TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Listen Up, Book Lovers

ADVERTISEMENT

By KAREN HAYMON LONG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2007

You don't always have to read a book to thoroughly enjoy it. You can listen to it on audio compact disc - in your car, while gardening, relaxing at home or just about anywhere. They're available at bookstores, libraries and online.

Over the 23 years I have commuted to The Tampa Tribune's downtown office from Pinellas County, I have listened to everything from Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" to Dylan Thomas' "A Child's Christmas in Wales."

I've marveled at Donald Justice reading his own poetry, laughed at Truman Capote's descriptions of making Christmas fruitcakes as a boy and felt dizzy keeping up with the complicated plot of Erik Larson's "Thunderstruck."

Here's a look at audio books I've listened to lately, with my thumbs up or thumbs down.

"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," by Junot Diaz; read by Jonathan Davis and Staci Snell (Penguin Audio, $39.95)

Definitely a keeper. I thought about lending it out after listening to it but decided to keep it so I can listen again. Diaz's story about a fat, loveable, troubled kid from the Dominican Republic living in New Jersey makes you care about him and miss him, even after hearing about him for 11 hours.

He's wacky, steeped in sci-fi, hungry for love and mired in a loser life. Yet we love him, much like we love the George Costanza character on "Seinfeld."

THUMBS WAY UP

"Slam," by Nick Hornby; read by Nicholas Hoult

(Penguin Audio, $29.95)

The story is simple: A 16-year-old girl has a baby boy, who grows up to get his girlfriend pregnant when he's 16. That's the worst thing he could do to his mother, but Sam - and his mom - cope with it and adore baby Ruf when he arrives.

The charm is in the telling of the story. Hoult has a lovely, lilting English accent that lulls listeners into caring about Sam, his mom, his girlfriend and their baby.

THUMBS UP

"Book of the Dead," by

Patricia Cornwell; read by Kate Reading (Penguin Audio, $39.95)

This wasn't the type of book I would read, but I thought I might enjoy listening to it. I was wrong. Reading's voice grates, especially when she attempts to sound like a man.

The story wasn't compelling enough to outweigh the irritation, so I gave up after listening to four CDs - out of 11.

THUMBS DOWN

"Dead Heat," by Dick and Felix Francis; read by Martin Jarvis (Penguin Audio, $34.95)

I had never read anything by Dick Francis but knew he was a popular writer, so I gave this a whirl. What the hey? I have to think about something while driving to work an hour each way every day.

I loved it. It had a lot of elements I enjoy: cooking, horse racing and intrigue. And Jarvis does a marvelous job reading the story about a British chef trying to figure out why someone is trying to kill him.

This is the first collaboration between Francis and his son, Felix, a former physics teacher. They make a good team.

THUMBS UP

"Thunderstruck," by Erik Larson; read by Bob Balaban

(Random House Audio, $44.95)

Like his best seller "The Devil in the White City," Larson's audio book weaves two complex stories into one. In this case, he rotates between Guglielmo Marconi, who invented the wireless telegraph, and 19th century British homeopathic doctor Hawley Crippen.

The suspense is gripping, perhaps because it is drawn out over two complicated lives and historic events.

They weren't the easiest stories to follow while driving. I admit I had to back up the CD several times when I wasn't concentrating hard enough. But the stories held my interest - through hours and hours of rough traffic.

Another bonus: The audio made me want to read the book.

THUMBS UP

Karen Haymon Long is the Tribune's book editor.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT