Saturday, October 13, 2012

The miles go by

Since I have a thirty minute commute, I have learned to love listening to books.  And it really makes a difference who is narrating.  They can make or break the book.  I once listened to Alan Rickman (Professor Snape to those Harry Potter film fans) narrate a Thomas Hardy book and I didn't even understand the language in the entire first CD, but his voice flowed so smoothly that I kept listening, gladly.
Today, I would like to pay homage to my favorite narrator, Barbara Rosenblat.  She is just masterful and I would probably turn into a babbling fool if I ever had the good fortune to meet her in person.  Are you looking for a hard-boiled New York accent?  Try listening to Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series starting with  Track of the Cat.

Or how about a British accent, with no sign of New York anywhere?  Then you might enjoy listening to Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series starting with Crocodile on the Sandbank.  Barbara's portrayal of the blustering Father of Curses, Emerson makes me laugh every time.
I've also enjoyed listening to Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear catering mysteries, but it's hard not to drool while driving when you hear these fabulous food descriptions, so I've cut back on those.  Really, I'm just thinking of the other drivers because otherwise I'd be trying to copy down the recipes....
If you have never tried to listen to a book, give it a whirl.  And definitely start off with a great narrator like Barbara Rosenblat.

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2 comments:

  1. Judi FitzPatrickOctober 16, 2012 at 5:24 PM

    I totally agree with all you said. I used to have a 30 minute commute and that's when I started listening to books (some back in the days of cassette tapes!)
    Barbara Rosenblat reading both Nevada Barr and Elizabeth Peter's books is wonderful. (The Diane Mott Davidson I always bought for the recipes.)
    But my favorite reader is George Guidall, especially the Lillian Jackson Braun "The Cat Who..." books - just love his voice.
    Peace, Judi

    ReplyDelete
  2. JennyOctober 18, 2012 at 7:20 PM

    Hi Judi, thanks for commenting! George Guidall is a favorite of mine, too. I've listened to American Gods twice, I admit it.

    -Jenny

    ReplyDelete

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