Listening to Books
I am an audiobook fan. Love that I can listen while I walk or do laundry! I just finished listening to Deaf Sentence by David Lodge and I was struck by how good the narrator was. Steven Crossley was able to create great characterizations. I had met him before reading Tana French’s book In the Woods.
About seven years ago, a friend recommended that I listen to James Lee Burke’s novel Jolie Blon’s Bounce read by Will Patton. I don’t normally read Burke but I was caught up in the colourful story by Patton’s amazing rendition. Since then, I have been paying attention to the readers, not just the book.
With some readers, it is genuinely a performance, so much so that narrators are celebrated by Audiobook of the Year and Audiofile’s Earphones awards. Toronto Public Library has ordered copies of Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales, the winner of the Audiobook of the Year for 2010.
Some favourites:
Lisette Lecat – She adds a new dimension to the books about Precious Ramotswe and her Ladies’ Detective Agency.
Davina Porter – Ms. Porter has a wide range and is skillful. Try her classics or her M. C. Beaton!
Nadia May – She does Jane Austen beautifully!
Steven Crossley – Check out more by this reader.
Audio formats available: Books on CD, books on tape and downloadable.
For information on downloading, see the Find Your Way to Downloads and eBooks on the Toronto Public Library website.
Any favourites? Tell me about your favourite readers.
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