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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007Audiobooks
There is an alternative to tedious drives listening to commercially contaminated programmes on your car stereo. Download your favorite English classic[1], read by passionate readers, from http://librivox.org/librivox-catalogue/ , to listen to it wherever and whenever you like. And the best part is: it's free. If you are into reading for yourself, you may do so. They still look for volunteers. Enjoy, Igor [1] in fact there are also Chinese, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian and Spanish pieces available. However, what might interest you most, someone even ventured to read a piece in Old English. - Don't miss that one. > There is an alternative to tedious drives listening to commercially > contaminated programmes on your car stereo. > > Download your favorite English classic[1], read by passionate readers, Doesn't mean that they're good readers, though. I downloaded Mark Twain's _Eve's Diary_ read by a breathless reader. About the best I can say for her rendition is that I understood all the words. I've listened to a number of audiobooks offered for free on the Web, and my finding has almost always been that most native speakers of English have no idea how to read their own language aloud. Reading anything longer than 100 words or so requires practice if the reader wants listeners to keep on listening. It requires an actor's sense of timing, phrasing, stress, and intonation. While I don't think that dramatic (can also be read as "hammy") readings are necessarily the best -- they can be and usually are overdone and major turn-offs -- it does require that the readers sound as if they understand what they're reading. I can't recommend _Eve's Diary_. I gave it a minute or two, but my ears just didn't have the stomach for it. > from > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > And the best part is: it's free. And as is so often the case, you get what you pay for. [N.B.: This does not apply to some very well-known as well as little-known but outstanding free software available on the Net.] -- Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. "...the human population is 90% gullible, violence-prone dipshits, ..." Scott Adams, The Dilbert Blog, December 06, 2006 http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/ > > There is an alternative to tedious drives listening to commercially > > contaminated programmes on your car stereo. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Twain's _Eve's Diary_ read by a breathless reader. About the best I can > say for her rendition is that I understood all the words. Well, that's what I meant. All audiobooks I have listened to so far were comercially produced and even they differ largely in quality (style, accent, speed and even technical quality). The problem with those audiobooks is, there is no chance that one could listen to the readers in advance. This is the main reason why I usually take audiobooks from our local library. Having at librivox the possibility to listen to the pieces in advance, is a major improvement in this regard. A number of pieces at librivox are not up to a certain level but I think, the idea has potential. Especially if considered that the pieces read once are still open to other readers. Once a certain amount of readings has been accumulated an evaluation system could be established, maybe comparable to the one that is in place at the movie data base. > I've listened to a number of audiobooks offered for free on the Web, > and my finding has almost always been that most native speakers of [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > not apply to some very well-known as well as little-known but > outstanding free software available on the Net.] It is a very general statement which might have an amount of truth in it but can often be plain wrong also. In our globalized world, prize is no indication for quality. The companies charge you any amount you are willing to pay. What you get afterwards, who cares. [OT warning] For example, my father in law recommended me working with a "pitchfork for digging" (my dictionary hasn't the tool listed I am referring here to but maybe it's clear anyway) instead of a spade (which is called "Herrenspaten" -> " gentleman's spade" nowadays) that I used for clearing the yard from old pales. I said: "Please buy one, I will use it and tell you afterwards, if it's better." My father in law bought the mentioned "pitchfork". I looked at it and decided to use it later for another task. The other task came quick as an additional tool was needed for shoveling soil into a wheel barrow. Guess what, it did not even take five minutes and the entire metal construction fell off the stick. It was stuck in as deep as about 4 cm into the wooden stick. Even a layman could