Audio books - recommendations please

16 watchers

XB Jul 2020 5:07pm, 22 Jul 2020 9,997 posts	0 XB My three all time favourites are A Prayer For Owen Meany - John Irving A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson and the absolute best book for narration and story. Truly, this is a masterpiece The Memory of Running - Ron McLarty. I've listened to this maybe 100 times (it's my go-to book for when I can't sleep). It's so perfect. But that's my opinion.
Diogenes Jul 2020 5:59pm, 22 Jul 2020 51,285 posts	0 Diogenes The best ones I’ve read/listened to are: The Book Of Ebenezer Le Page by GB Edwards, narrated by Roy Dotrice. The most wonderful book with the perfect narration. Even though this is fiction I’d recommend it to anyone as it is ostensibly the memoir of a Guernsey man living in the 20th century. Milkman by Anna Burns. A brilliant book which is enhanced by a simultaneous listen. Brid Brennan is the voice of Burns’ protagonist and captures the rhythm and inflections of the sublime writing. The Sellout by Paul Beatty. Without Prentice Onayemi’s bravura performance, I don’t think I would have got through this novel, or at least not have enjoyed and appreciated it as much as it deserved.
GregP Jul 2020 6:15pm, 22 Jul 2020 121,397 posts	0 GregP +1 for Walk in the woods
SusiesueH Jul 2020 7:37pm, 22 Jul 2020 154 posts	0 SusiesueH Great thread idea! I’m following for ideas too. I’m with audible and usually spend my monthly credit on non-fiction and have a library membership using BorrowBox for free fiction books. A recent non-fiction favourite was Jon Ronson, So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. (Off topic but you can find Jon Ronson podcasts with abridged content of some of his other books - also highly recommended)
chunkywizard Jul 2020 8:32pm, 22 Jul 2020 9,259 posts	0 chunkywizard I listen to loads of audiobooks. These days all the popular authors do an audiobook version with the same release date. Michael Connelly and Lee Child are always good and I’m just working through the Val McDermids at the moment.
SteveCRunner Jul 2020 1:06pm, 24 Jul 2020 116 posts	0 SteveCRunner If the OP is looking for non-fiction and possibly history I'd suggest these from my recent listens using the Storytel platform: The time traveller's guide to medieval england. How to behave badly in renaissance britain. Victorians undone.
Diogenes Jul 2020 1:17pm, 24 Jul 2020 51,394 posts	0 Diogenes Synge's blog reminded me I'd recently listened to and enjoyed Square Haunting by Francesca Wade. It is the biographical of story of five influential female writers/academics in the inter-war period.
compartmental Jul 2020 8:50am, 28 Jul 2020 3 posts	0 compartmental I too love audible, but my taste runs more to epic fantasy (30+ hours for 1 credit, yes please!). Seconded on all the Bill Bryson’s, especially where he’s the narrator too. Another thought - have you tried the Hardcore History podcast? Very long episodes (3+ hours) so great for longer/ multiple runs
ZenTaoPlurp Jul 2020 12:57pm, 29 Jul 2020 231 posts	0 ZenTaoPlurp The Complete Smiley with Simon Russell Beale as George Smiley from the BBC. It was broadcast in 2009 and I have it on CD but also found it online: archive.org
Kieren Dec 2020 9:51am, 18 Dec 2020 4,080 posts	0 Kieren I've enjoyed the following from audible on the easy runs Factual 1. History of the world - Andrew Marr I stopped listening to this half-way through. For me, it's just too interesting and too many facts for me to combine with running. I need a bit more focus. 2. Peak: Secrets from the new science of expertise - Pool & Ericsson It's good insight about what is possible with dedicated practice (or, not just repetition). A lot more substance than many books of this type that just repeat the same paragraph for 400 pages. I found it very interesting. ------------ Fantasy / vampires 3& 4. Cry Havoc & Cry Fear - by Mike Morris & narration by the excellent Simon Vance These are are easy listens I would class as your action movie type book. Nothing that will stick with you but very entertaining. There are not too many characters, the plot is easy to follow and egaginng but if you drift off, you can easily find your place again. Perfect for running to. Space 5. Children of Time -A Tchaikovsky This is sci-fi. At first I didn't like the narration but it fine now. I think Simon Vance had just raised my expectations. I'm.about 4 hours in to this 16 hour book. The book touches on artificial intelligence, extinction, evolution , and religion. It's deep but at the same time quite easy to follow along when running. Other It's what I do - Lynsey Addario - true memoir of the war photographer. Worth also watching the documentary "Hondros" before or after if you read this So you've been publicly shamed - Jon Robson - If you catch someone in a lie, what do you do? What is the impact? I found this quite entertaining & thought provoking