Chapter 25 - Mastering Audio

June is, among other things, Audiobook month. We have a lot of customers who enjoy audiobooks and come in on a regular basis to see what we have new on CDs for them to listen to. Audiobooks are great for long trips, cleaning house, walking or running, or doing really any number of activities where you can't sit down and read a book in the traditional sense.

We have teamed up with Libro.fm, a great audiobook company who is giving Amazon-owned Audible a run for its money. Libro.fm's deal is that they give money back to independent bookstores. They have pretty much the same program as Audible except they pay publishers fairly and support independents.

Here are some books I have listened to on audio (some on CD's, some on Libro.fm) which I recommend highly. Some have been so powerful I've had to stop them and listen to a little music before going to the next CD or chapter.

Room by Emma Donoghue - This is about a boy who lives in a room with his mother. It is an incredible book, and a very intense listen. The voicing is done by multiple readers with the primary voice being so close to a child's voice as to be chilling.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - The version I've listened to is read by Sissy Spacek. I hadn't read this book in years and listened to it on a road trip north. Her voice is beautifully soft and Southern and you totally believe she is Scout recounting a story from her childhood.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman - This classic story is read by Rob Reiner. It is, of course, a wonderful family listen, and keeps everyone's interest. If you are on a family road trip this is the one to choose.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson - Erickson reads this hilarious story about a cowdog who just gets into all sorts of trouble. Hank and the coyotes he runs into both sing songs. This is another good family listen.

Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring - I listened to this audio back in March on the way to and from a short vacation. This is an excellent book and fostered a lot of discussion with those who listened with me.

Also, if you are looking for books on Antiracism which are out of stock everywhere - you can find them on https://libro.fm/?bookstore=bookends