All Ears Audiobooks discussion

Please share which book you just finished listening to (or reading). Did you love it? Hate it? Who would enjoy this book?

My first book of 2009 was Inkdeath. What a perfect way to start the year!! The combination of a magical world, complex characters, and a gripping plot make this an easy book to recommend. Imagine, a book binder that can bring the characters from a book to life, just by reading the story. Hmm... sounds a bit like audiobooks... If you have been following this series (Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath), it is interesting that the each audiobook has a different narrator. Unusual for a series! However, the narrators (Lynn Redgrave, Brendan Fraser, and Alan Corduner) are all superb. I don't know if I could have chosen one over the others. Overall this book (and series) is one of my favorites and will definitely make it to the Best of 2009 list!Inkdeath

I just finished Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. What makes this book so compelling is the story behind the story. Irene Nemirovsky was a published French author before World War II. A Jewish immigrant from Russia, Nemirovsky had a plan of creating 5 mini novels to form a suite of stories about France's occupation during the war. She completed 2 of them, before she and her husband were deported to Auschwitz where they both were killed. The 2 stories were found 60 years after her death by Nemirovsky's daughters. Althought the first story, Storm in June, was good, I really enjoyed the 2nd story, Dolce. Set in a French village occupied by the Germans, the story describes the relationhips between the villagers and the Germans. Through every day contact, the Germans change from being "the enemy", to acquaintances, friends, and lovers. Fantastic story and beautifully narrated by Barbara Rosenblat. I was so used to her funny narrations of mysteries that I was surprised and impressed with the depth of feeling that she could convey in this sad and serious story.

I just finished listening to Pendragon book 9. I realy like the Pendragon series and I thought this one was one of the beter ones. The begining was tricky to understand but it got more exciting as it continued. It ended at a clif hanger so I realy want to get the next one.

I just finished Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A great book for the New Year. This book combines meditation practice with some scientific backround on how different parts of the brain and the rest of your body are impacted by meditation. I enjoyed the humor and lightheartedness of the author - definitely someone I would like to learn more about. And a wonderful narration by Campbell Scott!

I just finished Steel Trapp by Ridley Pearson. This book was so obsorbing that I finished it in 2 days. I thought it was a realy good book and I hope there is a sequel.

I just finished 2 books, The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The Invisible Man was a fun read. Clever, with a slightly sci-fi bend, but also some complex character development. The character of the invisible man is so evil and unfeeling, that you end up rooting for everyone who wants to destory him.

Things Fall Apart is not an enjoyable read, but, it is the type of book that makes you question values and actions. I can completely understand why so many schools have this on their required reading list. Set in Nigeria, the book first describes pre-colonial life. Some of the customs were horrific by Western standards, but did that justify colonization and imposing western values? Important book to read, but not at all light.

Did you ever play that game where one person starts a story and at a critical point, passes the role of storyteller onto the next person to finish? Well The Chopin Manuscript is just that type of book. The first chapter is written by best selling mystery author Jeffery Deaver. He sets up the overall plot, main characters, and passes it on. In all, 14 different mystery authors each get 1 chapter in this book, with Jeffery Deaver having the difficult task of tying everything up in the final 2 chapters. Some great authors contributed to this book - Lee Child, Lisa Scottoline, Joseph Finder and more. Was the plot choppy with a mish mash of styles? Absolutely - but what a fun audiobook. This book is only available in audio or in the Kindle format - perhaps a precursor to how books will be released in the future? Although this won the 2008 Audie Award for Best audiobook of the year, I don't think the writing style (or more accurately, styles) was stellar. But, what a fun listen. And with the constant changing plot, there was no way that you could guess the ending - even the authors didn't know the ending!

Outliers is the best book yet from Malcolm Gladwell. The author explore how people and social phenomena work. Great insight on why people are successful and why all of us are not as successful as others.

"Sex Lives of Cannibals": A funny travelogue describing the two years the author and his girlfriend spent living on the Tarawa atoll in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. If you are in the mood the laugh at government inefficiencies instead of grinding your teeth about it, it is book for you.

