'Thank You' messages for LibriVox readers - continued

[icequeen]

Praise received for Kaffen (Mark F. Smith) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Thank you LibriVox! Though I don't consider myself particularly well read, I would like to be. LibriVox is my primary resource as I am working my way though "the classics." Most mornings I set out for a jog before work with a LibriVox recording playing in my headphones. I am especially fond of the recordings by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, SC. From oppressively hot summer mornings, rainy springtime mornings, wonderfully crisp autumn mornings, to cold dark winter mornings, he has been my faithful companion along many miles of trail. So far I have enjoyed his telling of "Robinson Crusoe," "The Swiss Family Robinson," "White Fang," "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," and "Great Expectations." I look forward to more in the future.
Thank you for your dedication and great work.
Justin

https://librivox.org/robinson-crusoe-by-daniel-defoe-2/
https://librivox.org/the-swiss-family-robinson-by-johann-david-wyss/
https://librivox.org/white-fang-by-jack-london-librivox-version-2/
https://librivox.org/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes-by-sir-arthur-conan-doyle-2/
https://librivox.org/great-expectations-by-charles-dickens

and...

I just want to say that I am in awe of your reading of Huckleberry Finn. Of course, there's your remarkable ability to change accents and voices, but I'm jealous of your patient, calming, core demeanor, and ability to convey nuance even when you say, "This is a Libravox Recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain."

Marty

and...

Dear LibriVox,

I’ve just finished listening to Mark’s rendition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (version 2 in your catalogue) and wanted him to know that I thoroughly enjoyed it! Please thank him on my behalf for entertaining me on my cycle to and from work over the last week and a bit. I listened through open ear headphones for safety and his voice was clear and easy to understand even with competing traffic and wind noise. I’m most grateful!

All the best,

Gabriel

and...

Thank you for your clear, well pronounced and pleasant reading. As a
non-native English speaker or listener I have to first select the reader
and secondly the subject. You are my favourite and I am waiting for more!
Chris

All of Mark's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for SkyRider (Paul Mazumdar) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Hi,

I wanted to thank Mr Paul Mazumdar for his beautiful reading of the "History of the Kings of Britain".

Best wishes,

--
Nicolás

All of Paul's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for d.e.wittkower (D.E. Wittkower) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Mr. Wittkower,

Thank you for contributing your talent to Librivox.

While on my daily walk, I came across your narration in Beyond the Wall of Sleep by Lovecraft.

Your reading voice, pace, attitude, pitch, clarity, and overall style is remarkable.

As soon as I send off this note, I’m going back to Librivox and look into the other books and parts of books that you have chosen to narrate.

I’m sure that the subject matter that you chose will accommodate my interests.

Best wishes

Daniel

All of D.E.'s recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for boojumuk (Kevin Green) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Dear Mr. Green,

I am listening to The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green, read by Kevin Green (version 2).

I suspect you must be a professional actor. The many voices you employed and your perfect timing has made this a delightful experience for me. You have done an amazing job and I thank you very much for the time and effort you volunteered for us. I really appreciate it.



Karen

and...

Thank you for your splendid reading of Anna Katherine Green's _The Leavenworth Case_. After reading a few of her later works I decided to read her in order (as I've done with her literary daughters Christie, Tey, and Allingham).

Her sentence structure is tricky, her vocabulary is overly elaborate, and her characters' reactions range from (quite subtle) to Boldly Symbolic. Yet you gave each character an individual voice, read the crucial women's roles really well (many pro voice actors struggle to do natural voices for cross-sex characters), and did terrific acting for everyone -- including the accents.

I often praise Librivox's all-volunteer work to people who like podcasts and/or audiobooks (nearly everyone) -- but yours is one of a handful of monumental one-reader books that I recommend with wild enthusiasm. I know endless, thankless hours went into it -- so please accept my praise and thanks.
- Lisa

All of Kevin's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for Helsbelles (Helen Taylor) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

The Enchanted April
https://librivox.org/the-enchanted-april-version-2-by-elizabeth-von-arnim/

Dear Helen,

I just finished listening to the Enchanted April read by you. To tell the truth, I had never even heard of Elizabeth von Arnim before, but I soon found her style is delightful and totally different from the ones I'm familiar with such as Jane Austen. I was mesmerized as I listened, not only by the story and the style but by your reading; you have put so much passion in it that every sentence became alive. Thank_you so much! I want to read other books by the author. As a starter, I'm going to listen to another of your reading, The Benefactress.

