The Vine: December 9, 2011
Hello Sars and the Nation! I write in search of audiobook recs.
It’s time for the annual road trip to see the BF’s family for Christmas, and I’m thinking an audiobook or two would be a great way to battle the monotony. If it were just me, I’m sure I could find something suitable, but of course I want the BF to be engaged, too. (Heh, I guess you could say I’d like us both to be engaged, but that’s another letter…)
He’s not a big reader, but he’s no dummy. I think nonfiction is probably the way to go (although I’m open to anything). Topics of interest start with sports — we’re not baseball aficionados, but wouldn’t be opposed to being introduced to some history. Football is probably tops. (He’s Alabamian, so the Auburn/Alabama rivalry is a big topic–his preference being the former.) Ice hockey is a close second.
We’re also Food Network/Travel Channel people–we’ve both read Kitchen Confidential, so Bourdain and similar recs would be great.
Also, we like the booze.
Other possibilities? True crime, “Car Talk,” maybe cults and other deviant social studies? (Don’t think I’m not tempted to get Inside Scientology on audio, even though I’m reading it now.) (And he works IT — although I most certainly do not — on the off chance that there’s something mutually interesting on that topic.)
I trust the Nation to come up with some fun, not-too-academic listening materials that can take the edge of a 12-hour drive (times two). Thanks!
Signed,
The Last Train to Huntsville
Dear Train,
Not sure how it plays on audio, but you might try one of Michael Pollan’s — The Omnivore’s Dilemma is available on audio, although my favorite of his is The Botany of Desire, which you can also listen to, it looks like.
Readers? Hit us with some listening recs. Three suggestions per comment only, please, to keep it manageable.
Tags: Anthony Bourdain Ask The Readers happy hellidays Michael Pollan popcult
Bill Bryson, Bill Bryson, Bill Bryson. His audiobooks are fantastic. He’s read the ones I’ve listened to himself.
The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb is an EXCELLENT audiobook about the quest to break the 4 minute mile barrier. Nonfiction, sporty, intriguing, well-narrated, and 14 hours so it’ll keep you busy. None of my family is particularly athletic or particularly fond of nonfiction, but we all loved this one.
@Mel, I reviewed that book ages ago and really liked it in print form. Good choice.
If you liked Kitchen Confidential, then Heat, by Bill Buford, might be up your alley. It’s about learning classical Italian cooking, and working for Mario Batali, and the tone of the book is similar to Bourdain’s.
Any interest in politics? Last Christmas we did Game Change on audio and it is scandalous and interesting.
Audiobooks! This is my wheelhouse, and I think one good option for the both of you, given your appreciation of Kitchen Confidential, might be Gabrielle Hamilton’s Blood, Bones & Butter (tops of many year-end book lists this year, and she narrates it herself, which is fun). I also really loved listening to Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, which combines sports (track) and history, and a lot of WWII into a truly amazing-but-true story. (One downside of the audiobook here: the print version has great photos that you won’t see, so get yourself to a bookstore afterward and take a look.)
Otherwise, maybe try Jon Ronson’s the Psychopath Test to address your interest in deviant social studies? I haven’t listened yet but it’s on my list, and gets high marks at Audible.
Happy driving!
Bossypants by Tina Fey, and the entire David Sedaris collection. Hilarious, and perfect as audio books.
Not sure these fit your criteria beyond being non-fiction but I’ll throw them out there anywhere. Just finished the audio book of Craig Ferguson’s American on Purpose. It’s not long, but it’s funny and also includes interestingly frank discussion about his alcohol problems.
Also Keith Richard’s biography Life is very entertaining (and long), even if you’re only a hits Stones fan like me. I don’t like Johnny Depp as a rule but he does a great job reading the parts of it he does (it swaps narrators, which is rather jarring when it happens, I must say)
And lest you think I’m only recommending UK celebrities with substance abuse problems, Mary Roach’s Mission to Mars is a great history of space travel full of the quirky shit that’s great to learn, like whether there’s ever been a Zero-G porno.
Though I have not listened to it myself (I’m more of a fiction gal,) I hear nothing but good things about The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks.
And though not non-fiction, Roots is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever “read.” It’s narrated by Avery Brooks, and it’s also a gazillion years long, which is a plus for me (and for long car rides.)
Second Bill Bryson. I really enjoyed A Short History of Nearly Everything and I’m not a science geek by any stretch. It’s interesting, and it’s not childish, but it’s not so indepth a layman can’t follow what he’s talking about.