"Panic!": Lewis believes that recent costly financial upheavals (crash of 1987, Russian default of 1987,, the Asian currency crisis of 1999, and the current subprime) were caused by a recurring problem of models underestimating the risk of rare events, thereby encouraging investors to take more chances than they rationally would.

It is difficult book to understand because it is collection of essays. Michael Lewis is the editor of the book, and did not write it. I was very disappointed that the book did not answer what is happening today with the sub-prime loans.

I just finished listening to The Devil and Miss Prym, by Paulo Coelho. I was hesitant to start this because so many people have found his book, The Alchemist to be life-changing, and I thought it was a beautifully written metaphor, but never quite understood all of the hoopla. I thought The Devil and Miss Prym was an intriguing story. A man walks into a remote village and offers it 10 bars of gold, enough to change the life of everyone in the village, if a person in the village dies within the next 7 days. It can be anyone - someone with a terminal illness, someone very elderly... Do they do it? Excellent story of temptation and the battle of good vs. evil.

"Persuasion" by Dave Laklani: I can see how this book can be popular, but it is not my style. The author reminds me of a snake oil salesman. The author talks about only making friends who are in powerful positions and can help you. This book is simply a rehash of the generic stuff available in many other books on influence and persuasion.

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. This is a fun audiobook. Willy Upton goes back to her home town of Templeton, PA (modeled after Cooperstown, NY) in search of discovering the identity of her father. It is described as a geneaological mystery. The book is rich with odd quirky characters. From bizarre ancestors to her cocky best friend, I found myself liking so many of the different personalities. Great story!

I just finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. A fascinating book about the causes of success. Gladwell attempts to explain many forms of success - from why certain cultures excel at math to how the birthdates of hockey players can predict their success. Similar to his other books (The Tipping Point and Blink), Outliers presents some revolutionary ideas and should be on everyone's "must listen" list.

I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. This book was highly recommended by several people who attended this year's book group expo in San Jose where he was one of the featured authors. Not only did they really like his book, but they said he was one of the most engaging, exciting speakers at the expo. The book lived up to it's recommendations. I have a dog which made it extra fun to listen to the story as it was told from the dog's perspective. The story covers a lot of ground, from the best of life and people to the worst of life and people. It was too easy to get attached to Denny and Enzo and to root for them both throughout the story. And, having spent some of my youth at many of the race tracks he mentions, I also enjoyed his trips around the race courses. An easy story to enjoy.

"Secrets of the Immortal Advanced Teachings from a Course In Miracles" by Gary Renard. I have been studying "Course in Miracles" for a number of years now. There are many ideas and concepts that I am still trying understand and grasp. Gary clarifies a few topics for me like letting go of the ego so that you could forgive myself.

I enjoy the set of six CD set and I will have to revisit the CDs multiple times before I can fully understand the principles in "The Course of Miracles"

"Who: The A Method for Hiring" by Geoff Smart

One-third of this book is an advertisement for itself: how great it is, how the methods are truly awesome, tested, etc.

The book is for hiring CEOs and financial industry managers, not your day-to-day workers.

The advice can be boiled down to a few principles:

1. Prescreen the heck out of your applicants so you only use your valuable time interviewing only those who will fit the position.

2. Ask a lot of questions that get the applicant off of their scripts in order to identify both problem areas in the past and areas where the applicant fits the position. When you're offered a cliché, such as the response "I tend to work too hard" to the "what are your perceived weaknesses?" question, probe until you get real answers that contain real examples.

3. Make sure that you glean information about underlings who've dealt with the applicant as well as their supervisors. Many applicants appear to be a good fit until you talk to those who've worked FOR them.

4. Have the position and the expected outcomes of whomever would fill it defined as precisely as possible, with real-world measurables.

5. Fire them hard and fast if they do not meet the defined expectations.

I listened to Shattered Air by Bob Madgic. A very interesting story of a group of climbers attempting another assent of Half Dome when a sudden change in weather makes there otherwise difficult but fun outing into a life threatening experience where two die from the lightning. The author covers a lot of topics, from the of history of Half Dome, it's naming, to it's first climbers as well as much information about lightning, weather, and helicopter rescues. Made even more interesting becuse of our familiarity with this huge granite rock, as most of us in the Bay Area have hiked some or all of this climb.

