Audio books while knitting? - Page 2

projectgal · 05-29-2006, 09:20 AM

I read/listened to the Poisonwood Bible. Very good, but I don't think I would have found the opportunity to sit and read it and find time to knit! Audiobooks are very efficient.

Not a complete threadjack, but I'm a member of Paperback Swap. The concept is that you list books with which you are willing to part, and others do the same. If someone wants a book on your list, you send to them and if you find a book that you want, you can request it and the member will ship it to you. It's all on a point system. The only expense that you have is shipping book requests. Sometimes audio books are listed, but they count as 2 points. It's definitely worth a try if book buying is causing problems with your yarn buying account!

http://www.paperbackswap.com/

Lindsey H · 05-29-2006, 08:08 PM

I was "reading" while knitting for a while then I just ran out of steam because my library doesn't have a very large selection. I love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. They all have the number of the book in the title. The first one is One for the Money. You do not have to read them in order though. They are pure "potato chip" books. Fun and you can't read just one. My library had some and my mom got the others from her library. I enjoyed listening to most of them. I could not stand the narrator for the seventh one. I am going to save this thread for future reference.

Lindsey H · 05-29-2006, 08:10 PM

Oh I wanted to add that I had not even thought of listening to Jane Austen's book :rollseyes: . She is by far my favorite author

. Every once in a while I just get into a "Jane Austen kind of mood". I am going to check into those.

Shandeh · 05-29-2006, 08:17 PM

My other favorite thing to do while knitting is watching DVDs or videos. I'll check them out from the library, or rent them, or buy them at thrift stores. I usually go for the LONG movies...you know, like the "made for tv" mini-series things? I'll also get PBS videos or "tourist" movies. It's pretty cool to watch the ones about travel, because it almost feels like I'm taking a little vacation!
:D

Robin R · 05-29-2006, 08:23 PM

Hi Ladies. You all have given me a lot of really great ideas - thank you so much.

Someone on my blog gave me the idea of listening to The Pilgrim's Progress. I'm going to work on ordering that one, the entire set of Narnia books and a few listed way up in this thread that I can't remember the name of.

Lindsey, a good friend of mine got me started on Jane Austen's books. Oh! I didn't know what I was missing! I have now seen three of the movies and am on my second audio book - S & S. It took me a little longer to get into it compared to P & P, but I am enjoying it very much. I am about half way through it.

This is just so nice - listening to these books that I have wanted to read for so long! I was an avid reader before I had children. Over the years I ended up reading less and less unless it was to them. Now we are all enjoying listening to these wonderful books. My children also read a lot on their own. One is into Trixie Beldon mysteries and is on book #10.

Thanks for sharing which books you've enjoyed, ladies.

TwoLeftNeedles · 05-29-2006, 10:06 PM

I belong to Audible and have for years. Originally audio books were my way of coping with housework, then they helped make my commute bearable. These days most of my knitting is done on the bus or in waiting rooms, and I can't mix in an audiobook as well. When I get the chance to knit and listen at home, though, I enjoy it.

If you're enjoying Jane Austin, might I suggest you add Dickens to your listening list? A fantastic one to start with is Great Expectations -- unabridged of course!

If you're an English lit buff and haven't read the Thursday Next Novels (starting with the Eyre Affair), you don't know what you're missing.

P.G. Wodehouse is a scream. I especially like the ones set at Blandings Castle.

A sweet listen is All Creatures Great and Small plus the sequels.

For non-fiction, A Short History of Nearly Everything is entertainingly written. And "Getting Things Done" is the only time management book that ever worked in real life for me.

Robin R · 05-29-2006, 11:22 PM

Twoleftneedles - thanks! We have gotten most of our audiobooks from audible.com as well. I've been a member for about two months.

Dickens is on my list!

The only way to go is unabridged, huh?

I won't even listen to a sample or consider a book that is abridged. Who wants half the book, half of the author's ideas, plot, point? Not I!

Shandeh · 05-29-2006, 11:58 PM

How cool that your daughter reads Trixie Belden! I LOVE Trixie and Jim and Di and Honey and.....well....ALL of them! I used to wish I could live in Trixie's house when I was a girl, and sometimes I still do. :D

hedgewick · 05-31-2006, 05:54 PM

I would love to try this but I'm afraid it would have to be a VERY easy read type book. If I have to pay attention too much I'm afraid of losing track of my knitting and mess it up somehow. I really want to read "Night" by Elie Wiesel after I saw Oprah interview him last week. I wouldn't mind listening to it while I knit but I don't think it would be easy to read a book like that and concentrate on knitting at the same time. The subject matter (Auschwitz) is very serious so I am not sure if it would be easy or even appropriate to do something else while listening to it. If any of you have read this book I would love some input on this idea.

HollyP · 06-01-2006, 12:35 AM

This thread was a total ah ha moment for me. I had never thought of listening to audio books and knitting. I love audio books in the car for my commute. I am an avid reader and this would be a great way for me to "read" some of the books I have always wanted to read but have never gotten around to!
Now I have to hit the library!