see, there is no way that such construction would hold longer than for 10 minutes. Okay, we got our money back, but who sells this stuff, how wholesale dares to buy such tool _imitations_? Yes, and the lamest excuses of all was this one: it was made in China, the people there have no tradition in building tools - Now that takes the cake, doesn't it. Oh, and I forgot to mention the price: 21 Euros. Is that not enough money for a simple garden tool? [/OT warning] Therefore it is fair to check what you get before buying or downloading a product. In case of librivox, there could be a small file made available to get an impression of what to expect of the piece of interest. I listened to The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe read by Don Morgan so far and I liked it even though I would like to discuss sound quality with them. ;-) I prepared a test clip because of the discussed reasons: http://home.arcor.de/t2c/Poe_BC.mp3 (229 KB) The entire files are available at http://www.archive.org/download/stories_002_librivox/black_cat_poe_dm_64kb.mp3 (64 kbps - 15.7 MB) http://www.archive.org/download/stories_002_librivox/black_cat_poe_dm.mp3 (128 kbps - 31.4 MB, same reading) A Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you. Igor [...] > > > And the best part is: it's free. > > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > no indication for quality. The companies charge you any amount you are > willing to pay. What you get afterwards, who cares. I can't disagree with this. Caveat emptor is still the primary operative principle in the marketplace. When I was a high school student, there were people on the radio who used to read famous novels --- the unabridged versions --- for an hour a day. I listened to many books that way. I remember there being two readers. The first one was dramatic and good at voices and accents. The second was just a good prose reader, but he still made the books he read come alive. I'm sure my interest in reading aloud comes from listening to those guys read. NPR (National Public Radio) wasn't around back in the late 1950s, but there were some outstanding radio stations that provided excellent programs, just as there were some outstanding TV programs --- Play of the Week, Kraft Theater, and The Hallmark Hall of Fame --- provided by private broadcasters. -- Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. "I once asked a senior staffer of a brilliant Senator why the Senator didn't take a stronger position in favor of Net Neutrality. 'No Senator remains a Senator opposing an industry with that much money' was his answer." Lawrence Lessig, Lessig Blog, December 24, 2006 http://www.lessig.org/blog/ > [...] > > > > And the best part is: it's free. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > When I was a high school student, there were people on the radio who Delete the next two words: > used to > read famous novels --- the unabridged versions --- for an hour > a day. I listened to many books that way. I remember there being two [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > was his answer." Lawrence Lessig, Lessig Blog, December 24, 2006 > http://www.lessig.org/blog/ > > There is an alternative to tedious drives listening to commercially > > contaminated programmes on your car stereo. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > I can't recommend _Eve's Diary_. I gave it a minute or two, but my ears > just didn't have the stomach for it. Agreed. I checked on this recording and you were right: this unique female voice combined with a too fast reading makes _Eve's Diary_ a rather unpleasant listening. Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? Regards, Igor >Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone >ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? Yes, many, but (as with male readers) you need to pick and choose. Juliet Stevenson, Miriam Margolyes and Janet Suzman come to mind. Katy In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: >>Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone >>ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? > >Yes, many, but (as with male readers) you need to pick and choose. > >Juliet Stevenson, Miriam Margolyes and Janet Suzman come to mind. I was amazed to discover recently that Miriam Margolyes supplied the voice of the sexy Mummerset squirrel in the old chocolate ad - Caramac? She's a top-notch actress and by all accounts a Thoroughly Good Egg but she's no oil painting and hers is the last face I would have associated with such a voice. Which just goes to show ... something or other.  