Something I discovered this week:
Know what’s fun to do on road trips? Audiobooks. My wife and I listened to a murder mystery on audio as we drove up to see the in-laws, and not only did it help the time fly by, but we were able to interact as we discussed the action of the book (a thriller that involved murder, cover-up, and conspiracy, oh my!).
I’ve also listened to several audiobooks on my long commute. That also is really helpful.
If you need ideas: Beloved children’s classics are always fun; Neil Gaiman does a great job reading his own stuff; Malcolm Gladwell does too; there are a few really good versions of CS Lewis’ stuff, including “The Screwtape Letters”; and Alistair McGrath’s recent autobiography of CS Lewis is pretty fantastic, but LONG.
But here’s the deal: the make-or-break for any audiobook, for me, is how annoying or appealing the narrator’s voice is, and how grating the “characterization” can be. We tried another audiobook (a novel that I have been told is just great), but the narration sounded like a commercial announcer, and the characterization were so thick that I couldn’t take any of it seriously. We lasted three minutes.
All this to say: if you’re travelling this week, try an audiobook or two–but check them out first to make sure you won’t be tempted to make fun of it the whole time.
(This post is NOT sponsored by Audible, but I’m open to offers, if you know what I’m saying. Seriously, though, I’ve heard they’re great. You should check them out.)
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