After less than 24 hours, I have results I am posting about language in
audiobooks. Basically, people agreed with me. Language we would read
silently takes on a different connotation when being heard over the tape or
CD player. Some were like me, looking for books of higher quality or less
"shock value" or felt ill at ease when a family member were present. Many
were uncomfortable when younger children or older parents were listening as
well. Most responses fell into two categories: Reflections on how it
affected them or Recommendations for future listening. I have put the
responses into paragraphs so each paragraph belongs to one person.
Recommendations/Reflections:
I have been listening for years, so I have tons of favorites. Anyway, for
a wonderful adult listen, try Alexander McCall Smith's series, for No.1
Ladies Detective Agency. I believe they are all available from NetLibrary
for downloading. They are read by someone from South Africa and the names
and words just roll off her tongue. Another great series is by Jennifer
Chiaverini with her Elm Creek Quilters series. Currently I am listening to
Water for Elephants and can't wait to have my inlaws take a trip so they too
will listen to it. Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman is a wonderful series
that we all listened to in the car, even when the children were young. They
also loved the Lillian Braun, Cat Who.... series. Yes, there are a few
clinkers with sex and language, but there are oh so many more absolutely
delightful listens.
We listen to books quite often with our kids on trips... books they'd be
interested in though... my youngest just became a teenager (yikes!) my
daughter is 14... anyhow, we've listened to several Gary Paulsen books...the
Hatchet series and the Tucket series... and we've listened to the Lemony
Snicket series. I must say that the biggest thing with us is the
narrator... if they are good we love it, if they are bad, we have a real
hard time listening! I have also found myself listening to whatever the
kids are reading, just so I can discuss the book with them! I personally
enjoyed the Joey Pigza (Gantos) series...
The entire Lord of the Rings was one winner. ( I discovered I had not ever
read all of it.), and, believe it or not, Moby Dick. I had been forced to
read it in college, and did not enjoy it, but this time was different.
Maybe maturity helps? Mostly, I tend to listen to murder mysteries, which I
also read extensively (junk food for the mind).
I listened to Feed as an audio book and I really liked it. I would not have
gotten the same feeling from the book. It is about the future when everyone
has an implant that tracks there preferences and markets to them based on
the input. Some people do not have implants and try to test the system. I
thought the audio book was wonderful. It is a YA pick.
Hiaasen's adult books are going to be full of violence and foul language.
They are good, full of bizarre plot twists and quirky character but very
different from Hoot and Flush.
When I had the same type of long commute, I would often listen to "the
classics" that I hadn't for whatever reason not read in high school or
college. I also started to really like to listen to long books. The
longest was Gone with the Wind which took over a month to listen to.
Angela's Ashes was also great because Frank McCourt the author reads it and
he sounds so wonderful. I would also listen to books I had already read and
didn't have time to reread like the Tolkien books, and Jane Austen. At the
moment I don't have any commute but I do miss listening to books. I find
that I can only listen while I drive. If I'm doing anything else I zone
out and don't hear the book.
My husband, 13 and 6 year old sons, and I really enjoyed Flush by Carl
Hiaasen. We listened to it straight through on a long car trip.
I don't know if you would be interested in dramatized books...and I'm not a
media specialist...but I just had to mention the audios that my husband and
I just love for long commutes or trips. Focus on the Family produces Radio
Theatre programs: Les Miserables, Billy Budd, Little Women (get out the
Kleenex), Silas Marner, the Secret Garden, and so on. They are professional
dramatizations of the books, not strictly "readings." They are of the
highest quality and VERY engaging. We rent them at the library or order
them right from www.family.org. They have also done the entire Narnia
series. Because Focus on the Family is a Christian organization, you won't
find unpleasant language and such. But you also won't find preachiness, so
don't worry about that either. Many of them do have Christian themes, as do
many of the books. However they are not necessarily appropriate for
children so preview before sharing.
Reflections:
Hi! I can relate to your posting... I myself have found myself wincing at
the stereo... and yet I guess I skip over it in the book if I'm reading
it... I know I've read books with the language, but hearing it makes a
difference!
I also have to say that I listened to a book once with my mother-in-law on a
trip and all I could think was 'wow, what's she thinking of this
language?!?"... kind of ruined the experience of listening to the story!
I too have an hour commute. In the morning, I listen to NPR, but going
home, I try always to have an audio book. Through the years I listened to a
lot of books.
I've had a similar experience. Listening to a Patricia Cornwall novel one
day, I nearly had to pull my car over to get out and vomit. I think that
normally I just skim those sections and so it doesn't have that effect. I
also find that audiobooks don't hold my attention as well as regular books,
IOW sometimes I stop listening to an audiobook because it doesn't hold my
interest, but I probably would have read the whole book and enjoyed it.
Listening to audiobooks is really quite different from reading, although
both are great!
Yes, I have. To the point that I am now re-reading some of my favorite
authors to see what I glossed over when I read them the first time. I am
very careful when I get audiobooks as sometimes I have my grandson with me.
I usually try to have books on his level with me, but if I forget to take
mine out and it starts before I can hit the button I don't want him hearing
anything he shouldn't.
We use NetLibrary to download audiobooks; they offer approx. 28,000 audio
and e-books. They have some great titles. You can choose to download CD
quality or radio quality, which produces a much smaller file. I think Gale
has a reference service that uses audiobooks, as well.
Happy listening! And no one can sound too much like a "prude" to me because
I think I'm probably pretty close to being one! :-) It's just that I don't
consider that a "bad" thing like some folks do! When you get down to it, we
all have choices and are perfectly justified to turn off the radio or book
or whatever when something just doesn't feel right to us. By the way, if
you like mysteries you might check your church library for Father Gilbert
audio theatre produced by Focus. Our church library has several. They are
truly gripping stories that have
thought-provoking Christian themes. I'll leave you alone now! Enjoy your
commute. Maybe it's time to re-discover public radio. I got pretty
NPR-addicted when I was commuting that distance years ago!
I agree with you completely. Having words in print is so private. I love
that privacy. And having them thrown out into my hearing, my existing
world, is almost always too much. Maybe it is generational with me as well,
but I don't think so. I just think foul language is too much the norm
anymore in everything on the airways, TV, etc. and sometimes I just cut
things off rather than be invaded. Bless you, my friend! I commiserate with
you!
I hope this had provided some food for thought.
Robin Chandler
Media Specialist
Cleveland Elementary
Spartanburg, SC
rrchandler@spart7.org
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