A new sort of obsession

So around the ranch…we read……

We read a lot.

The hubby is all old school and goes to the library at least once a week. And by library…I mean libraries. He isn’t real particular…he has been to all of them. He has his favorites, which are actually about all of them. If we are on vacation, he makes sure we check out the local library. We are incredibly lucky in Dane County as just about every library has been renovated. And they are gorgeous…simply lovely buildings.

But me… I like Ebooks.

And now lately…I am obsessed with audio books……

When we are children, we love having books read to us. When I was a child, our local library had the most wonderful librarian EVER. She could hold an audience of small children in the palm of her hand and you could hear a pin drop. She performed all the voices and made you not only love the stories but really imagine everything she was describing.

But then we grow up and we read on our own and (outside of a 5-6 year old learning to read) we rarely listen to books in spoken word.

Many many years ago I had a job that had me driving in the car a lot, and I remember listening to audio books and sitting in parking lots for large amounts of time not wanting to get out because the book was just SO GOOD! (OMG…try listening to Like Water for Chocolate and then try to work….nearly impossible)

But then, I forgot all about them. A few months ago on a whim I listened to a book…and well…it was all over. I just can’t get enough of them these days. I have mostly forgone listening to the radio if I am in the car by myself and plug in my phone so I can continue on in my book.

So far, I haven’t hit a dud…and I highly recommend the following:

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins-This is the book that got me hooked. Oh this is a great woven tale, and the readers are just so hauntingly wonderful.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed-I didn’t want it to end and seriously felt a hole when it was all done. I loved every minute of it.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee-One of my all time favorite books. Have read several times, but am amazed at how much more you get out of it when you have to listen to every word. Regardless of intent, we skim when we read…and we miss out on some parts. When you listen to an audio book, you have to digest each word and it is just so magical.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson-One of my favorite books from adolescence and the reader of the audio version is just so captivating. Even got the boy to listen to this one and he loved it.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult-I never knew how interesting it can be to hear about elephant research. And by interesting, I mean riveting.

If you live in Wisconsin and have an active library card, check out the Wisconsin Digital Library. It is an awesome resource and totally free. The only drawback, you have to be open to the fact that you may have to wait to read or listen to a title (just like normal library)…and sometimes when it is available…you are not ready for it. GRRRRR!!!!

Also, I highly recommend wireless headphones. It is just so great to have my phone up on the deck, but I am able to mow the lawn or weed the garden or knit to my hearts content- all without cords in my way.

So dear reader….what are you all reading these days?? Please share!