According to my 2011 end-year statistics, 40% of the books I’ve read are audiobooks, but I only remember reviewing them as such twice. This happens because I haven’t figured out the best way to do it. Saying things like “She has good diction” or “Hearing his sharp intakes of breath really distracted me from the story” sounds too personal, like commenting on a person’s hairstyle. Would love some advice from experienced audiobook reviewers. Is there a “Reviewing Audiobooks for Dummies” post somewhere?
Yesterday I discovered an event that looks perfect to get me out of the closet as a huge audiobook fan: The Armchair Audies. It’s organized by Jennifer (The Literate Housewife) and Bob (The Guilded Earlobe) and invites bloggers to celebrate the Audies, the audiobook industry’s Awards. The nomination list is daunting, comprising 28 categories, each with 5 nominates, so Jennifer and Bob suggest that participants chose one or more categories and just listen to all the books in it.
The winners will be announced in June and Armchair Audies participants should be able to publish their closing post (maybe with some predictions?) shortly before. Jennifer is reviewing Literary Fiction and Bob will ambitiously tackle three categories: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal.
I’ll go for History. Although all the books in this category sound interesting, and some were already under my radar, the topics seems a bit limited: two about WW2 events, three on American History (or from an American perspective) and two of these about the 19th century. Only one written by a woman and only that one narrated by one. Four written by American writers, but even Mukherjee, although Indian, lives and works in NY. As a reader I’d prefer more variety.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Tantor Media)
Read by Stephen Hoye
Already had it in the TBL, so I’m happy it’s nominated. It’s a history of cancer, from the first documented cases thousands of years ago to the 20th century attempts at better understand it and finding a cure. Heard great things about it.x
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1812: The Navy’s War
by George C. Daughan (Audible, Inc.)
Read by Marc Vietor
It’s about the American Navy but it’ll still be a nice compliment to my recently Navy interest, brought about by the Aubrey/Maturin series. The blurb says it “is the first complete account in more than a century of how the U.S. Navy rescued the fledgling nation and secured America’s future.”
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Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil
Hannah Arendt (Tantor Media)
Read by Wanda McCaddon
This is the one I’m more curious about, but Audible doesn’t let me buy it because of my Belgian credit card! Hopefully, the copy-right issue is solved before June. Arendt (a Jew who fled Germany during Adolf Hitler’s rise to power), reported on Eichmann’s trial for The New Yorker. While covering the technical aspects of the trial, she also explored the nature of justice, the behavior of the Jewish leadership during the Nazi Regime, and, most controversially, the nature of Evil itself.
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In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin
by Erik Larson (Random House Audio)
Read by Stephen Hoye
Really liked The Devil in the White City, so this one was already on the wish-list. It’s the story of William E. Dodd, America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany, and his attempts to report to the outside world the rising horrors happening there.
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1861: The Civil War Awakening
by Adam Goodheart (Audible, Inc./ Brilliance Audio)
Read by Jonathan Davis
Most books about the Civil War are about the fighting years, so this account of the years that led up to it should be interesting.
21 comments
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March 9, 2012 at 3:59 pm
rhapsodyinbooks
These all look good! I have started the Mukherjee book but got stalled. I bet it would be easier to do it on audiotape. I also am very interested in 1861.
March 13, 2012 at 10:22 am
Alex
Any reason for the stalling? Too much info?
March 9, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Patty
Glad you’re reading in the Garden of Beasts. One of the best books I’ve read on the subject, I hope the audio version highlights the emotion of the time! Let me know how it goes
March 13, 2012 at 10:23 am
Alex
Me too! I’ve read his other one also in audio and it worked perfectly, so fingers crossed!
March 9, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Sandy
I’m thinking of joining too, I just need to do the research to see if I can get all of the audios in one category from my library.
As far as reviewing books as audios, it is tough. I do always mention the fact though. I name the narrator, what experience the narrator has had (based on their resume on Amazon), the emotion expressed or not, their ability to do different voices, and recently, background noise which makes me NUTS.
March 13, 2012 at 10:24 am
Alex
A bit of background on the narrator is a good idea. I know what you mean about background noise. Sometimes I even think I can hear other readers next door (but it’s probably echo).
March 9, 2012 at 8:24 pm
theguildedearlobe
When I review audiobook narration, I try to think what added to the story and what took away from it. I try to evaluate the narration for that particular performance. There are some narrators that I really didn’t like, but put them with the right story, and they shine. It’s like when you evaluate a book, some of the author’s work you may love, others not so much. Most narrators are pretty gracious about criticism, and a few have wrote me to say they agree with something critical i said.
Also, I always try to find some positive thing to say unless it’s totally butchered.
I’m very glad you;re joining in, and am interested in the history category. I want to add more non-fic to my listening and history is one of my loves.
March 13, 2012 at 10:26 am
Alex
Hi Bob! Good advice, thanks. I guess I’d always be afraid to comment on someone’s voice or way of reading for fear it’s too personal, like commenting on their hair or nose. But you’re right, it is a performance!
March 10, 2012 at 2:37 am
Literate Housewife
I am so glad that you have chosen to join us on this little adventure! I wish I had the ambition to tackle the History category. You, ma’am are hard core! 🙂 If I had the time, though, those WWII books do look really interesting.
I’m glad you were getting advice on writing reviews. I provide basic information about the audiobook and it’s print counterpart. I also always mention the narrator’s performance. Some of those things are hard to articulate, though. I do the best that I can and basically write as the spirit hits me.
March 13, 2012 at 10:27 am
Alex
I’m glad as well, it’s a great idea! Hope you’re having lots of people interested. It would be perfect to have at least one person per each category.
March 13, 2012 at 10:28 am
Alex
PS: have you considered developing a button for the event?
March 10, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Falaise
I have to say that I’ve never listened to an audiobook in my life. No idea why but I just don’t feel as if I’d enjoy them. Anyway, that gripe aside, I’ve read the Arendt book, which is good, although I completely disagree with her theory on evil. The Larson book has been on my TBR list for a while and the rest sound interesting.
March 13, 2012 at 10:29 am
Alex
I’m glad you’ve read it, then we can discuss. I can’t believe you actually have a theory on Evil – what is it? Does it exist?
March 10, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Zeba Clarke
Just started Emperor of All Maladies yesterday, it’s very readable and accessible. Really enjoying it.
March 13, 2012 at 10:29 am
Alex
Let me know how you find it in the end!
March 12, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Iris
I cannot seem to find a good way to incorporate audiobooks in my life. I do listen to them when I go running (which obviously hasn’t happened a lot lately) and I try to think of listening when I do the dishes, but I’ve yet to manage listening to more than 3 a year.
This sounds like a fun project for someone who does listen to a lot of audio though and I hope you enjoy the books!
March 13, 2012 at 10:31 am
Alex
On my side, I’m surprised it took me so long to discover them. they seem to perfectly fit my routine: commuting, cooking, cleaning, waiting in line at the supermarket. I’m only sorry that my brain can’t handle shopping and audiobooks at the same time!
March 13, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Joanna
What great choices! I want to listen to them all right now!
May 21, 2012 at 1:43 pm
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[…] Audies, which are almost at an end. I’ll post and overview and my predictions for the History category early next […]
May 29, 2012 at 8:23 pm
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[…] the narration: Stephen Hoye was the only narrator in the Audies History category that was nominated for two books: this one and In the Garden of Beasts. This distinction is well […]
February 22, 2013 at 4:34 pm
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