Comments on: Audiobooking to Australia

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:00:59 +0000

One more for you…

The Help by Katherine by Kathryn Stockett is a fantastic audio book. The readers are AMAZING. I know this one is already on your list but I just wanted to give it an endorsement.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:01:09 +0000

Hi Roz,
I’m a huge fan of audio books. I listen to them during my commute and they keep me sane and free of road rage. Some great books were made ordinary due to the poor performance of the person reading them. For this reason, most books narrated by their authors should be avoided. The exception to this rule of thumb is Neil Gaiman. He’s a great narrator!

Following are my recommendations of great reads, all of which I listened to on audio CD:

1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle. FANTASTIC reader!
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
3. The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. (amazing story by AUSTRALIAN writer)
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
6. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
7. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. (have tissues handy)
8. The Spellman Files: A Novel by Lisa Lutz (almost had to pull my car off the road from laughing too hard)

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. I’ve read a great deal more fantastic books but they’re not on this list unless I’ve listened to them.

By: Jennifer (Fort Worth, TX)

Jennifer (Fort Worth, TX) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:18:23 +0000

Roz,
Andy’s book recommendations are great. I have read the entire series of the second and third books on his list. Be careful, if you become hooked, both book series are around 11 to 12 books long at about 1000 pages each. Lots of listening!!!

By: Roz Savage

Roz Savage — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:05:27 +0000

Andy Warner – thanks for the book recommendations. Added to my wishlist – although maybe not the Stephen King one. I had some of his books on the last leg of my row, but the first one I started listening to the reader was so good in a completely over-the-top, scary-dramatic-sinister kind of a way that it totally freaked me out and I had to stop listening before I got too frightened!

Thanks also to RickK. Trouble is, I don’t have a “local” anything – I’m a homeless nomad. So library memberships are a dim and distant memory… but book recommendations noted!

By: RickK

RickK — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:55:07 +0000

Don’t forget your local library, Roz. It doesn’t take long to download a set of CDs onto your iPod. The Outlander series, while perhaps a bit too romancy, would provide a long LONG diversion. And there’s usually some long Ken Follett novels on CD at our library.

Recent audiobooks I’ve listened to and enjoyed (with good audio):
Darkness Falls – Kyle Mills
Round Ireland with a Fridge – Tony Hawks (very short, very funny)
Forgery of Venus – Michael Gruber
Whiteout – Ken Follett
Dune – Frank Herbert
Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

You’re probably already aware of stuff available in the public domain.

If you DO try some non-fiction, here are some other good audiobook titles that I’ve enjoyed recently:

A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
Salt: A World History – Mark Kurlansky
Cod: A Biography of a Fish – Kurlansky
Great Escape – Kati Marton
The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch
Born on a Blue Day – Daniel Tammet
The First Humans – Ann Gibbons
Longitude – Dava Sobel
The Case for God – Karen Armstrong

You might also consider some podcasts. I like the BBC Radio 4 comedy shows, and the fascinating interviews on “Point of Inquiry”. The only problem is I don’t know how to get podcasts to just play one after the other so you can play a bunch without touching the ipod.

Good luck with your Australia preparations! We’re all watching and wishing you well.

By: Andy Warner

Andy Warner — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:08:20 +0000

Here are a few of the longer books from my library which I can recommend:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, read by John Lee, 47 hours
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind, 34 hours
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, 29.5 hours

Also, Under the Dome by Stephen King, 34.5 hours, which I have just started.

I thought of you while attending an excellent talk by Rich Wilson who finished 9th in the 2008 Vendee Globe solo sailing race. Like you, he has worked a strong educational program into his voyage: http://vg.sitesalive.com I would love to attend one of your talks at NG or TED if I wasn’t on the wrong coast… Knock ‘em dead!

Andy

By: John Kay

John Kay — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:55:41 +0000

Recommended: http://bit.ly/aAztrH for an exceptional description of Roz’s book and the opportunity to add comments (which may result in more copies being sold!)

By: KennyB

KennyB — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:44:03 +0000

Hi Roz, I just put enough in your PayPal account to buy another four books or so. Of course you can spend it on other necessities for your boat also

By: Laurey Masterton

Laurey Masterton — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:05:22 +0000

Hi Roz,

Just wrote to them on your behalf. (Good luck with ‘em!)
Laurey

“I am a BIG fan of Roz Savage who is rowing, solo, around the WORLD! She entertains herself bylistening to books while she rows, and tehn telling her blog readers all about them. She is a GREAT promoter and it would behoove you to give her as many credits as she needs to make it all the way across the second half of the Pacific.

Last year she thanked Audible (uk) profusely and frequently. You’ll get your money’s worth in spades!

Check her out. Roz Savage.”

Laurey Masterton

By: Karen Morss

Karen Morss — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:41:39 +0000

Roz,
Just made a small Paypal contribution for your audio books. Hope you get some really good ones!

By: Grace Cloud

Grace Cloud — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:19:29 +0000

I have contacted Audible also.
You can have my 2 little credits! Wish it could be 200!
Check this out if/when you get a chance:
http://www.archive.org/details/audio_bookspoetry
All free and thousands of books.
I really hope Audible does the “right thing” by you.
Agg

By: Jim Kershner

Jim Kershner — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:19:34 +0000

Roz;

Here’s the answer so far:

Dear Jim,

Normally, we do not donate credits, but after reviewing the article in which you have provided a link to, perhaps there is something we can do for you and Roz Savage. I am going to forward this email over to our Public Relations department for further review. Once I recieve an update, I will let you know.

Thanks!

For additional questions, how to contact us and hours of operation, please visit us at: http://www.audible.com/contactus

Sincerely,
Raphael C. (Supervisor)
Audible Customer Support

By: Roz Savage

Roz Savage — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:27:19 +0000

Thanks, David Saunders, for the $100 Audible gift token. Fantastic!!! I shall spend it wisely….

By: Roz Savage

Roz Savage — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:24:16 +0000

Jim – that is so kind of you! Let me know what they say. I promise to reciprocate by writing up reviews of each book I listen to!

By: Jim Kershner

Jim Kershner — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:01:18 +0000

Have sent the following email to Audible. If enough of us request it and are willing to give up our credits hopefully they will listen and help Roz meet her goal.

–

Roz Savage is rowing across the Pacific and depends on Audible audiobooks to keep her sanity. Currently, she is getting ready to depart on her third leg and is trying to get 65 Audible audiobooks to listen on her journey.

http://rozsavage.com/2010/03/05/audiobooking-to-australia/

Currently, my account has 12 credits built up. Is there anyway I can donate my credits to help Ms. Savage get the books she needs for her journey?

Thank you for any help you can provide

Jim Kershner