SignatureV >In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >she's no oil painting and hers is the last face I would have associated >with such a voice. Which just goes to show ... something or other. Yes, she's a Very Good Egg, and great company, from the few times I've met her. Also sexy, to the best of my judgment. But not a squirrel, no. Katy >>In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Yes, she's a Very Good Egg, and great company, from the few times I've met her. > Also sexy, to the best of my judgment. But not a squirrel, no. Indeed. MM and Husband grew up together in Oxford. Sadly, these days they mostly encounter each other at funerals. SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) >>In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >Yes, she's a Very Good Egg, and great company, from the few times I've met her. >Also sexy, to the best of my judgment. But not a squirrel, no. I seethe with envy. I have seen her interviewed on the telly and am quite the fan. I would love to meet her. There was a series on the box recently where she went to America to follow Darles Chickens' tour there. Triffic stuff. IKWYM by sexy, too. Not in Vinny's oil painting sense but in a real, three dimensional sort of way. SignatureRichard Bollard Canberra Australia To email, I'm at AMT not spAMT. In alt.usage.english, Richard Bollard wrote: >>Also sexy, to the best of my judgment. But not a squirrel, no. [...] >IKWYM by sexy, too. Not in Vinny's oil painting sense but in a real, >three dimensional sort of way. Not 'alf! SignatureV Though quite Sir Alf >In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >she's no oil painting and hers is the last face I would have associated >with such a voice. Which just goes to show ... something or other. When I used to work In Advertising it was often amazing to see (or rather hear) the velvet-toned wonders that would emerge from the shabby, hung-over, mess of a human being that had staggered into the recording booth with an Embassy dangling from distinctly non-LipSalved lips. Audio actors are a breed apart, though. On the rare occasions when I got to "direct"[1] top-notch ack-taws who had deigned to slum while Between Plays, they tended to be pretty mediocre at the job. Sir Michael Hordern springs to mind -- a very nice man indeed (i.e. pleasant but well clear of the precipice of luvvitude), but not a V/O natural by any means. [1. Which basically consisted of telling them the received pronunciation of "Chambourcy" and letting them get on with it.] SignatureArchie Valparaiso In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: [...] >Sir Michael Hordern springs to mind Say, have you heard about Sir Bono? He's now Sir Sir Bono. SignatureV >In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Say, have you heard about Sir Bono? He's now Sir Sir Bono. But still nothing for Sir Slash, though, I note. (Have you heard Lord Sting of Roxanne's reinvention of the madrigal yet? Whatever you do, don't.) SignatureArchie Valparaiso > >In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > (Have you heard Lord Sting of Roxanne's reinvention of the madrigal > yet? Whatever you do, don't.) Too bloody late, mate! In darkness let me dwell. Actually a worse shock than the day some bastard on R3 played Mr Blobby and then said smugly "I bet you thought you were safe from that here." SignatureMike. Mike Lyle <mike_lyle_uk@yahoo.co.uk> had it: > > >In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: > > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > than the day some bastard on R3 played Mr Blobby and then said smugly > "I bet you thought you were safe from that here." Did I mention that I was at school with Mrs Sting? She must have nicked my Tardis coz she's younger than she ought to be on some sites, although Wikip seems to have the right date. SignatureDavid ===== Archie Valparaiso <gguiri@yahoo.com> had it: > >In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > (Have you heard Lord Sting of Roxanne's reinvention of the madrigal > yet? Whatever you do, don't.) I had little choice in the matter. He managed to take over my favourite Radio 3 programme for a whole hour. SignatureDavid ===== > Archie Valparaiso <gguiri@yahoo.com> had it: >> (Have you heard Lord Sting of Roxanne's reinvention of the madrigal >> yet? Whatever you do, don't.) > > I had little choice in the matter. He managed to take over my > favourite Radio 3 programme for a whole hour. Can't really blame the bloke. If I were a CBE, I'd be tempted to occasionally put on ayres, myself. ObAUE: they're not really madrigals, innit. SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. In alt.usage.english, Archie Valparaiso wrote: >(Have you heard Lord Sting of Roxanne's reinvention of the madrigal >yet? Whatever you do, don't.) No. Good. Won't. Thank you. SignatureV > >In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: > > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > recording booth with an Embassy dangling from distinctly non-LipSalved > lips. What is an "Embassy dangling from the lips"? > Audio actors are a breed apart, though. On the rare occasions when I > got