I just finished one of the most interesting books I’ve “read” in a while. I say “read” because I actually didn’t read the words, as such. I actually listened to the entire, unabridged book, word for word. Sure enough, I “read” the book in its entirity. Honestly, I’ve always thought audio books where pretty cool but eschewed them because I thought they were too expensive to purchase, rarely came in the unabridged version, and it just felt like lazy reading. However, recently, my opinion changed.
I was doing some house work (painting) and I wanted to have something other than a paint brush to occupy my mind. I considered an unabridged audio book for the first time in quite a while. I have to give Leo LaPorte the credit. Host of This Week in Tech, Leo is a huge proponent of audio books and espouses the benefits both personally and through one of his long time sponsors, audible.com. The other week, he threw out a stat which caught my attention. The average person reads 3-4 books in a year but the same person could listen to around 12-14 books in the same time period. Huh.
I love to read but, unfortunately, sitting down and taking the time to actually read is difficult. Life, the Universe and whatever, always seem to get in the way. However, with my trusty (sometimes) iPhone, I realized I could listen to the audio books anywhere and everywhere I went. Driving, in the grocery store, doing this chore, or that errand. Suddenly my life was rife with places where an audio book would fit in nicely, thank you. Thus, I scoured my shelves for unread books which were available in unabridged audio form (unabridged is the only way I will listen to an audio book). I found The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, narrated by Michael Page and in short order, I was off.
A week later, the book was finished, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I must say, Michael Page has probably spoiled me for the time being. His ability to shift voices and character was exceptional. He added a flair to the story, one would not find in their own mind. Combine that with a quick plot, deep characters, and a scheme that would put the Oceans 11 boys to shame and the entire experience was well worth the effort and expense. I find myself a strong convert and would enthusiastically recommend this niche form of entertainment to those who are yet to give it a try.