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What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 5th, 2021, 8:46 pm
by JordanN
I just checked with out three popular audiobooks from the library and I’m looking forward to learning from them, both in content and recording technique/style.
  • “Make your bed” - Admiral McRaven
  • “When breath becomes air” - Paul Kalanithi (read by Sunil Malhotra + Cassandra Campbell)
  • “David and Goliath” - Malcolm Gladwell
What commercial recordings have you listened to recently and what have you learned from them?

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 5th, 2021, 8:54 pm
by Kazbek
Wait... are you saying some people get paid for doing this? :shock:

Michael

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 5th, 2021, 8:57 pm
by JordanN
Kazbek wrote: February 5th, 2021, 8:54 pm Wait... are you saying some people get paid for doing this? :shock:

Michael
Nah, but they got great “exposure”. :D

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 5th, 2021, 9:01 pm
by mightyfelix
The only time I listen to commercial audiobooks is if that's the only format my library carries it in. :hmm: Otherwise, it's all LV for listening, and dead tree books for (almost) everything else.

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 6th, 2021, 8:17 am
by JayKitty76
If stuff on Audible counts, I love Jim Dale’s reading of the Harry Potter series (he’s my favorite reader ever!!)

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 6th, 2021, 8:37 am
by KevinS
I think that introductory music adds a certain something. I know it's not much, but it seems to set the tone or prepare the mind for each new chapter.

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 21st, 2021, 10:31 pm
by realisticspeakers
I am listening to a book about acting exercises from a late well-known theater practitioner, performed by a beloved award winning narrator, and produced by a renowned firm.

In one chapter in the middle of the book, the narrator stops mid-sentence, clears the throat, makes some mouth clearing noises, sniffs, then begins the sentence anew with a slightly different take.

I was on the verge of falling asleep when this occurred. My eyes went wide in a cartoon-ish fashion.

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 21st, 2021, 11:06 pm
by SonOfTheExiles
realisticspeakers wrote: February 21st, 2021, 10:31 pm In one chapter in the middle of the book, the narrator stops mid-sentence, clears the throat, makes some mouth clearing noises, sniffs, then begins the sentence anew with a slightly different take.
Stanislavski Moment?

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 5:46 am
by realisticspeakers
SonOfTheExiles wrote: February 21st, 2021, 11:06 pm
realisticspeakers wrote: February 21st, 2021, 10:31 pm In one chapter in the middle of the book, the narrator stops mid-sentence, clears the throat, makes some mouth clearing noises, sniffs, then begins the sentence anew with a slightly different take.
Stanislavski Moment?
The Uta Hagen Days

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 6:24 am
by mightyfelix
realisticspeakers wrote: February 21st, 2021, 10:31 pm I am listening to a book about acting exercises from a late well-known theater practitioner, performed by a beloved award winning narrator, and produced by a renowned firm.

In one chapter in the middle of the book, the narrator stops mid-sentence, clears the throat, makes some mouth clearing noises, sniffs, then begins the sentence anew with a slightly different take.

I was on the verge of falling asleep when this occurred. My eyes went wide in a cartoon-ish fashion.
:lol: :lol:

Every newbie needs to see this post! It happens to everybody! :D

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 11:57 am
by schrm
the one commercial audiobook which brought meto librivox was quality land - a german satire about amazon.
the black version seems to be more cynically?
he got translated into english, but in dead tree books (good to know the english phrase for that, thx devorah!)

cheers,
wolfi

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 5:40 pm
by JordanN
I discovered my wife's Word of Promise New King James Version CD set, which is a dramatic reading of the Bible. So, naturally, I dusted off my old optical drive, temporarily installed it on my workstation, and spent the day ripping the CDs into WAV files for study. The set also comes with a DVD showing interviews with the actors and the production process, which I'm currently watching. It's educational and inspiring me to try to become an excellent audiobook narrator.

I just searched and found that I could also listen to the recordings on their website, via their “Web Bible” feature.

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 8:36 pm
by realisticspeakers
JordanN wrote: February 22nd, 2021, 5:40 pm I discovered my wife's Word of Promise New King James Version CD set, which is a dramatic reading of the Bible. So, naturally, I dusted off my old optical drive, temporarily installed it on my workstation, and spent the day ripping the CDs into WAV files for study. The set also comes with a DVD showing interviews with the actors and the production process, which I'm currently watching. It's educational and inspiring me to try to become an excellent audiobook narrator.

I just searched and found that I could also listen to the recordings on their website, via their “Web Bible” feature.
Is that the one where Cuba Gooding Jr. reprises his role taking a ride under the sea?

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 9:12 pm
by mightyfelix
schrm wrote: February 22nd, 2021, 11:57 am he got translated into english, but in dead tree books (good to know the english phrase for that, thx devorah!)
:lol: I don't think I'm the one you picked up this phrase from, but you're welcome! In fact, I don't think I've ever used it, and I've certainly never heard it except in some humorous context, fyi. :wink:

Re: What commercial audiobook are you listening to?

Posted: February 23rd, 2021, 3:10 am
by schrm
mightyfelix wrote: February 22nd, 2021, 9:12 pm
schrm wrote: February 22nd, 2021, 11:57 am he got translated into english, but in dead tree books (good to know the english phrase for that, thx devorah!)
:lol: I don't think I'm the one you picked up this phrase from, but you're welcome! In fact, I don't think I've ever used it, and I've certainly never heard it except in some humorous context, fyi. :wink:
uhm...
:lol: 8-)
i was reading it...
mightyfelix wrote: February 5th, 2021, 9:01 pm The only time I listen to commercial audiobooks is if that's the only format my library carries it in. :hmm: Otherwise, it's all LV for listening, and dead tree books for (almost) everything else.