Audiobook recommendations- shall we share our highlights & duds??

[Movingonmymind]

So far, I have loved The Paying Guests, Christmas Carol (narrated by Tom Baker), Pompeii by Robert Harris. Also non-fiction Pompeii by Mary Beard and Born to Run. HATED Harry Quebert affair as badly-written, sexist tripe and also a cheapy Northanger Abbey download with a really clangy narration- should have forked out for the Juliet Stevenson narration. Wondering what next and any alternative sites to Amazon/audible?

I loved Bill Bryson's At home

I listen to audiobooks on my long drives for work. I've found it easier to listen to and follow autobiographies - with a preference for it being read by the author. I find it difficult to follow a convoluted plot when I'm driving - I constantly have to rewind because I've zoned it out for a spell.

I really enjoyed Alan Cummings book and also Jeanette Winterson's. Currently listening to Alec Ferguson's autobiography and might try Brian Blessed's next.

Gliblet was it the Radio 4 dramatisation of the Weirdstone of Brisingamen? I listened to it when I was younger and I have been trying to track down a copy for years, it was excellent. Radio 4 replay it every now and again on Radio 4 Extra but I always miss it.

I loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, mostly because of the fabulous readers.

Unbroken was riveting though covers some upsetting content.

The first two Diana Gabaldon books in the Outlander series got me through several long drives, with the only downside being that when driving I can't fast forward through the cringe-inducing sex scenes that I would skim over if reading on paper (I remember guffawing at one seemingly non-ironic use of the term "rogering" and a description of passionate lovemaking that occurred seconds after Claire, struggling with morning sickness, spewed violently into a chamber pot).

I've been trying to listen to Cold Mountain, which I loved when I read several years ago. Unfortunately it is read by the author, and while his voice is pleasant enough, he doesn't vary his tone at all -- puts me right to sleep! It's made me appreciate the very real talent the good readers have!

Am really enjoying listening to Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, ditto Dicken's biog by Claire Tomalin, thanks for recommending them on here!

Trying to resurrect thread! Just finished Pilgrimage, really enjoyed it, very moved by it and very thought provoking on long-term relationship dynamics and the power of change.

Not liking the Dickens autobiography as much now it's more focussed on his books, so will see.

Moving I am about to get an Audible subscription, so will need some recommendations on best buys. I was thinking of The Luminaries - has anyone bought this one?

I've listened to The Luminaries on audio book. Thought it very well done. It certainly helped me get through the story where I might not have done otherwise.

I loved David Attenborough reading his autobiography.

Thanks Quogwinkle, the book looked dauntingly huge. I saw on Audible that the audiobook is 29 hours long!

Yes it is a huge long book, but I just couldn't stop listening to it - once you get into it it is really gripping.

Sounds good, I could never find 29 free hours to read a book, but listening (whilst swimming/walking hopefully), will be a constructive use of my time

Actually had to google waterproof headphones .. Am I so old fashioned not to have realised it is possible to get a waterproof MP3 thingey?! Well, it's a good idea, anyway!

May check out the Attenborough,mLuminaries does have quite mixed reviews, doesn't it? Be interested to know how easy it is to follow such a complex plot by audio as can imagine it's the kind of book I'd be flipping back the pages of all the time to check who everyone is and how they're connected.

Back in time now with Last Letter from your Lover. It's okay, well written but not gripping yet and reader slightly crisp in her narration.

I've been listening to audiobooks for a few years now through Audible. These were my favourites:
A short history of nearly everything and Notes from a small island - Bill Bryon, both read by William Roberts who has a lovely voice to listen to.
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller - again a great narrator in Tervor White.
Loved all the Robert Galbraith books read by Robert Glenister.
The old man and the sea - Ernest Hemingway, read by Donald Sutherland. This is a short book but Donald Sutherland is pretty hypnotising as a narrator.
The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronvitch read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

Thanks for all the recommendations on this thread.

movingon I haven't actually tried out my headphones underwater, so not sure of the sound quality yet. Hopefully it'll stop me getting bored whilst swimming and keep me going longer. Maybe I'll give the a dry (wet) run in the bath!

Good luck, Ida 😄

Am now googling Donald Sutherland narrated stories, adore his voice.

I am struggling with Judy Blume's In the Unlikely Event. Have finished the first CD and am completely lost there seem to be so many characters! Do I listen again or give up?

Depends how much you think you'd enjoy listening again, up to you. Meant to be a pleasure, after all. I am revising the Dickens' autobio which I had given up on and will peruse it, but by dipping in and out and combining with a nice fiction too. Have given up on the Jojo Moyes though, never been tempted by her when I've browsed her books in bookshops so not quite sure what made me go for an audiobook of hers. Reviews were good though, maybe just not my thing. I am not gripped and care not a jot about any of the characters

I recently finished Wolf Hall on audible and the narrator was excellent, I think it suited me to listen to, rather than read it.

I'm listening to Anne Tyler's A Spool of Blue Thread and I like the story but the narrator sounds very exasperated most of the time. Like she's a bit disgusted at what she has to read. Not my favourite.

Middlemarch by George Eliot and read by J Stevenson was excellent.

Thanks for starting this thread op - I have nothing to add yet but this has inspired me no end!

Oops posted too soon - can anyone explain to me how The Audible app works please?

Hi Jellie- have you doenloaded the Audible app from yr appstore? If so, can browse for books but to buy them you need to go onto Amazon or similar -choose 'audio download' option, you can listen to a sample first. Once purchased, you'll find your book showing up in your audible library and you just download it to play. Enjoy!

Thanks moving - I've downloaded the app but couldn't work out how to buy the books!

Great

Just to add, worth crosschecking to Amazon 'format' list as often quite a bit cheaper to download Kindle version with 'add audible narration'

Adding a post to mark my place - we've only got as far as Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon on Audible for the dc's for long car journeys (both excellent btw), great to have some recommendations :)