to "direct"[1] top-notch ack-taws who had deigned to slum while > Between Plays, they tended to be pretty mediocre at the job. Sir > Michael Hordern springs to mind -- a very nice man indeed (i.e. > pleasant but well clear of the precipice of luvvitude), but not a V/O > natural by any means. What is "luvvitude"? > [1. Which basically consisted of telling them the received > pronunciation of "Chambourcy" and letting them get on with it.] Am I right in suspecting a more than average use of colorful qiesa? Regards, Igor Igor (t4a) <t4a@gmx.net> had it: > > When I used to work In Advertising it was often amazing to see (or > > rather hear) the velvet-toned wonders that would emerge from the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > What is an "Embassy dangling from the lips"? Embassy is a brand of cigarette. > > Audio actors are a breed apart, though. On the rare occasions when I > > got to "direct"[1] top-notch ack-taws who had deigned to slum while [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > What is "luvvitude"? It's the behaviour of a "luvvie", which is a slightly insulting term for an actor. SignatureDavid ===== >> >In alt.usage.english, K. Edgcombe wrote: >> > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >What is an "Embassy dangling from the lips"? A mid-priced brand of cigarettes, formerly heavily promoted through a haze of blue smoke by professional snooker players. It was named in homage to the legendary working-men's club in Harpurhey (= AmE "the Harpurhey section"), Manchester, run by Sir Bernard Manning, where, when the venue was in its heyday (or Harpurheyday), it was smoked with style and abandon by anybody who was anybody. >> Audio actors are a breed apart, though. On the rare occasions when I >> got to "direct"[1] top-notch ack-taws who had deigned to slum [it] while [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >What is "luvvitude"? The state or condition of being a luvvie, which refers to the annoying habit of theatricals of calling each other "lovey" (optionally spelled "luvvie") and "darling". The term became popular when it was used by *Private Eye* magazine as the title for a regular section (= AmE "Harpurhey") featuring ridiculously gushing quotes by acktaws male and female. SignatureArchie Valparaiso > It was named in homage to the legendary working-men's club > in Harpurhey (= AmE "the Harpurhey section"), Manchester, = HyperBrE "Harpurhey". BSF, I see that Harpurhey is described as a "suburb", so were it not for Liebso-Erkian constraints we might describe it as a neighborhood or a section. Doesn't sound like much of a suburb in the TCE postwar sense. If I read the descriptions right, Coop might call it "the inner city", geography notwithstanding. One webpage with information on Harpurhey refers to "Districts and Suburbs of Manchester". What's the difference -- are suburbs subclasses of districts? I also see that there are at least two rivers in the Manchester region named after AUE participants. SignatureSalvatore Volatile > I also see that there are at least two rivers in the Manchester region > named after AUE participants. One looks forward to punting on the Vinnyburgoo....r In alt.usage.english, R H Draney wrote: >> I also see that there are at least two rivers in the Manchester region >> named after AUE participants. > >One looks forward to punting on the Vinnyburgoo....r ITYM rowin' on the Dingle. SignatureV Did you know there's a Draney Inlet in British Columbia? Vinny Burgoo filted: >In alt.usage.english, R H Draney wrote: <something that inspired the following> >Did you know there's a Draney Inlet in British Columbia? I didn't, but it doesn't surprise me...there were Draneys in Canada before there were any in the US.... As the original conversation concerned rivers, there's a Draney River (and nearby, a Draney Peak) in southeastern Idaho....r Signature"Keep your eye on the Bishop. I want to know when he makes his move", said the Inspector, obliquely. The R H Draney entity posted thusly: >Vinny Burgoo filted: >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >As the original conversation concerned rivers, there's a Draney River (and >nearby, a Draney Peak) in southeastern Idaho....r What a coincidence. There's a Burgoo Bistro in Vancouver. me@privacy.net had it: > > It was named in homage to the legendary working-men's club > > in Harpurhey (= AmE "the Harpurhey section"), Manchester, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I also see that there are at least two rivers in the Manchester region > named after AUE participants. In at least one case, I believe the truth is vice versa. Signaturethe Omrud ========= >I was amazed to discover recently that Miriam Margolyes supplied the >voice of the sexy Mummerset squirrel in the old chocolate ad - Caramac? >She's a top-notch actress and by all accounts a Thoroughly Good Egg but >she's no oil