Audiobooks

It is amazing to me how often the experience of reading a book can be different from listening to one.  Unless the audiobook is abridged, it's the same material.  Why then should the two experiences frequently be so completely different?  A question for the ages, surely.  A great thesis topic perhaps?

So, today we talked about all things audiobook and collectively we ended up with what I consider to be a spectacular list!

Life by Keith Richards
Read by Johnny Depp and Joe Hurley, featuring Keith Richards
Even if you have never had any interest in The Rolling Stones or their lead guitarist, Keith Richards, this audiobook is a fascinating read.   The book is introduced by Keith, then long-time friend Johnny Depp takes over for a few CD’s.  The reading continues by Joe Hurley before ending up with Keith Richards again.  Starting with Keith’s early musical influences and childhood in England and covering his youth, his obsession with American blues, and his complicated relationships with band mates, this book reveals a hidden side of this music legend.   If all you know about him is that he did a lot of drugs, wrote Satisfaction in his sleep and was the inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow, you’ll come away convinced that no one else could have survived and produced his body of work.    Yes, he discusses his drug use, his legal problems, and his hostile relationships with both Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, but the most surprising revelation is what a lovely and family oriented person he’s become in later years.   Shy, thoughtful, bright, well-read (he once said he wanted to be a librarian and has an extensive personal library), and one of the most respected guitarists in the rock world, his passion is, and always has been, the music.  If you have any curiosity about his life, the music culture from the 60’s on, or the times he’s lived through, read this book!  By the by, The Rolling Stones celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first gig in July, 2012, and they’re still alive and rocking!
Kelly, Springville Road

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Mondretta, Leeds

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
Throw back your head and proclaim in a resonant baritone, “Soon I will be invincible!” Follow with a thunderous evil laugh and you will have entered into the proper spirit of Austin Grossman’s affectionate tribute to the world of comic book villains and heroes. The novel has two narrators: one is the supervillain Doctor Impossible, who comes across like a blend of Lex Luthor, Doctor Doom, and Magneto. A child prodigy, Doctor Impossible claims that he suffers from Malign Hypercognition Disorder, AKA “Mad Scientist Disease,” a mental illness that frequently accompanies gigantic intellect. As the story of his early life unfolds, you can hardly help feeling a bit sorry for him, even though he’s out to take over the world. What else would he do---he’s a supervillain! The alternate viewpoint character is a woman known as Fatale, an NSA-engineered supersoldier akin to the Bionic Woman---she weighs nearly 500 pounds with all her implanted weapons and shields; naturally, this plays havoc with her self-image as a woman. Unsure of her place among other better-known heroes and heroines of the Champions, Fatale gives us the insider’s perspective of what goes on behind the walls of their secret headquarters. Comic book fans would enjoy this novel and have great fun playing Spot the Reference, but readers who have never touched a comic book would enjoy it as well. The audiobook features Coleen Marlo as Fatale and J. Paul Boehmer as Dr. Impossible, both a treat for listeners with their fine characterizations.
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History

The Magicians by Lev Grosssman
Quentin Coldwater, angst-ridden teen prodigy suffering from a bad case of “There must be more to life than this,” has been obsessed since childhood with a series of novels about a magical land called Fillory. But Fillory isn’t real, and magic isn’t real . . . or is it? When Quentin finds himself admitted to Brakebills Academy, a secret magical college, he has to re-assess everything he has ever believed. If this sounds like a cross between The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter novels, read on; though Grossman pays tribute to the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling along with dozens of other fantasy authors, what he delivers is still a startlingly original novel, by turns satiric, suspenseful, and laugh out loud funny. The author does not hesitate to raise all the hard questions that would arise if magic were real and humans could wield it. Would it make your life better? Could you be trusted with such power? Would you really want to leave this world behind and live in another, and are you willing to pay what it would cost? Audio fans will enjoy Mark Bramhall’s interpretation of the text; his smooth pacing and skill at characterization will keep the listener mesmerized chapter after chapter. There is a sequel entitled The Magician King and Grossman is working on a third novel, The Magician’s Land, slated for release in 2013.
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family. Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb-spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood-is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Jenny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother, whose maternal love braids together the strands of the women's shared past--and who will stop at nothing to defend their future. Suffused with humor, while plumbing depths of family secrets, betrayals, and growing up.  Joshilyn Jackson should never let anyone else narrate her books…she is a former theatre major.  Fantastic fun!
Leslie, Homewood

