I love listening to audio books. Not so much the dramatized stories like Lamplighter Theater, but real, unabridged audio books. Perhaps that’s because I grew up listening.
I was slow at learning to read well, but I loved books. My mom would read aloud to my siblings and I at home, but she was also busy. That’s when we’d put on the tapes and listen to such things as Heidi, Little Men, Swiss Family Robinson, and Pilgrim’s Progress. We’d check out audio books from the library like Around the World in 80 Days or Little Women.
Even now I find audio books are a wonderful way to get books “read” when you are too busy to read. And for long road trips? Yep, they are wonderful. A few years ago my mom, sister and I listened to the unabridged audio of A Tale of Two Cities in the course of the conference season as we traveled to the different conferences to help my brother. I’m sure I never would have gotten around to reading it otherwise.
As a writing teacher, I’ve observed the importance of audio books. (Not the dramatized versions.) Not only are they great for children who don’t read as well, but also for those who read really fast. An audio forces them to take the story a bit slower and to be able to focus on the story as a whole, not just racing through and skimming words they don’t really know.
Since I believe so strongly in audio books, I’m delighted to offer one of my audio books in a giveaway. This story is the first one which I had readers asking if it was on audio. And now it finally is. And by a reader who has the voices and accents right.
Ty Elliot returns to his home after an absence of two years, knowing full well the danger which threatens him each hour he lingers in the old cabin in the mountains. But with his father on his death bed and his younger sister exhausted, Ty knows he must remain for a time at least. When his father makes a strange request and begs his returned son to “find her,” Ty promises but is bewildered. Who is he to find? How can he set about the task of honoring his word? The only clues the dying man can give his son are a broken locket, a small photograph of a woman and a few last whispered instructions; “Take care of your sisters.” In confusion, Ty turns to his father’s childhood friend, Carson, for advice. Would the older man be able to help Ty and his sister, Sally? How much time did Ty have at the cabin before ‘they’ found out?
Listen to a sample here:
Do you like audio books? What book would you enjoy listening to if you had a really long road trip? Do you do other things while listening to audios at home?
This is awesome! I listened to the audio book of Les’ Miserable (Forgive me if I spelled that wrong) and I never would have read that book. It was incredible! But the audio book I listen to the most is probably Little Women. We have an amazing one that is just someone reading the book, I love it! =)
Thank you so much for doing this!
-Mikayla-
My sister did the same thing! She listened to “Les Mis” (I’m not even going to try to spell it!) last year and it took her a long time to get through it. Yes, listening to someone just reading a book is great!
Thanks for commenting.
I enjoyed listening to this one G. A. Henty audio book. I believe it was Under Drakes Flag. It was pretty good! Another one I enjoyed listening to was Jim Weiss telling Sherlock Holmes stories! That one was so good!
I love both audio dramas and books! Although I am not a huge auditory learner, my mind opens up and gets new ideas when I listen to an audio. Hmm… I think if I was on a long road trip I would want to hear C.R. Hedgecock’s sixth book Iceland Intrigue (it is long and adventure packed) or your book Through the Tunnel because I am sure it would be captivating to listen to! Yes, of course I do other things while listening to audios! That was the way I lived through ironing piles and piles of laundry! xP Thanks for doing this giveaway! I enjoy looking for new audios!
Oh yes, audios are great for laundry and ironing! Been there, done that. 🙂 I love being able to do other things while enjoying a good book. Thanks for sharing. And just a side note, if you have my book “Through the Tunnel” you can get the audio for a really love price.
My family and I listen to audio books on every long drive we have for vacations or whatever. 🙂 Sometimes it’s annoying (there was this one year when we listened to a book that I really didn’t like!), but other times it’s fun. I heard Around the World in 80 Days first that way … and later had to buy the book to read it to myself! 🙂
Road trips are a great time to listen to audio books. And “Around the World in 80 Days” is a perfect travel book. 🙂
Thanks for commenting, Kellyn!
Thank you so much for this giveaway Rebekah! I would love to win your audio book. I haven’t listened to an audiobook in years. The last one we listened to was called ‘A Home in Mitford”, I think it was. My way, that ever good. 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Love in Christ,
Ashley
You’re welcome, Ashley! Thank you for coming by. I’ve never heard of that book before. I’ll have to look it up.
Hey, Thanks for having this draw, Rebekah!! I can’t wait to read your books!!(I am getting my first copy this week:)
Thanks for stopping by Odelia! What book are you getting?
Gift from the Storm. It just arrived!! Can’t wait to read it!!!:)
It looks intriguing!!
Oh, fun! 🙂 I’d love to know what you think of it when you’ve read it. Happy reading!
Hey, I just finished it!! It’s very, very nice!! I love Amy, Justin, and all the rest!!
The ending was beautiful…
You have such a wonderful way of blending God’s Word into stories!!
Thank you so much for writing this book!!!!
Thanks, Odelia! I’m glad you enjoyed the book. 🙂
Oh I love aduiobooks, is this giveaway open internationally? I listen to them while working around the house. I first found Brandon Sanderson that way, a favourite fantasy writer. I have also listened to a lot of classics like that too, les miserables, moby dick, and am currently listening to War and Peace.
Yes, this is open internationally, as long as you can get books from Audible.
What a great way to “read” and get work done at the same time! Thank you for coming by!
I would enjoy listening to Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Bahni Turpin.
I’ve never heard of those authors. Thanks for sharing.
I listened Les miserables. I like it.
Oh, my sister listened to that one and enjoyed it. I haven’t ventured into it yet.
A Delicate Truth written and read by John le Carré
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Brysonread by William Roberts.
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeckread by Peter Marinker.
Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, tr by Michael Hofmann read by John Telfer.
Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin read by James Macpherson.
Tamar by Mal Peet read by Anton Lesser and Anna Maxwell Martin.