Why did it take me so long to...

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Gil

Bird man
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old-guy64
Why did it take me so long to discover "books on tape"?

I spend 40 minutes in the car each way on work days. I've spent the last 15 years or more just jamming to the radio, or tape/CD player.

Last week I got a Robert B. Parker book on tape, and it was entertaining, and had no inane commercials, or stupid on air personalities to contend with.
The seed was planted when went to North Carolina to see my mom and listened to Harry Potter on the way. It kept the kids calm the entire trip.

Anybody else into books on tape?
 
I've used them a few times 👍 The only down side is I feel like I'm somehow "cheating". Someone would say "have you read A Brief History of Time?" and I'd have to answer, "Yes. Well, no. Ummm. Sort of... I heard it on tape on an 8 hour drive to Miami once", and I feel like a dork. :lol:


M
 
This doesn't diminish my desire to actually read. I've just heard that reading while driving is generally considered to be unacceptable practice. :D
 
At first this doesnt sound like a bad idea. But then after I thought about it for a while you will lose either contcentration on the book. It wouldnt be as fun as reading it since you might miss a few key parts here and there.
 
Or you just wear out the rewind button. I've never tried one before, mostly because my commute is all of 10 minutes. Might have to on a trip with the kid, though.
 
There's a distinctive quality about owning a book as opposed to a few tapes with the story read on them. To me, books on tape are the middle step between an actual book and the movie adaptation of it. In other words, it's a step in the wrong direction. Plus, I find I zone out of listening to someone talking on the radio after about ten minutes.

The only way I could see books on tape as being beneficial is if you're using them to learn a new language, which is ALWAYS easier if you're listening and speaking it.
 
I've 'read' books on tape during longer drives or my commute. Overall I think it's a great idea... but the problemn is it's extremely difficult to find unabridged versions on tape. And I don't like abridged versions of anything.

Good to see you back, Gil! Get ready for a new chapter in WRL history in a few weeks!
 
sn00pie
What about... rivers? Canals? Craters? Valleys? Highways? No? :nervous:

Crossing over things is overrated.

I must admit I listen to Audiobooks, well I usually rent them from the library. They tend to be a good alternative to listening to music as certain music affects my driving. I also used to use them when I commuted to work, as I found that it's hard to read a book standing up on a crowded train.

I think the last one I listened to was Douglas Adams 'The Salmon of doubt' which was a collection of various writings, interviews and part of what seemed to be a new Dirk Gently book.
 
Doesnt listening to a book on audio equate to someone reading one a bed-time story - is that a safe thing to do whilst driving?

"Officer, I didnt see the ambulance because I was listening to The Great Gatsby and I dosed off".
 
I've been able to get the unabridged versions of all the books that I've bought.
Also in some cases, I've already read the book.
I find it interesting to hear it "acted" out.
It's kind of like an old time radio show. Now I will admit, with the Harry Potter book, we were on a trip and both myself and my map reader missed a turn and we went 20 miles before we realized it.:lol:

I've also found that books that are written as first person narratives, with forays into conversations and situations are better to listen to in the car.

I'm listening to "Death by Hollywood" by Stephen Bochco at the moment. Dennis Franz is reading it. It is humourous, but it seems like it is a lot more asides than story. It got to the 9th chapter, and the end of the first CD before the portion of the story on the "book-jacket" started to develop. However, the character development has been quite humourous, and fun to listen to.
 
Never thought about that. I used to have the BFG by Roald Dahl (sp) on cassette when I was a wee boy, and it would keep me quiet on long journeys. I keep thinking I'd start concentrating on the book more than my driving, though.

I prefer to read than listen to a story, as it's easier to go back over missed bits or stuff I didn't understand, doesn't require batteries (in, say, a personal CD player) and is easier to just start and stop reading instantly ("hang on a sec, I'm just turning off my CD player...").

Race Idiot
They tend to be a good alternative to listening to music as certain music affects my driving.

I find that too. I've stopped listening to music in the car when I'm commuting now, because my music of choice is of the rockier, guitery variety, and makes me drive like an arse.
 
Crossing over things is overrated.
Like the River Severn perhaps?

I remember trying to listen to Harry Potter being read on the radio a few years ago, but I got bored and started fiddling (its compulsive).

Perhaps I'll start listening to them when I'm driving to/from home when visiting when I'm in Uni.
 
pimp racer
At first this doesnt sound like a bad idea. But then after I thought about it for a while you will lose either contcentration on the book. It wouldnt be as fun as reading it since you might miss a few key parts here and there.

Just out of interest, why are all your posts grey, or silver, or something?

I've heard of books on tape, but I've never used them. If i was driving, I'd find them to be distracting - concentrating on the book rather than the road, you know?

But it's a nice concept for when you're lying there at night with nothing to do. I'll definitely try it one day soon!
 
The main reason for me not buying book tapes-


Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Book- £9.99
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Tape- £57.99
 
ultrabeat
The main reason for me not buying book tapes-


Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Book- £9.99
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Tape- £57.99

There is a little store here that sells "seconds" and I have not spent more than $10 on any of the ones I have. That was because it was on CD.

For the tapes, (my truck, and the wife's Camry have both tape and CD) run from $4 to $7. Paper backs run that, even at Wal-Mart.

I spent $78 on taped/CD books yesterday and got 11 of the things. The 2 CD books bumped up the price by about $8. But I still averaged out at just over $7 per book.
 
I see what you're saying, but it's still very pricey for bestsellers.
 
Da Vinci Code $10.
vs the 25 or 30 in the department store.

But then, I'm lucky enough to have a place that has seconds for cheep.
I also have two used book stores in town.
So I read on the cheep too!:lol:
 
My mom listens to them to and from Milwaukee, a 45 minute trip, every day when she goes to work. She works in Milwaukee, if you didn't pick that up from the first sentence.
 
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