It doesn’t really match your named subjects, but What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes is easily the best non-fiction I’ve read this year, possibly the best book I’ve read this year. The author’s war experiences, with a lot of personal exploration adn how they affected him. You don’t have to be into millitary things to, well enjoy, is probably the wrong word, but be moved by this book.
my first rec is to look into getting a membership to Audible.com They provide ebooks in mp3 formats so you can get the book without dealing with CDs. Also, their selection is huge.
Life on the Line, Grant Achatz memoir of how he came to open Alinea would probably appeal.
We don’t really do non-fiction that much, we’re more into detective stories, but “Catch Me If You Can” by Frank Abagnale was excellent. It is the more-or-less true tale of his life as an imposter and is much more detailed than the movie.
Thirding Bill Bryson. “In A Sunburnt Country” is very funny and worth reading if you don’t listen to it!
For Mysteries, I would recommend “One for the Money” and the other early Plum books on audio. They’re funny, entertaining and enjoyable. My husband also loved listening to them, even though he’s not a mystery geek like I am.
I’ll also throw in a rec for the Harry Potters read by Jim Dale. Book 4 is particularly amazing, with the crazy number of voices he does. Excellent performance of a good book.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company Radio Show. I still have it on cassette (15+years old and still plays!) and we play it on every long road trip and still laugh! The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas is also pretty funny.
Sarah Vowell, particularly if she’s reading her own work.
– Not an audio book, but a podcast: “Radio Lab” has a ton of episodes you can download, and they cover complex topics in science and psychology in a friendly, understandable, radio-centric way. Also, as you listen, you will be introduced to science reporters and authors (like the author of Henrietta Lacks) who might have more audiobooks for you to check out. Some favorites: “Emergence”, “Choice”, “Morality”
– Malcolm Gladwell’s books are entertainingly presented nonfiction on a variety of topics and they all seem to be available on audio. I like “Blink” and “Tipping Point” the best!
– “Freakonomics” is one of my favorite popular nonfiction books, also available on audio!
Tina Fey reading Bossypants is hilarious. Fiction-wise, anything read by Simon Vance. He can make ANYTHING good. I’m pretty sure he’s how I made it through the beginning of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo–although once Salander is introduced, it’s pretty awesome.
Seconding Sedaris and Vowell, as they both work so well in audio format. Also, you might want to download some This American Life podcasts.They cover lots of topics, were created for radio, and include Sedaris, Vowell, David Rakoff and others.
Let me second, third, or fourth Bill Bryson recommendations. I’ve read or listened to all of his books and ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ is so very engaging. Bryson reads his own books and does a wonderful job at it. It’s a long one and would probably get you there and halfway back.
Tina Fey’s ‘Bossypants’ should be required listening. She also reads it herself and does voices and sound effects and it is a joy.
I just finished listening to ‘The Monster of Florence’ by Douglas Preston which is true crime about serial murders in Italy. It was engrossing.
Warning: The “MoF” recording I listened to had me speaking in a Super Mario accent at rest stops. Fantastic story and well worth a listen but I morphed into Mama Leone for a few days there.
I’ll second the Malcolm Gladwell and also throw in Michael Lewis and Jon Krakauer for nonfiction. If you want to give fiction a try, Neil Gaiman’s books are good.
One final suggestion if you are open to a variety of books, try searching for George Guidall. He is a wonderful narrator and very easy to listen to. Even a great book can be ruined by a not-so-great narrator.
“Those Guys Have All the Fun,” a new non-fiction audiobook about the birth of ESPN. I bought it for my boyfriend, and am now so engrossed in it that I’m not waiting for him to finish listening! I’m not even a big sports fan, so it’s definitely interesting for everyone.
This is fiction, and YA fiction at that, and I know this sounds lame, but: The Hunger Games was awesome in the car! My husband, who had SERIOUS doubts, was on the edge of his seat the whole time, and certainly it was a great way to pass the time on our Thanksgiving road trip. We even brought it into our house after we got home to finish it right away!
The Daily Show’s Earth the book? Good for some giggles.
“We Are the Ship” by Kadir Nelson is about the Negro Baseball League — it’s YA, but it’s engaging and enjoyable for all ages.
I agree with Kendra and MIzShrew up there — David Sedaris all the way. And, in keeping with the season, he’s got one called Holidays on Ice, complete with a story about his former job as a Macy’s Christmas elf! And I can’t not recommend the Santa-related story “Six to Eight Black Men” for maximum laughs (though that’s in a different book).
If you’re open to podcasts, I would HIGHLY recommend Mike and Tom Eat Snacks http://matescast.tumblr.com. It’s Michael Ian Black and Tom Cavanagh and they pick a different snack every episode – they’re a riot! Fair warning – it does get a little NC-17 language-wise.