Hi Lee,

I was wondering about the basic premise of the course in miracles - is it related to Religious Science? Also is the Advanced book too advanced for a beginner?

Thanks
Tara

I am thoroughly enjoying The Ranger's Apprentice Series. I just finished The Icebound Land. Although I agree with Tara that this is not one of the stronger books in this series, I find I just can't wait to listen to these books. This series combines adventure, fast-moving plots and characters that you really grow to enjoy. The narration is stellar making it an easy book to recommend. If you love the Pendragon series or Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy (+1), then you'll enjoy these books.

I just finished The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I had read it before, but I really enjoyed listening to Jeromy Irons read! It is inspiring to imagine that we each have a personal legend to live!

Great review, Sharon! I read this book in paper for bookclub a few years ago. I thought the book was just ok, but others thought it was fantastic. Maybe if I listened to it, I would have a different impression. And Jeremy Irons! I'll have to add it to my list!

I just finished The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry. This is the perfect audiobook when you want a thriller that is fun and exciting with a bit of background history thrown in. A great listen with Scott Brick as the narrator. The book travels all over Europe and Asia and features characters from Russia (can't have a spy novel without a Russian!), the U.S. and Europe. Brick does a fantastic job with the Russian accents. But I think what really made me enjoy this book is one of the main characters, Cotton Malone. A former CIA operative, he lives in Denmark where he owns a bookstore. Wouldn't it be so much more exciting if instead of being high tech refugees, Ann, Lilly, and I were former spies? Of course part of why he is so effective catching the bad guys is all of the history and culture that he has acquired as a bookstore owner. The story is filled with lots of interesting tidbits about Alexander the Great. It makes me want to start reading more about ancient Greece...after I become fluent in Russian with Pimsleur Russian...

I just finished The Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost. This was a fun book about the life of Troost and his wife as they spent two years on a very, very, very small pacific island. He has much time to ponder his life on this isolated island as there is little to do but survive the heat. He chronicles his coping with the culture shock, lack of services (like running water, sewers, electricity, contact with the outside world, ...) and La Macarena, then eventually being equally uncomfortable when he returns home. And, no, he doesn't reveal the sex lives of cannibals.

I have recently finished Neverwhere, American Gods, Dead Witch Walking, and Firehouse. Thanks All Ears!
Making my job much more enjoyable! In fact, I no longer cringe when my office tells me that I am driving halfway across the Bay, I think about how many chapters I can get through. :D

I just finished Outliers. I enjoyed this book more than any of Gladwell's books - though they all made me think! Don't you hate that your parents were right - if you work hard you're more likely to succeed.

Hi Tara,

Sorry it took me so long to reply about your question on "A Course in Miracles".

A Course in Miracles written by Dr. Helen Schucman and Dr. William Thetford that describes a purely non-dualistic approach to spirituality. Schucman dictated the book based on an inner voice, which she described as coming from a divine source, specifically Jesus Christ. The book uses traditional Judeo-Christian terminology, but is not aligned to the doctrines of any religions or denominations.

The "Secrets of Immortals" by Gary Renard definitely covers advanced topics in the "Course in Miracles". I recommend any books by Marianne Williamson if you are a beginner. Williamson's conversational style is easy and comfortable. Hope this helps.

"Honey Moon" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Honey Jane Moon drives her cousin to LA to audition for a TV show and manages to land the role of the star's daughter. She becomes smitten with her much older co-star, Dash Coolidge and passionate for the Hollywood bad boy Eric Dillion who avoids her, and whose own life takes a dark turn.

While in Hollywood, Honey metamorphoses from an unloved teen to heroine to reluctant Dash's hero and they marry despite an enormous age gap. When circumstances find her alone again, she reaches out to Eric, whose own career is on the skids. Can they find solace in each other?

