Listening to Audio Books

A panel moderator mentioned at APAC the importance of us narrators actually listening to each other's work; taking the time to listen to new audio books.  I have to admit I felt convicted in my seat as I sat listening.  I listen to other narrator's demos and pieces or samples of audiobooks, but I can't remember the last time I listened to an entire book.

Oh wait, yes I can, it was the last time I had a car!  I forget how tied to driving audiobooks are for me - they are the perfect past-time for a brain that is partly devoted to staying on the road.  I find it hard to listen at home, and it's a bit hard to pin down why.  I think it has to do with the speed of my own reading habits.  I read fast, 2-3 books a week, so listening to an audio version I find myself getting impatient, thinking ahead and then losing the train of narration.  I have to make an effort.

I realized the Chicago Public Library has audiobooks for download, how cool is that?  Of course, I had to install this stupid program called Overdrive to download the audio, and it's in WMA so I can't listen on my iPhone 3g.  Now I have to go figure out a way to convert the files so I can listen on the train.  I just downloaded Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris.  It's an Audio award winner, and I vow to listen to the whole thing!