Junko
Oklahoma

All of Helen's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for Alondra (Sandra Cullum) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Dear Sandra,
Thank you ever so much for the Grey Lady audiobook. Henry Seton Merriman happens to be one of my favourite authors, and this particular novel - the very first I absolutely accidentally came across on Gutenberg.org many years ago.
I just loved the way you read it - in a very Victorian (or Spanish?)-like grave unhurried way, which added to the atmosphere of the novel.
Can we hope you read other Merriman's books? My favourite Velvet Glove also focuses on Spain:)
Thanks again for the great pleasure!
Best wishes,
Alexandra

All of Sandra's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for david wales (David Wales) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for many hours of wonderful listening.
I’m a visually challenged little old lady living a very quiet life on a small island off the coast of B.C, Canada, who has travelled the world via dozens of your delightful reads.

Many people read very poorly often leaving a listener confused, perhaps agitated, sometimes even annoyed.
You always put a smile on my face and bring pleasure into my day.
What a gift.
You are a gem.

Thanks, again.

Kathleen

and...

Dear Mr. Wales,

Thank you, once again, for reading another book that I hit upon - "Early days in Old Oregon." The author said that she wrote it for use in schools, but I found it completely acceptable for a ... 71 year-old.

Living in L.A. (for 40 years), we have been through Oregon, Washington, and even British Columbia, but I really had no idea about the early history. Katharine Judson obviously used so many primary sources, and I thought did an excellent job of sorting through who was accurate and who was lying to Congress for nefarious reasons. She gave such an honest account of the various many sides of the various issues. I loved her descriptions of the horse Indians giving a hair-raising welcome to the different groups of immigrants.

Thank you so much.

-Mollie
Los Angeles

All of David's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for pschempf (Phil Schempf) from our 'Thank a reader' feature regarding his recording of Shipwreck of the Whale Ship Essex:

Please convey my sincere thanks to Phil Schempf for his excellent, dramatic reading of the "Shipwreck" book. It is a stunning tale. I was riveted by the narration and stunned by the ending, when the last few pages were lost, but the story concluded by Herman Melville.

Thank you so very much.

--Mollie
Los Angeles

All of Phil's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for Lynne_C (Lynne Carroll) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Please thank Ms. Carroll for her glorious reading of "Letters on an elk hunt." I enjoyed this narration so much.

Some time ago I heard Elinor Stewart's book "Letters by a woman homesteader," from our library, but they don't own the elk hunt book. Both are just tremendous - Mrs. Stewart was so adventurous, and a wonderful writer.

Thank you for your hours of diligent work on this project.

--Mollie
Los Angeles

All of Lynne's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for Leesma (Lee Smalley) from our 'Thank a reader' feature regarding his recording of From North Carolina to Southern California Without a Ticket and How I Did it:

What a fabulous tale! Please thank Mr. Smalley for for his gripping reading of this book. I assume that he is a professional voice actor. I appreciate all the LibriVox narrators, whether novices or experienced. But I believe that Mr. Smalley is the first whom I have suspected of being a professional.

We live in Los Angeles and have been to many of the cities mentioned in the book, so it was an especial delight to hear this account. And I had known very little about riding the rails.

Many thanks.

--Mollie

All of Lee's recordings!

[icequeen]

Praise received for lurcherlover (Peter Thomlinson) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Good day sir

My name is Juan.
I am a student from South Africa. I just want to thank you for generously making these recordings.
I listened to the short story collections vol. 65, 66 & 67 in the morning on my daily commute.
You have the best quality recordings buy far that I have came across. You have a soothing voice as well as skill when it comes to making the characters come alive.
I am particularly fond of your Sherlock Holmes readings.

Thank you for giving life to my days

Scenery
Juan

All of Peter's recordings!

[Leesma]

Praise received for Leesma (Lee Smalley) from our 'Thank a reader' feature regarding his recording of From North Carolina to Southern California Without a Ticket and How I Did it:

What a fabulous tale! Please thank Mr. Smalley for for his gripping reading of this book. I assume that he is a professional voice actor. I appreciate all the LibriVox narrators, whether novices or experienced. But I believe that Mr. Smalley is the first whom I have suspected of being a professional.

We live in Los Angeles and have been to many of the cities mentioned in the book, so it was an especial delight to hear this account. And I had known very little about riding the rails.

Many thanks.

--Mollie

All of Lee's recordings!