This is probably the first Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel that I found difficult to finish. The whole romance was hugely icky for me - particularly given the circumstances of the relationship (Dash was her surrogate father for all intents and purposes). And while I understood the attraction for Eric, I did not feel that the relationship - particularly the adult relationship was fully realized. This is not a lighthearted romantic fare you get with most Susan Elizabeth Phillips novels.

I just finished A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. This book by Pink asserts that the past century has been the time for L-brain thinkers (the logical side of the brain) and that the upcoming "Conceptual Age" is primed for those with strong R-brain thinking. He offers examples of the benefits of R-brain thinking and how it will be more important in the future, most notably how it is more difficult to outsource these types of jobs overseas. Through his book he offers several examples of how to develop your R-brain, and recommends books and web sites. I liked the book for its reminders that there are several types of intelligence, and several attributes to successful products, organizations, and living. That just providing the basic logical solution may not be a complete enough solution to compete in a growing international market. He offers little real science behind his assertions and generalizations; his examples leave much room for other factors to explain the results he sees. He subtly tries to diminish L-brain thinking skills and has a competitive overtone to his message (to the US) that we have to change or they (China, India, etc) will take the jobs and you will suffer and miss out.

Hi, Lee,

Interesting comments! But, I found A Whole New Mind a really insightful book. It challenges how we educate our children, especially with the recent push for standardized tests. If we 'teach to the test', then the challenge of growing the right side of the brain or fostering a link between the 2 sides will get ignored. I'd love to see this book be required reading for curriculum developers!

I just finished A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. Although the writing style was clever and witty with many humorous observations of people and society, I did not at all enjoy listening to this book. The "hero" of this book, Ignatius O'Reilly is conceited, selfish, and lazy - the epitome of sloth. Maybe, it's because I had recently finished reading in paper Zorba the Greek which features a main character that wants to fight for the underdog and live life to the fullest, that I found Ignatius so dislikable. Although many people will find this book funny, by the end, I didn't like ANY of the characters. Still I can see why it is on many recommended reading lists and in audio, the narration was stellar.

I just finished Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. If you like plot-driven novels, skip it all together. But if you are in the mood to enter the world of a young boy growing up in a small town in upper state New York and follow him until he is in his 60s, then this might be a good read for you. The time, place, and action are all pretty dull - but Russo's description of the Lynch family dynamic was captivating. Mostly I used it as a catalyst to ponder what it must be like for my own children to navigate my husband and my, very different, personalities. It is a process that is universal to every family. Russo has a rare gift to be able to describe it so thoroughly. Arthur Morey is extremely well suited to narrate this book. His tone and pacing are perfect (although I warn you it is measured.) He sounds a lot like Ray Suarez on the NewsHour by Jim Lehrer - authentic upper state NY.

I have a confession to make. I am yet another Hewlett-Packard refugee. I was at HP when Carly Fiorina was CEO. Working on a design team that was almost all male, it was exhilerating to have a female CEO. But, like so many other HP employees, I felt that Carly was calculating and immune to the charm of "Bill and Dave" and the HP Way. I agreed with the sentiments of most of my co-workers that Carly Fiorina was a ...(rhymes with witch). Although I was no longer at HP when Carly was ousted, I cheered along with the rest of the valley. But, a few weeks ago, I saw Carly speak at the Flint Center. She was warm and engaging and refreshingly honest about her career and especially her time at HP. She impressed me enough to listen to her autobiography, Tough Choices . I'm sure the past several years have improved my perspective on HP, but after listening to the book, my opinion of Carly has changed. She is intelligent, capable, and possibly saved HP from extinction. Now if only I could change her political views...

The Battle for Skandia - Another great book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. If you are a fan of young adult fantasy with a medieval setting, you have got to listen to this series. Great suspense and a nice narration by John Keating who does a great job with foreign accents. Can't wait until the rest of his books get published in the US!

I just finished Cirque Du Soleil - The Spark. I watched "KA" and "O" this Christmas with my aunt. We both love them and found they are too amazing.
Behind these amazing shows, we do not know what energize them and how to keep their passion every night to entertain the audiences. From "the Spark", I am inspired by the inputs from everyone in the company.
The shows keep flashing back in my mind which reminds me their efforts in the show.

