Authors reading their own works on audio books.

[japple]

I recently had eye surgery and during the recovery period I listened to quite a number of audio books. The absolute best ones were: Charles Frazier reading Cold Mountain and Toni Morrison reading Sula. I had previously read both books, but hearing the authors reading their own works was amazing. Also listened to Zadie Smith's book, White Teeth, performed by a remarkable young woman who did a superlative job with the various accents. I highly recommend all three.

[panader0]

1. I'll take two Hemingways, a Faulkner, and a Rimbaud, and a beer

[Duer 157099]

2. Yes! I have some favorite books that I would love the authors to read!

I've even asked them to do it in some cases (but "too busy" as I expected).

:sigh:

I would think an author would be highly motivated to not only leave their words, but their voice as well.

[kayob1]

3. Oh, yes!

Charles Frazier did a great job reading that book! Steven King did a great job reading a section of one of his books, too (can't remember which one it was); he really is a ham. And The Kite Runner's author did a great job as well. I love it when the author reads their own book.

[abluelady]

4. I Agree

I listen to audio books all the time--rather than watch tv! It gives me the chance to get a couple of things done at the same time. I loved listening to Frazier read "Cold Mountain," amd I know many people who struggled reading it. I have also listened to memoirs by the author and it is very interesting listening to their inflection at certain points.

I know many people think of listening as "cheating" when it comes to reading, but for me it gives me a chance to "read" more books than I would normally be able.

[japple]

5. Those who think that listening to audiobooks is "cheating"

are snobs. I started to say "effete snobs" but didn't want to dredge up the ghost of Spiro Agnew, who coined that little gem.

Anyway, I have a couple more favorites.

Anything that Frank Muller has ever read is spectacular, esp. Cormac McCarthy's, All the Pretty Horses.

Dick Hill reading William Faulkner's Light in August

Robert Joy reading Annie Proulx' The Shipping News.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. I hear dead people!

(That was supposed to be a response to post #1)

[Mad_Dem_X]

7. Hearing Stephen King read "1408" (short story)

scared the living shit out of me.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. Frank McCourt is great.

He has a wonderful accent.

[MaineDem]

9. Khaled Hosseini reading "Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is awesome

The accent, the pronunciation, the emotion of the stories come through. It's terrific!

[trof]

10. I enjoy those the most.

I like hearing an author read his own work.

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. Fannie Flagg is wonderful reading

Fried Green Tomatoes .

[Rob Gregory Browne]

12. Hit or Miss

Authors reading their own books is a hit or miss affair. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. When it does, it's a wonderful thing. But then it's also hit and miss when it comes to others reading the work.

There's nothing worse, to my mind, than a narrator who tries to put on "voices." The best of them use very subtle changes of inflection and tone to suggest character, rather than turn the reading into a barrage of cartoon voices. In one audiobook I listened to recently, the narrator tried to do a young child's voice by slurring the words and speaking in a squeaky voice. It was truly distracting and irritating. I was tempted to fast forward through these scenes and was relieved whenever they were over.

As an author, I cringe at the thought of getting a bad narrator for one of my books.