Finding more time

One of the laments I hear most often as a librarian is that people can't find the time to read.  And as a librarian, avid reader and lover of books, I can't think of anything sadder than a life without time to read.  Admittedly, I'm a fairly speedy reader, as you have seen from my lists of what I manage to read in the average month.  However, I'm not beyond taking a little help when and where I can to get my fix, and one of the ways I find more time to read is listening to audiobooks in the car.

Ok, I know, some people consider this cheating and tell me it doesn't count as "really reading."  And in a manner of speaking, they're right.  I'm not sitting with a physical book open in front of me, visually taking in text.  Then again, when I was little, my mom read to me all the time before I learned to read, and many of those stories still hold a special place in my heart even these many years later.  Sometimes, it's not about the format, but rather the impact of a story that makes all the difference.  To me, as long as I'm absorbing the story, I don't necessarily care how I'm getting it.

Now, think about how much time you spend in the car.  Personally, I have an hour round trip commute to work every day (longer if the traffic is bad), and I find it to be the perfect way to make the time pass quickly.  I would say I average two full-length (10+ disc/350 page) books a month this way.  That's twenty-four books a year, just during the drive between home and the library!

For those who say that they have tried audiobooks and don't like them, I would say, did you try a single book and decide you don't like any books?  Audiobooks aren't just about the content, of course--you also have the added element of the reader and how they read the story.  It's possible you've just tried one where you weren't happy with the reader's voice--it happens to me, too!  Actually, some of my favorite audiobooks have been ones read by their very distinct-voiced authors, like Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and Bag of Bones by Stephen King--their loyalty to the accents of their characters adds great depth to the story.

If you find that you're too distracted by audiobooks while you drive, consider using them in other ways.  Do you knit or craft in the evenings in front of a tv you ignore?  Try listening to an audiobook while your hands are busy.  Do you go out for a walk during the day?  An audiobook can be a great companion.  They also make great distractions while doing mundane tasks like folding laundry, ironing, wrapping holiday presents, cleaning, etc.  You can also find downloadable audiobooks through our website using Overdrive (for Trumbull residents--other patrons should contact their individual libraries about availability) and IConn (for CT residents with a valid library card), perfect for your mp3 player or computer.

If you're new to audiobooks, or are inspired to give them another try, here are a few I recommend highly:

The Help, by Katheryn Stockett.  Read in parts by four different narrators, this is so moving and engrossing, I've recommended it to everyone I know, and lots of people I don't!

The Harry Potter books, by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale.  Dale, who has won a number of awards for his narrations as well as his work on stage, is absolutely phenomenal in his voicing of Rowling's myriad of characters in this series.  These are particularly great for longer rides with kids--give them a try on your next vacation!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson.  If you started the book and had trouble with all of the Swedish names and locations, the audio versions may be of great help to you.  Getting the pronunciations helped me keep places and characters straight, even as the plot twisted and turned!

Happy listening!