As I have mentioned in previous posts, I live in Los Angeles. When one thinks of LA, one of the first word associations that usually comes to mind is “traffic”. On average, I spend about 1.5 to 2 hours every day in my car going to and from work. That’s 7.5 to 10 hours every week, not including any drive-time for weekend jaunts down the 405 to Santa Monica or to The OC, time I would much rather spend enjoying myself at my actual destination as opposed to doing everything in my power to curb my road rage. I know many of you suffer as I do in traffic, or, if you’re one of the Big City Folk, you’re spending that time stuck on a train. No matter who you are, or what your commute is like, I’m here to share with you my number one cure-all for the commuter blues: audiobooks.
If you don’t suffer from motion sickness (like I do), you may be able to pass the time on the train reading an actual book, which I fully support. However, if text on a train makes you want to revisit lunch and/or breakfast, then audiobooks are the way to go. Back in the day, audiobooks were not the most engaging of listens and could quickly put you to sleep if you weren’t careful. My earliest experience with audiobooks was at about age 12, riding along in my mom’s minivan, listening to James Herriot’s “All Creatures Great and Small” – cue the snoring. It wasn’t until about a year ago when I discovered just how far audiobooks have come along – with a great reader, one who, with the slightest of tonal changes or inflections, can create a unique voice for each character, the book becomes less of a book and more like a radio play. I’ve become so addicted to audiobooks, I rarely turn on the radio, such is the enjoyment they bring me.
Now, rather than sitting in my car, fuming at the idiocy of today’s drivers (it’s equally astounding and depressing), I am relaxed, enjoying my favorite past-time in a new way. You can get audiobooks through a lot of different venues – iTunes, Amazon, in stores, such as Barnes and Noble, as well as the library. I highly recommend checking out your local library first since free is always best and, through inter-library loan programs, you can usually get a copy of what you’re looking for if you’re willing to wait. There are also great online programs, such as Audible, that offer special discounts on audiobooks if you’re a member. I quite like Audible, as with your monthly payment, you get a credit towards a download (which usually gets you the entire book, it’s only the really big novels that may require more than one credit) and up to 30-40% off all other downloads. Not all audiobooks are created equal, however; I recommend using the library first, which will expose you to a lot of different readers and you may find you particularly enjoy a certain reader versus another.
If you’re interested in getting an audiobook, but aren’t sure where to begin, here are a few of my absolute favorites:
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, read by Davina Porter (she is probably the best female reader I’ve come across)
The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, read by Stephen Fry or Jim Dale (both equally stupendous)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, read by Emilia Fox
My commute is significantly more tolerable now that I pass the time listening to audiobooks, to the point where sometimes I sit in my parked car at home, still engaged in the story and not ready to call it quits. I hope audiobooks bring you the same pleasure that they have brought me. Enjoy!
By
Tracy G.
Thank you! Really thoughtful article highlighting what audiobooks can do for the monotony of a commute