During this ever-changing, surreal period of time with the global pandemic crisis, one thing that brings me comfort is a huge pile of books in which to escape. Pickleball, face-to-face yoga and book club have all been cancelled, so in an effort to stick to some sort of routine I will continue my daily walks, and now that the weather has warmed up, I also plan to get out on my bike. I've always been a big fan of audiobooks, but they now give me with a much needed distraction from the news, podcasts and constant updates on social platforms. My heart goes out to all the small business that are already seeing the effects of this pandemic, so in addition to supporting local restaurants with take-out orders, I am supporting local bookstores through Libro.fm. You can help, too.
Coronavirus is impacting independent bookstores near and far, but you can make a difference with a Libro.fm membership. When you start a membership with code SHOPBOOKSTORESNOW, you’ll get two audiobooks for the price of one ($14.99), and 100% of your payment will go to your local bookstore.If you need recommendations, here is a list of my all-time favorite novels on audio (click on title for my review):
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
The Bear by Claire Cameron
This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskins
The Circle by David Eggers
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
World Without End by Ken Follett
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
Sleeping with Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
My husband is not a fan of audiobooks and on more than one occasion has remarked that listening to them is not the same as reading the book. Of course it's not exactly the same, but that doesn't mean it's cheating or insignificant in comparison to reading the printed words. Perhaps this article will help him understand that listening is just another technique of reading.
Stay tuned for my upcoming post about my favorite nonfiction audiobooks.
I listened to a few of those myself. I've read Ready Player One and may revisit it on audio.
ReplyDeleteKathy, Ready Player One is amazing on audio. I know it's one I'll listen to again.
DeleteHope all is well with you. I haven't looked at any blogs for over a week! Time to quit reading the news and revisit my blogmates.
Les, you've got several on your list that I've listened to and more that I want to. Right now, I seem to be making my way through J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas books again. I love them and I'm enjoying revisiting them as I walk and read on my Kindle a bit. I haven't actually been reading all that much, but I'll get there. Oh, and you can tell Rod that I disagree that listening to a book is not 'reading' - ha! It does count! Take care and give your Mom a hug for me.
ReplyDeleteKay, I've only read one of the Eve Dallas books, but may get back to them once I finish with Louise Penny's and Deborah Crombie's. Oh, and Susan Hill's. ;) I haven't been reading much either. Too much time on the computer reading news reports and spending time outside trying to clear my head! I will share your thoughts about audiobooks with Rod. :) Take care yourself and hugs to you and your hubby. This too shall pass, right?
DeleteI have yet to listen to an audiobook, but you've inspired me! It will be a wonderful accompaniment to my long daily walks in the neighborhood on the days that I'm not chatting with long-distance friends. BTW, you've given me some more ideas for books to read. And I see "Be Frank With Me" is on your list...it's one of my all time favorite novels! I've read it at least three times because it makes me so happy. Would be fun to listen to it as an audiobook.
ReplyDeleteLaurel, it takes a little time to get used to listening/focusing on an audiobook, but if you can start out while on a walk, you will do much better than those who try while driving in their cars! Maybe start with Be Frank With Me since you are already familiar with the plot. I fell in love with Frank and laughed at his humorous lines. Might be a good time to give it another listen!
DeleteLove this list as well Les. I read/listened to 17; great choices. I use library downloads and audible but, I'd rather do Indie $14.95/same price. Is there a specific app you use to download. I use Libby for library.
ReplyDeleteDiane, thanks for coming back and commenting on this post. I've started using Libro.fm, which supports my local bookstore (which I was able to select). It's the same price as Audible, but I like that it helps the small bookstore in my area. If you decide to try it out, use this link and I'll get a referral credit. :)
Delete