Audiobooks – totally agree about Sarah Vowell and The Hunger Games.
My husband and I listened to David Sedaris on our honeymoon.
We also liked “Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany” by Bill Buford.
I second Kat’s recommendation of Blood, Bones and Butter–I haven’t heard the audiobook, but the memoir itself is fantastic.
Nthing Bill Bryon, David Sedaris, Tina Fey, This American Life podcasts. Would suggest you fast-forward through the first ten minutes of Marc Maron’s podcasts (not funny, just bitching) and go right to the interviews.
My daughter turned me on to Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist podcasts, which can be a bit too inside-comedy-baseball sometimes, but they get great people. She and I listened to Patton Oswalt’s audiobook and really enjoyed it.
But one of our road trip favorites, and I’m not just saying this to suck up to our illustrious host, is Sars’ and Wing’s Girls Bike Club: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tomato-nation-girls-bike-club/id283400717. We’ve listened to it so many times we can recite along. A classic!
I recommend this to people all the time and it’s always something they never would have thought of and then later love- plays. Dialogue specifically written to be listened to, and the diversity of dramatic readings means there is something for anyone. It isn’t all recordings of Shakespeare, there is a lot of recordings of contemporary theater or fun old BBC radio plays.
If your bf hasn’t read _Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer_, he should; if it’s not on audiobook at your local library, give him the print version for Christmas.
“Born to Run,” by Christopher McDougall, is a fascinating book about running and people who run and stuff. I am NOT a runner, but I loved this audiobook.
A hearty second to the suggestion of Jim Dale’s rendition of the Harry Potter books. Sooooooo great.
I also liked “Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us)” by Tom Vanderbilt. It is interesting and surprising. Added benefit of being a sort of meta experience to listen to it while driving.
Outcasts United by Warren St. John. Warren’s also an Alabamian. It’s about a soccer team of young, recently-immigrated boys in Atlanta. It’s awesome and I cried (which hardly ever happens). His first book, Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, is about football, but from the Alabama side (He went to every single game one season, traveling with crazy RV, tail-gating fans). But it might still be worth the listen, just so he can laugh and the nutso Alabama fans.
Also the book The Blind Side is much more about the game of football in general with the Michael Oher story used to illustrate the points it’s making.
If The Cuckoo’s Egg by Cliff Stoll is available in audiobook from audible.com, try that. Very good computer security non-fiction that feels like a thriller novel.
Also try some of the Terry Pratchett Discworld novels – particularly Soul Music.
Seconding Blood, Bones and Butter – before the book was even written, Bourdain said of it:
“It will no doubt be better and more interesting than Kitchen Confidential. Every day that Gabrielle Hamilton likes me? It’s reason to live.”
David Sedaris is also an excellent choice.
If you’re digging “Inside Scientology” and he likes nonfiction about true crime and cults, then I *highly* recommend Jon Krakauer’s “Under the Banner of Heaven,” about a multiple murder and its links to the history of the FLDS church. Fascinating. I was listening little by little as I did my daily driving, and I would sometimes sit in the garage after I got home, listening until the end of the chapter.
For funny, I also recommend Craig Ferguson and Tina Fey–I read those both in print and they were hilarious.
I don’t like taking things in aurally, so I’m not recommending anything for content, but for my husband and son who commute together I had fun browsing the selections of used audiobooks on CD at Better World Books (betterworldbooks.com). Can’t beat the prices–my only caution would be that if you search for audiobook CD, make 100% sure that what you select is on CD, because some of the cassettes have descriptions like “these are on audio cassettes, not CDs” and hence will come up in your search.
They just started listening to a Willie Mays bio.
My husband & I are Audible addicts – we actually plan out our road trips around what we’ll be listening to, and switch off between books & podcasts. Looking forward to downloading some of the other posters’ recommendations…
Anyhow, I fifth/sixth/whatever the recommendations for Bill Bryson. After reading through most of his work over the past 10 years, I just finished listening to ‘At Home’ and am wondering why I waited so long to switch over to the audio versions. Since you mentioned being Travel Channel fans, I would check out his travelogues (particularly ‘Notes from a Small Island,’ my constant companion for 2 years in England).
Someone else upthread mentioned Mary Roach – I HIGHLY recommend the audiobooks of her work! I’m currently listening to ‘Packing for Mars’ after devouring ‘Stiff’ (about the science of death and cadavers) and ‘Bonk’ (the science and history of sex). She does a wonderful job of combining academic curiosity and compassion with humor (and often, sheer “WTF?”ness). Also, I really enjoyed the narrators – they capture the mood(s) perfectly.
