Recommended Audiobook

[thestorygirl]

Hi! I am listening to a fascinating audiobook (NOT PD) called, "The Enchanted Hour," by Meghan Cox Gurdon and read by the author. It's a brand-new release. It's all about the importance of reading out loud (to yourself, to others, esp. for but not only young children). Of course, there is the book version but that sort of defeats the point UNLESS you read it out loud. I knew I loved to read out loud, even my boring homework when I was a kid but I had no idea of the research and statistics. I thought I'd pass the recommendation on along here.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36300637-the-enchanted-hour?from_search=true

[barbara2]

Hi! I am listening to a fascinating audiobook (NOT PD) called, "The Enchanted Hour," by Meghan Cox Gurdon and read by the author. It's a brand-new release. It's all about the importance of reading out loud (to yourself, to others, esp. for but not only young children). Of course, there is the book version but that sort of defeats the point UNLESS you read it out loud. I knew I loved to read out loud, even my boring homework when I was a kid but I had no idea of the research and statistics. I thought I'd pass the recommendation on along here.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36300637-the-enchanted-hour?from_search=true

Thank you! For those of us who hate parting with money, there is an interview with the author to give you a further taste of the content:

https://www.kpcw.org/post/cool-science-radio-neuroscience-reading-aloud-meghan-cox-gurdon#stream/0

I was led from that to an interview with a psychologist on the science of reading - he argues that from the perspective of cognitive psychology — that is, the mental processes involved — there is no real difference between listening to a book and reading it:

https://www.thecut.com/2016/08/listening-to-a-book-instead-of-reading-isnt-cheating.html

The difference for me, personally, is that being read to sends me blissfully to sleep .

Best,

Barbara

[ClaudiaSterngucker]

Thank you very much, Thestorygirl and Barbara, for the interesting links! <big smile>

[thestorygirl]

The difference for me, personally, is that being read to sends me blissfully to sleep .

Sometimes, me too! This sounds very weird but it is why I usually don't listen to fiction audiobooks, only non-fiction.

The difference for me is that when I read it out loud to myself, I get to "create" it for myself, whereas when I'm listening I have to surrender to the reader's interpretation. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I like the control! Am I being heretical on Librivox?
I got the audiobook out of my library [didn't want to make it sound like I was being paid to promote it!]
I will have fun investigating the links! Thanks!

[ClaudiaSterngucker]

The difference for me is that when I read it out loud to myself, I get to "create" it for myself, whereas when I'm listening I have to surrender to the reader's interpretation. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I like the control!

Interesting, I've never looked at reading out loud this way, in combination with having control. Do you think one has really some sort of control reading a book out loud? Yes, one has the "power" to interpret the story up to a certain extent - even though I think it's more a "channelling" of what the author meant to say (hopefully)...or probably a mix of both. I've never had the impression that I had to surrender to another reader's interpretation, as the pictures my imagination creates while listening are my own. The reader can "colour", influence and even elicit emotions in me, though. I will keep your thoughts in mind tonight, when I listen to an audiobook in bed, before falling asleep.

[thestorygirl]

Interesting, I've never looked at reading out loud this way, in combination with having control. Do you think one has really some sort of control reading a book out loud? Yes, one has the "power" to interpret the story up to a certain extent - even though I think it's more a "channelling" of what the author meant to say (hopefully)...or probably a mix of both. I've never had the impression that I had to surrender to another reader's interpretation, as the pictures my imagination creates while listening are my own. The reader can "colour", influence and even elicit emotions in me, though. I will keep your thoughts in mind tonight, when I listen to an audiobook in bed, before falling asleep.

It is interesting to think about. I don't mean a reader would have total control while reading, of course. But actually not even the author has total control over how someone will interpret/imagine their work. There is a creative element in reading. I think you're right too, that there is a creative element in listening. But it has first been subjected to a different reader's interp. (unless you're listening to WhisperSync). NOT a bad thing, just different!
I'm sure we all have certain readers in mind that annoy us for one particular reason or another-- that is because we feel it could/should be done a different way. We all have different tastes. And I'm probably harder to please than most folks.
I will also say that there have been a few fiction books that I enjoyed the reader's version so much more than what I could have for myself:
Lynn Redgrave reading "The Doll People," by Ann Martin
John McDonough reading The Mitford Series by Jan Karon.
I was just listening to a dramatized version of the Book of Daniel-- SO marvelously better than I could reading it by myself!

[Boomcoach]

This reminds me of how some TV or radio versions of books give me a voice that I cannot stop hearing when I read the book. The one I think of most is Leo McKern as Rumpole, especially when he mutters, "She who must be obeyed". I saw the series before reading the books, and I hear his voice when I read them. In this case it is not a bad thing, as I love McKern's version.

I also find it interesting that David Suchet does a different rendition of Hercule Poirot when he records audiobooks than the character he developed for the TV series.

[thestorygirl]

This reminds me of how some TV or radio versions of books give me a voice that I cannot stop hearing when I read the book. ...
I also find it interesting that David Suchet does a different rendition of Hercule Poirot when he records audiobooks than the character he developed for the TV series.

REALLY? I did not know that!
Yeah, even just comparing two film versions of Pride and Prejudice ... there will always be as many different takes on a character as there are actors/readers/etc.

(And I am most ardently pro-Ehle/Firth, BTW!)

[mightyfelix]

(And I am most ardently pro-Ehle/Firth, BTW!)

100% with you on that!