I have recently finished Fluke by Christopher Moore, The Good, The Bad and the Undead, Every Which Way But Dead, and A Fistful of Charms, all by Kim Harrison.

Fluke was a strange but enjoyable read, I liked the delivery of the narrator, and I really enjoyed the absurdity of the tale. Just when I thought it couldn't get any weirder, I was proven wrong.

The Hollows series by Kim Harrison has been fantastic fun. While bearing some similarities to other urban fantasy tales, these books have a charm all their own. Deep, fleshed out characters that you can't help but love, a wicked sense of humor, and a propensity to put the characters in impossible situations leads to a continuing narrative full of twists, turns, and blindsides. The narration of Marguerite Gavin is top notch, providing an endearing voice for all the characters that thoroughly entertains.

The Harry Potter series never grabbed me, but the world that Kim Harrison has created has enthralled me in the way that J.K. Rawling enraptured her audience. I highly recommend this series!

I was disappointed with A Whole New Mind. I must confess I did not finish it. I'm writing a review for the first 60%. I did learn some things. It has been a while since my psychology classes and I enjoyed the brain review. However, it degrades into a cheerleading book without much support. I lost interest at the point where he talks about the CEO who hires poets instead of MBA holders. I need a bit more support to the argument than I asked some rich guy. Are there any studies comparing the success rate of Team Poet vs. Team MBA? Any reviews by the employees who work for each?
Another problem with this book is that it asserts that creative thinkers are the new skilled labor because engineering jobs are all moving to India to be done for less. If you are a left-brainer, you're as boring as a toaster, as unique as a popsicle stick. As I've said in other reviews, this hackneyed theme of worthless, overpaid American engineers may play into people's fears and sell books, but it's only a short-term phenomenon at best. To the extent that outsourcing is a threat, it is a threat to all professions. Does anyone believe Asia lacks artists?

I finished Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
by Wayne W. Dyer.
In this recession period, what we need to pass through the hard time is our mind and attitude. Change our mind will change our behaviour. Tao Te Ching (道德經) is a light of my life.
Also, what a coincident that I am learning Tai Chi which is all about Taoism.

Just finished Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. At times, this book rubbed me the wrong way, in part because Breathnach is enamored with the Victorian period - and I'm not. However, much of what she describes as her personal journey toward Simple Abundance resonated with me. As a result of listening to this book, I have noticed small shifts in the way I perceive the world that complement my desire for simplicity. Practical, actionable, and not too preachy, it's worth the listen.

I just finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell presents some very interesting ideas and observations about what could be behind some of the most successful people and what helped them achieve their success. The book made me more aware of the importance of: being ready when an opportunity presents itself, relationships, and following your passion. Definitely worth reading, especially for parents of school age children.

I completely missed last night's Academy Awards because I was couldn't stop listening to Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will love this book. Set in London, during the reign of Henry VIII, lawyer Matthew Shardlake gets involved with two cases, one involving the murder of a child and the other involving a quest for Oliver Cromwell to find Greek Fire. This suspenseful book is filled with court intrigue, battles between the Church and Reformists, and vivid pictures of daily life in Tudor England. Excellent audiobook - I can't wait to hear more from this author!

I noticed that my son Michael was crying as he was reading a book. I immediately was worried. But, as I looked at the cover I saw it was by Sharon Creech, an author who will make you both laugh and cry ... even in the same chapter! Love That Dog is a sweet story told through poems about a boy named Jack, and his dislike of poetry. For everyone who groans when they hear "Whose woods these are I think I know...", then this book is for you. It's very short, but worth the listen.

I just finished Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.
An abandoned cat who lived in a library for almost 20 years. How lovely and handsome he is. You can tell by the cover. I love Dewey after reading the book. He is special, and he is a gift. Also, how meaningful his name is Dewey Read Morebooks. Thank you Vicki named him like this. I am surprised that Dewey is famous and world known. Unfortunately, I can't know him early.
Cats are warmhearted animals. They really love to get close to people. That's why there are many cat coffee shops in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The stores are not for cat to drink coffee. They have cats live in stores and company customers. My friend also has 2 cat coffee shops in Hong Kong, each shop has around 8 different kinds of cats. They are lovely. The stores are always crowded.