Finally, if you find yourself needing to break up a longer book – attention spans can wane – try a podcast or two. In addition the great NPR offerings, we’re devotees of the TWiT Network (This Week in Tech, also their flagship show). Your BF would appreciate the IT stuff, but the hosts are engaging (and often hilarious) enough to be enjoyed by us non-techies. In fact, I listen to Tech News Today on a daily basis.
Good luck, and enjoy your trip!
I’m not much of an audiobook-er – it has to be a very specific kind of audiobook to hold my attention – but I am nthing David Sedaris. He’s one of those people who adds an extra layer to his writing when reading aloud. Love.
Also for podcasts, there’s the Moth.
Oh my god, my boyfriend and I STILL do Monster of Florence voices! “MAHrio SPEHzeh!” “Il MOH-strrrro diFiRRRRENzeh!” So fun.
You know what I DON’T recommend? Anything by Dan Brown. As it turns out, his stuff is readable when you don’t have to actually, you know, read all the words. The bad writing becomes so apparent and completely unbearable when the narrator insists on saying all the words and you can’t skim through the boring and the obvious. And when it’s Chapter Seventy-eight and the female lead is still being referred to by full name and title? WHERE ART THOU, EDITORS. Stop saying “Dr. Katherine Solomon”! When we left her, she was being chased by a maniac–I think we’re on a first-name basis by now.
Wow, thank you, all, these are AWESOME. Trouble now is choosing…
Love that David Sedaris came up so much; his are the only audiobook things we’ve listened to on long trips before–so happy to be so in tune with the Nation! (And thank you for reminding me about “Holiday’s On Ice”–have been meaning to pick that up for years now.)
I just floated this thread by him, and “Blood, Bones and Butter” was the first thing that caught his eye, which suits me just fine. Whichever ones we don’t pick up for this trip will surely be Kindled shortly…
Thank you thank you thank you again!
The BBC has a series of free podcasts called “A History of the World in 100 Objects.” There are (surprise!) 100 of them, each 10-15 minutes long, and each one is about an object in the British Museum and how that object affected world history. They’re fascinating–I’ve been listening to them on my commute each afternoon, and they make being stuck in traffic is much less awful.
I’ll third the “This American Life” podcasts. We listened to them contiously on our 8-hour (round)-trip T-day car adventure, and managed to keep a carful of critters entertained the whole time and still wanting to hear more.
I don’t know sports, but I guess I know a little more now from listening to bits and pieces of two new sports audiobooks we’re working on here. Somehow they make a topic I’m not really interested in fascinating! Those Guys Have All the Fun on ESPN and One on One, from John Feinstein. The Art of Fielding has a great baseball plotline, with amazing characters to boot, if you’re looking for fiction.
For food, which I love much more, I’d definitely recommend Bones, Blood, and Butter, or Garlic and Sapphires.
More generally, I’ve been recommending Bossypants and Just Kids to everyone this year!
In case anyone is still reading this thread — of the Bill Bryson titles mentioned, I noticed A Walk in the Woods wasn’t mentioned by name yet — it’s laugh out loud funny in places (and I rarely LOL while listening to audio books.)
I read/heard one Bill Bryson book (In a Sunburned Country) and thought it was only OK. Like, if he was your college roommate who now has a travel blog and you forwarded it to me, I would it was a fun read. But I don’t get why he is this huge, internationally bestselling author.
Also thought Life by Keith Richards was only OK. Loved, loved, loved his early life and the band’s rise to fame, but once they were famous, it was a blur of touring and drug addiction. And listening to multiple descriptions of a pair of junkies vomiting while trying to dry out gets dull, even if those two junkies are Richards and Gram Parsons. And the multiple narrators were really, really jarring.
I will recommend Bossypants, especially since there’s a whole section about driving home for the holiday, although I went back and forth on Fey’s voice. (Literary, not speaking.) Sometimes it was so unrelentingly sarcastic that I got bummed out.
I would heartily recommend anything by David Sedaris. I’ve also listened to Anna Quindlen (Every Last One; Rise and Shine) and enjoyed her fiction immensely. Might be a little girly for your BF, though. Another recommendation: An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin. Even if high art is not usually your thing, it’s a beautifully written peek into the world of NYC gallery life.
If you like sports, Born to Run by Chris MacDougall, which is about extreme runners, is a fun choice.
A Visit from the Goon Squad was the best book I read all year.
I’d also suggest downloading a few ‘Stuff You Should Know’ podcasts from the How Stuff Works website or iTunes, and plugging in the mp3 player or transferring them to CD for the car. I have wiled away many a long hour listening to these guys talk about a huge range of topics from physics to Jack the Ripper. For me, they hit just the right mark on the detail level while being relaxed and entertaining.