Happy Libriversary - February

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Lynnet
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 33323
Joined: September 16th, 2012, 7:07 pm
Location: In the desert

Post by Lynnet »

:birthday: :birthday: :birthday:

At Librivox, we value all our volunteers. Whether you are on here daily, weekly, or just every now and then, we thank you for your contribution.

This month we would like to celebrate those of you having your "Libriversary" and send a special 'pat on the back', 'high five', 'well done' and 'thank you'.

Active members celebrating a February Libriversary are as follows:

10 years
Mark (Kaffen)
John (johng)

9 years
Lee Ann (Claire)

7 years

Bridget (bridgester)
Martin (MARTIN GEESON)
Matt (BellonaTimes/VfkaBT)
Timothy (Timothy Ferguson)
Lucy (Lucy_k_p)
Bart (bart)
Barry (KiltedDragon)
MaryAnn (MaryAnnSpiegel)
Linda (putzy a)

6 years

Sharon (skilmer)
Enrica (egi)
Ashleighjane (ashleighjane)

5 years
Phil (eggs4ears)
Nick (nickdunc)
Jill (JillianPress)
Janet (Janet99)

4 years
Linda (1Velvet)
Marty (martym)
alanmapstone (alanmapstone)
Jan (jmoorehouse)
Peter (mrwemmick)
Anthony (ogus)

3 years
Arnold (ABanner)
Nancy (NancyBanner)
Robert (nyckidd)
tovarisch (tovarisch)
Rob (RobBoard)

2 years
Mary (Tortilla)
Jennifer (theaustinfiles)
Fao10rk (Fao10rk)
John (jvanstan)
Gideon (BillyShakespeare)
ct3ct3ct3 (ct3ct3ct3)
E. Snow (RoboticLobsters)
Mahmoud (iGeo)
Lisa (LisaR)

1 year
M.S.C. Lambert (mscllc)
Bob (BobR)
Mateo (Matcas)
Erin (Newgatenovelist)
alaskart (alaskart)
J. McDougall (canadaguy2015)
Layli (LayliBrown19)
Digs (Digs)
Lily (lilygoose)
smike
Posts: 1941
Joined: April 23rd, 2013, 3:44 am
Location: Germany

Post by smike »

Happy Libriversary, everybody. :birthday: :clap:
Claudia

So much to do, so little time...
Cori
Posts: 12124
Joined: November 22nd, 2005, 10:22 am
Location: Britain
Contact:

Post by Cori »

Whoohoo, thank you all for your time and energy. And long may you all volunteer here! :D (Or return, if you've been away, and feel like you miss it. :mrgreen: )
There's honestly no such thing as a stupid question -- but I'm afraid I can't rule out giving a stupid answer : : To Posterity and Beyond!
Lucy_k_p
Posts: 2901
Joined: February 16th, 2009, 7:19 am
Location: Bath, UK
Contact:

Post by Lucy_k_p »

7 Years... Actually it feels like a lot longer. And I'm not as active as I'd like to be. Hopefully this year I can get my back log of work done and get started on some new projects.

Edit: And well done everybody else!
So little space, so much to say.
MARTIN GEESON
Posts: 2606
Joined: February 8th, 2009, 11:30 am
Location: Haslemere Surrey UK

Post by MARTIN GEESON »

7 years...

Most of my sections were recorded in the first year-and-a-half. Then the nasty reviews started turning up on various sites, and my confidence drained away. What particularly stings is when some condescending commentator who seems to commandeer a sort of possessive authority over a work I've recorded - starting out from the assumption that I'm a literary oaf with no insight into what I'm reading - explains at some length de haut en bas that I'm half-yodelling my way through a text well beyond my intellectual grasp. Well, you won, gentlemen. You broke my spirit.
RuthieG
Posts: 21957
Joined: April 17th, 2008, 8:41 am
Location: Kent, England
Contact:

Post by RuthieG »

Martin, I am cross. I am cross because anonymous loudmouths who probably contribute absolutely nothing to this world have caused you to stop recording. I know it is hurtful. I know that negative comments stick in one's mind far longer than positive ones. I don't think there is one of us who has not experienced this. So, please, remember these:
  • "Martin Geeson makes it extra yummy."
    "Martin Geeson's reading of Phaedrus is actually superb."
    "Beautifully and movingly read. Thank you so much. "
    "I'm now a fan of Geeson and would listen to anything he narrated in the future."
    "Many thanks to Martin Geeson for his flawless and passionate reading"
    "I have listened to several commercial versions and the reader does not come close to Martin's humanity, expression of emotions, easy human pace, and his supple and subtle vocalizations"
    "A thunderous applause to Martin Geeson for this fantastic recording!"
Are they to count for nothing? Are they to be disappointed that you are no longer recording because of a few people who simply do not understand the concept of differing tastes, or who arrogantly assume that theirs is the only acceptable point of view? No, sir, no! Do not allow this to happen!

