Anyone listen to audio books?

[Rachel Hare]

I love my subscription to audible.com - it allows me to experience literature that I just wouldn't have time for if I wasn't able to listen to books! What is your opinion of books-on-tape? Do you enjoy the experience, or do you only take your books on paper? :)

I just finished my first review of an audio book on my blog - feel free to check it out, but please go easy on me. I've just begun reviewing books, and I know the reviews aren't perfect. Please keep in mind that I do this for FUN! :)
http://bookwormzreader.blogspot.com/2009/03/help-by-katheryn-stocke...

That being said, do you have any advice for my audio reviews? I'd like to continue to offer them, but am not sure what components you'd like to see in the review other than the ones I've already offered.

Thanks for looking!
Rachel

[Patricia Boyle]

I used to listen to audiobooks on my 1.5-hour x 2 commute to work. It sure beat listening to the radio. I am off for the summer and I like to listen while I do housework - excluding the vacuum routine.

[Elizabeth O. Dulemba]

Audiobooker is a syndicated audio book reviewer - you could look to her for some guides:
http://audiobooker.booklistonline.com/
BTW - anything read by Stephen Briggs is superb. He's one of my favorite readers.
:)
e

[Heather Rieseck]

I only recently started listening to audio books. I just started a new job with an hour commute each way so I can use this time to listen to books that I wouldn't have the opportunity to read if I was reading paper copies. This is the time I use to read my mystery books and I still have my time at home to read my historical fiction.

[Mary @ The Sweet Bookshelf]

i didn't think i would like them because I can read faster than I can listen...but I recently grabbed Persuasion by Jane Austen on audio so I could listen while I walked...I LOVED IT!!! What a great way to enjoy a book!

[Keeley Siegman]

I actually just picked up a Kurt Vonnegut book on tape. I was skeptical about even bothering because I didn't think I'd get the full effect but oddly enough I wasn't disappointed. Not trying to make it a habit though.

[Michael Phelps]

At a Truck Stop in Virginia, driving south from NYC to Miami on I-95, I picked up my first "Audio" Book; "Two for the Dough", a "Stephanie Plum" novel by JANET EVANOVICH. I listened to this book TWICE! I was laughing so hard, it was hard to see the highway! I then bought the hardcoiver book for my library. I then listened to "The Painted House" by John Grisham on anothwer trip. I really enjoyed it. While I have been toying with the idea of a Kindle or other E-Book Reader, I think Audio books are great for a long trip. At home, I love the touch, and feel of a REAL book in my hands.

[Loves Books in Texas]

I love BOT. I listen in the car. I get all of mine from our local library. They have a great selection of tapes and CD's. I agree is much better than listening to regular radio.

[Jim Roberts]

Can anyone help me here, i would like to listen to audio books but not sure what device to use, also are they easy to download?

[Shannon Cook]

I am not a big fan of audio books. I know that they are good for people who do have long commutes or even if someone doesn't have the time to read a book but it is just not for me. My sister once told me that she probably would have liked a book if it hadn't been for the reader on the audio version. So that is something that people have to look out for if the reader is terrible then it could ruin the entire thing. One reason I don't is just because I can usually read much faster than the person on the CD and that bothers me if it is someone slow.

[Jim Roberts]

Thanks Shannon, never thought about that !

[Jaime Huff]

I have tried audiobooks but I found I am too easily distracted for me to be able to concentrate on the reader. I listened while I was hiking, while driving, etc. just didn't happen for me!

[Rick]

I listen to audiobooks. I load the complete set of discs onto my I-Pod, I find it's easier than switching CD's. I've not quite (I'll have to look at some of your blogs) figured out how to review. Do I review just the story? How the reader performs? Any background details (ie. sound effects, etc.)? The few times I've tried it, it's became a little montonous (since it was a series) with I feel the reader did xxx job reading this. So it's not an area I've become very good at writing about yet.

One other problem I have is background noise. Though it drives my wife crazy, I cannot read without a TV, Radio, or something going in the background. I think it relates back to my school days. My mind seems to block out the noise, allowing me to concentrate deeper on what I'm reading. If I turn off the TV or whatever, I find myself going back over passage I'd just read to see what it was I was reading. With Audio books, I have that same issue. Unable to block out what I'm hearing, I often find myself having to rewind the audio passage in order to review what was just said. So while I do listen to Audo books, I find it much easier focus wise to actually read the book. I've yet to find a way to adjust the way my mind works otherwise, but I'm open to suggestions.