I thought Groundswell was very eye-opening for someone not yet caught up in the new world of social technologies. This book is a must read for anyone involved in a company that either has a web site, or that develops products, or that sells products, or that has customers, or that wants to expand their business. It's a great overview of many of the approaches and methods possible today for improving your business using the newly evolved social networking tools. If you don't want your business to be left behind, you better listen to this book.

Janice wrote: "I just finished Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.
An abandoned cat who lived in a library for almost 20 years. How lovely and handsome he is. You can tell by the cover. I l..."
Interesting comment Janice! I had never heard of coffee shops with cats. I've heard of bookshop dogs - should we get a cat at All Ears?

If you are looking for a book that you will haunt you for years to come, then try Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. This book is set in the UK about a futuristic society, with very interesting values. The story revolves around Hailsham, a school for very 'special' students. The story is told by Kathy H, one of the students and from the beginning, you know that she and her fellow students are special, but you can't quite figure out why. You will find this book fascinating and extremely disturbing. This would make a great bookclub selection. I'd love to hear what others thought of this book - for me it was a 5 star listen!

I just finished listening to One False Note. This is the 2nd book in the 39 Clues series. The story revolves around a woman named Grace Cahill who is very powerful and wealthy. On her death, she gives her descendants the choice of a million dollars, or a clue to an unbelievable treasure. Each book in the series follows Amy and Dan Cahill, and their race to beat their evil cousins to this treasure. In every book, they uncover a different Cahill ancestor and end up running around the world learning about that person. The first book was about Benjamin Franklin and this one featured Mozart. If you're feeling that your ancestors are under achievers, you are not alone! There is some wonderful historical content in these books, making them both fun and educational. The books come with trading cards that give you extra clues if you key in the codes on a website. Does this sound like a marketing scam? Absolutely! But if it gets kids more interested in the books they read, I am thrilled. Another interesting tidbit about this series is that each book is written by a different author. Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series (must read - fantastic young and not so young adult adventure) started the series with Maze of Bones. This second book, One False Note is written by Gordon Korman. Since we have only uncovered 2 of the 39 clues so far, I have a feeling that this series will be quite long. But not to worry - Peter Lerangis has written Book 3, The Sword Thief and it releases in March!

I finished You Breathing Easy: Meditation and Breathing Techniques to Relax, Refresh and Revitalize by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz.
I love the breathing techniques and guided stretch from Liza Oz. It really helps.
For the rest of the book, it is just a summary of all possible reasons that cause stress. Nothing surprise. It is a reminder of what a stress-free life is if you aware of your stress, sleep, and diet, etc.

I just finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Demigod Files, by Rick Riordan. If you have never read any of the Percy Jackson books, you are missing a wonderful young adult fantasy series. As a demi-god, Percy has to battle many of the monsters from ancient Greek mythology but in a modern setting. For example, where would Mount Olympus be today? On the top of the Empire State Building, of course! The Demigod Files is really a set of 3 short stories about some of Percy's more interesting battles. One nice feature is that it also includes interviews with the characters - very entertaining! And if you have been eagerly awaiting the FINAL book in this series, The Last Olympian - due out in May, this short book might tide you over.

I also finished listening to Josh Bazell's debut mystery Beat the Reaper. Bazell wrote this medical thriller while he was doing his medical residency at UCSF. If Bazell's description of what happens behind the scenes in a hospital is true, then we all better start taking our vitamins, because you do not want to be admitted to a hospital. Beat the Reaper is a story about Peter Brown, a doctor at a decrepit Manhattan hospital. Only before he was Peter Brown, he was Pietro Brwna, a Mafia hitman. This fast-paced thriller is edgy, suspenseful and comic in some places. I can see why this book has jumped to the bestseller list in just a few months. Can't wait to hear a sequel!