Ruth
My LV catalogue page | RuthieG's CataBlog of recordings | Tweet: @RuthGolding
catrose
Posts: 2981
Joined: April 13th, 2012, 2:29 pm
Location: Narnia! No wait...That's not PD...
Contact:

Post by catrose »

Don't let any haters get you down, Martin! You are an amazing reader here, one of the best in my opinion. You're Edward II. Wow. I still get goosebumps listening to it. So don't let some nobody sat behind their computer break the spirit of one of the greatest somebodies donating their voices to the public domain. Mr Geeson, you have spent 7 years rocking here and here's to many more

(and not only so I have someone to correct my still appalling Welsh pronunciations, even if I am now fluent :lol: Though in my heart somewhere I'm still hoping you'll record the rest of the Mabinogion... Cymru am byth! )
Cat
charlotteduckett.com

A Level exams from 4th May to 30th June. I am around, just not as often. If I forget or miss anything, drop me a PM and I'll be on it like a wasp on honey!
smike
Posts: 1941
Joined: April 23rd, 2013, 3:44 am
Location: Germany

Post by smike »

What Ruth and catrose said. Don't let those people stop you. I can listen to your recordings for hours, and enjoy them immensely!
Claudia

So much to do, so little time...
pnagami
Posts: 9031
Joined: July 15th, 2015, 6:42 am
Location: California, USA

Post by pnagami »

Martin,

You were the first reader I listened to when I discovered Librivox. I have listened to you for hours and happy hours. And here's the thing--long after you are gone, and the nasty critics forgotten, you will go on being heard with pleasure:

Non omnis moriar, multaque pars mei
vitabit Libitinam. Usque ego postera
crescam laude recens.

Just like Horace, you can say with pride, "I shall not wholly die and a great part of me shall escape the queen of funerals. Ever new my fame shall grow to posterity."

So, dear Martin, don't be broken-hearted, you who have spoken to us so well and who shall he heard by hearts as yet unborn!

Pam
"Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm."

Robert Louis Stevenson
MaryinArkansas
Posts: 1402
Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

Please keep recording, Martin. Your readings are truly wonderful and an inspiration. If I could record one tenth as well as you do, I would be happy. It is always a pleasure to hear your voice.
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
k5hsj
Posts: 810
Joined: August 17th, 2010, 12:02 am
Location: Point Richmond, CA

Post by k5hsj »

From a blog page post titled "five essential elements for great audiobook narration":

"For Librivox, a man by the name of Martin Geeson did an amazing job reading Dostoevsky's "the idiot" parts one and two. He reads at a nice human pace. When he introduces himself he sounds so unassuming and rather gentle. But he has such a subtle and seemless of changing his voice, he covered all the characters, male and female amazingly."

I still remember with fondness your turn as the soldier in Wilfred Owen's poem The Chances, Martin. Don't let the trolls win. You're one of the unique voices of LibriVox--speak on!

Winston
Be kind. Be interesting. Be useful. Morality ain't hard.--Jack Butler, Living in Little Rock with Miss Little Rock
kathrinee
Posts: 8397
Joined: May 14th, 2012, 5:09 am
Location: in the sun

Post by kathrinee »

Dear Martin: I can only add my voice to all the ones asking you to not stop recording. I have listened to some of your poetry recordings and have enjoyed them (even if poetry is not my favorite genre). Some people only want to destroy. I know it hurts when they try. But I wish you know that there are many, many, many of us who enjoy your recordings and hope that you will add to your catalogue page.
Kathrine
kathrinee
Posts: 8397
Joined: May 14th, 2012, 5:09 am
Location: in the sun

Post by kathrinee »

And Happy Libriversary, to you all :clap:
Kathrine
Newgatenovelist
Posts: 5184
Joined: February 17th, 2015, 7:22 am

Post by Newgatenovelist »

I'm rather late coming to this, but I would like to second what everyone has already said. I would also like to suggest that the available download figures belie the negative comments you've seen. Your solos of essays by Stevenson has more than 8,000 downloads on the Internet Archive and no listener comments at all. An Essay on Man has more than 28,000 downloads, yet only has one listener comment (which is complimentary). Confessions of an English Opium-Eater has in excess of 26,500 downloads, with only two (positive) reviews. I clicked on these titles at random, but what those numbers seem to indicate is that your recordings have had and continue to have an attentive audience that is simply not inclined to write reviews. Even if only some of the downloads mean that a listener engaged with the entire book, I would interpret several thousand downloads favourably, as a form of listener comment in and of itself.
-Erin
Off LV 25-28 March.
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