Audiobooks a popular vacation choice

Here are some favorite audiobook recommendations from readers.

Debe Dockins:

Likes audiobooks because: I grew up with my mother reading the Oz books, "The Secret Garden," and all the horse books ever written until I began to read the "chapter" books on my own, so I've always enjoyed listening to a story. Audiobooks give me a different perspective and the narrator always pronounces the foreign names correctly!

Favorite audiobooks: I enjoy the M.C. Beaton "Agatha Raisin" series, the Irish Country Doctor series, almost anything narrated by Rosalyn Landor, she's wonderful – her "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro is very good. I just finished listening to "Wild" and I recently listened to "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty. Author Bill Bryson is fun to listen to – it's as if you've slipped into his backpack with "A Walk in the Woods."

Favorite audiobook source: Washington-Centerville Public Library, of course! (Dockins is the Community Outreach and Development Coordinator for the library.)

Mindy Hoffbauer:

Likes audiobooks because: I spend so much time sitting and staring at text for work that I really don't want to do much more of it during my free time, so audiobooks are the perfect way to be informed and entertained without additional eye strain or having to remain still.

Any favorite audiobook you'd recommend? Barbara Kingsolver or Michael Ondaatje both read their works with such artistry that it often sounds like poetry

Favorite audiobook source: I took advantage of Audible's free trial, but saw no benefit to this service beyond what the library already provides to us through our tax dollars.

Greg Hoffbauer:

Likes audiobooks because: I listen to them during my daily commute (35-40 minutes one way) to make the drive pass faster.

Favorite audiobooks: Each book in the Ender's Game series is performed by several actors and is almost more like a radio show. The actor doing the Harry Potter series had a unique voice for each character and you could tell who the character was without him saying so.

Favorite audiobook source: State of Ohio Library

Krista Hiatt:

Likes audiobooks because: I commute around 2 1/2 hours a day to my job and they make the drive so much easier. I am a children's librarian so they also help me keep up with the books I may not get a chance to read in print. My mystery book group does themes instead of a specific title so I can finish a book that way too. I try to mix in some classics that I read in high school but want to read again.

Favorite audiobooks: For kids and teens (and me) I loved "Hank the Cowdog," "Gregor the Overlander," "Brixton Bros.," "Liar and Spy," "Bud Not Buddy," "Golden Compass" and "Hatchet." For adults I loved "Invisible Man," "Night Circus," "Defending Jacob," Flavia deLuce series, #1 Ladies Detective Agency series and "The Water's Lovely."

Favorite audiobook source: The library! (Hiatt is children's librarian — outreach services for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.)

Emily Fine

Likes audiobooks because: I can get more reading done. I listen while I'm grocery shopping, taking my daily walk, driving to and fro, cooking, cleaning the house and more.

Favorite audiobooks: All of my reading buddies are raving about "The Martian" on audio, although I haven't listened yet. Ditto to "Americanah" – read by a narrator with Nigerian accent which lends itself well to the book. Recently released was "The Things They Carried" read by actor Brian Cranston. Hands down my favorite of 2014 so far is "The Son" by Philipp Meyer. This one is told from different perspectives and the narrator was awesome.

Favorite audiobook source: Overdrive via the library – FREE! And I can use the companion digital downloads direct to my iPhone – it's seamless and super easy. I had Audible for a while and I really enjoyed it, but it just gets expensive.

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