reading by Timothy SpurginMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Face it. We are here on Goodreads because we love to read. Given that I spend much of my free time (as well as much of my not so free time) reading or listening to books, I selected this lecture series from The Teaching Company hoping to pick up some tips on how to better understand stories. This course amazed me. In 24 lectures, Professor Timothy Spurgin presents different tools on how to read more deeply and analyze stories. From setting, characters, plot, chapter organization, conclusions and more, this book provides insight on how books are written and can be better analyzed and appreciated. Although, this might sound a bit dry, Professor Spurgin is energetic and inserts humor and excitement into his lectures. He provides many different examples of short stories and novel excerpts and discusses them with such enthusiasm that I felt like reading all of them. If he ever tires of being an inspiring teacher, he should consider a job in a book store - he could sell any title. I found that the few examples he selected that I really disliked (Coetzee's novel Disgrace is one) were described in such a compelling manner that I want to reread them, using my newly discovered tool set and see if my opinion changes.
If you love to read, or want to read more deeply, or even want to write, you will learn something from this course. Highly recommended!!
Donna wrote: "Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey KlugerSide note: I can't..."
What a great review! I just put this on my audio book "wish list". Thanks for posting!
Apologize, Apologize! by Elizabeth KellyI loved the narrator of this tale. Jeff Woodman does a great Irish brogue and is very entertaining to listen to. So much so that I think he's the main reason I enjoyed this book.
This was chosen as a book club selection for the group I attend, and while it wasn't dreadful, it wasn't exactly my favorite. I generally like coming of age stories - young men and women struggling to find their place in society. I volunteer with at-risk youth so i'm constantly reminded about the pitfalls that young people face.
I think my major gripe about the book is that these are people I don't relate to. Frankly, the only struggles of the rich I care about is where I can convince them to donate money to for improving the lives of others. Drunken binges, insane behavior and a thoroughly dysfunctional family are just not things I care much about.
Also, by the end of the book I wasn't sure if there was really redemption or simply the author running out of steam. The characters were dreadfully two-dimensional - not once does anyone do something unexpected. Given a few cues, I could easily have predicted where and how the story would end. I'm surprised there wasn't an uprising about the "drunken Irishman" stereotype presented.
And yet, I didn't give up on the story, I totally enjoyed listening to Jeff Woodman, and there were moments where I found myself drawn in and enjoying the tale. If I didn't think too hard about it.
Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty by Muhammad YunusJulie recommended this book to me during a discussion we were having about outstanding books written by people who have made a big difference to the world. I immediately put it on my TBR list and just finished listening to it.
Wow! Muhammad Yunus is a dynamic, extremely intelligent, extremely driven man who has the single minded goal to remove poverty from the planet. As a means of reaching that goal he started Grameen bank, the first to give out micro-loans. Most people now know the concept of micro-credit, giving out small, flexible loans to the poor, mostly women, so they can purchase items that will enable them to make a living. Yunus founded Grameen and in 2006 Grameen and Yunus were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Since the formation of Grameen bank in Bangladesh many Grameen knock-offs have been created all over the world, including the US. It is now easy for the average person to participate in the micro-credit industry through websites such as www.Kiva.org and the poor to obtain micro-credit through locally available micro-credit lenders.
Yunus' retelling of the history of Grameen is fascinating and one cannot help but be struck by the absolute drive and devotion of Yunus to the cause of ending poverty. I absolutely loved his observations that the poor do not need handouts or a lot of training - they just need the capital to purchase the items they need to make a living. His ideas on socially driven industry instead of greed driven industry strike me as right on, but really tough to implement in our current society.
Yunus has the goal to eradicate world poverty by 2050. This would mean that everyone on the planet would have the means to make a living, and have adequate food, water and shelter. He would also add adequate medical care a requirement for lifting people out of poverty. I would love to see that happen myself.
Yunus speaks out strongly against the current social welfare system in the US, saying that instead of helping it traps people in a cycle of poverty - afraid to work because they will lose their only secure source of money. 90% of the at-risk kids I work with live below the poverty level. While they are not as poor as the poor in third world countries, poverty is still poverty - these kids often go hungry and do not have adequate clothing and shelter. Things get even worse when you look at the homeless sector. The average age of a homeless person in Colorado is 9 years old. Over 900 kids in our little school district do not have a permanent residence. These kids are usually from single parent families that have lost their homes because of the crummy economy. Obviously what we have isn't working. I cannot help but wonder how many single moms could turn things around for themselves with a Grameen type system available to them.
I loved this book. It was great to hear someone moving beyond simple micro-credit, and to hear what Yunus has to say about poverty. Yunus is also someone I can relate to and admire - a man on a mission that is critical to the survival of others.
Fascinating, interesting and thought-provoking - even if you don't agree with his philosophies. Well worth reading. Thanks Julie!
Dog on It by Spencer Quinn aka Peter AbrahamsThis is the first "hard-boiled" detective mystery (think Mikey Spillane or Sam Spade) I've read that is told from the point of view of a dog. And not just any dog, but Chet, the almost-graduate of police training and his partner Bernie, the almost cop turned private detective.
I totally enjoyed this book - the mystery was no big deal, but the story line stayed in character beautifully with Chet totally befuddled by a great deal of Bernie's more "human" concerns and Bernie totally missing Chet's "doggie" clues. However, they do make a great team and are the "heart of gold" tough guy characters that I really enjoy.
Fun, light, easy listen that made me smile a lot. This is the first of a series and i'm on the scent of the second one!
Julie at All Ears wrote: "I love to read, but writing is another matter, which is why I am always so far behind on posting reviews."Julie - i love to write and would be happy to write your reviews for you. Oh... wait... i guess that doesn't work does it :)
Seriously though even if writing isn't your thing I do enjoy seeing what you've read. Major Pettigrew is on my list and after your review I'm looking forward to it even more!
All Ears Audiobooks
Books mentioned in this topic
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage (other topics)Adam (other topics)
Caleb's Crossing (other topics)
Caleb's Crossing (other topics)
His Majesty's Dragon (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Alfred Lansing (other topics)Xe Sands (other topics)
Jacquelyn Frank (other topics)
Bram Stoker (other topics)
Laura Hillenbrand (other topics)
More...
You won't be disappointed. I am about half way through listening to the last one and dreading reaching the end knowing there are no more. I agree with you about Simon Vance's narration, it is excellent. I waited all summer for the audio version from my library because I just couldn't imagine completing the trilogy without him!