Intense

When I loaded the CDs for "Flashback" into the CD changer this morning, I saw that the sixth CD I'd had in there was "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" by the Pogues. Another band, like Crash Test Dummies, a little of which goes a long way. I love some of their stuff--only the old stuff with Shane McGowan, though, I haven't heard anything since he left the band, so I can't talk about that--but you can't really listen to it very long, or very much. Too intense.

While I was loading the CDs, I was also thinking about how I associate certain readers with certain authors, and how, to me, those narrators become the "voice" of the character, and I can't get used to anyone else reading those works. The Nevada Barr book about Park Ranger Anna Pigeon are narrated by Barbara Rosenblatt, and I can call up her voice, and just see Anna Pigeon.

To me, George Guidall is the voice of Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels; John Rubenstein is the voice of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware books; Richard Ferrone has spoiled me for anyone else reading John Sandford's books, and I can't stand listening to any of John Grisham's books read by anyone other than Frank Muller.

I also remember, years ago, checking out of the library every one of John D. McDonald's Travis McGee books, read by Darren McGavin. They were abridged versions, which I never listen to now, but that was all that was available and I loved them.

I listened to the Tony Hillerman books years ago, too, and learned to love audio books. I don't actually like to have people read to me, because I find that my mind wanders and I don't really pay attention. Audio books are like that to an extent, too, but I force myself to listen, and I think I absorb a lot more than I do when I read. I read fast, and sometimes find myself speedreading, i.e., reading down the center of the page for sense without reading all of the words. I really think I should be reading all the words.