The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
The fateful first meeting of Enza and Ciro takes place amid the haunting majesty of the Italian Alps at the turn of the last century. Still teenagers, they are separated when Ciro is banished from his village and sent to hide in New York's Little Italy, apprenticed to a shoemaker, leaving a bereft Enza behind. But when her own family faces disaster, she, too, is forced to emigrate to America. Though destiny will reunite the star-crossed lovers, it will, just as abruptly, separate them once again—sending Ciro off to serve in World War I, while Enza is drawn into the glamorous world of the opera . . . and into the life of the international singing sensation Enrico Caruso. Still, Enza and Ciro have been touched by fate—and, ultimately, the power of their love will change their lives forever. A riveting historical epic of love and family, war and loss, risk and destiny, this story was inspired by the author's own family history. My book club loved it. The narration was done 2/3 by an excellent narrator, then abruptly changes for the last 1/3 of the story to the author.  I enjoyed the book, but Trigiani should have let the original narrator finish the narration.
Leslie, Homewood

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
Going Postal is about Moist von Lipwig taking over the post office of Ankh-Morpork. Moist, an infamous scoundrel, liar, thief, and conman, begins by being hung for his crimes as Mr. Spengler but ultimately being saved by Lord Vetinari, the Patrician. If you haven’t read a Disc-World novel, then they’re all about parody. Moist encounters many characters and situations that will make you laugh.
Samuel, BPL Business/Science/Technology

Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Making Money again involves Moist von Lipwig as he grows bored being Postmaster General he is “persuaded” to take over the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork. He introduces the city to paper money and general mayhem ensues. Both these books (Going Postal & Making Money) involve Moist tricking and communicating and miscommunicating with the citizens of the city.
Samuel, BPL Business/Science/Technology

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Anne Elliot is the heroine, 27 and unmarried. Her story dealing with her family and old flames mirrored my own story when I read this story. The character of Anne is Austen’s most mature heroine. Anne Flosnik does a good job conveying the story, though the audio quality left much to be desired.
Samuel, BPL Business/Science/Technology

Moby Dick by Herman Melville
I just got a random compulsion to read this classic last year and I decided to listen to it since I have a 2 hour commute to work round trip every day.  You can listen to an audiobook in no time flat with that kind of driving time.  I checked out the version narrated by William Hootkins.  What an experience!  The narrator was FaNtAsTiC and the story was so compelling told through his voice.  I tell everyone, it was some of the most violent, bloody, and brutal scenes interrupted by some of the most beautiful, lyrical, and poetic language interrupted by some of the most boring lists I've ever listened to.  Quite a study in contrasts as you can see.  I can't in all honesty say I would be able to make it through reading this book on my own but as it was narrated by Mr. Hootkins, I was hooked in from start to finish.  I now count this book among my favorites in classics!
Holley, Emmet O'Neal

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
What a complex character Victoria is!  At 18, she has now aged out of foster care and is being moved to a transitional home where she may stay for only a short time rent-free.  She must find a job and pay rent, or she'll be turned out to the streets.  Victoria doesn't cultivate friendships, deep or shallow, and it's not long before she has made a home for herself among the bushes in a nearby park, tending the small garden she has planted.  Through an impromptu meeting with the owner of a tiny flower shop, Victoria begins the laborious process of beginning her life.  It's hard to like Victoria, but I just couldn't help myself.  She really reminded me of a less socially functional version of Lisbeth Salander from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books.  Victoria makes her point in life with plants and flowers rather than computer hacking.  She is such a study in contrasts.  Great book group selection.  The audio was great.  The narrator managed to convey Victoria's unemotional nature without sapping the life from the book.  Simply wonderful!
Holley, Emmet O'Neal

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Dasha, Pinson

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Gina, Gardendale

GENERAL DISCUSSION:  By general consensus, it was decided that authors should be *very* cautious when considering narrating their own books.  Leslie says Joshilyn Jackson, theater-trained during her college years, has the skills, as does Rick Bragg.  Kelly mentioned Sarah Vowell also has some narrating chops.  For my part, the narration director should have stopped Ray Bradbury on Fahrenheit 451 after the first five minutes of recording.  Perhaps he/she was star-struck, who knows?  Leslie mentioned Bill Bryson as another author who would have benefited from a more firm critique before beginning.

That's what we read.  What are YOU listening to?

Meeting next week

The RA Roundtable meets next Wednesday, October 10th at 9am at the Emmet O'Neal Library to discuss audiobooks, so mark your calendars and plan to attend!
htw

Readers' Advisory Corkboard

I had a great time leading a discussion with a small, yet enthusiastic group at last week's Jefferson County Public Library Association conference on techniques and trends in RA work.  We shared what worked, what didn't, and what was flying off the shelves at our individual libraries.

