Long ago I exhausted
the number of audio books in our local library. Luckily the
Lilac Services for the Blind enrolled me in the Washington
Talking Books program for the visually impaired.
This program is
affiliated with similar programs nationwide, and the book selection seems
endless. If your future contains declining
vision or you know someone with impaired vision, seek out this free resource.
I can download audio
books onto my phone or on a special player I have on loan from Lilac Services
for the Blind. The books come seven at a time on a special cassette. I have three cassettes going at a time…one I’m
listening to, one in the mail going for refill, and one in the mail coming to
me. I am never without audio books.
I used to be able to
order them myself from the website . Now
I need help from my friends to keep
enough books ordered.
Finding new books
and new authors with their continual challenge. I discovered that I can ask Google to find a
list of authors similar to the ones I like.
I had my daughter-in-law do this
for me. She made a master list of about 70 such authors. I can have a friend use this list to help me
order books. I try to keep about 50
books ordered ahead.
Sometimes I have to listen to a book twice. This is not bad if I really like the book. If I didn't, I can just fast forward to it to
the end. But if I really love the book
the first time, I find I love it reading again. It's like visiting an old friend.
I'm going to start looking for new
authors by genre. I'll probably start
with books about dogs. You can never go
wrong with a dog story. If you have a
favorite author no--matter what the genre--I would love to hear about it.
Ok, you asked for it! as a former librarian I have 3 or 4 books going at once between the kindle and audible and 2 on my nightstand and everything is fair game but my favorites are mysteries, fantasy and Sci-fi so i will try to keep this list here to "just" those ;) Love you Honey! You are still my hero, showing us all how to do it despite the slings and arrows.
ReplyDeleteFlora Bernstein
All of these authors have several books to their series, at least 10 to each so this should keep you busy for a bit! ;)
Sci-Fi and Fantasy;
Lois McMaster Bujold- Everything she has ever written is gold dust But that's just my opinion.
Mercedes Lackey- All her series are wonderful, tho there are a few clunkers within each series (There are 4 or 5, within 2 different worlds) and some of it gets a little formulaic, they are still good stories.
Leigh Bardugo- Her Greisha novels are fabulous and I'm just 3 novels in.
James S. A. Corey- the Expanse series, These are wonderful intricate stories of many worlds. The TV show was acceptable but the books are great.
Jim Butcher; I like his Harry Dresden novels, as they are set in my hometown of Chicago and the magic is full of urban vampires, fairies, werewolves and regular old fashioned crooks doing bad things
Neil Gamian- I started by reading his comic book "the Sandman" and picked up "Good Omens" written with Terry Pratchet, another great writer, and was smitten with the caricatures. both of these writers are prolific and sometimes gut bustingly funny.
N.K.Jameson- "the Fifth Season" was slow to start but gets faster and very good, I haven't started the sequal "Obelisk gate" yet.
C.E.Murphy- Her Walker Papers series are pretty good, I picked them up because she is set in Seattle. I wasn't disappointed.
Diana Gabaldon- Outlander series everyone is reading/watching these and there is a reason for that!
Mysteries;
Tony Hillerman-Coyote Waits is the first of many a great a crime novel
Michael Connolly- Harry Bosch is the quintessential cop with a tragic past Honestly some of the best murder mysteries I have read. and the TV show wasn't bad either.
Dick Francis- I have loved this author since I was a horse mad little kid, His race track mysteries take you all around the racetrack to the betting stalls to the support staff and are never boring.
John Le Carre- You can't go wrong with tinker, tailor, soldier, spy and the rest are almost just as gripping.
Shirley Jackson- Her novels never go where you think they will and they are all pretty good
Janet Evanovitch- Her Stephany Plumb novels are fun, silly hilarious and sometimes terrifying and the romances aren't bad either.
Charlotte MacLeod- I started with The Family Vault and kept reading everything she'd ever written, It's all good.
Anne Perry- The Charlotte & Thomas Pitt book series starting with The Cater Street Hangman, she has other series But I love these ones.
Anne Charles- I find her Deadwood series amusing
Jeffrey Deaver- Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs "the Bone Collector" was the first novel I read of this series then went ahead and read them all.
Sarah Paretsky- V.I. Warshawski novels have been a favorite since i was in High school.
Stephanie Barron- I love Jane Austin so mysteries set in her world are just so much catnip for me.
Author: Lady Winifred Fortescue
ReplyDeleteBook: Perfume From Provence
Format: BBC audio cassette tape
Read by: British actress Stephanie Cole
1930’s book about Brits living in France before the war. She wrote 7 books but the only one I could find in audio format was Perfume From Provence. Some of the others were printed large format if that’s any help. Actress, designer, writer & fundraiser for French war relief, she lived quite a life!
I too love audio books especially on long road trips. It's awesome to hear you have such a system in getting the books and a support system to help you out. I see from the comments on your post that you have a personal librarian as well! I listen to mostly history books, especially regarding the west, or autobiographies. You're right about dog stories.....and horse stories are a favorite too. Jim Key and Sergeant Reckless are two great horse books.
ReplyDelete