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YESTERDAY I left the northeastern mountains of Arkansas
after spotting a juvenile bald eagle in the trees above Lake Ann. The young
male watched us watch him for a while and then he flew away. I then drove
through the rolling hills and open spaces of Oklahoma, past numerous cattle
ranches, Indian-owned casinos, and even a prison. As I write this, I am in a
hotel in Dennison,TX.
With all my travels, it is impractical for me to carry a
lot of books, so I have been experimenting with different reading technologies
and resources. Now that I have listened to a few audio books, I understand the
stories themselves are affected greatly by whomever records them – and it is
surprising how much a voice can affect how I feel about a book. So far, I have
tried a few methods of obtaining audio books: downloading them from
audible.com; buying them from iTunes; and borrowing books on CD from
Cracker Barrel.
 I
went to Audible.com and downloaded a copy of Cover the Butter by
English author Carrie Kabak, which I listened to on my iPod. Kate Reading’s
adept interpretation of the narrator, Kate Cadogan, and her embodiment of the
other characters, enhanced the story. Set in England, Wales, Ireland and
France, Kabak’s debut novel is so compelling I found it difficult to put down.
In this novel, Kabak examines the relationships between mothers and daughters
and how it affects one woman’s life. I found myself flinching every time Biddy
said “Cover the butter, Kate” in a nightly ritual that preceded whatever drama
was to follow. The book begins in Kate¹s adulthood, when she returns home to
find her house trashed by her teenage son. It flashes back to her teenage years
and traces the years forward to the present. I found the book entertaining, and
the story was gripping from start to finish. I would recommend this book to
anyone with a mother.
• From iTunes, I
purchased The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Obama himself recorded
the book long before the election, which is what I think makes this one worth
listening to. I especially enjoyed listing to this book so I could hear what
our current President had to say “direct from the horse’s mouth.” This book is
definitely worth a listen – regardless whether one agrees with his politics.
 •
From Cracker Barrel restaurant – a chain restaurant famous for its “country
cookin’,” I borrowed Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (who also
wrote the Shopaholic series as Sophie Kinsella), and John Adams by David
McCullough. Cracker Barrel’s borrowing program works like this: you buy an
audio book and slip the receipt into the attached pocket. You read the book and
return it to any Cracker Barrel restaurant for a refund (less a nominal weekly
fee). Or, if you want to keep the book, you do.
I found Katherine Kellgren, the actress who recorded
Cocktails for Three detracted from the story. Her English accents were
inconsistent at best – and I had a difficult time getting into the story
because, for me, her voice was like fingernails on chalkboard. However, it is
possible I was irritated by the world-weariness of the characters. Nonetheless,
the book itself was light and fun, with three interwoven plot lines that were
all resolved neatly at the end. This book is an ideal read for a rainy day – or
any day when you just want to sit down and inhale a light, gossipy, “chick”
book. I returned this book to Cracker Barrel.
John Adams was so good I decided to keep it and listen to
it again. Both the narration and the book itself were just great. I’ll keep you
posted on other reading technology as I learn more.
Please email me at
OKEEFEKG@GMAIL.COM or visit my website at
www.snark-hunter.com.
Until next month...
Link to previous reviews -
January 2009 February 2009
March 2009 |