Thanks for your very kind words, Mollie. No, I'm not a professional actor, just a retiree who takes a great deal of pleasure in this volunteer activity.. Delighted that you enjoyed the book!
Lee

[Nandarani]

Dear Ann Boulais,

Like Sergio [whose note of praise appeared below mine when I clicked 'post reply' but which now I don't see after posting... so reposting!] I cannot express better than he can the appreciation for your work and its effects on my life. I'm listening to The Mystical City of God, as he was when he wrote, and reading the same version you are recording. I noticed that you are at a pause in Volume 3 at least it seems, so am writing to let you know even though I think you already do, that you do have people who are taking in your work on a daily basis. Whatever may be going on or not just know: I'm a Catholic convert who is now using Our Lady's instructions at the end of every chapter (beginning with the 16th chapter of Volume One) as inspiration and standard in my life. Because of your other recordings, of St. Terese of Avila's works, for example, and pdf's I've got stored, I have no shortage of inspiration no matter how long it takes to record The Mystical City of God. This means going about with the constant feeling that everyone around me is lacking something they need. I try best I can to spread the message, your work, and the best location for the volumes, which I find to be http://www.themostholyrosary.com/mystical-city.htm . I have let at least two Carmelite monasteries, my protestant relatives, and others know. That this would appear to be prodding kept me from writing for a while. This is not prodding; it is praise and awareness of how much this all serves God's purposes. I never tire of your voice, enunciation, careful detached yet perfectly expressive work, no matter how many times I relisten, I've put my own descriptions on the episodes for ready reference later, with the most important instructions or content summed up in little phrases. Quite an expert now at reducing what I hear to little bits of topic for easy return.

Thank you, Ann.

[icequeen]

Dear Ann Boulais,

Like Sergio [whose note of praise appeared below mine when I clicked 'post reply' but which now I don't see after posting... so reposting!] I cannot express better than he can the appreciation for your work and its effects on my life. I'm listening to The Mystical City of God, as he was when he wrote, and reading the same version you are recording. I noticed that you are at a pause in Volume 3 at least it seems, so am writing to let you know even though I think you already do, that you do have people who are taking in your work on a daily basis. Whatever may be going on or not just know: I'm a Catholic convert who is now using Our Lady's instructions at the end of every chapter (beginning with the 16th chapter of Volume One) as inspiration and standard in my life. Because of your other recordings, of St. Terese of Avila's works, for example, and pdf's I've got stored, I have no shortage of inspiration no matter how long it takes to record The Mystical City of God. This means going about with the constant feeling that everyone around me is lacking something they need. I try best I can to spread the message, your work, and the best location for the volumes, which I find to be http://www.themostholyrosary.com/mystical-city.htm . I have let at least two Carmelite monasteries, my protestant relatives, and others know. That this would appear to be prodding kept me from writing for a while. This is not prodding; it is praise and awareness of how much this all serves God's purposes. I never tire of your voice, enunciation, careful detached yet perfectly expressive work, no matter how many times I relisten, I've put my own descriptions on the episodes for ready reference later, with the most important instructions or content summed up in little phrases. Quite an expert now at reducing what I hear to little bits of topic for easy return.

Thank you, Ann.

Wow, thank you! I know I need to get volume 3 done, that is for sure! I have the rest of the chapters read, I just need to edit them. And that is the part that is not my favorite, so I tend to slow down when I get toward the end. It doesn't help that all the chapters are long, but I am getting back to editing them. I plan to have this one done by the end of next month. So, thank you for listening, thank you for distributing, thank you for prodding me!

[icequeen]

Praise received for johng (John Greenman) from our 'Thank a reader' feature:

Hello,

I would just like to say how much I enjoyed Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, read by John Greenman. His voice is so easy to listen to and his giving each of the characters their own voice brought the story to life. At times I was so engrossed in the story I forgot that it was only one person doing the reading.
I'm glad the story has not been edited to be "politically correct". It serves to remind us of the evils of slavery and discrimination.
regards

David

and...

Dear Mr Greenman,

I just wanted to thank you so much for the pleasure I've had while
enjoying your reading of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.

I'm a retired English teacher living in Scotland, and it occurred to me
that I hadn't read Huck Finn for a long time, and so I listened to a
small extract from each of the Librivox versions of The Great American
Novel, and although I found that there were a whole collection of
excellent readings, I felt that yours was the best of all, so that's
what I downloaded and relished.

I've now gone straight to your version of 'Tom Sawyer', which I'm just
about to embark on, and I've also noticed that there's a range of Mark
Twain's work which you have recorded and which I shall enjoy in the future.

I'm so grateful that you have devoted so many of your hours to assisting
us all in this way. Bless you.

Yours with thanks,

Alastair

Edinburgh

Scotland

All of John's recordings!