painting and hers is the last face I would have associated >with such a voice. Which just goes to show ... something or other. She wasn't a squirrel, she was the Cadbury's Caramel rabbit. SignatureLinz Wet Yorks via Cambridge, York, London and Watford My accent may vary In alt.usage.english, Amethyst Deceiver wrote: >On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 12:50:52 +0000, Vinny Burgoo <hnNULh@yahoo.co.uk> >>I was amazed to discover recently that Miriam Margolyes supplied the >>voice of the sexy Mummerset squirrel in the old chocolate ad - Caramac? [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >She wasn't a squirrel, she was the Cadbury's Caramel rabbit. Oh! But I can see a squirrel in my mind's eye. Is this significant? (If it is, I don't want to know.) SignatureV > In alt.usage.english, Amethyst Deceiver wrote: > >On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 12:50:52 +0000, Vinny Burgoo <hnNULh@yahoo.co.uk> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Oh! But I can see a squirrel in my mind's eye. Is this significant? (If > it is, I don't want to know.) Be that as it may, I'm still uncurling from a very nice little Radio 4 chortle entitled _1966 And All That_, and what I want to know is if you wrote it, and if not, why not. You should have. (Hell, I didn't even get on _Stop The Week_, and then they took it off.) SignatureMike. In alt.usage.english, Mike Lyle wrote: >Be that as it may, I'm still uncurling from a very nice little Radio 4 >chortle entitled _1966 And All That_, and what I want to know is if you >wrote it, and if not, why not. You should have. Godnose why you should think I'm capable of writing something like that (but thank you). It's Craig Brown, innit, inheritor of the Peter Simple column, Old Etonian and owner of the eggiest egghead ever seen on the shoulders of anyone working in the Geisteswissenschaften. >(Hell, I didn't even get on _Stop The Week_, and then they took it >off.) I was on the back page of a Calais newspaper once. I was pictured proudly holding up a small fish. SignatureV > In alt.usage.english, Mike Lyle wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > column, Old Etonian and owner of the eggiest egghead ever seen on the > shoulders of anyone working in the Geisteswissenschaften. Pshaw! A wholly inadequate explanation. Get stuck in, young Burgers! SignatureMike. In alt.usage.english, Mike Lyle wrote: >Pshaw! A wholly inadequate explanation. Get stuck in, young Burgers! Ptooey! SignatureV >In alt.usage.english, Amethyst Deceiver wrote: >>On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 12:50:52 +0000, Vinny Burgoo <hnNULh@yahoo.co.uk> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Oh! But I can see a squirrel in my mind's eye. Is this significant? (If >it is, I don't want to know.) Only because squirrels were involved in the advert. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUOtSDjtjU SignatureLinz Wet Yorks via Cambridge, York, London and Watford My accent may vary In alt.usage.english, Amethyst Deceiver wrote: >On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 18:28:50 +0000, Vinny Burgoo <hnNULh@yahoo.co.uk> >>In alt.usage.english, Amethyst Deceiver wrote: >>>She wasn't a squirrel, she was the Cadbury's Caramel rabbit. >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Only because squirrels were involved in the advert. >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUOtSDjtjU Nope. Still can't picture MM saying that. I hear the voice, I see the rabbit, but neither of them is Miriam. Except one of them is. She's a shape-shifter, I tell you! SignatureV > Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone > ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? Sure. I can't remember her name, but whoever read Jasper Fforde''s The Eyre Affair did an excellent job. SignatureSML > > Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone > > ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? > > Sure. I can't remember her name, but whoever read Jasper Fforde''s The > Eyre Affair did an excellent job. Elizabeth Sastre? http://www.highbridgeaudio.com/eyreaffairbr.html Regards, Igor > > Sure. I can't remember her name, but whoever read Jasper Fforde''s The > > Eyre Affair did an excellent job. > > Elizabeth Sastre? > > http://www.highbridgeaudio.com/eyreaffairbr.html Yes, that's the version I heard. SignatureSML > > I can't recommend _Eve's Diary_. I gave it a minute or two, but my ears > > just didn't have the stomach for it.Agreed. I checked on this recording and you were right: this unique [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Having said that, a sudden realization flashed in my mind: Has anyone > ever listened to an audiobook with a female voice? The audio versions of Anne McCaffrey's work are read by Adrienne Barbeau....r |
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