Here's the RA cheat sheet handout:

THE CHEAT SHEET YOU CAN BE PROUD TO HAVE
Holley, Reference Librarian/Emmet O’Neal Library
205-445-1117 – hwesley@bham.lib.al.us

 

Online Sources that Rarely Fail

 

Early Word – www.earlyword.com

About EarlyWord

Welcome to EarlyWord. Thanks for joining us.Every day, we post stories about books you need to know:

Each Friday, we post our New Title Radar, to alert you to the titles you need to know the following week; the ones that will grab headlines, new titles by repeat popular authors and a “Watch List” of books that may take off through word of mouth.

Throughout the week, we issue holds alerts on titles that are building unexpectedly long wait lists, readers advisories on titles with popular appeal, plus information on media attention on books .

On Thursdays, we look at best seller lists, highlighting debuts and breakout authors.

We also alert you to books being made into movies.

You can sign up for our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, or,  if you don’t need daily information, you can also sign up for our weekly newsletter, delivered every Friday.

In addition to book news, EarlyWord offers many other features:

GalleyChat — Once a month, librarians join us to talk about the hottest galleys. Young Adult GalleyChat is the third Tuesday of the month (the next one is April 17). Adult GalleyChat is the first Tuesday (the next one is May 1). Information on how to join each is here.

AuthorChat — We also hold frequent chats with authors. Sign up for Penguin’s First Flights to receive galleys of forthcoming books from debut authors and be invited to a live chat with the author. Also coming up is a chat with Wiley Cash, author of A Land More Kind Than Home (sponsored by HarperCollins/Morrow).

The links on the right serve as a librarians toolbox:

Book Previews — media picks for the upcoming season (we’re between seasons right now; summer picks will be coming soon)

Best Books, Spreadsheets — all the picks by major sources in one list, convenient for ordering

Awards — links to the major book awards (the Pulitzers were announced on Monday and the IACP Cookbook Awards last week).

Bestseller Lists — current national and speciality lists

Coming This Month — picks of the month

Consumer Media, Book Coverage — links to the reviews your customers read

Movies & TV Based on Books, with tie-ins — upcoming and current movies with tie-in title information. Also, links to Movies Based on Books — Trailers.

Publisher Contacts — links to publisher services created for librarians and to library marketing staff.

• Library Marketing — Adult
• Library Marketing — Childrens

Publisher Catalogs — browse the new season’s catalogs to see what’s coming and what publishers are excited about. You can download the current catalogs, from the links on the lower right (under “Download Publishers Catalogs). If you cannot find the imprint you are looking for, check Publishers Catalogs — Imprint Locator

Nora Rawlinson, Co-Founder and Editor

Nora Rawlinson was editor of Library Journal and editor-in-chief ofPublishers Weekly for 12 years. Before that, she was head of Materials Selection for Baltimore County Public Library, a system renowned for its innovations under the legendary and often controversial director, Charles Robinson. Baltimore County was the first major public library to centralize selection. It was also known for buying for popular demand. Nora wrote a piece explaining this then-radical collection development philosophy, called “Give ‘Em What They Want,” which is still assigned reading in many Library Schools. At Library Journal, she introduced many new columns, which are still part of the magazine – PrePub Alert, the Collection Development series, Classic Returns, and Readers Shelf. She was hired in 2005 by Time Warner Book Group (later Hachette Book Group) to set up library marketing for their imprints. EarlyWord is an outgrowth of her belief that the more libraries understand about publishing, the better they can be as selectors and readers advisors.

Nora speaks often at publishing and library conferences.

Chris Kahn, Ad Sales Director

Chris Kahn joined EarlyWord in May ’09, after being the Director of West Coast Sales for Publishers Weekly.

Shelf Awareness – www.shelf-awareness.com

About Shelf Awareness

Shelf Awareness publishes two newsletters, one for general readers and one for people in the book business.

Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers, our new newsletter, appears Tuesdays and Fridays and helps readers discover the 25 best books of the week, as chosen by our industry experts. We also have news about books and authors, author interviews and more.

Shelf Awareness: Daily Enlightenment for the Book Trade, which we've been publishing since June 2005, provides booksellers and librarians the information they need to sell and lend books. It appears every business day and is read by people throughout the book industry.

Readers’ Advisor Online
www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog

Each Monday, RAO posts the “RA Run Down”

Welcome to the blog for readers' advisors and bibliophiles who work with readers. You'll find essential news, tips, fun stuff, and a community for exploring RA issues. The blog is presented by the Reader's Advisor Online

NoveList RA News newsletter
Visit www.nextreads.com and find the “Sign up for NoveList Newsletters” button under the Log In box.  Select “NoveList RA News” then enter your name, email address, and make up a password for your account.  Click Subscribe.

