Monday, February 23, 2015

Do you listen to audiobooks?

Sometimes I listen to audiobooks in lieu of reading a book or to revisit an old previously enjoyed book. It's also good practice if you have a Cochlear Implant.They're great for the occasional one-hour commutes or longer trips as well.

I mostly take out the audiobooks from my local library system or borrow them from friends. Currently, I am revisiting A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. 

From Goodreads.com:

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy, the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant. And Charlie's been lucky. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy, and who is about to have their first child.

Yes, Charlie's doing okay. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at his wife's bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird. . . .

People start dropping dead around him. It seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, somebody's gotta do it.


This book is read by actor Fisher Stevens. It was originally released in 2006. 

Why do I like this book? Mainly because it's offbeat and funny. Occasionally, it is also thought provoking.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Charlie had Sophie strapped to his chest like a terrorist baby bomb when he came down the back steps. She had just gotten to the point where she could hold up her head, so he had strapped her in face-out so she could look around. The way her arms and legs waved around as Charlie walked, she looked as if she was skydiving and using a skinny nerd as a parachute.” 

“It was watching Madeline Alby eat cheese with every ounce of her being, like it was the first and best time, that made him realize that he had never really tasted cheese, or crackers, or life. And he didn't want his daughter to live that way. He'd moved her into her own room the night before...He hadn't slept well, and had gotten up five times during the night to check on her, only to find her sleeping peacefully, but he could lose a little sleep if Sophie could go through life without his fears and limitations. He wanted her to experience all the glorious cheese of life.” 

“How much humanity has been spoiled for the confusion of movement with progress, my friend?” 
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There are many more. I'm enjoying listening to the book. I find that there are things that I have forgotten, so it's almost like nodding at an old friend who still has a few surprises for you.

So, what's your take on audiobooks? Do you listen to them too? If not, why not? 

Or do you read Christopher Moore too? Do you have a favorite book?

Thanks for coming by. And Happy Reading!

2 comments:

  1. Yes, I do listen to audiobooks. I started out mostly listening to books that I'd read in the past. It seemed easier if I missed a bit through distraction or whatever. I have begun listening to more and more books that are new to me though. Plus I'm inserting some non-fiction in the mix as well and I'm not a big non-fic reader. I listen in the car, while doing household tasks, while exercising...just everywhere I can.

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    1. Thank you for sharing. I am going to try and listen when I exercise and when I am crocheting next. Do you have a favorite genre to listen to?

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