NPR Books – www.npr.org/books

NPR Books not only has author interviews and book reviews, but also lists of books created by NPR editors and other authors.  They also have original content by Nancy Pearl.  If people in America are talking about a book or author, it will show up here.

Shelf Renewal – www.shelfrenewal.com

Some duplication, but the following is a great list of genre blogs & websites.  Please note that the list was originally posted March 2011, some links may no longer be active.

http://shelfrenewal.com/programs/readers-writers-books-and-blogs-program/

General
Early Word – http://www.earlyword.com/ (pre-pub alerts)
Books On the Nightstand – http://booksonthenightstand.com/
BookDwarf – http://www.bookdwarf.com/
ShelfLife  - http://shelf-life.ew.com/
Book Maven Media – http://bookmavenmedia.com/blog/
Men Reading Books – http://menreadingbooks.blogspot.com/
No Shelf Required – http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/ (ebooks)
Audiobooker – http://audiobooker.booklistonline.com/  (audiobooks)
The Millions – http://www.themillions.com/

Publishing
GalleyCat  – http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/
Nathan Bransford – http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

Bookstores
Omnivoracious (Amazon) – http://www.omnivoracious.com/
Unabashedly Bookish (Barnes and Noble) –http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/bg-p/UnabashedlyBookish
Powells - http://www.powells.com/blog/

Readers Advisory
RA for All – http://raforall.blogspot.com/
Reader’s Advisor Online - http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/
Blogging for a Good Book – http://bfgb.wordpress.com/
Book Group Buzz –  http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/
LitLovers - http://www.litlovers.com/

Genres
Romance/Women’s Fic
Smart Bitches Trashy Books – http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
All About Romance – http://www.likesbooks.com/
Chick Lit is Not Dead – http://chicklitisnotdead.com/

Nonfiction
Citizen Reader – http://www.citizenreader.com/
A Reader’s Place – http://areadersplace.net/

Black Writers
White Readers, Meet Black Authors – http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/

Historical Fiction
Reading the Past – http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/

Literary
Bookslut – http://www.bookslut.com/blog/
Elegant Variation – http://marksarvas.blogs.com/elegvar/

Horror
RA for All:  Horror – http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/

YA
Forever Young Adult – http://www.foreveryoungadult.com/
YA Librarian Tales - http://yalibrariantales.blogspot.com/

Science Fic/Fantasy/Paranormal
Wicked Lil Pixie - http://wickedlilpixie.com/
SF Signal – http://www.sfsignal.com/
Science Fiction and Fantasy – http://sciencefictionfantasy.blogspot.com/

Graphic Novels
Comics Worth Reading – http://comicsworthreading.com/

Mystery
The Rap Sheet – http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/

Chatty/Personal
Running with Books – http://runningwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Shelf Love – http://shelflove.wordpress.com/
Bookshelf Monstrosity – http://bookshelfmonstrosity.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Reads - http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/
Book Binge – http://thebookbinge.com/
A Girl Walks into a Bookstore – http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/

Not Blogs, but you should know them…
Kent District Library’s What’s Next – http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp
Stop You’re Killing Me – http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/
Locus Online – http://www.locusmag.com/
Indiebound – http://www.indiebound.org/
ShelfAwareness – http://www.shelf-awareness.com/

Adding Reviews to the Catalog

http://vulcan.bham.lib.al.us/screens/reviews.html

How to Add a Review

You will need your library card number to add your review. No library card? Apply for an eCard.

1.    Go to the library's Catalog.

2.    Find the title that you want to review.

Quick Tip: Make sure the title reflects the format you want to review. Reviewing the print version? Make sure you selected a print version of the title, not the DVD or Audiobook version.

3.    In the display of the full record, click on Add a Review

4.    You will be prompted for your name and library card number.

Once you are logged in, you may write your review.

5.    Enter a title for your review in the box called "Review Headline:"

Quick Tip: Make it short and interesting.
This will display in the catalog as the link to your review
Example: Old age is no fun

6.    Enter your review. Use the Guidelines below to help you write a brilliant review.

7.    When you have completed your review, click 

8.    Review your work and click either or 

As soon as you click the OK button, your review will be sent to Library staff for approval. It will not appear until Library staff approves it.

Guidelines for Reviews

Thank you for choosing to add a review. The Guidelines below will help you get started.

• You may do only one review per title and may review any item in the catalog.
• Reviews should focus on the item's content and context. What did you like? What didn't you like?
• Feel free to refer to other titles in the catalog and how this title relates or compares to them.
• The ideal review will be clear and concise with a minimum of 50 characters and be less than 300 words long.

Your review will be approved by Library staff prior to its appearing in the catalog. The Cooperative reserves the right to edit for length, spelling and grammar. Only selected reviews will be posted. Reviews in violation of these Guidelines will not be posted.

What to Avoid:

• Full name or contact information.
• Plot lines or details that will spoil the book or other item for others.
• Commentary on other specific reviews or reviewers.
• Information about speaker's tours, lectures, etc.
• Profanity, obscenities, libelous or spiteful remarks.
• Phone numbers, web sites, mail addresses, emails or URLs.
• Using the review process as a forum to promote your own work.
• Sales or promotional information.
• Soliciting others to make positive or negative reviews.
• Please sign your review with your first name, alias, or initials. We will not share your personal information.

Publishing the reviews is at the discretion of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC). Reviews may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the JCLC. Reviews may be deleted by JCLC at any time for any reason. All submitted reviews become property of JCLC. 

COMPLEMENTARY READING

Wiegand, Wayne A.  “Misreading LIS Education.”  Library Journal 122.11(1997): 36+ Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 19 April 2012.

Wyatt, Neal.       “An RA Big Think.”  Library Journal July (2007): 40-43.

                              “Exploring Nonfiction.” Library Journal  February 15, 2007: 32-35

                              “Reading Maps Remake RA.”  Library Journal  November 1, 2006: 38-42.

Here are the notes taken during the discussion:

PROGRAMS

Pull a selection of books on the topic.  Don't have a rolling display shelf?  Simply load them up on a cart and take them right into the program. 

Regularly scheduled programming

Brown bag lunches
Crafting
Movies/Documentaries
Bookgroups

Zumba/exercises (Springville road every Friday)

Children’s storytimes, books related to the theme

Specially planned programs

Author visits (We recently had a program with a woman writing about relatives who survived the sinking of the Titanic.  That is a great way to get some of those possibly dusty 910.45's off the shelf!)
Speaker topics

Sports

Seasonal book previews-Fall is usually a big publishing push.  Host a program letting your community know about hot new books in which they may be interested.

Earlyword
Shelf Awareness
Readers’ Advisor Online’s blog – every Monday, the “RA Run Down” post
Novelist Readers Advisory Newsletter
NPR Books
Shelf Renewal

Fantastic Fiction

Gnooks.com – visual readalike flowchart

OUTREACH

Children’s and Teen librarians frequently have captive audiences with their school visits.  Where can adult reader’s advisors seek outreach opportunities?

Garden clubs
Retirement homes/communities
Book groups outside the library

After school care

Child care centers

Offsite bookgroups: senior activity center, be a visiting/consulting moderator for other groups

Neighborhood associations

BOOKTALKING

What questions do you like to ask?

What was the last thing you read and liked? 

What are you in the mood for?
What are your content deal breakers?

What kind of movies do you like to watch? (for me, works especially well with teens)
Are you looking for something heavy or light/fun or thought-provoking/etc?

Contemporary/historical, national/international, regional/cosy?

Do you have any tried-and-true methods for booktalking titles you haven’t read or don’t like?

Google? 

Amazon?

Wikipedia?

Author’s webpage

Sources for brainstorming hard-to-find books?

everyone@bham.lib.al.us

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books HABO – blog and Facebook

CATALOG REVIEWS

Every review you add to the catalog enriches the experience our patrons have when they use it.  Every review you encourage your patrons to add earns you double bonus awesome points. (See the Cheat Sheet for instructions on how to do this or visit http://vulcan.bham.lib.al.us/screens/reviews.html)

DISPLAYS

What have been your most popular displays?

Bestsellers

Historical fiction

Alabama authors

Southern writers

Books into movies

Book club selections

Downton Abbey readalikes

Romance

Espionage

Americans in Paris

Survival stories (Truth is stranger than fiction)

Travel writing

Displays around words (winter, heat, anniversaries, etc.)

Florida series fiction

Dewey decimal (ufo, real ghost stories, regional travel, classics, party/entertainment)

What’s on the cover

Books that bite

Obituary shelf/in memoriam

What websites/other resources do you use to search for display ideas and/or materials?

Brainstorming

Where have you run out of shelving space?

Word searches in Millennium

Google & Google Images

Do you ever work props into your displays? 

What kind of signage works best with your patrons?

Do you have a designated display area that your patrons are used to browsing?

SOCIAL MEDIA

Pinterest

Book groups

Author visits

Staff favorites

Facebook

Reading suggestions

Contests

2012 Project Read Fall selection

I'll update with more information and details later as they become available, but the pick is:

 She: The Old Woman Who Took Over My Life by Kathryn Windham Tucker